[Slowhand] Forward from Bill

[JP Donohoe]

I received this from Bill who was having trouble posting to the board.

 

 

If you are an avid reader of the 'Where's Eric" concert reviews, you already
have a feel for the concert set list. Instead of giving you a play by play
of the concert, I thought I would focus on some of the flavor on what was an
incredible night.

 

The concert started a bit late. Judging by the earlier reading, most of the
concerts started promptly at 8:15pm. Tonight the concert started at 8:23pm.
Around 7:50pm EC's guitar technician, Lee Dickson, was furiously running
around the stage checking and rechecking the wireless packs on the guitars
and the amp receivers. I suspect the short delay was due to an interference
problem that needed a little more TLC.

 

I had tremendous seats in the third row directly in front of EC. He came out
with SW relaxed and wearing a short sleeve Tommy Bahama-looking Navy Blue
shirt; faded jeans with holes throughout the legs and his now ever-present
leather loafers.  SW was decked in a long-sleeve shirt over a white t-shirt
and blue jeans. 

 

There is a good and a bad for getting tickets this close. The bad is that
you are sitting perpendicular to the main speaker drop. We could not hear
the voice mix. It was not really a problem with Clapton. You were so close
you could hear him without amplification. Winwood was another story. His set
up was stage left (as the audience would see him) and back just a bit. You
could not hear him at all. Besides the closeness to the stage, the good news
about sitting third row was being in direct line of EC's amp which looked to
be his standard tweed Fender 57 Twin. We could hear every slight touch of
the strings extremely clear and not over modulated. That was a real treat.
The sound was so clear on EC's playing that you could really feel him
ripping into a solo. The clarity was also evident during some of his rhythm
while moving into a standard riff. A good example would be "Forever Man". EC
added a simple fret finger flutter on the last note of the riff that was
distinct from his MSG concert. After the concert I checked the MSG DVD and I
could not see him play the sequence nor could I hear it on the CD. Just a
nice addition to a song he has played a thousand times.  I would love to
hear if that was the case in the early part of the tour or if he will
continue playing it during the remaining dates.

 

EC only used the Wah Wah pedal once during the solo in "Presence of the
Lord". He pumped it hard with the expected, classic result. At the end of
the solo, I thought he punched out of the Pedal a bit too early as the
effect added a noticeable click midway through the last note. As they say
"Sh-happens".  I was hoping he would head back to the pedal for "Cocaine"
but he did not.

 

As was mentioned in the publication of the set list, "Georgia On My Mind"
was replaced with "Low Spark". SW really hammered the piano. When he
finished the crowd went completely nuts. This was the point where SW
transitions over to EC for his first acoustic number (driftin'). The crowd
was still on its feet. Clapton started laughing as he could not start his
playing. EC looked at SW and that got another huge roar as SW shrugged his
shoulders as if to say, "what do you want me to do about it?" Just a nice
moment to punctuate how well these guys played together and seem to enjoy
each other's company on stage. It also looked to me as though SW was using a
Clapton Signature Martin during the acoustic Layla. Perhaps someone can
confirm that for me.

 

The highlight for me, as it has been for many of the reviewers, was VooDoo
Chile. Clapton remains in a league by himself. Stunning. The MSG DVD simply
does not do the performance justice. Those of you on the west coast awaiting
the tour are in for a delicious treat. Please savior it. At the end of the
song, EC added a nice touch paying homage to Hendrix and EC's Cream days by
walking over to his Twin 57, taking his Black Stratocaster from around his
neck and shoving into the face of the amp for a little classic distortion. I
hope some others in the arena caught that part of the program.

 

I also wanted to mention a couple of other points. You really can't
underestimate the guitar playing of Winwood. During the encore while playing
"Dear Mr. Fantasy", SW really jammed exceptionally well. He works the neck
of his mint green Strat a lot harder than EC but he is a great guitarist in
his own right. Side by side with electric guitars, EC is so smooth, the
guitar is simply an extension of his body. Winwood labors while playing the
frets but the sound is wonderful none the less.  Finally, hats off to the
addition of Abe Laboriel Jr as drummer. His energy was intense. I have to
believe he was a main reason EC and SW kept their playing to such a high
level. Never underestimate the need of a good drummer to lay the groundwork
for a high energy show. Did anyone else catch that Abe appeared to blow-out
his snare drum during "Pearly Queen"? A quick replacement was needed after
the song.

 

My only regret was a personal hope that my favorite "Little Wing" would be
added back to the set list. It was not. I also wish I was heading to
California for the West Coast Swing. You guys are in for a real treat!

 

Enjoy!

 

Bill