1990s

1990s

Eric’s 1990 Journeyman Tour is among his best documented road trips. Shows were broadcast on radio stations around the world and the Albert Hall dates that kicked off the year were filmed and recorded, many of which have surfaced on bootlegs. Eric’s 18 night residency at the Albert Hall fetaured different formats – 4 piece, 9 piece, blues and orchestra nights – for the first time. But still, no truly notable US recordings have become available.

Eric was unhappy with the 1990 Albert Hall recordings for an official live CD that was on the drawing board. In February 1991, he played a series of 4 piece, 9 piece, blues and orchestra nights which were again recorded. Ultimately, the best tracks would evolve into the 2CD official release, 24 Nights. Again, several high quality bootleg recordings became available, along with a good number of audience recordings. Once the dates were complete, he had no further professional plans for the remainder of the year. He planned to take the year off to spend time with his young son, Conor. Tragically, Conor died in March. Eric began writing songs to help heal himself. In December, he “loaned” himself, his band and crew to his friend, George Harrison, for a tour of Japan. For more than a decade, there were a scarcity of recordings. That finally changed in 2003.

Eric returned to work in earnest in 1992. On 16 January, he and his band filmed the now-legendary MTV “Unplugged” episode. This singular television event, with it’s accompanying CD and Video, would bring him an entire new legion of fans. In February, Eric played dates at the Albert Hall before taking his band to America and Europe for the spring and summer. The summer tour would feature some live stadium dates with co-headliner Elton John.

1993 would mark the beginning of a welcome era for Eric’s fans: the blues years. From 1993 through the 1996 tour, Eric’s setlist would offer lots of variation – little known blues songs, blues standards sometimes combined with hits. Unfortunately, the first year of this era is not well documented as the others. 1994 started with a run at the Albert Hall before Eric took his new blues band around the world performing in large venues and small clubs. Eric played extraordinarily well in this all blues setting and many of the shows have been rated “outstanding” by fans. After his 9th annual residency at the Royal Albert Hall at the beginning of 1995, Eric continued playing the blues throughout Europe, America and Japan. And like the previous year, the performances were well documented by archivists.

Eric scaled back in 1996. After a 12 night stand at the Royal Albert Hall, he took much of the year off, although there were a handful of one-off appearances. The run at the Albert also signaled the end of his annual residencies at Albert Hall. Most of 1997 was spent working on a new album (what would eventually be released as Pilgrim) and the techno / electronica Retail Therapy. An 11-date jazz tour with Marcus Miller, Steve Gadd, Joe Sample and David Sanborn took in the major European jazz festivals in July 1997. At the end of the year, Eric travelled to Japan to try out some new material in the live arena.

Eric released his first studio album of original material in nine years in 1998. Pilgrim was a radical departure and its musical styling caught many fans by surprise. Starting on his 53rd birthday, Clapton spent most of the year on the road. The American and UK dates would feature a string section. The American tour was good, but lackluster when compared to the European shows later in the year. But, even the Euro shows lacked the “guitar god” element most evenings. As technology had taken major leaps forward during the earlier part of the decade, almost the entire show is available to the trading community and numerous bootlegs were released.

During the first 10 months of 1999, Eric performed occasionally at one-offs like the NAACP Image Awards and the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame Induction. Most of his time was dedicated to launching the drugs / alchohol rehabilitation center he founded in Antigua and planning an auction of over 100 of his guitars to support it. The most notable concert event during these months was the Crossroads Centre Benefit Concert on 30 June in New York City. Eric toured Japan in November.

The essential Eric Clapton bootleg recordings from the 1990s are:

Quartet (EC is Here / SB6)
London At Night Volumes 1 and 2 (Bad Man / SB6)
Love (Snake / SB6)
Class Blues Volumes 1 and 2 (Buccaneer / SB6)
Recorded on 24 January 1990 at the Royal Albert Hall, this four-piece show includes some of the first public performances of the Journeyman material. Quartet was included in a lavish box set on the EC is Here –DJ Copy Label which included two video tapes of the concert. Portions of this film was used in the official 24 Nights project. Unfortunately, all the other titles are incomplete. The songs are not in their correct running order and “Breaking Point”, “Can’t Find My Way Home”, and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” are missing. However, the playing and sound quality more than make up for these deficiencies. This show, which was broadcast on U.S. radio, has a stunning version of “Old Love” and outstanding solos on “Cocaine” and “Running On Faith.” Three songs — “Running On Faith”, “White Room”, and “Sunshine Of Your Love” — made it onto the official album, 24 Nights. “Breaking Point” was dropped from the setlist as one can easily hear that it doesn’t quite come together for the band.

Blues Night London 5/2/90 (Blue Moon / SB6)
This is another soundboard recording from the Royal Albert Hall run on 5 February 1990. This is a complete blues-only show featuring Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, and Johnny Johnson. This is not the BBC live broadcast from 3 February. This show was recorded for the 24 Nights project, with three tracks being used (“Worried Life Blues”, “Watch Yourself”, and “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”). Some real gems can be found here, especially some great jams between Clapton, Guy, and Cray.

Orchestra Night (Blue Moon / SB6)
Orchestra Night (Blues Power / SB6)
Orchestra Night (Mid Valley / SB6)
This complete concert from 10 February 1990 has Clapton performing his hits backed by a full orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. Of particular interest is a public performance of the soundtrack, “Edge of Darkness” — as well as the specifically composed “Concerto For Guitar & Orchestra” which is unforgettable. The music doesn’t come together on all of the numbers, but when it does, it is sheer magic. “Sunshine Of Your Love” is a stand-out. This is Eric as you never heard him before. Note that only two tracks were used on 24 Nights — “Bell Bottom Blues” and “Hard Times”.

Amigos (Eternal Records / SB6)
In South America, Clapton really hit his stride with the Journeyman material. The band is tight and Eric has plenty of room to solo. This is a stunning soundboard from the 5 October 1990 show in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Highlights include “No Alibis”, “Old Love” and one of the best live versions of “I Shot The Sheriff”.

Honorable Mention:
Montevideo Blues (United / SB6)
Eric continues to deliver the Journeyman material at this 3 October 1990 show. Although a soundboard recording, the audience is incredibly loud. This show has top-notch versions of “Pretending”, “No Alibis”, “Running On Faith”, and “Bad Love” — but “Crossroads” and “Sunshine Of Your Love” are missing. The first disc also has a portion of Mick Taylor’s opening set.

Play With Fire (Blues Power / SB6)
Play With Fire Revisited (Mid Valley / SB6)
This is a complete nine-piece band performance from the Royal Albert Hall run from 17 February 1991. This flawless soundboard recording is one of the best Clapton boots ever released — a perfect show from lights down to lights up. Several tracks from the BBC Radio 1 master tape were used on 24 Nights. Lots of great unreleased tracks can still be heard on this set. It gets no better than this!

Blues Night 91 (Star / SB5)
This Royal Albert Hall blues show from 25 February 1991 was broadcast live on BBC Radio 1. The recording is an excellent soundboard and a very good show, but the playing doesn’t live up to the 1990 blues shows. Musical collaborators were Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Jerry Portnoy. Eric lets it rip on gems from his Bluesbreakers days, such as “Hideaway” and “All Your Love”.

Note: 24 Carat (Heartbreakers) issued in 1999 is a 5 show / 10 CD set from the 1991 Royal Albert Hall run. The shows were available singly but in extremely limited numbers. 24 Carat was also available as a box set that included a bonus show, the 4 Piece Band from 7 February. It is not essential to own the entire set as quality varies from SB6 to 4 (a so-so audience recording). For 17 February, Play With Fire or Play With Fire Revisited are the superior recordings. However, for 25 February, the two discs in the 24 Carat release (24 Carat – Blues Band) are superior (SB6) to Blues Night 91. Due to its scarcity, it will not replace Blues Night 91 as the one to own.

Rock Legends: Osaka 1991 (Shamrock / 6)
This 6-CD box includes the 10, 11 and 12 December concerts at Osaka-Jo Hall by George Harrison, with Eric Clapton and his band. For more than a decade, fans were hoping that recordings of this quality would surface. Lots of Harrison tunes, sing-a-long Beatles songs and a four song set of Eric’s solo material. A shame George didn’t join in on “Badge.” These three shows are from the mid-point of the tour. The band is a cohesive unit and George is in fine voice all three nights.

Honorable Mention:
Fourth Night Live / Rock Legends Tour (Platypus / 6)
In previous incarnations of this list, Fourth Night Live was listed as the best recording from the Rock Legends tour. The majority of the show was recorded in Nagoya on 5 December 1991. Several tracks were recorded in Tokyo on 17 December. It features Clapton’s four solo songs and a brilliant live “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. It is still a good choice, but has been “downgraded” a bit to complete shows surfacing in equal or slightly better quality.

Acoustic Waltz (Mid Valley)
Complete Unplugged (EC Is Here)
Completely Unplugged (The Gold Standard / SB5)
double set catalog numbers UP356 and CM340
These three titles were all recorded at Bray Studios on 16 January 1992. The Mid Valley title has a complete audience recorded version of “Rollin and Tumblin” which does not appear in its entirety on the other discs as the master tape was not running during the beginning of the song. These sets include the officially released numbers, as well as alternate takes and unreleased songs. Note that The Gold Standard also released a single CD from this show with the catalog number UP356 that only has 14 of the 27 tracks. At a minimum, try to obtain Acoustic Tale (Backstage / SB5) which has most of the unreleased material on a single disc. Its version of “Running On Faith” is the same as the official release. Eric’s comments between songs are priceless.

High Geared (Mid Valley / 5)
This is a good audience recording that is a warm-up show for the annual Royal Albert Hall run. Recorded on 1 February 1992, Eric is amazing on the first three songs: “Anything For Your Love”, “Pretending”, and “I Shot The Sheriff.” It features the first concert performances of “Tears In Heaven”, “Circus”, “My Father’s Eyes” (plugged), and a rare performance of “Signe”. This concert takes place barely two weeks after the Unplugged taping. It also marked the first time Eric played an acoustic set on stage since the mid-70s. Some say this set contains the ultimate version of “Layla”.

Note: In previous incarnations of this list, Another Page (Red Phantom / 4), Tears In Heaven (KTS / 4), The Circus Has Left Town (KTS / 4) and Eric Clapton Live Volumes 2 & 3 (AMCOS / 4) were listed as the titles to own. They have been replaced by the Mid Valley version which benefited from advances in computer-based sound engineering software. This resulted in an upgrade in overall sound quality. The levels during the acoustic set are now better balanced with the rest of the concert and are much more audible. On the others, the audio level drops during the acoustic numbers.

Live At The RAH (ECCD07A / 4)
Royal Albert Hall 2-12 (S&H Music / 4)
This show, like the warm-up in Brighton, features “Tears In Heaven”, “My Father’s Eyes”, “Circus”, and “Signe”. This very good audience recording is from 12 February 1992 and features a solid performance of “Before You Accuse Me” and “Layla” is still plugged-in.

Slowhand Blues (label unknown / 4)
This release is from the first solo all-blues run at the Royal Albert Hall. Recorded on 7 March 1993, it contains many blues standards that were not performed during subsequent blues tours. Tracks include the Robert Johnson songs “Alabama Women”, “Terraplane Blues”, “32-30”, “Juke”, “Meet Me In The Bottom”, and “Chicago Breakdown”. A few of these Johnson songs would not be dusted off again by Eric until his officially released 2004 CD, Me & Mr. Johnson. The sound quality is inferior to shows released from the later blues-only tours, but this should not dissuade you from owning it.

Into The Fire (Mid Valley / SB6)
Unlike the Albert Hall concerts, the Japan tour featured a combination of blues and hits. This stellar sounding show from Japan has not yet been dated beyond the year. To sum it up in one word: wow! Eric and his band are on fire delivering great acoustic blues on “How Long” and “32-20” before plugging in for powerful versions of “Forty Four” and “Blues Leave Me Alone”. Eric plays tribute to Jimi Hendrix with an excellent cover of “Stone Free.”

Eye of the Hurricane (Mid Valley / 5+)
Back Again (RAH Music / 5)
Clapton performed a combination of blues and hits at this Royal Albert Hall performance on 21 February 1994. This format would be abandoned shortly. This disc is unique in that it features a rare, live performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Stone Free”, which Eric had recorded for a Hendrix tribute album in 1993. Other tracks include “Come In My Kitchen”, “Malted Milk”, “Five Long Years”, and “Layla” (plugged!). Note: Royal Albert Hall 1994 (Dead Brain Productions) is a complete show from the same date, but the sound quality is slightly inferior.

Kind Of Blues (Mid Valley / SB6)
LA Forum (label unknown / SB6)
This concert is one of the “big venue” U.S. blues shows recorded on 3 November 1994. Although “Motherless Child” is the first song on Kind this CD, the performance is taken from another show in an effort to make this a “complete show”. “Motherless Child” is not included on LA Forum. Eric is “on” right from the start. Highlights include “Tore Down”, “Crosscut Saw”, “Five Long Years”, and “It Hurts Me Too”.

The Blues Concert (KTS / SB6)
Nuthin’ But The Blues (Tuff Bite / SB6)
Frisco Blues (label unknown / SB6)
All three titles feature truly excellent sound, but The Blues Concert edges the others out. It would have received a SB7 rating in the Bootography if that rating existed (the top rating is SB6). The other discs still sound better than 99.9% of the bootlegs circulating. All are sourced from the post-production audio of the once-aired Martin Scorcese / PBS documentary. The discs are a compilation from shows recorded on 8 and 9 November 1994. Songs are not in their original order and are missing a second or two from their beginning or end, but this is barely noticeable. Additional cuts not in the documentary are included. It is worth getting this show just for the nine-minute version of “Driftin’”, a fantastic “Five Long Years”, and a truly outstanding “How Long”. Be careful not to confuse Tuff Bite’s Nuthin’ But The Blues with the KTS release, Nothin’ But The Blues (recorded in Hartford, CT on 13 October 1994).

Honorable Mention:
From The Cradle To The Fillmore West (Moonlight / SB5)
This soundboard was recorded on 7 November 1994 and is sourced from the pro-shot video that is in wide circulation. It’s slightly more complete than the above (23 tracks versus 21) but you give up some sound quality. It’s a good, solid performance and “Have You Ever Loved A Woman” is particularly touching. No guitar pyrotechnics in this version, just Eric and his guitar on the solo.

Club Full Of Blues (Moontunes / 6)
This is a truly outstanding audience recording from the last show of the club tour. Recorded at Irving Plaza in New York City on 28 November 1994, it is only missing the final encore of “T’aint Nobody’s Bizness”. Eric pulled out all the stops for this gig. This disc contains material not performed elsewhere — such as “Black Cat Bone;” plus amazing versions of “Sinner’s Prayer”, “Third Degree”, “Someday After A While”, “It Hurts Me Too”, and “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”. If someone asks you why is Eric Clapton nicknamed “God”, play this recording.

Lost Club Shows (Zig Zag / 5 / 5 / 5)
These shows surfaced in late 2002. The package indicates the recordings are from Legends, Chicago (17 November) and both shows from the House of Blues, New Orleans (22 and 23 November). In 2003, it was learned that the recording from Legends was from a different night, but it is still a good show to listen to (venue unknown).All are audience recordings in very good quality. Eric delivers the goods and they are a very nice addition to any collection. On the 22nd, Clarence Gatemouth Brown guests on the encore (Blues Jam / What A Shame).

Blues In The Hall (RAH / 6)
This complete show from 20 February 1995 is the BEST from the 1995 Royal Albert Hall run…nothing else comes close. When it was released, fans debated whether or not it was a soundboard recording (it’s not). The performances of “Tore Down”, “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”, “Crosscut Saw”, and “Five Long Years” — makes this CD a must have.

Bring Me No More Blues (Slowhand / 5)
This all-blues show, recorded at the Frankfurt Festhalle on 24 April 1995, has incredible versions of “Double Trouble” and “Five Long Years”. Just when you think it’s impossible for Eric to play any better, he does.

Addicted To Blues (MidValley / 6)
A stunning audience recording from the Hallenstadion, Zurich on 28 April 1995. It was one of “those” nights when Eric’s playing was so good, even his band were shaking their heads in wonder. The standard blues setlist featuring “Forty Four”, “Blues All Day Long”, “Standin’ Around Cryin’”, “Early In The Morning” and “Someday After A While”.

Everyday I Have The Blues / Japan (label unknown / 6)
In the 70s and 80s, bootleg recordings from Japanese venues were generally of poor sound quality. That changed in the mid-90s. This is a stunning audience recording from an all-blues show at the Olympic Pool in Tokyo on 1 October 1995. Except for clapping between songs, there is NO audience noise. The set list is the standard blues tour repertoire. Be careful not to confuse this boot with Everyday I Have The Blues (Amsterdam) which was recorded at the Royal Albert Hall on 23 February 1996.

10 Long Years (Keep On Keeping On / 5)
San Francisco Bay Blues (EC Is Here – DJ Copy / 5)
This is a complete audience recording from the Royal Albert Hall on 20 February 1996. Nothing from 1996 comes close to the sound quality of 1995’s Blues In The Hall. In terms of sound quality, all of the boots from RAH 1996 are pretty much the same. The set list did not vary much from night to night. Clapton reverted to a combination of blues and hits and played equally well throughout the run. Songs reintroduced to the set list were “Badge”, “Bell Bottom Blues”, and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” among others. Also featured is an acoustic “San Francisco Bay Blues” — plus “Circus” and “My Father’s Eyes” continue their evolution.

Alternate titles of comparable sound quality and competence:
Third Degree (EC Is Here – DJ Copy / 5) from 18 February 1996
Nobody’s Business (EC Is Here – DJ Copy / 5) from 22 February 1996
It Hurts Me Too (EC Is Here – DJ Copy / 5) from 23 February 1996
Everyday I Have The Blues (Amsterdam / 5) from 23 February 1996
Bell Bottom Blues (EC Is Here – DJ Copy / 5) from 26 February 1996
Presence Of The Lord (Kiss / 4) from a fantastic performance on 1 March 1996

Presence of the Live (Star/ SB6)
This single disc collects the radio broadcast of Eric’s Hyde Park performance on 29 June and the soundtrack of his “Duets” show for VH1 with Dr. John. You want this disc for the “Duets” performance. Although more than 90 minutes of material were taped, all that has surfaced are the 7 tracks collected here. Eric and Dr. John tear it up on “Right Place, Wrong Time,” “St. James Infirmary,” “Roberta,” and a plugged version of “Layla”.

Gods Meeting: Legends (Blues Note Records / SB6)
Legends: Monotheistic Stages (Zig Zag / quality)
These recordings are of the opening night of the jazz tour. The music is a bit rough around the edges, but the sound quality of the recording is top notch. Monotheistic Stages also includes the band’s performance at the Gasteiz Jazz Festival in Vittoria, Spain on 17 July.

Crossing Over Festival (EC Is Here / SB6)
Recorded at the stop in Vienna, Austria on 8 July. A solid performance from one of the first dates by Legends.

Legends At The North Sea Jazz Festival (label unknown / 5)
Recorded on 11 July 1997, this good audience recording is a complete Legends show. This was perhaps the best show of the tour and includes a fantastic jam with Robert Cray. There are great solos on “Peeper”. A sonically superior recording of this show is available as Snakes – The Legends (EC Is Here – DJ Copy). The only drawback? It’s missing the jam with Robert Cray.

Armani Compilation (label / quality)
Of note as one can hear the musical experimentation taking place in the recording studio. This project lead to Eric’s anonymous effort (TDF / Retail Therapy), which served as “research and development” for Pilgrim (1998).

1027-97 ECB Live At The Budokan Hall (EC is Here / SB6)
Change The World Tour / White’o Room’o (No Smoker / SB6)
Recorded on 27 October 1997 from the Japanese Direct TV broadcast, these are truly excellent recordings. The concert featured the only performance of “White Room” during the tour. Note that “Pilgrim” and “Broken Hearted” are missing, as they did not air. The set list consisted of then-unreleased Pilgrim material, blues, and hits. A complete audience recording of this night can be found on discs nine and ten of the box set On Guitar & Vocals, Me (Jungle Tiger / 6). See the “box sets” section for complete details.

Japan Tour ‘97 / Last Night (Mobile Reality Sound Lab / 5)
This is an incredible audience recording from the final night of the Far East Tour (31 October 1997). It is the complete show. Unusually, Eric is quite talkative. This tour featured several Pilgrim tracks prior to their release and it is interesting to hear their early live arrangements. Believe it or not, a slightly better recording of this show can be found on discs 15 and 16 of the box set On Guitar & Vocals, Me (Jungle Tiger / 6). See the “box sets” section for complete details.

Wonderful Night At Las Vegas (NA6 / 5)
This show was recorded near the end of the first half of the US Pilgrim Tour on 30 May 1998. A string section backs Eric, but the overall playing is much improved when compared to shows earlier in the tour. A solid show, it is rumored to be a favorite among the bandmembers.

Air Viper (Mid Valley Records / SB5+)
Arrowhead (EC Is Here / SB5)
Sunshine in Anaheim (unknown label / SB5)
These three titles contain the only known soundboard recording from the U.S. Tour. Recorded during the second leg, the playing is improved over the shows in the spring.

EC EC / Eric Clapton Earls Court (Zig Zag / 5)
Eric performed three very good shows at Earls Court Arena on 15, 16, and 17 October 1998 — with each night having its own special moments. A string section backs Eric. The only known live performance of “You Were There” was the encore on 15 October. This six-CD set has all three shows collected in one convenient package. The set list was divided into three sections: Pilgrim material, an acoustic set, and a “hits” section. The set list remained static. Eric’s vocals are nothing short of amazing. At a minimum, one should have The Second Night At Earls Court (Goldmaster / 5), when B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt join Eric for the double encore. All are truly excellent audience recordings that rival the quality of the 1997 Japanese tour releases.

Honorable Mention:
Double Image (Mid Valley Records / SB6)
For those who prefer soundboard recordings, this 4 disc set is worthy of mention. It has the Edmonton, Canada show from September plus the first night at Earls Court. There is some strange editing at the end of discs 1 and 3. The final two minutes of “You Were There” come from an audience source.

Paris 98 (Optimum / 4+)
A blistering version of “She’s Gone” is enough of a reason to get hold of this show that was released in Japan directly on CDR. This very good audience recording from 30 October 1998 also has a great “I Shot The Sheriff”. It doesn’t live up to the sound quality of EC EC, but it is much better than the majority of U.S. shows that have surfaced. Michael Petrucciani and Bonnie Raitt join Clapton for the encore of “Everyday I Have The Blues”. No strings attached! No conversations either…the audience can only be heard between songs.

Ahoy Rotterdam 1998 (Drifting Blues Disc / 6 / 6)
It turns out Clapton’s terrific Paris show was just a warm-up for what was to come a few days later in Rotterdam. The shows on 3 and 4 November pack a real punch in an amazing audience recording. The audience is barely noticeable except between songs. The first night features a rare encore performance of “Rock Me Baby” with Bonnie Raitt. The acoustic set has stunning sound. Eric’s playing on the standards and more recent hits like “Old Love” is excellent but the standouts are the new material: “One Chance”, “River of Tears”, and “She’s Gone”.

Down To The Crossroads (Zig Zag / SB 6 / 4)
This 5 CD set has the official broadcast of the Crossroads Concert and a 3 disc complete audience recording in good quality. Numerous tracks were omitted from the broadcast and official DVD. The audience discs contain this material along with great versions of “Reconsider Baby”, “River Of Tears”, “Run Baby Run” (with Sheryl Crow), three numbers with Bob Dylan and an all-star encore of “Bright Lights, Big City”.

Last Pilgrimage (EC Is Here – DJ Copy / SB6)
You want this 3 disc set for the German radio broadcast of the tour rehearsals that took place in Los Angeles, California. The radio show was recorded on 4 November. It has interviews and outstanding versions of “Gin House” and “She’s Gone”. This disc is meant to be played LOUD. Also included is the Japanese Television broadcast soundtrack of the 24 November show in Yokohama. Eric and band turn in an extremely competent performance. Although it’s great on CD, seek out the video or DVD. Without a doubt, it is the most beautifully filmed Eric Clapton concert of all time.

Note: The radio show is also available on its own on the MidValley release, Generalprobe 1999. Same goes for the Yokohama show – MidValley issued it on The Dance Of The Bell.
The Yokohama show was also released as a single performance by EC is Here as Yokohama 1124-99 in license-plate style cardboard packaging.

14 Gigs (Hoochie Coochie In The East / 5)
The entire Japan tour on 28 CDs sourced from great audience recordings. It gets a bit repetitive due to the unchanging setlist, but three shows standout in particular. 20 November 1999 was an amazing show from lights down and features a rare electric performance of “Before You Accuse Me” as the encore. 27 November was also consistently good with an rare acoustic performance of “Before You Accuse Me” (first time since the Unplugged taping on 16 January 1992). Finally, the 29 November performance starts out slow but Eric tears it up with his first performance of “Stormy Monday” in well over 20 years. The blues master at his best. At a minimum, seek out the invidual shows for these dates.

Where’s Eric! does not encourage or condone the manufacture of bootleg recordings. They are illegal and artists do not receive royalties from their sale. However, Where’s ERIC! realizes that there are fans who collect these recordings. In that spirit, information about them is provided for fans’ research and guidance purposes. Where’s ERIC! does not sell, trade or provide free copies of bootleg recordings nor can we tell you how to obtain them.