News

Clapton Tour Stops At Sheffield Arena

3 May 04

On 2 May 2004, it was a hometown gig for Clapton’s long-time keyboardist extraordinaire, Chris Stainton. The gig at Sheffield Arena, in Sheffield, England was a winner according to those in attendance. Eric Clapton’s band for this tour is:

Eric Clapton – Guitar, Vocals
Nathan East – Bass, Vocals
Chris Stainton – Keyboards
Steve Gadd – Drums
Doyle Bramhall II – Guitar, Vocals
Billy Preston – Hammond Organ, Keyboards, Vocals
Sharon White – Backing Vocals
Michelle John – Backing Vocals

The set list for the gig was:

Let It Rain
Hoochie Coochie Man
Walk Out In The Rain
Bell Bottom Blues
I Shot The Sheriff
Milkcow’s Calf Blues
When You Got A Good Friend
They’re Red Hot
Kind Hearted Woman
Got To Get Better In A Little While
Have You Ever Loved A Woman
Badge
Wonderful Tonight
Layla
Cocaine
Sunshine Of Your Love (encore with Robert Randolph)
I Got My Mojo Workin’ (encore with Robert Randolph)

Peter Benson shared his review with Where’s Eric!: 

I did not know what a steel pedal guitar could do until last night. What energy and talent Robert Randolph & The Family Band has, from where I sat the sound was slightly distorted, (perhaps a bit too loud). Nevertheless, in the short time they where on, 35 mins, pity it was not longer, the "Family members showed how talented they are each plying the other instruments in the final number. And "Voodoo Child" I am speechless.

It was sad to see so many members of the Audience not in their seats when Robert Randolph did his set. Whilst we have come to see Eric, Eric has chosen Randolph & The Family Band to support him, need I say more on this.

What can I say that has not already been said. It was worth the 300 plus miles coming up from Suffolk to see this show, but I would agree with my wife, (on this occasion) the best place to See Eric is in "Eric’s Front Room" at the Albert Hall, unfortunately the price of the available tickets were in the region of £400 to £500.
I have been a fan since I was 14 when I first heard Sunshine of Your Love in the lunch break at school, (middle row of desks second from the back), when the album Disraeli Gears first came in 1967, I am now 50 and still a fan.

The Red Carpet was rolled out for Eric, he brought his own, as always and his set began.
It was great to hear songs from Eric’s early catalogue. Sunshine of Your Love and Badge from Cream, Let it Rain from the days with Delaney & Bonnie, Layla, Have You Ever Loved A Woman and Got To Get Better In A Little While from the Derek and The Dominos period. Bell Bottom Blues, I Shot the Sheriff (what a solo), Walk Out In The Rain, Wonderful Tonight, Cocaine representing the early solo career. Then right up to date with the Robert Johnson songs. Each one a gem, again the solo on I Shot the Sheriff as was Have You Ever Loved A Woman, you had to be there to appreciate them, the Radio 2 broadcast did not do them justice.

Doyle Bramhall II, a left handed guitarist, with a left handed guitar strung in reverse I can not being to imagine how to play it, but Doyle played it and boy did he played it, truly amazed.

When I last saw Eric at Sheffield he was with ZZ Top and Joe Cocker and the conversation in the car that time from one of the passengers was "if they sold tapes of the concert I would buy one". The conversation this time was. "If they had a DVD of that complete show I would buy one". With the Technology today and the Video Cameras already there etc I am sure it is possible Eric.

The highlight of the Show for me was the Show.