News

Riga of Cheers

6 Jun 13

And so to beautiful Riga, the capital of Latvia and, to be, the European Capital of Culture in 2014. Plenty of culture out in the streets before showtime though, with buskers on every corner. In a whistle stop tour of the Old Town, this reporter heard jazz, folk, pop, aboriginal and quite possibly the most out of tune version of Hallelujah ever, by a solo rocker who looked like he’d just woken up from Woodstock.

But it’s the Riga Arena that is the main attraction and first up it’s Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders who include  Paradise, Legless and Apache in their compact set and draw appreciative response from the boisterous crowd.

In fact the crowd made this evening’s show, responding with vim to the wonderful music from Eric and the Band – hearty applause, clapping in tune to the beat, singing along to Tears in Heaven, football chants after Layla, the loudest “COCAINE” i’ve ever heard at the end of that song. With apologies for quite possibly the worst ever pun used in 21 years of Where’s Eric!, you could say I was drowning in a Riga of cheers.

This was a marvelous show, with the whole band in harmony, great guitar interplay with Doyle and Eric and memorable solos from all the band. No surprises for favorite songs – Got to Get Better, Sheriff, Crossroads, Little Queen of Spades, but special mention to Drifitn, a much played song of late, but incredible finger picking and melody from Eric.

TE

What are the odds of going to Lodz? Well, we need your help with this, the next show of the tour on Friday. Set-list, photos, reviews all welcome to info@whereseric.com.

5 June 2013 Set List – Eric Clapton & His Band
Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia
01. Hello Old Friend
02. My Fathers Eyes
03. Tell The Truth
04. Gotta Get Over
05. Black Cat Bone
06. Got To Get Better In A Little While
07. Come Rain Or Come Shine (EC & Paul Carrack – vocals)
08. I Shot the Sheriff
09. Driftin’ Blues
10. Tears in Heaven
11. Layla
12. It Ain’t Easy (Paul Carrack – vocals)
13. Nobody knows you when you’re down and out
14. Blues Power
15. Love In Vain
16. Crossroads
17. Little Queen Of Spades
18. Cocaine
Encores
19. Sunshine Of Your Love (with Andy Fairweather Low for the conclusion)
20. High Time We Went (with Andy Fairweather Low)