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Eric Clapton Reflects On His Association WIth The Royal Albert Hall

29 Mar 18

Watch Eric Clapton share his Royal Albert Hall memories in a new interview! It’s all part of the lead up to the Hall’s 150th birthday in 2021. In it, Eric reflects on his first appearance at the legendary Victorian-era venue in 1964, the 1968 and 2005 Cream concerts, shows he enjoyed as a punter and tells some surprising backstage stories. 

Eric is undoubtedly the artist most closely associated with legendary Victorian-era venue. He has graced the stage on 208 nights from December 1964 to May 2017. If the concerts took place on consecutive evenings, it would add up to almost 30 weeks of shows. In 2015, he became the first guitarist to reach 200 appearances and marked his 175th solo show at the venue.

Eric first appeared at the Hall on 7 December 1964 while a member of The Yardbirds. His next appearance was 26 November 1968 and it became the stuff of legend – the two “farewell” concerts by the Cream. Thirty-seven years later, in 2005, EC, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce reunited on the same stage for 4 concerts. He discusses these appearances in the interview.

Between 1987 and 1996, Eric performed annual winter residencies at the venue, which peaked with 24 shows in February / March 1991 with four different band lineups, including a full orchestra. In 2013, there were 7 concerts during his 50th Anniversary Tour and in 2015, he scheduled 7 special performances as part of his 70th Birthday Celebration.

Over the years, Eric has also given his time to charity concerts held at the Hall, including the Prince’s Trust Galas (1983, 1988, 2010), the ARMS Concert (1983), Parents For Safe Food (1989), Children In Crisis (1994), the Prince’s Youth Business Trust Gala (1996), Music for Montserrat (1997), The Concert for George in aid of The Material World Foundation (2002), several Teenage Cancer Trust benefits and others. 

Want to know more about EC and the RAH? Click here. 

Do you have your own Royal Albert Hall story to tell? Head to https://www.royalalberthall.com/rah150/ and share your story. Whether you’ve performed on it’s stage, visited or even watched on the television during its first 150 years, the venue’s team wants to hear your memories and what the Hall means to you. #RAH150