5 Nov 07
PRESS RELEASE
On the heels of a stunning collaboration at the Chicago Crossroads Guitar Festival in July of 2007 and after much speculation, Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton announced today three eagerly anticipated concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden. In what will be one of the must see shows of this decade Winwood and Clapton will perform together February 25th, 26th, 28th, 2008.
“I’m very excited about these upcoming shows with Eric. Blind Faith was a long time ago and we have both come a long way since then. It was a wonderful experience for me to play at Crossroads this summer and I’m really looking forward to exploring some more music together in February”, said Winwood.
“I have wanted to play with Steve for a long time. I consider him a friend and a truly gifted musician. Our set at the Crossroads Festival this summer was a real treat, so I expect these shows will be good fun for us and for the fans”, said Clapton.
Both Winwood and Clapton have long and prestigious musical careers with countless honors and awards to their names. Their musical paths connected in 1969 with the formation of Blind Faith, a group that pioneered the fusion of rock and blues into tremendous studio and stage success. Despite critical and popular acclaim, the band was short-lived with only one album and a brief 1969 tour that debuted July 12 at Madison Square Garden and ended August 24th in Hawaii. Since that final show, Winwood and Clapton have remained friends, but have only performed together a few times over the years for an occasional song at a charity event. The 2007 Madison Square Garden shows will be the first full Winwood-Clapton concerts in almost 40 years. The duo has said that no set list has been discussed and they will spend rehearsal time deciding which songs will be featured at these shows.
Steve Winwood is currently signed to Columbia Records and will have a new album out in early 2008. Eric Clapton’s current album Complete Clapton is available now on Reprise Records.
These shows will be produced by Ron Delsener for Live Nation. Tickets will be available in advance to American Express cardmembers.
Tickets will go on-sale first to American Express cardmembers through a special pre-sale, beginning Monday, November 12th at 9am (EST). Tickets can be purchased via ticketmaster.com.
If tickets remain, a general on-sale date will follow on Monday, November 19 at 9am (EST).
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American Express
American Express has a long history of providing special access and meaningful experiences to Cardmembers. As part of this ongoing commitment, American Express has partnered with these shows to secure a special opportunity for Cardmembers to purchase their tickets to what promises to be three incredible shows prior to the general public on-sale.
American Express Company is a diversified worldwide travel, network, and financial services provider founded in 1850. It is a leader in charge and credit cards, Travelers Cheques, travel, financial planning, investment products, insurance and international banking. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com.
About Live Nation
Live Nation is the world’s largest live music company. Our mission is to inspire passion for live music around the world. We are the largest promoter of live concerts in the world, the second-largest entertainment venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. We create superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, The Police, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate, have booking rights for and/or have an equity interest in more than 160 venues, including House of Blues(R) and Fillmore(R) music venues and prestigious locations such as Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Wembley Arena. Our websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment/event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. In addition, we also produce, promote or host theatrical, specialized motor sports and other live entertainment events. In 2006, we connected nearly 60 million fans with their favorite performers at approximately 26,000 events in 18 countries around the world. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.”