Concert Details

Fan Reviews:

Review by Naphon Chockchaipermpoonphol – Bangkok, Thailand
Well, what a great night !!! Clapton Live in Bangkok for the second time in 30 years. Everyone in the band done a very good job, especially Mr. Derek Trucks who played slide guitar very well. Setlist is closed to last night in Singapore. Clapton open the show with 5 Derek & The Dominos tunes. Tell The Truth is great. Doyle played Guitar Solo with Wah-Wah Pedal in Got to Get Better in A Little While. After a few chords started in Little Wing, the crowd went crazy !!! And the last song from first electric set, Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?. Derek Trucks done a beautiful slide solo again.

The band moved to the sit down set. Clapton played a Martin acoustic guitar alone in Driftin’ Blues. And the full band came back in Outside Woman Blues. Derek Trucks played a Dobro guitar in acoustic set. Clapton closed the sit down set with semi-acoustic version of Running On Faith. Derek & Doyle moved to electric guitar while Clapton played acoustic guitar.

The second electric was the climax of the show. Clapton played the intro riff of Motherless Children and then moved to the slide part. Clapton, Derek & Doyle played slide guitar all together in this song. Little Queen of Spades was great too, it’s blues tune which let almost everyone in the band done a solo. And every done a really great job especially Chris Stainton and Derek Trucks (again!). Further On Up The Road was drop tonight. But the band played Anyday instead. After a few notes from Wonderful Tonight, the crowd went crazy again. Clapton closed the second electric set with Layla, a really great rockin’ tune. Clapton & Derek played duel guitar solo in the piano section, very beautiful solo.

The band came back in encores. Yeah !!! Cocaine is back after it was drop in Singapore. This song gave a chance to Tim Carmon did an organ solo. Finally Clapton closed the show with Crossroads. Great solo from Clapton, Derek & Doyle again. Thanks so much for a very special night with your great music and inspiration. Thank You, Eric.

Review by Harsh Adhyapak
I was at the Bangkok concert last night and it was nothing short of powerful and hard hitting ! Eric Clapton’s no nonsense high quality virtuoso approach to his guitar playing and passion for the blues were evident from the moment he took stage. The acoustics at the arena could have been slightly better but that was more than offset by the dedication and ‘no pretence’ cohesion of all band members. Most noteworhty was Derek Trucks on slide guitar whose brilliance and ‘feel’ complemented Eric note for note and made the evening all the more rewarding.

Unlike the Singapore show, cocaine was included in the set and made up the encore along with crossroads. The sit down acoustic session was up to expectation with Eric throwing in lovely renditions of Drfitin’ blues, Nobody knows you when you’re down and out and Running on faith among others.

Eric’s trademark fender stratocaster licks that made him a legend in the 70s were peppered in the songs in very good measure and his voice was strong while howling the blues with passion. He seemed ready to go and looked in great shape for his age exceeding audience expectations in every aspect of his performance. It was a wonderful and polished performance and we all got more than we thought we would. Eric hasn’t lost any of his guitar playing expertise or song delivery skills and it looks like he’s getting better with age. Thank you, Eric Clapton for stopping by in Bangkok. We’ll wait until you’re here next …

Review by Helmut Krug
Finally, I got to see Eric Clapton live in concert for the first time ever. Sometimes it is hard to know what to expect, but that was different here, thanks to the Where’s Eric web site. Hence, the program didn’t yield any surprises. But wait. Does the set list tell everything? Certainly not, but if you see it in conjunction with the band lineup – yes, you get an idea of what it would be like.

Nevertheless, it was surprising how youthful Eric still came across. Thanks to his class he doesn’t only tolerate, but demand the best sidemen you can find – not to forget the back-up singers. Great to see also that Eric is so generous in granting everybody – and particularly the other two guitarists – ample solo time. It is quite obvious that Eric had the good old Derek & the Dominoes and Blind Faith times in mind when he added the fantastic Derek Trucks to complete the lineup for this tour. And the result was stunning! Maybe some of the audience expected the more mainstream Clapton, but bad luck this time. For a blues fan, however, that was just great!
 

Review by Curtis Winston
The Impact was all Eric’s – and Derek’s – on Monday as Clapton lined up Dominos favourites from the ’70s and blissfully gunned them down
In 1970, when Eric Clapton first took the stage with his new band – players plucked from Delaney & Bonnie – they were mistakenly introduced as Derek and the Dominos, though there was no one in the group named Derek. Now there is. Derek Trucks, one of the hottest American rock and blues guitarists on the scene today, brought Clapton’s show on Monday night back home. The bulk of the playlist on Clapton’s tour over the past year have come from the Derek and the Dominos album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs". On that seminal release, "Slowhand" Clapton traded guitar solos and soulful vocals with the late, great Duane Allman. It’s a sound that Trucks, 27, grew up listening to as the nephew of Butch Trucks, drummer and founding member of the Allman Brothers Band. And though he was born eight years after Duane died, the younger Trucks has grown into one of the best – if not the best – slide guitarists since Duane Allman.

More sounds from the past come from another guitarist in Clapton’s current band, left-handed Texan Doyle Bramhall II, who demonstrated an otherworldly style of soloing. Bramhall, 38, who started out playing with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, is in the Texas blues guitar tradition of such players as Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

From the blistering opening of "Tell the Truth" from the "Layla" album, the band moved into the blues standard "Key to the Highway", featuring the man himself, Clapton, 61, taking the first solo. The rapport among the band members was cheerful and loose. It was the second show on the Asia-Australia leg of a world tour that opened on Saturday in Singapore. Early on there was a mix-up between Clapton and Bramhall on who was singing what verse, but they laughed it off and kept playing.

Bassist Willie Weeks and powerful drummer Steve Jordan showed what they were made of on a funkified arrangement of the Dominos’ "Got to Get Better in a Little While", a song eventually released on Clapton’s 1988 "Crossroads" boxed set. Weeks and Jordan locked into a groove, with Clapton chicken-scratching a rhythm pattern, and it built up from there into a barnburner.

The mood rose to ethereal with the Dominos’ arrangement of Jimi Hendrix’s mournful "Little Wing", which featured solos by all three guitarists. And to answer the question "How can they top that?" they asked another question with the pleading "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?", which boosted the tempo once more, but then ended with a drawn-out, meditative solo by Clapton.

Then Slowhand sat down alone and gave his acoustic guitar a workout on "Driftin’ Blues". He was joined on "Outside Woman Blues" with Trucks on a steel-resonator guitar, Bramhall on acoustic 12-string, Weeks on semi-acoustic bass and Jordan astride a box, slapping it with some brushes. The stomping, gut-bucket sound could have been coming from a front porch on a lazy afternoon in the Mississippi Delta.
But this was Impact Arena, and after a couple more "sit-down" numbers – "Nobody Knows You" and "Running on Faith" – the band plugged in again and got back into arena-rock mode, joined by pianist Chris Stainton, organist Tim Carmon and vocalists Michelle John and Sharon White.

With a drum solo opening, there then came the triple slide-guitar attack of "Motherless Children" from Clapton’s solo album "461 Ocean Boulevard". "Queen of Spades" showcased the piano work of Stainton, who Joe Cocker fans will remember as the "Foxy Prince of Roll" on the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" album. There were solos from Trucks, who stuck with his trusty Gibson SG all evening, and Bramhall on a Gibson Les Paul. (Except for the acoustic numbers, he’d played a variety of Fender Stratocasters.)

"Anyday", also from "Layla", was offered before Clapton got into "Wonderful Tonight". This is where the capacity crowd came unhinged. If the majority of the show was for die-hard Clapton fans, this was a song for the radio listeners.

One fan planted himself in the centre aisle in front of the stage and swooned before Clapton. He was probably the same wag who spray-painted "Clapton is God" graffiti around London in the mid-1960s. As the song was ending, the man threw his shirt on the stage as an offering to the guitar god, before being escorted away.

Then came the closing number, the often-heard title cut from the Dominos’ album, "Layla". Hardly a day goes by without it being cranked out at some beer bar somewhere in Thailand, but how many times can you hear it played live, by Clapton and two other hot lead guitarists, complete with the piano solo coda?

The camera-phone toting fans packed the centre aisle in front of the stage and swayed. That closed out the show, and left the crowd restless for more. After enthusiastic cheering, the band came back and fired up "Cocaine". Meanwhile, a scent of something that was not cocaine wafted from the front row.

This was followed by the Robert Johnson standard "Crossroads", and there was, really, no better way to close out the two-hour show, except perhaps "Further on Up the Road". But for that, fans had to head out to their cars and pop in a CD, because Clapton and company had to take it to the highway for their next gig in Hong Kong. Still, they left Bangkok a better place, and in light of the events on New Year’s Eve, it’s an affirmation that good things do happen here, and that the blues aren’t necessarily so sad.

Review by Erica of Baltimore, MD USA
This is my third time seeing EC live. I was lucky to see Mr. Slowhand and his excellent band on this tour a few months ago at Verizon Center in DC. At first, I feel something missing here in Bangkok that is the opening by Robert Cray, but he clearly proved that he don’t need no one. He is a true professional musician concentrating on every bit of his music without saying anything; just the signature "thank you" is enough! He and his band emerged from back stage probably about 15 min late, just enough to start the crowd to go wild. Interestingly, I was told that many concerts in Bangkok are always delayed with many "mysterious" reasons. In my opinion, the sound quality here seemed to be a little better than in the Verizon Center, probably due to smaller size of the venue or much less activity from the audience, or both. It seems like it may take a while for the Blues to invade this part of the world.

In the beginning, it was obvious that Doyle had to go back to his amp to adjust the sound all the time but everything went fine because of his excellent ability to play. He always turned his face to the side and smiled as usual. It was great to hear him sing more this time. Derek Trucks rocked the arena as he always did in every place he went with his excellent slide on his Gibson, many times, switching back and forth among three of them seamlessly. Driftin’ Blues in the sit down set was excellent just like uncle Eric was trying to tell the story via his voice and guitar. I am a big fan of the Cream’s electric version of Outside Woman Blues and he has done an excellent job in the acoustic version as well. It is never enough to see him do this. Little Queen of Spades confirmed his top place in the Blues. Coming back with 2 songs in the Encore made me thrilled as I was afraid that Cocaine might be dropped out like it was in Singapore. I am not quite sure that Bangkok was the first place where he had 2 songs in the Encore for this tour? Toward the end, for the security concern and to my surprise, I don’t think it is acceptable to let someone throw a big towel at him! In conclusion, I think this is one of the great concerts and it’s worth every penny. I hope he enjoyed a little bit of Thailand and probably think about come back here again.

Review by Wallop Pongtanavong – Bangkok, Thailand
Finally E.C. was here in Bangkok. This is not my first time going to his concert. I went to his concert 12 years ago in Houston, Texas which the theme was "An Evening of Nothing But The Blues" to promote his "From The Cradle Album". That concert thrilled me as we all know that he is one of the best blues guitarists on earth. He is my guitar hero.

However, his performance in Bangkok was beyond my expectation since he played the songs from Derek and The Dominos for half of the set list. I was on the first row which made me see him really close, closer than last time which I got the third row ticket. The first song already made me fall down from my chair because I had not heard or watched him played Tell The Truth for a long long time. Derek and The Dominos era is my favorite Eric Clapton and I could not believe that a lot of songs were performed that night… This made me feel like MUSICALLY ORGASM over and over that night. And I did not feel tired but beg for more.

The songs like Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?, Anyday, Layla, and Crossroads really made me smile and sing along like crazy. Little Wing was superb and made the crowd fly high with the lyric. Wish Hendrix were here. If that he played I Looked Away and Bell Bottom Blues, I could have drifted and cried.

After the concert, I could not concentrate on my working for the whole week since my impression and happiness from his concert had been following me. Should I blame it on Clapton?

Review by Anya Photiwat
EC Give Me Strenght when I’m fifty two. From Chiangmai to Bangkok I spent a few days away from home in the north of Thailand just to meet Eric Clapton in person again. Almost three decades when EC and his band performed the first show in Bangkok, I had a good time to meet him,Chris Stainton and Albert Lee. The press conference was given up in the last minute.It’s not that easy to meet them at that time especially EC while I was 23 and freelance columnist. I’ve heard that the security was serious,felt like going to the war, I went to the President Hotel,try my best to interview EC. But with the help from Nigel the road manager, I met Slowhand,sat in front of him, drank gin tonic and talked with him. Thank you Nigel, You’re so kind. Still remember how exciting I was, I smoked cigarette and put the ash not in the ashtray but in the gin tonic glass, EC smiled he knew how I felt. That night… Nigel, Chris and Albert visited my home. I sent them back the Hotel at midnight. And the next day was the show.

The second EC show in Bangkok in the year 2007, if I miss I must go to hell. Monday 15 Jan,that night was so great to me. From the moment EC took stage, I felt like being in the garden of senses. The first electric set opened with Tell The Truth. Then came Key To The Highway, Little Wing,Got To Get Better In A Little While and Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad.?  Yes, five songs from Derek and The Dominos, Hello old friends!

Like the other EC fans,only a few chords of Little Wing started,I can’t help going crazy,hope the song will never end, EC – Doyle Bramhall and Derek Trucks all three guitarist played solo,that’s great. In Got To Get Better in a Little While, DB played guitar solo and WW-Willie Weeks play bass and he’s the killer.  After the last song Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? ended, then came the brief "Thank You!" from Slowhand.

The band moved to the sit down set, EC sat down alone and played the Martin acoustic guitar. At the age of 61,his voice and his guitar still speak lounder than words in Driftin’Blues. Then came Outside Woman Blues, Nobody knows You When You’re Down and Out and Running On Faith,the last song from the sit down set which is my favourite. It’s great to hear them play ROF live. In the middle of the show I just recognized the pianist was Chris Stainton,unbelievable.

It’s not weird if you lived in the north and spent much time on the mountain, stop reading the music magazine, woman magazine and daily news. I never try to find out "who is who" in EC band. At the age of 52, left the mountain behind just because the wolf is the Blues fan and wanted to say hello to old friend.

I never had the idea that after 30 years Chris Stainton will be on tour back to Bangkok. I’m real glad to see him on stage again and I’ve told myself to wait for Layla,I’d love to hear the piano solo!!!.

Do you still remember Chris,you felt like being kidnapped while we’re on the way to my home? But nowadays Bangkok has changed a lot.
The band plugged again and EC opened the second electric set with Motherless Children and I went crazy again since 461 Ocean Boulevard Album is my favourite.It’s so great to hear Slowhand played live with his lineup,DT and DB,all three played slide guitar together. Little Queen of Spades, the second song for the blues fan was great too, especially the keyboard , Chris Stainton.

Everyone has done a great great job, not only the four guitarists,EC,DT,DB and WW but also the keyboards,Chris Stainton,Tim Carmon and the powerful drummer,Steve Jordan, the two backing vocals,Mitchell John and Sharon White. I love you all.

The show was closed with Layla! Hearing them played live is heaven! Thanks to every musicians and especially the piano solo coda.
Came back on stage in encores EC played Cocaine and closed with Crossroads,great solo again from EC,DB and DT. Some may expected Tears in Heaven but EC didn’t played, however Wonderful Tonight was on the list,30 years have passed since I’ve heard Slowhand sang this song,I thought EC’s voice is better and better with age.

What a great night! In praise of the Blues!

I’m old and decrepit… but never has the idea to be right at home when I’ve heard that Slowhand will come up to Bangkok.I’m the woman who was the wolf in my past life and the Blues fan,I gave a hug to my son who never met Slowhand in person since the first EC’s gig in Bangkok was in the year 1979 or 1980 and he wasn’t born yet. I told my son "What a great night for your mom,Slowhand give me strength."

30 years before,I’ve got EC’s signatures on my two albums, 461 Ocean Boulevard and No Reason To Cry.I remembered EC smiled when he had seen that very very old 461album since it meant nothing but told him that the owner must open it eight days a week. My 461 Ocean Boulevard was stolen but No Reason To Cry still be in the room besides the gift from EC, the photo and the red red pick that said "This is my new fucking pick. E.C." Thank you Slowhand or God or Clapton,you gave me strength when I’m 52.I’ll wait until you return to say hello old friend again.