Venue: Nippon Budokan
City: Tokyo
Country: Japan
Eric Clapton – guitar / vocals
Doyle Bramhall II – guitar / vocals
Derek Trucks – guitar
Chris Stainton – keyboards
Tim Carmon – keyboards
Willie Weeks – bass
Steve Jordan – drums
Michelle John – backing vocals
Sharon White – backing vocals
None
Final show of Eric’s 2006 Japan Tour and the last show for the year.
01. Tell The Truth
02. Key To The Highway
03. Got To Get Better In A Little While
04. Little Wing
05. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?
06. Rambling On My Mind
07. Outside Woman Blues
08. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
09. Running On Faith
10. Motherless Children
11. Little Queen Of Spades
12. Anyday
13. Wonderful Tonight
14. Layla
15. Cocaine
16. Crossroads (encore)
Review by Tsuzuki Hiroyuki
Before starting the tour of Japan, Eric admitted, in the interview of "Asahi Shinbun ", his technique has been on the decline. I was afraid he could not move his fingers as he did in his youth. To be sure Derek Trucks is superior to him in guitar technique. But Eric’s guitar tune expresses his heart in more exquisite mood, moving the audience deeply. Tonight before playing " Little wing ", he said, " This is the last night of our tour of Japan. It’s sad. to leave but we’re happy to going home to our love ones. But we have some love ones here, too. We’d like to dedicate this set to, tonight, Mr.Udo,,,,and all guys working Udo artist. Thanks for wonderful tour. " Thank you, Eric. I have been very happy in these 4 weeks. I hope we will see you here in 2008.
Review by Jii Aoi
Final night. Everything has to end someday. Again, Little Wing and Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad were performed tonight, this time two songs in a row, much to the delight of the audience — and much better performances than yesterday, longer and more intense, both of them. When Doyle was finishing the solo on LW, Eric ushered him with a gesture to play more, which he responded and continued with another chorus of solo.
Little Queen Of Spades was competent, but not so convincing as yesterday. Rather than the guitar players, Chris was the star of the piece tonight. He played an extraordinary melodic solo, a near-composition in itself, sometimes tenderly, sometimes maniacally, which won a bigger applause than anybody else tonight. Doyle back on his trusted Les Paul. Alternatively, Derek picked up a black SG he had never used before for this one.
As if making up for his shortage of inspiration on LQOS, Eric revenged with a slashing solo on Layla. When the encore was finished, Eric and the band members stood in line, bowing to the crowd for the final good-bye; what was a norm on previous Japanese tours but never done before at any concert this time.
A few minor gripes aside, it was quite a class performance but five Dominos songs in a row from the start have given an impression that the show came to an early peak during the first portion in my humble opinion. I prefer the Friday night as some of my friends do.
Of all the eight shows I attended, my favorite is still Osaka third night (Nov. 14). LW and WDLGTBSS on the final Tokyo nights surely turned me euphoric, but the supreme impression of the said show remains intact and undiminished. To me it is hands down the best. I have met and talked with a few people who have been to all or all but one shows, and two of them agreed with me and one (who has seen all) maintained that Osaka third night and Tokyo penultimate night were in tie. To treat things fairly, according to a word-of-mouth source, it is reported that, as of finishing Dec.6 Tokyo show, Eric and Doyle commented, "This is the best night of the world tour so far."
I don’t think it is an overstatement that the 2006-7 World Tour is peaking in Japan (so far at least). There was an after-show party at an Italian restaurant nearby. Some fifty people attended and we all enjoyed a good time. A big ‘Domo’ for all concerned.