Concert Details

Fan Reviews:

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Review by Matthew N.
After seeing Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck perform together and apart on Feb 21st at the ACC in Toronto I’m left wondering why some reviewers in London and NY were mixed about the show. Perhaps both EC and Beck were finding their road legs and it wasn’t until Toronto that they hit high hear. Whatever the reason, it was a fantastic night. Beck opened and played a powerful and dynamic set that peaked with A Day In The Life and the hauntingly beautiful Nessun Dorma. Beck actually fell on his back at the start of the final song of his set after tripping on the stage rise however he laughed it off and finished strong. A fantastic set.

While some other reviewers may question why Clapton started his set off acoustic I think it was a smart decision. Beck had taken us to such a pounding sonic peak that Clapton needed to bring it back down and then build it back up again from the beginning. The set was similar to NY except that Layla replaced Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out. Clapton did not disappoint and his playing was energetic and aggressive from the beginning. You could tell he was in the pocket early on with a great if not short solo in Tell The Truth. After watching highlights of the London and NY shows on Youtube I would say his playing was a level above these and he certainly hit his stride with fantastic solos in I Shot the Sheriff and Little Queen Of Spades. I truly saw no effects of his surgery last year. The crowd gave him a standing ovation for his solo in Sheriff that was really the best of the night and on par with his performance at Crossroads 2004.

The together portion of the show took it again to another level with both performers soloing frequently with Beck taking the majority of the load while Clapton sang vocals. Highlights were You Need Love, Outside Woman Blues, I Want To Take You Higher and Crossroads. On several songs they ended by trading off frantic licks, pushing one another in tandim to a climatic finale. Your left at the end of the night wishing they’d shared the stage longer in similar fashion to the Clapton/Winwood shows last year. All in all a fantastic show and tour that is only getting better with time. A shame really that it’s so short and ends tomorrow in Montreal. It deserves to be watched by more fans of both these guitar Gods. And only God knows how both these guys still do it so well into their 60s. They are both legends and last night proved it.

Review by Gregg Hartman
I waited a long time to see Beck. 3rd time for Clapton. The reviews are saying could have been better. Clapton laid back. I don’t look for more when I go to a show. I look to be entertained. Damn it…for my money I want to have a good night out. I was entertained tonight. Beck was awesome. No pick. Just a thumb. I loved his guitarmanship. He rocked. Loud and racing. Just how I like it. I knew of his style of music as I grew up with his albums but to see him live and so powerful. I am a lucky guy to have been there. Clapton is a different breed. Soft acoustic set to start but he picked his guitar to perfection on Driftin’. That is what I love about Mr. Clapton. He works that guitar in precision as I am concerned. His solo on I Shot The Sheriff just grew. It was powerful at the end. His style is just feeling it. And I feel it too. Crossroads was great to see them play the lead at the same time but Becks solo on Little Brow Bird was to die for. I loved the show. I am lucky to know say I’ve now seen Beck. By the way, to see Narada Michael Walden as well was a blast from my past.

Review by Gary Brookes / Kitchener Ont.
I waited for 3 months for this historic show from two amazing guitarists, unfortunatly only one showed up. Don’t get me wrong, I am Eric’s biggest fan and have seen him on many occasion. I find with Eric that sometimes he just does not seem to try very hard and looks like he is holding back. Other nights, such as on the video from New York with Steve Winwood, Eric was brilliant. His best performance in years, with no signs of slowing down. Last night Jeff Beck looked full of energy and he delivered an amazing display of guitar tecnique and was the better guitar player. It pains me to say that because I am such a big fan of Eric’s and he is my all time fave musician. Hell, I even worship the guy. I just hope he was having an off night.

Review by Herb Matthies / Chicago, IL

I drove from Chicago with my 21 year old daughter for a concert experience of a lifetime. Eric and Jeff did not disappoint. We have seen Eric four times together, one being the 2007 Crossroads where we stood for eleven hours. This evening was special because of all the times we have shared this experience Eric has always been the gracious host to the wonderful young guns, Derek, Doyle, and even his seasoned sideman Andy. But tonight… Eric’s set was all Eric…the acoustic set was breathtaking and I had to fight back the tears as everyone sang along to Layla. I’ve Got a Rock and Roll Heart tore at my very own Rock and Roll heart. Eric breathed new life into a song I had long ago dismissed. Eric sang with a passion and conviction that made me realize he could probably sing Moon River and claim it as his own… with the truly wonderful Jeff Beck at Eric’s side he did exactly that!! When Eric strapped on the electric guitar and kicked into Tell the Truth…oh my God!!!!! Tonight was the first time I witnessed his true genius without another guitar player next to him…just Eric… I Shot the Sheriff would have any self-respecting Bob Marley fan up on their feet singing along with Eric’s awesome backup singers…WHAT A GROOVE…what a GROOVE! WHAT A GROOVE! Eric’s solo just took complete control and command of the moment. I felt like I was hearing this song for the very first time. Willie, Steve, and of course Chris, and the entire band were just so tight and such wonderful musicians I didn’t want this evening to end. Little Queen of Spades demonstrated the high level of professionalism and musicianship Eric has accompanying him which allows the creation of the magic we came to appreciate. Then the reason we came was about to unfold before our very eyes. Two of the greatest guitarists the world will ever know, side by side, playing some the sweetest Blues north of Chicago. I couldn’t help but think Buddy Guy was back in Chicago smiling from ear to ear. Chicago may claim to be the home of the Blues, but tonight the blues found " a sweet home Toronto." I don’t need to utter another word about that FACT! When Jeff opened the show every note was spellbinding, every moment will be one to remember…..forever. I feel so fortunate to have shared this experience with my daughter. Fortunately, I have a son also….so see you in Nashville, Eric.

Review by Tim Holek
The camaraderie at this show was part of the overall experience. I met many other ec fans who had been following every move of the tour and who were well informed of the set list.

Ec’s set covered every aspect of his career and included: acoustic country blues, electric blues, reggae, and some of his greatest rock hits. The arrangement of I Shot The Sheriff was the highlight as well as the extended guitar solo that ec performed during this song.

The final part of the show is what we were all waiting for and it was watching/listening to ec and Jeff Beck performing together. Their set, comprised entirely of covers, was a tribute to the blues greats. This showed how indebted they are to the artists who inspired them. I thought this was very respectful and a reminder to us all that without them, there would be no ec or Jeff Beck. Outside Woman Blues and Wee Wee Baby were the highlights. Like fireworks exploding in the sky, during these songs there was so much guitar for the eyes and ears to observe, you couldn’t actually take it all in. The inclusion of Moon River has created a debate among fans as to whether it should have been performed. I’m on the side that it was a perfect selection to perform. Just listen to some of the lyrics and you’ll see that ec has lived that life. During the song, many couples embraced. For years ec has been trying to prove that he is more than a guitar god. He is a well rounded musician and this song proved it. Now if they would only release their live set on CD or DVD.

A review in one of the local Toronto papers was not kind to ec. It claimed that ec didn’t even bother to show up and that he may as well have strolled out in his jammies. Although he described the performance of Tell The Truth as lifeless, I have to admit that the song did lack the needed inclusion of a second guitar. My only complaint with this concert was the cost of the tickets.