News
Clapton Performs In Dortmund, Germany
15 Apr 04
On 14 April 2004, Eric Clapton performed a 17 song set at Dortmund, Germany’s famous Westfalenhalle. The complete set list was:
- Let It Rain
- Hoochie Coochie Man
- Walk Out In The Rain
- Bell Bottom Blues
- I Shot The Sheriff
- Milkcow’s Calf Blues
- When You Got A Good Friend
- They’re Red Hot
- Kind Hearted Woman
- Got To Get Better In A Little While
- Have You Ever Loved A Woman
- Badge
- Wonderful Tonight
- Layla
- Cocaine
- Sunshine Of Your Love (encore with Robert Randolph)
- I Got My Mojo Workin’ (encore with Robert Randolph)
Several fans checked in with Where’s Eric! Here’s what they had to say:
Review by Wolfgang Schueer
An enthousiastic crowd of 12.000 people in the sold-out Westfalenhalle enjoyed a very good show. The show started a bit slow and nervous. EC and his band worked concentrated but the first 2 songs sounded a bit static. The true beginning of the show was "I shot the sheriff". EC let his hands flow up and down the fretboard for a fantastic solo. Still the band seemed to be nervous but with each song they got more and more confident.
As in previous shows the highlights this night were Kind hearted woman, Have you ever loved a woman and Got to get better in a little while. Especially HYELAW saw all members of the band (except the rhythm section) add some tasteful solos. I personally enjoyed very much one of the rare solos of Billy Preston.
EC really played his heart out during the show doing one or more solos in every song. I think he hadn’t played as much for many years. Unfortunately there was not much space left for the other musicians to show their talent. I would have liked to hear Billy Preston or Doyle Bramhall add something more than some tasteful fills.
The setlist had changed a little bit. Walk out in the rain made it back to the setlist while Change the world and I want a little girl were not played in Dortmund.
Review by Karl-Heinz Villis
On Wednesday, 14th April 2004, Eric Clapton was back to play the famous "Westfalenhalle" in Dortmund – for the fifth time. I was there too – exactly like all four times before (January 1987; June 1992, April 1995 and December 1998) and it was really worth it. The concert started with an incredible support band featuring a great pedal steel guitarist playing mostly fast numbers including an unbelievable good "Voodoo Chile" with fine wah wah effects in true Hendrix-style.
After a short break it was time for EC and his band. The opening riff of "Let it rain" was a killer and everybody in the sold out hall shouted and gave the man a warm and emotional response. He continued with a powerful "Hoochie Coochie man" and a crisp "Walk out in the rain". A tasty "Bell Bottom Blues" followed and then it was time for his self-confession "I shot the Sheriff" in a nice new treatment. Then he gave us four songs from his brandnew album which sounded as if those numbers were already written for him! I especially liked his versions of "When you got a good friend" and the happy, uptempoed "They’re red hot". Then he stepped back to his "Derek & the Dominos"-days with "Got to get better in a little while" and the high emotional and heartbreaking "Have you ever loved a woman". E.C.’s guitar playing: still sharp and cutting like a knife with a tone that let me feel as if ice-water runs over my back. Then the let’s call it "Greatest Hits Section" with breathtaking and powerful versions of "Badge", "Layla", "Cocaine" and, of course, his lovely ballad "Wonderful tonight" in between. EC and the band left the stage but we, the audience, wanted more (of course). And we got more: EC returned back to stage hammering out a few sharp riffs which led over into another very powerful "Sunshine of your love" and, finally "Got my Mojo working". Okay – that was all.
What is left to say? EC was great, backed by a fantastic band with fantastic players and singers. Complaints? Yes, two (but the first one not to be taken too serious……):
For me, this nearly two-hours-long concert could have lasted the whole night through – I will never get tired of EC and his music (big smile!). A few seats away from me sat two or three younger, blonde, good-looking women talking the whole time through about fashion, shopping and their last nights’ love adventures – and really not taking care of what’s happening on stage. So why the hell were they in that concert?
Review by M. Kueffner-Baumeister
Expression of blues power and feeling. It was a great night. EC and his band played brilliantly and EC’s singing was wonderful and smooth. EC seems to get inspired by Doyle’s powerful guitar playing and also by Robert Randolph’s energetic stage show. The audience appreciated with a thunderous applause "Have you ever loved a woman", "I shot the sherif" and the songs from the new album. It was a pleasure listening to old songs that sounded new somehow (Bell bottom blues, Layla, Badge). The sound was very good except for "Let ist rain", where the instruments could be heard but the singing was distorted. From my seat I could watch Eric’s guitar technician prepare Eric’s guitars for the show (from 6.30 till 8.00p.m). I could have listened all night. Thank you EC for this evening.