News

Clapton’s Canadian Concerts

29 May 08

Halfway through his short North American summer tour, Eric Clapton and His Band travelled to Canada for concerts in Toronto and Montreal. At the outdoor Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto Tuesday night, 27 May 2008, there was a cold, harsh wind blowing off Lake Ontario. The capacity crowd of 16,000 were bundled up in coats, toques, mittens and blankets in the bitter cold leading Eric to joke, "We’ll try to warm you up a little bit." Despite the winter-like weather, EC was casually dressed in jeans with a lightweight jacket. His playing was unaffected by the hand-numbing cold. One fan in attendance remarked that the venue’s acoustics were outstanding, that "Little Wing" and "Double Trouble" were highlights but the real show-stopping number was "Tell The Truth."

On Wednesday 28 May 2008, the band moved on to Montreal’s Bell Centre, an indoor arena and home of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. The setlist has settled in with a mix of electric and acoustic blues with a smattering of EC’s hits peformed over the course of two hours. Fan favorites this night were "Double Trouble," and "Cocaine" – with fabulous solos from Eric and Chris Stainton during the latter – according to early reports.

Eric now heads back to America for a concert on 30 May in Noblesville, Indiana. His band for this tour is Doyle Bramhall II (guitar / vocals), Chris Stainton (keyboards), Pino Palladino (bass), Ian Thomas (drums), Sharon White (backing vocals) and Michelle John (backing vocals). Support for the remaining U.S. dates is Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

Set List for Toronto (27 May) and Montreal (28 May):

01. Motherless Children
02. Key To The Highway
03. Hoochie Coochie Man
04. Little Wing
05. Outside Woman Blues
06. Double Trouble
07. Don’t Knock My Love
08. Drifting
09. Rockin’ Chair
10. Motherless Child
11. Travelling Riverside Blues
12. Running On Faith
13. Tell The Truth
14. Little Queen of Spades
15. Before You Accuse Me
16. Wonderful Tonight
17. Layla
18. Cocaine

Encore:
19. I’ve Got My Mojo Working (with Robert Randolph)

The set list has remained unchanged since the show at The Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey on 25 May 2008.