News
Eric Clapton’s 2026 Six-City US Tour Opens in Detroit
6 Sep 26
Eric Clapton returned to Detroit on September 6, launching a brief run of six concerts leading up to his Crossroads Guitar Festival at the end of the month. Jimmie Vaughan opened the show and will be the special guest on all solo dates.
Eric first performed in the Motor City nearly 60 years ago, when Cream played three nights at the Grande Ballroom on October 13, 14, and 15, 1967. The Grande became a favorite venue for Cream, who headlined there a dozen times during the band’s brief lifespan. Following the band’s final Detroit performance at Olympia Stadium on October 12, 1968, Eric headed to the Grande, where he sat in with John Mayall, his mentor in the Bluesbreakers.
In the decades since, Metro Detroit has remained a regular tour stop, with Eric performing at venues including Pine Knob and former concert mainstays Cobo Hall, Joe Louis Arena and the Palace of Auburn Hills. Tonight, he returned to Little Caesars Arena for his first Detroit-area concert since September 2022.
Joining Eric on stage were familiar faces Nathan East (bass/vocals), Doyle Bramhall II (guitar), Chris Stainton (keyboards), Tim Carmon (Hammond organ/keyboards), Sonny Emory (drums), Sharon White (backing vocals) and Katie Kissoon (backing vocals).
The evening’s setlist followed the guitarist’s familiar concert format, moving from electric to acoustic and back again, with songs spanning his career and the blues that have long been central to his live work:
01. Badge
02. Key To The Highway
03. Hoochie Coochie Man
04. Give Me Strength
05. Kindhearted Woman
06. Running On Faith
07. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
08. Can’t Find My Way Home
09. Golden Ring
10. Layla
11. Tears In Heaven
12. Tearing Us Apart
13. Old Love
14. Wonderful Tonight
15. Crossroads
16. Little Queen of Spades
17. Cocaine
18. Before You Accuse Me
The tour now moves on to Cincinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Kansas City before Eric heads to Austin to close out his 2026 live schedule with two nights of the Crossroads Guitar Festival at the Moody Center on September 26 and 27.
Tickets for all dates are available through EricClapton.com, and the links below:
Eric Clapton USA 2026
September 8 – Cincinnati, Heritage Bank Center – Get Tickets
September 11 – Chicago, United Center – Get Tickets
September 13 – Milwaukee, Fiserv Forum – Get Tickets
September 15 – St. Paul, Grand Casino Arena – Get Tickets
September 17 – Kansas City, T-Mobile Center – Get Tickets
Eric Clapton’s 2026 Crossroads Guitar Festival:
September 26 – Austin, Moody Center – Get Tickets
September 27 – Austin, Moody Center – Get Tickets