The Robert Cray Band is famous for touring more than six months out of every year. Yet in its 30+-year career, there has never been a live album — until the imminent release of The Robert Cray Band: Live From Across The Pond, that is. The two-CD live set was recorded over the course of seven shows in May 2006 at London’s Royal Albert Hall while Cray was on tour with Eric Clapton.
Just finished together in Europe, the Cray Band will tour with Clapton in the U.S. once again on the heels of the live album’s 12 September 2006 release. The U.S. Clapton dates commence on 16 September in St. Paul, and continue through 23 October in Miami. A second leg of American dates to be announced shortly will cover the Western states in February 2007. Cray will also tour with Buddy Guy and as a headliner during the August and early September.
The album marks the inaugural release for Cray’s new independent label, Nozzle Records, which will be distributed by Vanguard Records. It was mixed by Grammy® Award winner Don Smith (Rolling Stones, Ry Cooder, Miles Davis.) The Robert Cray Band: Live From Across The Pond contains live versions of Cray classics alongside newly recorded gems like “Poor Johnny,” “I’m Walkin’,” and his song about a young soldier watching the horror unfold in Iraq, “Twenty.”
The album spotlights Cray’s stellar guitar playing along with the expertise of his long-time band: Jim Pugh, keyboards; bassist Karl Sevareid; and drummer Kevin Hayes. Together they have played more than 1,000 dates.
“It’s like we know how to play with one another, we support one another on solos, and we work hard to make the shows sound good,” Cray explains. “We can make a song become something different from what it was the night before. It gives us the opportunity to stretch something out and then come back together. And those things make playing a lot of fun.”
Commenting on his first live album in 30 years, Cray added: “Fans have asked us for a live record for a long time. Many attempts have been made, but the seven shows at Royal Albert made it possible to do it right.”
Track List
Disc: 1
1. Phone Booth
2. Poor Johnny
3. Our Last Time
4. Right Next Door (Because of Me)
5. 12 Year Old Boy
6. I Guess I Showed Her
7. Things You Do to Me
Disc: 2
1. I Was Warned
2. Twenty
3. Bad Influence
4. One in the Middle
5. Back Door Slam
6. Time Makes Two
7. I’m Walkin’
The Robert Cray Band on Tour with Eric Clapton
(non-Clapton dates designated with “Cray headline”)
Sat 09/16 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Mon 09/18 Saint Louis, MO Savvis Center
Wed 09/20 Chicago, IL United Center
Thu 09/21 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
Sat 09/23 Auburn Hills, MI Palace Of Auburn Hills
Sun 09/24 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
Mon 09/25 Niagara Falls, NY Seneca Niagara Casino (Cray headline)
Tue 09/26 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
Thu 09/28 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Fri 09/29 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Sun 10/01 Ithaca, NY State Theatre (Cray headline)
Tue 10/03 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden (Fleet Center)
Wed 10/04 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden (Fleet Center)
Fri 10/06 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
Sat 10/07 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
Mon 10/09 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
Tue 10/10 Washington, DC Verizon Center
Thu 10/12 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
Sat 10/14 Duluth, GA Arena @ Gwinnett Center
Sun 10/15 Raleigh, NC RBC Center
Tue 10/17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Wed 10/18 Birmingham, AL Birm. Jefferson Arena
Fri 10/20 Orlando, FL TD Waterhouse Centre
Sat 10/21 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Veterans Mem. Arena
Mon 10/23 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
Dates subject to change. August/September dates headlining and with Buddy Guy on request.
February/March 2007 tour dates covering the Western states to be announced shortly.