Eric Clapton At The Royal Albert Hall

Eric Clapton At The Royal Albert Hall

Eric Clapton has performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London far more than any other stage in the world with an incredible 211 nights from December 1964 to May 2019. If those concerts happened on consecutive nights, it would add up to almost 30 WEEKS of shows! In October 2014, Eric announced 7 shows at the venue for May 2015 to celebrate his 70th birthday, as well as the 50th anniversary of his first appearance on the venue’s stage. During the 2015 run, he became the first guitarist to reach 200 appearances (May 15) and marked his 175th solo shows at the venue (May 18). 

Between 1987 and 1996, Eric performed annual winter residencies at the venue, which peaked with 24 shows in February / March 1991 with four different band lineups, including a full orchestra. Now, Eric returns to the Royal Albert Hall from time-to-time. In 2013, there were 7 concerts during his 50th Anniversary Tour and in 2015, he scheduled 7 special performances as part of his 70th Birthday Celebration (two other shows took place at New York CIty’s Madison Square Garden on May 1 and 3.

Eric Clapton first graced the Albert’s stage on 7 December 1964 while a member of The Yardbirds. His next appearance was 26 November 1968 and it became the stuff of legend – the two “farewell” concerts by the Cream. These shows can still be experienced on the DVD, “Cream Farewell”. Thirty-seven years later, in 2005, EC, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce reunited on the same stage for 4 special concerts which were documented in the CD / DVD release, “Cream: Royal Albert Hall London May 2, 3, 5, 6, 2005”. In 2011, he performed 5 shows at the venue with Steve Winwood, on the heels of his sold-out solo run of 6 nights.

Eric has given his time to a number of charity concerts held at the venue, including the Prince’s Trust Galas (1983, 1988, 2010), the ARMS Concert (1983), Parents For Safe Food (1989), Children In Crisis (1994), the Prince’s Youth Business Trust Gala (1996), Music for Montserrat (1997), The Concert for George (2002 in aid of the Material World Foundation), several Teenage Cancer Trust benefits and others. Many of these have been released on DVD or Blu-Ray, as has the 2015 70th Birthday Concerts and his 1990 / 1991 concert series, 24 Nights.

His most recent shows at the venue are May 13, 15 and 16, 2019.

AS OF MAY 16, 2019 ERIC CLAPTON WILL HAVE:

• Appeared on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall 211 times since 1964.
• Performed 184 solo headlining concerts at the venue since 1987.
• Completed 19 residencies at the Royal Albert Hall (The longest residency was 24 nights in 1991 and the shortest reidency was 5 nights in 2001).
• Performed at 14 benefit concerts at the venue.

LANDMARK DATES:

• First appearance: December 7, 1964 with The Yardbirds
• First solo headlining show: January 6, 1987
• 100th solo headlining show: February 28, 1994
• 150th solo headlining show: May 19, 2009
• EC becomes the first guitarist to reach 200 appearances at the Royal Albert Hall
• 175th solo headlining show:  May 18, 2015

COMPLETE LIST OF ERIC CLAPTON’S GIGS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

The Yardbirds / Top Beat Show
1964: December 7 

Cream / Farewell Concerts
1968: November 26 

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends
1969: December 1 

Eric Clapton / ARMS Concert
1983: September 20 

Eric Clapton / Prince’s Trust Rock Gala
1983: September 21

Eric Clapton & His Band / First Royal Albert Hall Residency
1987: January 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Second Royal Albert Hall Residency
1988: January 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31 and February 2, 3, 4 (9 shows)
These shows take place during EC’s 25th Anniversary Year as a recording artist.

Eric Clapton / Prince’s Trust Rock Gala
1988: June 5, 6 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Third Royal Albert Hall Residency
1989: January 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 and February 1, 2, 3 
Four Piece Band: January 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26
Eight Piece Band: January 28, 29, 30 and Feb 1, 2, 3

Eric Clapton Guest Appearance / Parents For Safe Food Gala
1989: November 18
First public performance of “”Concerto For Electric Guitar” with a symphony orchestra

Eric Clapton & His Band / Fourth Royal Albert Hall Residency
1990: Jan 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 & Feb 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 
Four Piece Band: January 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24
Thirteen Piece Band: January 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 and February 1
Blues Band: February 3, 4, 5
Orchestra: February 8, 9, 10

Eric Clapton & His Band / Fifth Royal Albert Hall Residency
1991: Feb. 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28 & March 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 
Four Piece Band: February 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11
Nine Piece Band: February 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19
Blues Band: February 23, 24, 25, 27, 28 and March 1
Orchestra: March 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9

Eric Clapton & His Band / Sixth Royal Albert Hall Residency
1992: February 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Seventh Royal Albert Hall Residency
1993: February 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27 and March 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Eighth Royal Albert Hall Residency
1994: February 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28 and March 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 
February 28 marked EC’s 100th solo show at the RAH. It was a benefit for Children in Crisis

Eric Clapton & His Band / Ninth Royal Albert Hall Residency
1995: February 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28 and March 1, 3, 4, 5 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Tenth Royal Albert Hall Residency
1996: February 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28 and March 1, 2, 3 

Eric Clapton / The Prince’s Youth Business Trust 10th Anniversary Gala
1996: March 19 

Eric Clapton / Music For Montserrat
1997: September 15 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Eleventh Royal Albert Hall Residency
2001: February 3, 4, 6, 9, 10 
Six shows were booked but February 7 was cancelled due to illness

Eric Clapton / The Concert For George
2002: November 29 

Eric Clapton & Friends / Teenage Cancer Trust Benefit Concert
2003:  March 25 

Eric Clapton Guest Appearance / One Generation 4 Another Benefit
2004: March 15 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Twelfth Royal Albert Hall Residency
2004: May 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 

Eric Clapton Guest Appearance / Zu & Company United Nations Benefit
2004: May 6 

Eric Clapton & John Mayer with UB40 / Teenage Cancer Trust Benefit
2005:  April 8 

Cream Reunion:
2005: May 2, 3, 5, 6 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Thirteenth Royal Albert Hall Residency
2006: May 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26 

Eric Clapton Guest Appearance with Joe Bonamassa
2009:  May 4 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Fourteenth Royal Albert Hall Residency
2009: May 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31 
May 19 – EC’s 150th solo show at the RAH
May 26 – EC’s 175th appearance at the RAH since 1964

Eric Clapton / Prince’s Trust Rock Gala
2010: November 17 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Fifteenth Royal Albert Hall Residency
2011: May 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24 

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
2011: May 26, 27, 29, 30, June 1 

Eric Clapton & His Band / Sixteenth Royal Albert Hall Residency
2013:  May 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26 
These shows take place during EC’s 50th Anniversary Tour, celebrating his 50 years as a professional musician.