Concert Details

Fan Reviews:

Review by Adam Zebegnyei, Godollo Hungary
Seeing Eric live, my ultimate dream came true. It was his first time in Budapest, in our young Arena (which has been already visited by many great guitar players like Carlos Santana, Mark Knopfler or Chris Rea).

Robert Cray Band kicked it off at 8:00 PM, playing fine blues music, including songs like Phone booth, Poor Johnny, Bad Influence, Twenty etc. They were well received by the Hungarian audience.

Eric appeared around 9:15 PM, and started with a very energic Pretending – the crowd of 12.000 went crazy to see him on stage!! As EC and his band didn’t look tired at all (Eric looked fresh and was smiling during the whole evening) they skipped So Tired from the latest album and continued with Got to get better in a little while – Doyle and Derek had their chance to show it in this track. Thank God, the next song was I shot the sheriff (which was missing from the former setlist). A unique solo from EC (he enjoyed this song so much) and a very happy audience of course. I have to tell you I was amazed by Michelle and Sharon – with their voices it turned out to be really Bob Marley-like.

Then Robert Cray joined the band for a long version of Old Love, great solos from Eric, Tim (very well done!) and Robert.

The following one was Everybody oughta make a change (they did indeed), then a very happy and shiny Motherless children came – surprisingly with a great ovation from the audience.

Then it was the sit down set, starting with the only song from Back Home album: Back Home. It made a wonderful atmosphere, which was continued by the charming I am yours.

For me the highpoint of the concert was the two following songs’: Nobody knows you when you’re down and out and Running on faith. Amazing really and it was the best solo from Derek also. After midnight opened the last section, Fenders ang Gibsons got back to the stage. The way EC played it was very similar how they did it with JJ at the great Crossroads festival. Two more songs (Little queen of spades and Further on up the road – and not Let it rain) and with a very impressive period the concert came to the end. No words necessary about Wonderful tonight, after the lighters disappeared almost everyone stood up to watch the band playing these legendary songs: Layla and Cocaine.

Once again Robert Cray joined the band and Eric shared the microphone with him to sing the verses of Crossroads. All Doyle, Derek, Robert and Eric played their solos as a loudy farewell. The Band was simply amazing. What a night! Love came over you and me baby.

Review by Levente Borzsak, Budapest
18th July 2006, the first time EC comes to Budapest and the 5th time I see him live. Having seen him in Antwerp a month ago, I had mixed feelings. There, the show was almost stolen by this new, talented guitarist, Derek Trucks and I feared that the same might happen here, too.

Fortunately, the show was well balanced even with having sometimes 4 lead guitars on stage and Eric gave me his best concert ever!

‘Pretending’, ‘Got to get better in a little while’ and ‘I shot the Sheriff’ was performed without any breaks whatsoever, with the last tune bending into the next song. After the Sheriff was shot, Eric said a laconic "thank you" and invited Robert Cray on stage. This was one of the small novelties for me in the tour, I haven’t heard them yet performing ‘Old love’ together, but boy, it was amazing! It was just pure blues from two very different musicians, with different styles, yet creating such a harmonic atmosphere that made this song one of the highlights of this night. Superb solos from both Eric and Robert leaving out this time the two other guitarists. This was also something that improved the show: not always forcing each guitarists to have a solo in each of the songs definitely maintained the tension instead of the Eric sings – EC solo – DT solo – DB solo – EC sings pattern, which made the concert in Antwerp less interesting. The intro to ‘Everybody ought to make a change’ was in the right key this