Concert Details
22 February 2009 – Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck
Location:
Venue: Saitama Super Arena
City: Saitama
Country: Japan
Band Lineup:
EC Band
Eric Clapton – guitar / vocals
Doyle Bramhall II – guitar / vocals
Chris Stainton– keyboards
Willie Weeks – bass
Abe Laboriel, Jr. – drums
Michelle John – backing vocals
Sharon White – backing vocals
JB Band
Jeff Beck – guitar
Tal Wilkenfeld – bass
David Sancious – keyboards
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
Support:
None
Show Notes:
This was the second and final show with co-headliner in Japan. The concert began promptly at 5PM. This is typical of Japanese concerts that take place on a Saturday or Sunday. EC’s solo tour resumes 24 February at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.
One fan has checked in from the shows and noted that the song many fans called "Solo instrumental by Jeff Beck with Tal Wilkenfeld" should be more properly called "Solo Instrumental by Tal Wilkenfeld with Jeff Beck." He wrote, "Tal starts it off while Jeff sneaks around behind her like a naughty schoolboy and plays the bass E string on the first 5 or 6 frets whilst she is soloing higher up the fret board on the other strings."
Special Guest(s):
Set List:
01. The Pump (JB)
02. You Never Know (JB)
03. Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers (JB)
04. Stratus (JB)
05. Angel (JB)
06. Led Boots (JB)
07. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat – Brush With The Blues (JB)
08. Solo instrumental (JB)
09. A Day In The Life (JB)
10. Big Block(JB)
11. Where Were You (JB)
12. Peter Gunn Theme (JB)
13. Driftin’ (EC)
14. Layla (EC)
15. Motherless Child (EC)
16. Running On Faith (EC)
17. Tell The Truth (EC)
18. Key To The Highway (EC)
19. I Shot The Sheriff (EC)
20. Wonderful Tonight (EC)
21. Cocaine (EC)
22. Crossroads (EC)
23. You Need Love (EC & JB)
24. Listen Here – Compared To What (EC & JB)
25. Here But I’m Gone (EC & JB)
26. Outside Woman Blues (EC & JB)
27. Brown Bird (EC & JB)
28. Wee Wee Baby (EC & JB)
29. Want To Take You Higher (EC & JB)
Fan Reviews:
Review by Jii Aoi / Japan
I was there. I saw it. Sometimes a cliche works and it did this time.
The final three quarters of an hour of the show were without doubt one of the greatest moments of the rock concert history that the Japanese audience had ever witnessed – a hype turned true.
With the emphasis more on the ensemble than the interplay, there were not so many "guitar battles" as was expected from some quarters, but both guitarists shared enough moments of the brilliance between them.
As if Eric’s presence was a catalyst, Jeff returned to his blues / soul / r&b roots and found out his alter-ego. He bent, bent and then bent the strings, something he wouldn’t do as much on his usual performances; throwing blues licks one after another, blow by blow indeed. "Breathtaking" is the word that is apt to describe his solos tonight. No one will ever forget his bulldozing sonic assault in Brown Bird, the very instant he finished it, Eric called out, "Jeff Beck!" and the loud cheers erupted from the whole crowd that filled the arena. Tonight, Jeff was not so much the smart fusion / crossover guitar virtuoso, as we have recognized him for the last thirty years or so, as a tough blues-gut rocker that he was in the Sixties a la The Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group.
In turn, Eric replied with an aggressive solo in the next tune, Wee Wee Baby. Oh yeah, together they took us higher!
When the show was over, with the projected picture of the rising sun, the Japanese national flag waving in the wind, behind, all the musicians from both bands (eleven in all, including the Beck group who didn’t join the previous night) turned up and bowed to the audience who’d gone euphoric.
Due to work commitment, I had to miss Day One unfortunately, but every source of information – from both EC and JB afficionados to net forums – suggests that tonight was a much better and accomplished effort, fulfilling the potential that was there, so I won’t complain.
Final words: a night to remember among nights to remember. Period.