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This DVD comes in addition to the two-CD set of the same name. The two CD’s have a special performance on them and I’ll mention them in the extras part.
The Main Characters
I’ll just list the main band members here:
--Eric Clapton – lead guitarist and lead singer
--Andy Fairweather Low – rhythm guitar and backing vocals
--Nathan Easy – bass guitar and backing vocals
--Steve Gadd – drums
--Billy Preston, David Sancious – keyboards
The Setting
The DVD is recorded live from Los Angeles, California and it was recorded on August 18th, 2001.
The DVD
It’s basically a live performance featuring twenty songs:
1) Key To The Highway
Ahh the start of the set. This was originally done awesomely with Duane Allman on the Derek and the Dominoes album. Eric does this one solo by himself on acoustic guitar as he started his shows with the acoustic numbers and then went to electric for the rest of the night. The song is about 3 and a half minutes long and really good. Great start to the set.
2) Reptile
This is one of the instrumentals on his then new album Reptile. I love this song as it’s got a good groove and this is close to the album version if not more laid back.
3) Got You On My Mind
Also off of the Reptile album, it’s a cover of Joe Turner’s version. Good ol’ blues song. Andy actually gets to solo which is really good.
4) Tears In Heaven
Probably one of Eric’s most famous songs to fans who don’t know his earlier material. It was of course written about his son Connor who fell out of a hotel window and died. He wrote this song that was on the Rush Soundtrack album (which is a good album of 9 instrumental Clapton songs and Tears in Heaven). He has been performing it for so long and hasn’t really changed it up at all so it’s like any other performance of it you can hear.
5) Bell Bottom Blues
Off the Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs album, Eric has performed this one live since then. I don’t know if he’s done it unplugged before this tour (did he do it on the Unplugged album?) but it’s really good here.
6) Change The World
This is Eric’s contribution to the movie, “Phenomenon,” and was co-written by Babyface. Really good performance here.
7) My Father’s Eyes
This is off the Pilgrim album and was also written about his deceased his son. They start off with the electric portion of the show and everything is done on electric the rest of the night. This performance is really good as he puts a different spin on it than the bland version he did in 96.
8) River of Tears
Another track off the Pilgrim album. This is an absolute tour de force performance that lasts almost 9 minutes and worth every minute
9) Goin Down Slow
Third Pilgrim song in a row and it’s a slow blues jam, which Eric excels at. This one is alright and it segues into…
10) She’s Gone
This is a high-tempo number off the Pilgrim album and one of the standout songs of the live show I saw with him back in 96. This version is every bit as good as what I remember in 96.
11) I Want a Little Girl
I don’t where this is off of (Reptile maybe?) and it’s a laid-back bluesy/jazzy thing. Seemed really short but it was still good.
12) Badge
Eric and George Harrison co-wrote this song and was on Cream’s “Goodbye” album way back in 1969. For some reason, this version didn’t click with me, as it was way too fast paced. This segues right into:
13) Hoochie Coochie Man
Eric covered this on his amazing “From the Cradle” CD, an album that contains my most favorite guitar solo ever. What is it? Well you’ll have to wait until I review that! Anyway, this is an alright performance. All the keyboardists take their turn at soloing, before Eric does and they segue into…
14) Have You Ever Loved A Woman
Eric has been performing this since being with John Mayall but it was first included on the Layla album and is one of my favorites on that album. It was also done on the EC Was Here album and if you can believe it was BETTER than the Derek and the Dominoes version. This is a good long version that gives the keyboardists ample time to stretch their fingers and play and it’s really good.
15) Cocaine
The standout track from 1977’s “Slowhand” album. JJ Cale wrote it and it allows Eric ample opportunity to solo. This time he doesn’t and lets the keyboardists wail away as he sleepwalks through another performance tonight.
16) Wonderful Tonight
This is also from “Slowhand” and was written about then wife Patti. Another decent performance but missing that certain spark to make it really memorable.
17) Layla
Probably one of the most complete rock songs in history, this track defined Clapton. It was written to Patti Harrison, who was married to George Harrison of the Beatles. It was a song of pure unbridled emotion and you could tell in his playing. Patti eventually left George for Eric (and Eric and George even remained friends, if you can believe it). Patti would also leave Eric, making Eric and George husbands in law as they said, but this song is on my favorite rock album and this is the best rock song in my opinion. This performance is pretty good as it is and captures the feel of the song perfectly. Eric would leave the stage but not before coming back for an encore.
18) Will It Go Round in Circles
I am not familiar with this song at all and Billy Preston sings it and even dances! Really energetic performance.
19) Sunshine of Your Love
Ahh the early defining Clapton song. This was released on Cream’s “Disraeli Gears” waaay back in 1967 and its solo is still as great now as it was then. This performance is just great and Eric pulls an amazing solo out here.
20) Over the Rainbow
Yes, Eric closed the show with this, a song from Wizard of Oz. It took balls to do it, but then he’s been in the music business since the mid 60’s so he can do basically whatever he wants and people will still come to the show. He plays a bit while doing the band roll call then goes into the final song. Quite a fitting way to end the show.
DVD Features
A) Extras
1) Web Link
It’s just a link to an Eric Clapton page.
2) CD Disc One
It has a performance of River of Tears that is the same as the DVD.
3) CD Disc Two
It has a performance of Badge that is on the DVD, too.
B) Audio/Visual
It’s better than your average fan-cam that’s for sure. The video is presented in wide screen and the DVD is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, Stereo or DTS. You can also select English subtitles for it, too.
C) Liner Notes
There’s a one page tiny insert about the CD/DVD combo or you could buy them separately. I bought them together of course. Then there’s the actual liner notes that is 8 pages long. There’s the cover and outside page that is part of the illustration. When you first open it up it has the band members and photos. The next pair of pages has the CD information and more pictures. The last page has the DVD information as well as the production notes.
D) Easter Eggs
None
Overall Review
I have almost every single Clapton CD, even his pretty crappy 70’s-80’s stuff and I’ve actually seen him live three times. Once during his Pilgrim tour, once at the Crossroads Benefit Concert, and this tour. I loved all three but this was my favorite. The song selection was great, lots of classics mixed with newer songs and his playing the night I was there was something to behold. That’s the reason I wanted this CD/DVD combo. I love Clapton live, he’s so much better than when he records an album. This DVD is pretty good. Some of the songs towards the end he looked like he was phoning it in but the acoustic stuff at the beginning were amazing and everything from Layla on was awesome. If you want to get a good live Clapton album with lots of content, this is better than 24 Nights and you definitely should plop down the extra money for the DVD. Recommended for all Clapton fans.
Overall Rating
7.5
10.0 Perfect
9.0-9.5 Near Perfect, Highly Recommended
8.0-8.5 Really good disc, Recommended
7.0-7.5 Good DVD, Mildly recommended
6.0-6.5 Above Average DVD. Mildest of mild recommendations
5.0-5.5 Decent all around disc, but catch it on TV
4.0-4.5 Great Movie but horrible DVD
3.0-3.5 Horrible movie but great DVD
2.0-2.5 There’s at least some merit to this DVD, but not much.
1.0-1.5 Horrible DVD, don’t even bother
0.0-0.5 Worst DVD ever
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