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Words by: Michael Peranteau | Images from: ericclaptonphotos.com
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood :: 02.28.08 :: Madison Square Garden :: New York, NY
Longtime friends and long-ago collaborators, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, closed out their three-night run at NYC's fabled Madison Square Garden to thunderous applause, dropped jaws and an arena full of satisfied customers. After rekindling their musical kinship last year at Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, it was obvious to both the old friends and the audience that these two had struck upon some magic not felt in a long time. Aside from their own respective solo careers, the resumes of the two musicians read like a virtual "who's who" of late '60s classic rock. Having an opportunity to hear rare Blind Faith songs intermixed with stellar Traffic tunes and carefully selected covers would entice even the most casual music fan. It was this great anticipation that a packed the Garden to capacity all three nights of this limited engagement.
On opener "Had To Cry Today," Winwood displayed the very same vocal prowess that prompted Spencer Davis to have him sing lead at age 15. "Low Down" came next, keeping the tempo upbeat and the fans cheering into the next tune, Clapton's brief mid 80's hit "Foreverman." Surprisingly, it had new legs and a fresh sound thanks to a revived Clapton, who played some of his best guitar in recent memory, making even this throwaway a keeper. Having just passed the day before, the band played a spirited version of Buddy Miles' signature tune "Them Changes," dedicating their performance to his memory. A well received Blind Faith two-fer followed with "Sleeping On The Ground" into a letter-perfect version of "Presence of the Lord," with both lead instruments and voices blending perfectly for the song's final verse.
"Glad," the classic Traffic instrumental, came next. While it missed the essential lead horn accompaniment, having Clapton replicate the familiar horn parts expertly on his black Stratocaster more than made up for its absence. A seamless shift into another Blind Faith chestnut, "Well Alright," gave the pair another opportunity to showcase their combined talents. As the slow tempo of Otis Rush's "Double Trouble" began to take form, the high energy of the show was in jeopardy of being sabotaged. But, as soon as Clapton methodically ripped into his first guitar solo, it was clear that he was out to captivate, leaving the audience hanging on every note. His tone was unimaginably clean and warm, showing elements of the blues from Delta to Chicago, B.B. King to Albert King and all the Kings in between. This simply was a true blues master flexing his artistry.
Eric Clapton :: 02.25 :: MSG by J. Ortiz
Clapton turned the spotlight over to Winwood, who blasted into the Traffic's "Pearly Queen." He followed with Derek and the Dominoes' "Tell the Truth" and "No Face, No Name, No Number." Winwood's voice has become one of those rare rock & roll commodities, refining over time like wine. As the opening notes of "After Midnight" rang out, the crowd rose to its feet with Clapton once again breathing new life into another time-honored classic. He even managed to create enough space for keyboardist Chris Stainton to take his first solo of the night.
As the cheering subsided, Winwood and the band left the stage, allowing Clapton a chance to showcase his love for blues roots in a solo setting. Performing "Kind Hearted Woman Blues," he skillfully executed acoustic slide licks and soulfully wailed as he sung, making the spacious Madison Square Garden feel more like a porch in Mississippi. As Clapton walked off, Winwood reappeared, sat down at the organ and performed a moving version of Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind," finally showcasing the soulful organ chops that go along with his classic vocals.
Weeks, Winwood & Clapton :: 02.26 :: MSG by S. Tompkins
The final portion of the show was a relentless feast of musical finery that could very well set the bar for future epic, legendary concerts. Clapton laid all of his cards on the table with his reading of Hendrix's "Little Wing" performing it in the Derek & the Dominoes style arrangement with Winwood duetting brilliantly throughout. To nail the coffin, Clapton followed with an extended "Voodoo Chile," which featured Winwood on organ on Hendrix's original recording. Without question, Clapton laid to rest any guitar-god debate as he channeled Hendrix, endlessly percolating riff after riff and reaching the outer stratosphere by the closing notes of his final solo. "Can't Find My Way Home" was the final Blind Faith song of the night, and allowed the crowd its sing-a-long moment. Marred slightly by Stainton's over-percussive piano playing, the closing "Cocaine" ended with every fan applauding madly for one more song.
The familiar opening notes of Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy" were unmistakable and the perfect encore choice to act as the bow atop an otherwise already outstanding gift. It was also Winwood's finest moment on guitar all evening, stepping toe-to-toe with Slowhand himself. With eyes closed, it sounded so close to the original. The fact that two old friends in their fifties backed by a band only put together for these three gigs could accomplish this is astounding. It's as much a testament to the band as it is an example of how music can withstand the ravages of time if tapped into under the right conditions. Having two masters like Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood together created a rare, once-in-a-lifetime magical experience, comprised as much from loving brotherhood as from musical excellence.
02.28.08 :: Madison Square Garden :: New York, NY
The Band:
Eric Clapton - guitar, vocals
Steve Winwood - Hammond organ, guitar, vocals
Chris Stainton - keyboards
Willie Weeks - bass
Ian Thomas - drums
Setlist:
Had To Cry Today, Low Down, Forever Man, Them Changes, Sleeping In The Ground, Presence Of The Lord, Glad / Well Alright, Double Trouble, Pearly Queen, Tell The Truth, No Face, After Midnight, Split Decision, Kind Hearted Woman Blues (EC solo acoustic), Georgia On My Mind (SW solo Hammond), Little Wing, Voodoo Chile, Can't Find My Way Home, Cocaine
Encore: Dear Mr. Fantasy
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