Eric Clapton Welcomes Derek Trucks & More At MSG

Eric Clapton played his second of two 70th birthday celebration performances at NYC’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. Clapton was joined by special guests Derek Trucks, John Mayer, Doyle Bramhall II and Jimmie Vaughan last night just as he was on Friday night at MSG.

[Photo by @DerekAndSusan]

Clapton was backed by a band featuring drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Nathan East, keyboardists Paul Carrack and Chris Stainton and vocalists Sharon White and Michelle John, who kicked off the show with “Somebody’s Knocking” and “Key to the Highway.” The show’s setlist followed the same flow as Friday with John Mayer the first guest to emerge, augmenting “Pretending,” from Clapton’s 1989 solo LP Journeyman. Just as with Friday’s show, a series of familiar favorites followed as Clapton rolled through classics “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “You Are So Beautiful,” Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” and Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff, before turning to the acoustic portion of the set. 

[Eric Clapton w/ John Mayer -“Pretending” | captured by Randi J. ]

Jimmie Vaughan emerged after the brief acoustic portion of the show to add guitar to “Before You Accuse Me.” Trucks and Bramhall helped Clapton close out Sunday’s main set with “Let It Rain.”


[Eric Clapton w/ Doyle Bramhall II & Derek Trucks -“Let It Rain” | captured by Randi J.]

All of the guest guitarists returned for the “High Time We Went” encore with Carrack on lead vocals.


[Eric Clapton w/ John Mayer, Jimmie Vaughan, Derek Trucks & Doyle Bramhall II -“High Time We Went” -captured by Randi J.]