Eric Clapton performed a two hour set at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday night
Eric Clapton
UNCASVILLE _ Celebrating his 50th year immersed in the art and commerce of rock’ n’ roll, Eric Clapton visited Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday night, performing a two hour concert for a sold out house. Switching from acoustic to electric guitars, and sliding between rock, reggae, and blues, Clapton offered up 21 songs during the set.
With so many masterpieces to his credit, it isn’t surprising he would deliver one more, this time in the form a live concert performance that was nearly perfect in tone, timing, and execution. All that he has gleaned in his half-Century on the stage has been retained and refined in this current tour.
Backed by a six-piece band and two vocalists, Clapton opened on acoustic guitar singing “Hello Old Friend,” an appreciative nod to the thousands of guests, and followed it up with “My Father’s Eyes.”
The electric guitar arrived for “Tell the Truth,” and the legendary “Slowhand” stretched out a bit, like a thoroughbred warming up in the paddock. By the time he made it through “Black Cat Bone,” and “Got To Get Better In A Little While” he was in full Stratocaster-gallop.
This was no ordinary band grazing the floorboards with Clapton. As he has in the past, former Arc Angel Doyle Bramhall II played second guitar. Paul Carrack (he of Ace, Squeeze, Mike + the Mechanics, etc) handled vocals and keyboards.
Carrack took charge on a rendition of his Squeeze hit “Tempted” followed by Clapton’s cover of “I Shot the Sheriff” with the guitar-god infusing American blues into the island rhythms.
Clapton pulled in the reins a bit, taking a seated-acoustic approach to “Drifting Blues,” and the standard “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out.” He rounded out the acoustic set with “Tears in Heaven,” and with the drummer deftly laying brush strokes on a tambourine, offered up an elegant “Goodnight Irene.”
Carrack pulled the band back into electric mode with his hit “How Long?” and Clapton ripped through the blues with “Love in Vain.”
The signature “Crossroads” was exactly as one might imagine, exalting and surreal.
On “Little Queen of Spades,” Bramhall boldly took a lead, proving that on this night, being the second-best guitarist on the stage might put him the discussion as second-best guitarist in the world. And then Clapton played, closing out the song and then the set with “Cocaine.”
The band returned for a two song encore, anchored by “Sunshine of Your Love,” and witnessed by members of Green Day who were 24 hours away from playing the same stage.
The Wallflowers opened the show with a 40 minute set.