Eric Clapton in Austin!

Eric Clapton came to Austin on Sunday night, and since I had never seen him live in concert before, I decided to check him out.  He's always been on my "concert bucket list" but for some reason, during my prime concert-going years (the 90's), I wasn't that big of a fan enough to see him.  I always thought he was a great guitar player, and the work he's done with The Yardbirds, Cream, Derek and the Dominos, Blind Faith and especially on Roger Waters first solo album (The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking) is very impressive.  For some reason though, I just never really got into his solo stuff.  But...times change, people get older and more mellow, and now I find myself liking a lot of stuff that I would never have listened to 20 years ago.

The 2 hour show Sunday at the Frank Erwin Center was mostly filled with 70's classics (Lay Down Sally, Wonderful Tonight, I Shot the Sheriff, Cocaine) and old Robert Johnson blues numbers (Crossroads, Love in Vain, Stones in My Passway, Little Queen of Spades.)  Clapton does have a brand new album out (Old Sock), but I don't think he did a single song from it, not that anyone would have cared.  This was an audience that just wanted to relive the 70's.  I was too young to have seen Clapton in the 70's, but I've heard many of his live recordings from that time, and I was hoping to see some of that guitar wizardry on display.  Clapton has still got it, and his solos on songs like "Got to Get Better in a Little While" and "I Shot the Sheriff" were incredible.  However, there were many times when he let his other guitarist, Doyle Bramhall, take the lead.  Actually, too many times in my opinion.  It almost seemed like Clapton was just trying to pass the torch to the new guy.  He also let his keyboard player (Paul Carrack) take lead vocals a few too many times as well (is "Tempted" the only hit Paul Carrack ever wrote?)

Still, these were only minor complaints compared to my biggest complaint of the night.  The Clapton signature tune "Layla" was played in the horrendous, unplugged lounge version made famous from his "Unplugged" album.  I hate that version and I was really hoping to hear it in its original, electric form.  No such luck.  However, from what I have seen on YouTube, he played the electric version on the first night of his tour, then when he hit Houston, he didn't play it all (imagine how pissed off those fans must have been.)  For Austin, though, we got "Layla", albeit the tepid version.

Clapton has said that this tour would likely be his last.  Not because he doesn't enjoy playing live, but because he doesn't like airports and going through security.  You'd like after 40 years of playing and touring he'd be used to it by now.  I'm lucky I had the chance to see him.