REVIEW: Legendary guitarist Eric Clapton at the Echo Arena Liverpool

May 14 2009 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

Legendary blues-rock guitarist Eric Clapton at the Echo Arena Liverpool _460

IT WAS a laid-back Eric Clapton on the Echo Arena stage last night, the intensity of his music contrasting with his slightly dishevelled attire.

Dressed in an open-neck black shirt with baggy jeans and a pair of rimless glasses, he appeared as relaxed as he would be if the band was jamming together on the back porch.

That is the beauty of Clapton’s performance – he makes the most complicated guitar riffs look easily executable yet never strays into nonchalance.

And, with a camera regularly trained on the plectrum in his fingers, even those at the very back of the Arena were able to witness the “slowhand” up close.

It was a greatest hits set that any Clapton fan would surely be pleased with – from the sweet harmonies of Wonderful Tonight to the fully souped up I Shot the Sheriff and wailing Cocaine, there were few noticeable gaps.

After a couple of electric numbers, the show really came to life when he put down his black and white Fender Stratocaster for an acoustic set featuring Layla, Lay Down Sally, Anytime For You and a soulful version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

And there was perhaps a slight cheekiness in playing Layla, the song he wrote for George Harrison’s first wife, Pattie Boyd, so boldly on a Liverpool stage.

Back on electric, Queen of Spades was a performance of contrasts, Clapton allowing the billowing sound to die down completely before gently yet precisely plucking the song’s familiar chord sequence.

He was accompanied by a strong performance from his band and in fact one of Clapton’s former musicians, Doyle Bramhall II, was lead guitar and vocals for last night’s able support act Arc Angels.

After a well-demanded encore of Cream’s 1969 hit Crossroads, Clapton walked off-stage. He may be looking a bit the worse for wear, but his music is as powerful as ever.