There is a performance on stage at the United Center. In September of 2022, in Chicago.
Photo by Barry Brecheisen
I would like to thank you. Over and over Monday night in Chicago, those were about the only words spoken by legendary English guitarist Eric Clapton between songs on stage at United Center on night three of his North American tour.
While avoiding recently recorded material with Van Morrison or his latest single “Pompous Fool,” Eric Clapton stuck to the hits while letting his guitar do the talking Monday night.
The duo worked together on a number of tracks in the late 2020s, one of which compared the lock down ofQuarantine to slavery.
A rant made by Clapton on stage in 1976 resurfaced, one in which he is alleged to have made statements like, ” Keep Britain white”, and presented fans of music’s only three time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member with the question of how he could have made such statements.
On stage in Chicago on Monday night, he put his spin on material from Black American artists like WillieDixon, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson.
Backed by a seven piece group, including a secret weapon on guitar and vocalist/keyboardist Paul Carrack, Clapton picked his way slowly but surely through about an hour and 40 minutes.
There are two people on a stage with Eric Clapton. On Monday, November 12th, in Chicago, Illinois.
Photo by Barry Brecheisen
On the first night of the two-night show, the stadium’s upper reaches were curtained off entirely and some fans were relocated as close to the sixth row as they could get.
The group took on the song “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” in an early highlight. During an early solo, Bramhall was a revelation on slide guitar, as he fired right back.
In the live setting, “Slow Hand” steadies the pace and Monday night was a slow burn heading into “I Shot the Sheriff” The bass on the song was low as the backing vocalists shined on the song.
A band is performing on stage. On Monday, September 12th, in Chicago.
Photo by Barry Brecheisen
The band kicked off their set with a song. The stripped down performance was set in motion by the upright bass.
J.J. Cale’s “After Midnight”, “Layla” and a version of “A Whiter Shade of Pale” are some of the songs that were put forth on Monday. The keys were up front in the altered version of “After Midnight”.
The group gave up the only Cream song of the night, and it was a great one.
There is a performer on stage at the United Center. In September of 2022, in Chicago.
Photo by Barry Brecheisen
During a slowed down, deliberate run through Johnson’s “Cross Road Blues,” Carrack shone on James’ “The Sky is Crying” as the group headed towards encore with Cale.
The opening act of the night asked how everyone was.
There was a seven piece band with a three piece horn section.
The opening act for Eric Clapton performed at the United Center.
Photo by Barry Brecheisen
Stevie Ray was one of the co-stars of The Vaughan Brothers and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.
The lead vocal on Luther Johnson’s “Roll Roll Roll” was handled by Vaughan, who screamed “let’s go, baby!”.
Mike Flanigin took the Chicago crowd to church, with horns soaring above, during a slow take on Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown’s “Dirty Work at the Crossroads.”
The opening act for Eric Clapton at the United… In September of 2022, in Chicago.
Photo by Barry Brecheisen
The song is called “Frame For the Blues” and it was written by Slide Hampton. The guitarist with a laugh said, “This goes out to the ladies.”
“This is the crawl!” exclaimed Vaughan. Do you recall the crawl? He said to just yell ‘Crawl!’ when the time comes. The crawl goes like this. He played his guitar behind his head on the cut of the show.