Eric Clapton / Laid Back in Down Under Australia 1975 2 Days Complete Soundboard Edition

Prioritizing quality over quantity, this label releases carefully selected historical recordings with content and sound quality that will not diminish in value even if later released by other labels. Their latest release is a four-disc set featuring soundboard recordings of two shows from their 1975 Australian tour: the April 14th Brisbane performance and the April 20th Sydney performance. The 1975 tour began in Australia with only 15 shows. This release includes two soundboard recordings from that precious Australian tour. Discs 1 and 2 contain the April 14th Brisbane performance. Having had a warm-up gig in Hawaii before the tour, a calm and warm atmosphere reminiscent of a sun-drenched beach permeates the entire performance, and from the first track, “Badge,” it’s as if the atmosphere of the ‘461 Ocean Boulevard’ album cover is reflected in the music. The second track is a blues medley of “Milk Cow Blues” and “Have You Ever Loved A Woman.” Other relatively relaxed songs follow, such as The Dominos’ “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out.” One of the highlights is undoubtedly “Layla” and “All I Have To Do Is Dream.” The coda of “Layla” builds to a climax, and “All I Have To Do Is Dream” begins gently, as if reluctant to let go of that lingering feeling—it’s truly gentle and beautiful. The set concludes with “Little Wing,” followed by the finale of “Little Queeniee,” which features an impressive intro, explosive guitar work, and cool talking-style vocals. Discs 3 and 4 contain recordings from the April 20th Sydney performance. In stark contrast to Brisbane, this show begins quietly with the extremely laid-back “Let It Grow.” This is the epitome of understated coolness. The guitar solo is superb, like being gently swayed by a warm tropical breeze. Then, just when you think the melody of “All I Have To Do Is Dream” is about to begin, a count-in is given and the arrangement suddenly transitions into “Blues Power,” which is quite unexpected. However, the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the medley that began with “Driftin’.” The next song, “Crossroads,” was played with a deeply bluesy arrangement unlike anything I’d ever heard before, and it then led into “Have You Ever Loved A Woman,” a rare and unusual structure. Although both are blues numbers, in Brisbane, the same song was performed as part of a medley with “Milk Cow Blues,” so this wasn’t a planned medley. It felt like a very natural flow, as if phrases from different songs just popped out of nowhere in the flow of the music, as if the fingers were just moving on their own, making it a very pleasant medley to listen to. The lyrics of “Crossroads” are “Crossroads,” but the melody is exactly the same as “Driftin’,” almost like a parody. Then, “Layla” leaves a lingering coda before transitioning into “Opposites,” a pattern that unfolds with one intense, breathtaking performance after another. While recordings of both shows have been circulating in limited quantities in the past, they were unsatisfactory, lacking encores like “Little Queeniee,” “Let It Rain,” and “Little Wing,” or suffering from sound skips. This release, however, uses a low-generation soundboard master that sets it apart. It has minimal noise and none of the sound skips or other flaws found in previous releases. The label has always prioritized natural sound production without relying on equalization, and this release follows that principle, respecting the original freshness of the master and resulting in a natural and authentic sound quality. Of course, to be presented as a commercial product, minimal adjustments such as pitch correction and cut corrections have been made, but in terms of sound quality, it’s unlikely that anything better will be released. Two precious soundboard recordings from the 1975 short Australian tour are captured in high-quality soundboard format. The Brisbane concert on April 14, 1975, was recorded from the soundboard. The Sydney concert on April 20, 1975, was also recorded from the soundboard. FESTIVAL HALL, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA April 14, 1975 DISC ONE 01. Introduction 02. Badge 03. Milk Cow Blues – Have You Ever Loved A Woman 04. Steady Rollin’ Man 05. Can’t Find My Way Home 06. Teach Me To Be Your Woman 07. Let It Rain DISC TWO 01. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out 02. I Shot The Sheriff 03. Layla – All I Have To Do Is Dream 04. Little Wing 05. Little Queenie HORDERN PAVILION, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA April 20, 1975 DISC THREE 01. Let It Grow 02. Tell The Truth 03. Better Make It Through Today 04. Badge 05. I Shot The Sheriff 06. Teach Me To Be Your Woman 07. Steady Rollin’ Man08. Key To The Highway DISC FOUR 01. Can’t Find My Way Home 02. Blues Power 03. Driftin’- Crossroads – Have Your Ever Loved A Woman 04. Layla – Opposites 05. Let It Rain 06. Little Wing