Eric Clapton / London, UK 02.20.1994 Complete

A superb stereo audience master from the first night of Eric Clapton’s 1994 Royal Albert Hall concert series! After a long time, we’ve received the original master from a veteran taper residing in the UK, who is well-known for his rare Eric Clapton recordings! This master captures the first night of Clapton’s 12-night series at London’s Royal Albert Hall in February 1994 in superb stereo audience recording quality. While there are previously released recordings of this night, the veteran taper has provided us with the original DAT master from his personal collection. Consequently, the sound quality is, of course, the best it has ever been. When you listen to it, you’ll be convinced that it was recorded near the front row of the floor seating area, with its incredibly clear and well-balanced sound. The power is also amazing. Moreover, it’s a miraculous recording with almost no audience noise. The setlist for this concert is particularly appealing, continuing from the setlist of his Japan tour held in October of the previous year, with a perfect balance of blues and hit songs, characteristic of this period. This concert captures a transitional moment between the 1992 “Unplugged” and the subsequent albums “From the Cradle” and “Nothing But the Blues Tour,” and it could be said that Clapton included all the songs he wanted to play at that time. Disc 1 presents the blueprint for “Nothing But the Blues Tour,” while Disc 2 features a mix of hit songs and blues, a style that continues to this day. The highlights of this concert are, as with the previous year, his live performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Stone Free,” which he recorded for a tribute project, and his performance of “Circus,” a number he played on “Unplugged” but ultimately shelved. In the former, just like in his Japanese performances, he brings his guitar so close to the amp at the end that he rubs it against it, effectively generating feedback, much like Jimi Hendrix. I had never seen Clapton like this before. The latter track features a circus-style hand-cranked organ intro, a unique arrangement for this period (this intro was removed when it was included on the album “PILGRIM”). This creates a profound sense of melancholy, bringing tears to the eyes as if sharing his feelings for his deceased son. Clapton’s playing is sharp and brilliant throughout, with a series of breathtaking performances. The performance towards the end, in particular, is incredibly powerful and showcases his true essence. This was likely due to the presence of the late Richie Hayward of Little Feat on drums, as well as a powerful horn section of three. Each of these instruments is captured with a clear and realistic sound, so I think it will be enjoyed not only by Clapton fans of all generations but also by blues-rock fans. A fascinating setlist and performance unique to a transitional period Now, let’s look back at the history of his activities to see where this year stood in Clapton’s career. <1994> January 19: Joined The Band, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that year, for a celebratory performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, and performed “The Weight.” February 16 – March 6: Began a warm-up performance in Manchester, followed by 12 consecutive performances in London. ← [HERE] May 2: Held a charity concert in New York. At this point, the setlist consisted entirely of blues songs. June 5: Attended Ronnie Wood’s 47th birthday party at the 606 Club in London, and had a jam session with Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, and others. <September 13: “FROM THE CRADLE” released> September 24: Appeared on “Saturday Night Live” at NBC Television Studios in New York. September 28: Filmed tour rehearsals at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. This was later broadcast in the US, Europe, and Japan. October 3rd – November 4th: US Arena Tour November 7th – November 28th: ​​US Club Tour December 31st: Charity event “New Year’s Eve Dance” held at Woking Leisure Centre in Surrey, England That year, Clapton released “FROM THE CRADLE” and embarked on the “Nothing But the Blues Tour” with a setlist consisting solely of blues songs. However, at the time of this performance, the setlist was a continuation of the one used during the Japan tour held in October of the previous year, a unique blend of blues and hit songs that was characteristic of this period. This was a transitional period that led from “Unplugged” in 1992 to the album “FROM THE CRADLE” and the “Nothing But the Blues Tour”. For that reason, this was a precious performance where we could hear numbers like “Terraplane Blues” and “Come On In My Kitchen,” which were not included on “FROM THE CRADLE” and were not played on the “Nothing But the Blues Tour.” At the Royal Albert Hall in this city, he had tried a similar setlist around the same time the previous year and it was successful, but as a live artist, Clapton’s performance in the blues section in the first half did not have the same tentative feel as the previous year, and it was not as refined as the later “Nothing But the Blues Tour,” but rather had a somewhat wilder groove. In particular, the performances of “Five Long Years,” “Crossroads,” “Groaning the Blues,” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” scattered throughout the second half conveyed Clapton’s special feelings. “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” differed from the performance the previous year, settling on the lyrics and outro that he later showcased on the “Nothing But the Blues Tour.” The second half is a parade of hit songs. In the aforementioned “Stone Free,” he delivers a performance at the end that is reminiscent of his close friend Jimi Hendrix from the 60s. In addition to the action of rubbing his guitar against the amp, he also inserts a phrase from Jimi’s “Third Stone From the Sun,” which is a moment that shows Clapton’s love for Jimi and makes you smile. After such a hard-hitting performance, he also has a solid acoustic set, playing numbers like “Circus” and “Tears In Heaven” in a mellow style, which is also typical of Clapton. In short, the first half is a luxurious experience where you can enjoy Clapton as a bluesman, and the second half is a luxurious experience where you can enjoy Clapton as a hitmaker and ballad singer. There were some changes in the band members, with the bassist changing from Donald “Duck” Dunn to British session musician Dave Bronze, who would later become a semi-regular member of Clapton’s band, compared to the previous year’s RAH. Royal Albert Hall, London, England 20th February 1994 ULTIMATE SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc:1 (52:15) 1. Intro 2. Terraplane Blues 3. Come On In My Kitchen 4. Malted Milk 5. How Long Blues 6. Kidman Blues 7. County Jail 8. Forty Four 9. Standing Around Crying 10. Goin’ Away Baby 11. Blues All Day Long (Blues Leave Me Alone) 12. Hoochie Coochie Man 13. It Hurts Me Too 14. Blues Before Sunrise 15. Someday After A While 16. Tore Down Disc:2 (69:41) 1. White Room 2. Badge 3. Wonderful Tonight 4. Stone Free 5. Circus 6. Tears In Heaven 7. Five Long Years 8. Tearing Us Apart 9. Crossroads 10. Groaning The Blues 11. Layla 12. Ain’t Nobody’s Business Eric Clapton – guitar / vocals Andy Fairweather Low – guitar Chris Stainton – keyboards Dave Bronze – bass / vocals Richie Hayward – drums Katie Kissoon – backing vocals Maggie Ryder – backing vocals The Kick Horns (Simon Clarke – baritone saxophone, Roddy Lorimer – trumpet, Tim Sanders -tenor saxophone)