eric clapton bootlegs
my reviews of shows
THIS PAGE IS FOR YOU, THE FANS. COMMENTS ON THE PERFORMANCE ARE ONLY MY OPINION. IN MOST CASES, DEFECTS ARE MINOR. ALL CD'S I OWN I LISTEN TO MYSELF! PLEASE NOTE, NOT ALL CD'S ARE COMMENTED ON.

*** WHEN NOTING THE SOUND QUALITY, I OFTEN REFER TO SOUNDBOARD AND AUDIENCE RECORDINGS. THERE ARE MAJOR DIFFERENCES ON HOW ONE CAN RECORD IN THIS MANNER. I AM OFTEN CRITICAL OF HIGH QUALITY SOUNDBOARDS BECAUSE THEY OFTEN DO NOT REPRODUCE THE EXACT SOUND OF A GUITAR-PRODUCING A THIN FLAT SOUNDING SIGNAL IN A WAY. RECORDING LIVE CAN BE QUITE A PROCESS, ESPECIALLY RECORDING A LIVE GUITAR!. I CERTAINLY PREFER A GOOD AUDIENCE RECORDING, AS IT ADDS MORE DEPTH AND REALITY TO A LIVE PERFORMANCE. ****

WHEN RATING SOUND, "ORIG" MEANS IT IS FROM AN OFFICIAL CLAPTON ALBUM, HENCE, ONE YOU CAN BUY IN THE STORE.

10-16-70 ELECTRIC FACTORY - Amazing show, do not pass this up. Sound is distant, but listenable. The best "Dominos" performances I have heard.

12-1-70 SOUL MATES - The Dominos gigs are quickly becoming a jewel for me. I have never come across a bad show. This show is yet again, excellent. Selections from "The Johnny Cash Show" are very memorable and worth listening to. Both versions of "Got to Get Better" are legendary.

6-30-74/9-29-74 LAIDBACK! - Very well recorded shows and a very professional performance.

7-20-74 SLOW DOWN HAND - Probably the greatest concert from the 70's I have heard from EC. His guitar sound is agressive and very lound - and it sounds great! A historical concert if you ask me. This version of "Driftin Blues" is a classic. About 3 tracks contained in "Crossroads 2".

12-5-74 LZ WAS THERE - The selection that was on "Crossroads 2" is the best. Good, but not
great for my ears. Audio is nearly perfect.

8-14-75 LEGENDARY L.A. FOURM - To me, this is not a legendary show. Slight cracking for 1 minute into the first disc - goes away thereafter.

7-11-76 THE SCOPE - Some songs are not included in my copy-especially on disc 2. Sound sounds decent and so is the show.

2-11-78 WONDERFUL TONIGHT VOL.3 - Excellent sound quality, near SB6. Extremely rare version of "Peaches and Diesel" here. I'd say this has to be a top show from '78.

1980 TURN UP DOWN - Audio is very good, can hardly tell the difference from a regular album. Not all the mixing seems to be in place, but a darn good never before released album. "Games Up" is wonderful, on of my favorites of all time!

3-1-83 LIMITED MONEY & CIGARETTES - Pretty rare bootleg here. The first track is an Interview in which EC comments about the album chronologically with each song to follow. Very nice interview. After the first track is the show, very decent performance.

4-14-83 MASTERFILE #9 - I simply got this album for one song, "Ain't Going Down." This song was rarely performed live and I have no idea for the reason behind that! Simply one of my favorite EC songs of all time and I need to get more performances of this song!!  I love it that much! Great show and sound, a SB5+.

7-10-83 COCAINE & ALCOHOLIC - Very good soundboard recording. I don't see anything great from this show, just above average.

11-28-83 DALLAS ARMS - One of the worst audience recordings I own. I don't listen to this one much. A so so album, except for "Rita Mae"-love this one!

12-9-83 MSG - The best "ARMS" show recording I have, audio is really good but with an unususal soundboard. Not all the guitars seems to be in the correct mix all the time, it can be frustrating to listen to.

7-10-86 PROFESSOR BLUES REVIEW - An odd fading after each song. It doesn't really affect the content, but it could be annoying. Audio is very good, but too low.

7-15-86 MASTERFILE - Really great show from '86-a VHS tape is widely available. My favorites include "Holy Mother" and "Layla" - both are spectacular.

11-23-86 BREEZE OF AUGUST -  I now have both discs to this classic show! Pretty good sound from a small venue. Greg Phillinganes denotes Clapton as the "Greatest guitar player on the planet."

4-11-87 SPIDER SHOT - Another excellent soundboard recording! A top performance from the 1987 tour. Lots of great guitar work. "Same Old Blues"  and "Sunshine of your love" are noteable.

4-13-87 MASTERFILE #16 - Not gread audio here. This has that no bass, straight from the soundboard which I really hate! This in effect kills the guitar sound. For some strange reason some of my 1987-1989 recordings sound like this.

4-27-87 MSG - Great Show, not a fan of this soundboard.

10-6-87 RONNIE SCOTT'S - Updated copies now have no cracking or skipping - Excellent live sound and a very good performance.

9-7-88 IT'S A GUITAR THING - Good Show, not a fan of this soundboard. Great guitar between Clapton & Knopfler. Knopfler's guitar however sounds horrible with this soundboard-Clapton's sounds better.

9-21-88 MASTERFILE #18 - Low, distant sound.Soundboard is so so.

11-2-88 ON THE CROSSROADS - Show with special guest Elton John for most of the tracks along with sideman Mark Knopfler. Very good soundboard for me, although it's a solid SB4.

1-17-89 ROUGH & READY - Wow, what a show - One of my favorites. Clearly and AUD4+, but a standout and aggressive performance. EC and the whole band are in top form. This is also a very tough show to find.

2-3-89 BEETLE CLASHER - Once again, I hate this soundboard! This is the worst for me. Concert is very good, though.

2-3-89 12th NIGHT - Yes, this is the same show, but a much more listenable soundboard for me.

7-6-89 ROOM FULL OF BLUES - This is truly a great show! However, there are instances of skipping at certain points. Also noted are strange volume lowering at random points in the show. These defects are only slightly annoying, the show is awesome! Don't miss this one, forget the defects!

1-24-90 LOVE - One of the very best that I own!!! Excellent! A must have.

2-5-90 BLUES NIGHT -  Very few hisses and cracks. Oddly, not one of my favorites.

2-10-90 ROYAL ORCHESTRA NIGHTS - Great sound, great show. Very slight missed editing, but who cares? Every EC fan must hear "Concerto for Electric Guitar" - A 30 minute Classical masterpiece!

2-23-90 ESSEN - Very bad clicks and skips on "Tearing Us Apart" Besides that an above average performance. Interesting set list, differs from the usual pace.

3-5-90 PRETENDING - Bar none one of the best shows you'll ever hear! This show has everything. Sound is excellent!

4-25-90 DALLAS NIGHTS - Cassette tape transfer to CD-R, by me! Audio is about as good as can be expected considering the source. It is a solid Aud4. Wonderful show-"Pretending," "I Shot The Sheriff", "Old Love," are excellent. Very loud guitar at times.

2-17-91 PLAY WITH FIRE - One of the best! Listen!

2-18-91 24 NIGHTS - Selections from the album "24 Nights."

5-6-92 FASCINATING NIGHT - Probably the greatest concert I have ever heard, no doubt! Sound is good, not great. A must have! Skips on a few tracks- mostly on "Tearing Us Apart"

7-16-92 SO MUCH GUITAR - Yet another masterpiece from 1992! Monster guitar playin'.

3-7-93 SLOWHAND BLUES - One of the best ever of EC's blues-only concerts. Although this was one of the very first of the blues concerts, it feels very fresh and exciting. Excellent version of  the Robert Johnson classics "Terraplane" and "Walkin' Blues", which interestingly is performed electric.

10-2-93 FEELIN ALRIGHT - This show probably has the greatest version of "Wonderful Tonight"  I've ever come across. Extremely rare performance of "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" by Jimi Hendrix. No misses in this show! Special Guests include Joe Cocker.

2-21-94 BACK AGAIN 1994 - This is a "Pre-From The Cradle Concert" Either EC was about to record, or just finished this album. It's not as polished as some other shows, but man what a selection of old and new songs! Terraplane Blues, White Room, Stone Free - WOW!

10-24-94 ALL INSPIRATION - Very low volume audio, but the show is above average.

11-4-94 GROANING THE BLUES - A Flawless show, I was there. Groaning the Blues is perfect-monster guitar playin'! Audio is average. Wish it was better!

11-9-94 NUTHIN' BUT THE BLUES - If you want the blues, get this show! The best of the Fillmore shows, and a very good recording.

11-28-94 CLUB FULL OF BLUES - Has a very "Club-like" Echo to the audio, I like it. Very nice show, reccomended.

4-28-95 ADDICTED TO THE BLUES - This show is updated and I now own copies with no cracking and skipping. "Everyday I Have The Blues", has great guitar work - nice sound from the show.

9-18-95 CLAPTON'S BLUES - Said to be one of only 10 copies made so far! Good for me because this show is certainly legendary. An exceptional version of "Double Trouble." Sound is an AUD4, wish it was better!

2-20-96 TEN LONG YEARS - A very wide selection of material covering 30+ years. The show is good, but not legendary. The large tour band may be too much. Slight skipping on "White Room."

6-29-96 LIVE AT HYDE PARK - Audio is mastered by me VHS>CD-R. Sound just may be SB6. An excellent all around show sure to please everyone. Take note of "I Shot The Sheriff and Everyday I Have the Blues" - Wow!

7-4-97 GOD'S MEETING - A very good SB5+ recording. Classical performances of "Ruthie" and "Snakes". This is "Legends" in top form. (Said to be the first ever public show for the Band)

7-5-97 JAZZ A VIENNE - Very good sound quality, the best "Legends" show I've heard. "Snakes" is awesome!

7-11-97 LEGENDS AT NORTH SEA - Above average sound. The tracks with Robert Cray are very nice. Nothing spectacular from my perspective.

10-27-97 WONDERFUL NIGHT - Great show. Lots of WAH WAH Guitar in the first half of the show. A louder more aggressive Clapton. Sound is perfect.

3-30-98 BEST BIRTHDAY - First show of the tour and a bit rusty, although nice to listen to. Many "Rare" songs performed from the "Pilgrim" album here. These songs were replaced with others later on in the tour.

4-15-98 RIVER OF TEARS - Another Winner! Very loud and aggressive Clapton! "She's Gone" and "I Shot the Sheriff," are legendary. VHS>Tape>CD-R Transfer by me if you can believe it. Sound is a solid Aud5 or better.

4-16-98 RIVER OF TEARS - Not as good of a show as the night before, but this show is still above average. The sound however, is superior.

9-5-98 SUPREME BEING AGAIN - A show that I never knew existed in my hometown! I feel bad about that. The audio is excellent, but it is slightly too much soundboard for my tastes. This was a Narcotics Anonymous Concert and before a certain song, EC says "I had doubts about playing this...but I met a nice man named Marcus and he said I should do it, If you have a problem with it you can blame him." Just after that he ripped into a very memorable version of Cocaine.

9-11-98 DOUBLE IMAGE PT.1/EDMONTON - Okay, the sound quality is a SB7, but to me I get that no distortion, no sustain sound from the soundboard. Sorry, this does bother me-I am a guitar player so I am picky! Great Show.

10-15-98 DOUBLE IMAGE PT.2/EARL'S COURT - What can I say? Really good show, but this soundboard annoys me. You may like it, but not me.

10-16-98 EC EC - To me, the sound is a mix of soundboard and audience and it's okay. Overall I prefer this to "Double Image."

10-31-98 HALLENSTADIAN - Analog skips on Track 1 of Disc 1. Besides that, very few instances of cracks/pops. A very "Soulful" show in some ways. Nice versions of "She's Gone and I Shot The Sheriff." EC seems to be in great spirits.

11-4-99 L.A. SESSION - Pretty decent recording of a Tour Rehearsal. Audio sounds more like Radio than anything else. Decent stuff, nothing noteworthy. Just good to have.

11-15-99 BLUES EYES - Wow, Excellent performance of "Gin House". A few hisses and cracks. Great show. As is somewhat of a standard for Japanese performances, this show has EC using heavy guitar effects-they are a real treat!  Nice version of She's Gone.

11-24-99 LIVE AT YOKOHAMA - Annoying lowering of sound about 10 seconds into each song- The sound however is perfect, just low. Don't know the cause of this - it could be TV/Satellite related. Great show.

11-29-99 14 GIGS Pt.13 - Another super Japanese performance! Great sound with lots of effects is standard.

4-28-00 SPECIAL DAY - What an amazing show! This is a Carlos Santana concert with Special Guest Clapton. Sort of what you always wanted to hear-two legends playing! Do not miss this one, it's legendary!

2-3-01 FIRST NIGHT - This show has the best sound of any albums from this date-sounds new and improved. Includes "I Shot The Sheriff" - possibly the only time he performed this song during his 2001 Reptile tour. Lot's of energy in this show, and it is looking like this is a pretty rare recording in this format.

2-26-01 LE ZENITH - An above average show, really good in some parts. Sound is a bit distant and compressed, albiet good quality.

3-8-01 COLOGNE - Not a bad show at all for me - don't listen to the critics who bash this show! Sound is better than stated elsewhere - a good AUD4. Fantastic version of "Reptile" and "River of Tears."

3-20-01 CHANGE THE WORLD - Real good show, some Wah Wah guitar is certainly a delight.

3-25-01 AHOY ROTTERDAM - On of my personal favorties from 2001, and  for my tastes a great Audience recording. Don't miss "She's Gone," and "Stormy Monday." Excellent all around, an A+.

4-8-01 LIVE IN RUSSIA - Very rare performance of "White Room" in this show - for some reason it's dedicated to "Vladimir", whoever that is. This is a show with some much needed WAH WAH guitar, but lacks in other areas. Above average, but I still have problems with some parts.

5-14-01 DALLAS - Audio is not great. However there is a great version of "Reptile and Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

6-22-01 MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - The better of the 2001 MSG Shows, with less audio quality.

6-23-01 MSG 3 DAYS - First song is dedicated to John Lee Hooker, who passed away the previous night. Good sound, easy to listen to.

8-7-01 ROSE GARDEN - A pretty famous show due to the fact that EC does not use his Signature Stratocaster, or any Strat during the whole show. No reason for this is known-I heard rumors of the EC strat being repaired, but who knows if it's true. Funny thing, I can hardly tell the difference between the guitars except for "Have You Ever Loved A Woman."
EC used his Red Gibson ES-335 for most of the show, and a Gibson Les Paul in the end. The Les Paul guitar is certainly a surprise.

8-11-01 LIVE IN OAKLAND - One of my favorite versions of "She's Gone" this song is killer! The sound is way too bass heavy, beware.

8-17-01 LIVE AT THE STAPLES CENTER - Sorry to say this is not a great show. Perhaps EC is a bit worn out-this was the second to last show of the US tour.

11-22-01 WHAT I'M TALKING - a clear SB5. Becoming one of my favorite shows from 2001. Very nice version of "Reptile."

12-4-01 FOR GEORGE - The best audio quality of a 2001 show that I currently have-near perfect. A very laid back clapton with an emphasis on vocals. "Badge" is dedicated to George Harrison, who had just passed away.

12-14-01 LIVE IN YOKOHAMA - I prefer this one to the 12-4-01 show. I like the Audience recording, and their is some great guitar work here.