Eric Clapton - My Favorite Boots

"The EC Boot Hall-Of-Fame" Updated

My Favorite Bootlegs (Only Legendary Shows Listed) ____________________________________________________

OCTOBER 16, 1970 - PHILADELPHIA. HAVEN'T HEARD THEM ALL, BUT FOR MY TASTES THIS IS THE BEST DOMINOS PERFORMANCE. THE SOUND IS AN AUD4, BUT IT HAS A VERY RICH AND FULL SOUND THAT ONLY A SMALL CLUB CAN PROVIDE. LONG JAMS EVERYWHERE, AND AN EXCELLENT VERSION OF "WHY DOES LOVE GOT TO BE SO SAD." IF YOU WANT TO HEAR CLAPTON PLAY AT ALL LIKE JIMI HENDRIX, THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE COME ACROSS. ERIC'S GUITAR IS VERY WILD, BUT NOT DRIVEN BY MANY EFFECTS LIKE HENDRIX. A MUST HAVE FOR COLLECTORS

JULY 20, 1974 - LONG BEACH. THERE ARE PLENTY OF VERSIONS OF THIS SHOW TO GO AROUND, AND NEARLY ALL OF THEM SOUND PERFECT. THIS IS "THE STAPLE" OF ANY EC RECORD COLLECTION, AS THESE SHOWS HAVE BEEN ON COUNTLESS ALBUMS; OFFICIAL AND OTHERWISE. AMAZING VERSIONS OF "HAVE YOU EVER LOVED A WOMAN" AND "DRIFTIN BLUES." THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE "TIMELESS SHOWS."

NOVEMBER 28, 1974 - LUDWIGSHAVEN. OF ALL OF THE EXCEPTIONAL SHOWS OF 1974, THIS ONE HAS SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE SPECIAL. I BELIEVE IT HAS TRUE SPONTINAITY, AND REAL JAMMING. SOME CRITICS BASH A LOT OF THE 70'S SHOWS, BUT THERE ARE PROVING TO BE MORE GEMS IN THE PACK THAN ANYONE REALIZED. THE JAMMING ON "TELL THE TRUTH" IS LEGENDARY - AND I'VE NEVER HEARD IT PERFORMED ANY BETTER. THE USE OF EC'S WAH WAH, ALONG WITH SOME NICE DELAY ADDED ON, PRODUCE SOUNDS YOU RARELY HEAR FROM CLAPTON OR ANY OTHER PLAYER FOR THAT MATTER. THIS SHOW IS MOST NOTED FOR THAT DELAY WHICH IS USED EXTENSIVELY ON "LITTLE WING." I THINK WHAT MOST STANDS OUT HERE IS THAT FOR AT LEAST 1 SHOW EC JUST PLAYS TO HEAR HIMSELF PLAY. THERE'S NO STRICT CHORD ARRANGEMENTS, JUST SOME GREAT PLAYING. I HAVE MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS SHOW, BUT I RECCOMEND "TELL THE TRUTH." IT IS REMASTERED VERY WELL, ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE A BIT TOO LOUD A CERTAIN POINTS. THIS VERSION, HOWEVER IS NOT THE COMPLETE SHOW.

DECEMBER 4, 1974 - LONDON. EASILY ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND READILY AVAILABLE EC SHOWS OUT THERE. YOU JUST CAN'T DENY THE PERFORMANCE, HOWEVER. ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSONS OF "I SHOT THE SHERIFF" AND "LITTLE WING" IS HERE. ALTHOUGH THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST DAY OF THE TOUR, THE BAND STEPS UP AND PULLS OUT A GREAT PERFORMANCE. AVAILABLE ON COUNTLESS BOOTLEG COLLECTIONS, MOST ARE OF GREAT QUALITY WHICH MAKES THE SHOW EVEN THAT MORE ENJOYABLE.

JUNE 25, 1975 - SPRINGFIELD. JUST A SOLID SHOW, WITH LOTS OF JAMMING.

OCTOBER 7, 1977 - TOKYO. THE SOUND ALMOST CERTAINLY IS JUST A TAD FAST, BUT I DON'T CARE, I JUST LOVE THIS SHOW. AGAIN, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THIS ONE YOU WILL HEAR A DIFFERENT CLAPTON. HIS GUITAR IS QUITE LOUD AND DISTORTED, AND HE MAKES FREQUENT USE OF THE WAH-WAH. THE VERSION OF "I SHOT THE SHERIFF" IS SIMPLY AMAZING. EXCELLENT SHOW ALL AROUND, AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS SB, BUT RUNS A TAD FAST.

MAY 3, 1983 - GENOA. A SURPRISE, EVEN TO ME THAT THIS SHOW IS ACTUALLY AS GOOD AS IT IS. EASILY THE BEST SHOW FROM 1983 BY A WIDE MARGIN. IT WAS AROUND THIS TIME THAT THE NEW, OR REFRESHED EC STARTED TO APPEAR MORE FREQUENTLY. A LOT OF IT HAD MORE TO DO WITH THE NEW, MORE UPBEAT SONGS, BUT SOME OF IT RESTED WITH CLAPTON INDEED. THIS IS A WINDOW INTO THE FUTURE OF SORTS. AMAZING VERSION OF "DOUBLE TROUBLE" AND A SURPRISINGLY STRONG "BLUES POWER." NOT THE COMPLETE SHOW, AND SOMEWHAT EDITED, BUT IT STILL WORTHY.

JANUARY 23, 1984 - MILAN. THIS SHOW MOST LIKELY CONTAINS THE FIRST OR SECOND LIVE PERFORMANCE OF "SAME OLD BLUES." THE LYRICS ARE QUITE DIFFERENT HERE, AND IN MANY OF THE SHOWS PRIOR TO 1986. PROBABLY MOST FAMOUS FOR EC'S INTRODUCTION INTO HIS R&B STYLE, AND COMEBACK OF SORTS. TO ME, IT IS THIS SHOW WHICH FORMS HIS TRANSFORMATION FROM A LATE '70'S/EARLY 80'S "LAIDBACK" ARTIST, TO A MORE AGGRESSIVE STYLE IN EVERY AREA.

JULY 14, 1986 - BIRMINGHAM. GREAT SHOW GREAT BAND, THE 80'S IN TOP FORM.

JANUARY 29, 1987 - ROME. AN ALBUM THAT IS MUCH SOUGHT AFTER BY COLLECTORS. A COMPLETE SHOW OF THIS DATE WITH THIS QUALITY HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND, AND THAT'S A PITTY. ORIGINALLY ON VINYL, THIS IS A STANDOUT PERFORMANCE WITH A VERY SPIRITED AND AGRESSIVE BAND. GREAT VERSIONS OF "MISS YOU," AND "SAME OLD BLUES." CD IS ONLY 40 MIN OR SO, BUT ALL SONGS ARE WONDERFUL.

JANUARY 24, 1990 - LONDON. A BOOTLEG THAT'S ACTUALLY QUITE EASY TO FIND. MANY VERSIONS OF THIS CONCERT EXIST, BUT WITH A WIDE RANGE OF SOUND QUALITY. THIS CD IS IN THE TOP 2 OR 3 IN TERMS OF IT'S SOUND. SOME PERFORMANCES ARE ON THE "24 NIGHTS" CD/VHS. VERY PROFESSIONAL PLAYING AND A MEMORABLE VERSION OF "WHITE ROOM," OF WHICH I HEARD EC WAS NOT QUITE HAPPY WITH!

MAY 6, 1992 - HARTFORD. RIGHT OFF THE BAT, THIS IS SIMPLY RANKS AS ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS EVER PERIOD. THE 1992 SHOWS ARE WIDELY KNOWN AS MASTERFUL, BUT THIS IS THE BEST OF THE BEST. WHAT YOU GET HEAR IS AN "EC ROCK GOD" PERFORMANCE WITH THE AMPS TURNED ALL THE WAY UP. THERE'S ACTUALLY NO REAL "SOFT" NOTES PLAYED IN THIS SHOW, IT'S ALL DONE FLASHY AND AGGRESSIVE. THIS SHOW MIGHT SPOIL YOU, RARELY DOES EC PLAY IN THE STYLE OF A "ROCKER" AND LET IT ALL HANG OUT.

MARCH 7, 1993 - LONDON. A MOST NOTEABLE ALBUM STRICTLY FOR THE ACOUSTIC SET WHICH IS SOME OF THE BEST EVER. THE OPENING ROBERT JOHNSON SONGS "TERRAPLANE" AND THE SIMPLY WONDERFUL "ALABAMA WOMEN' STEAL THE SHOW. ALTHOUGH THE SOUND IS VERY AVERAGE AND NOTHING SPECTACULAR, THE PERFORMANCE SURE IS. MAYBE ONE OF THE BEST EVER "ALBERT HALL" SHOWS FOR ANY YEAR. BUT BECAUSE IT'S AT "THE RAH" BEWARE OF THE ECHOING, IT CAN BE A LITTLE FRUSTRATING.

NOVEMBER 23, 1994 - NEW ORLEANS. MY PERFECT VISION OF WHAT THE BLUES SHOULD SOUND LIKE. THE SMALL CLUB, THE HOUSE OF BLUES IN NEW ORLEANS ONLY ADDS TO THE ATMOSPHERE. EC SEEMS TO FEED OFF THE CROWD, GOING FASTER AND FASTER AS THE AUDIENCE SCREAMS WITH APPROVAL. A PERFECT PERFORMANCE OF THE BLUES.

MARCH 5, 1995 - LONDON. THIS SHOW IS INDEED PART OF THE SAME SET AS MENTIONED ABOVE. THIS SHOW IS A FAVORITE MAINLY DUE TO THE SIMPLY WONDERFUL VERSION OF "DOUBLE TROUBLE." THERE ARE GOOD BLUES NUMBERS BESIDES THIS ONE, BUT TO SAY THIS DOESN'T COMPLETELY STEAL THE SHOW WOULD BE A TERRIBLE LIE. YOU'VE GOT TO SAY THIS RANKS UP THERE AS ONE OF THE BEST SONGS EC HAS EVER DONE IN ANY ERA - IT'S THAT GOOD. BASICALLY HE STARTS PLAYING AND NEVER STOPS - IT GETS FASTER AND FASTER. PROBABLY ANOTHER FACTOR IN THE RATING IS THAT THIS SHOW IS AT THE ALBERT HALL AND EC IS USUALLY A BIT RELAXED WHEN PLAYING IN HIS ARENA. NO RELAXATION HERE, JUST LOUD AND AGGRESSIVE BLUES PLAYING FROM START TO FINISH.

OCTOBER 17, 1997 - TOKYO. THIS MAY NOT BE THE BEST "POLISHED" SHOW, BUT IT HAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT. SUPERB USE OF THE WAH-WAH ON GOING DOWN SLOW. SIMPLY AMAZING. ALSO HAS A STRONG "OLD LOVE," AND "SHERIFF." IF YOU GET THIS ON VIDEO YOU WILL SEE A RARITY, EC SITTING DOWN PLAYING ELECTRIC GUITAR, WITH EFFECTS.

APRIL 15, 1998 - PHILADELPHIA. THIS JUST SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS IN WHICH EC CAN DO NO WRONG. THE INTRO TO "LAYLA" HAS SOME OF THE BEST ACOUSTIC SOLOING I'VE EVER HEARD. THE GUITAR PLAYING ON "SHE'S GONE" AND "I SHOT THE SHERIFF" RANKS UP THERE WITH THE BEST HE'S EVER DONE-NO KIDDING. THE "SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE" ENDING FEATURES SOMETHING YOU DO NOT HEAR OR SEE FROM CLAPTON THAT OFTEN - EC PLAYING WILD IN FRONT OF THE AMP, RAISING THE VOLUME AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE GREAT SOUNDS. THE BEST CONCERT OF 1998 FOR ME. SOUND IS FROM VIDEO AND IS ABOUT AN AUD5-.

NOVEMBER 15, 1999 - TOKYO. NICE "ELECTRIC R&B" FROM CLAPTON. THE VERY LOUD AND DISTORTED GUITAR SHOWS THAT EC CAN MASTER HARD ROCK WHEN HE WANTS TO. GREAT SONGS INCLUDE "GIN HOUSE," "OLD LOVE," AND A VERY POWERFUL VERSION OF "LAYLA." SOUND IS EXCELLENT, NEAR SB6.

AUGUST 11, 2001 - OAKLAND. SOUND IS NOT GREAT, BUT THE PERFORMANCE IS. YOU GET EVERYTHING IN THIS SHOW FROM GENTLE VOCALS TO ARROGANT GUITAR PLAYING. "SHE'S GONE" FEATURES ONE OF THE BEST INTRO'S AND GROOVES THIS SONG HAS TO OFFER. "I WANT A LITTLE GIRL, " AND "WONDERFUL TONIGHT" STAND OUT AS SOME OF THE BEST MELLOW PERFORMANCES OF THE TOUR.

DECEMBER 8, 2001 - TOKYO. IF EXPERIMENTATION MIXED IN WITH SOME BASIC CLAPTON IS WHAT YOU DESIRE, YOU'LL GET IT HERE. IT'S HARD TO ALWAYS RATE A LEGEND, BUT WHEN EC STEPS OUT OF HIS SHELL AND DECIDES TO PLAY MORE FOR "THE FANS' THAN HIMSELF, IT USUALLY WORKS GREATLY. THE INCLUSION OF NEW RIFFS IN "SHE'S GONE" SPEAKS VOLUMES AND FURTHER EXPLAINS WHY LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE IT WHEN CLAPTON DECIDES TO CUT LOOSE. ALONG WITH A NEAR PERFECT VERSION OF "REPTILE" AND "CHANGE THE WORLD," THIS IS ONE CD THAT EVERYONE SHOULD SIT BACK AND RELAX TO. HIGHLY RECOMENDED.

JUNE 14, 2004 - TAMPA. THE STAPLE OF ANY '04 SHOW HAD TO INCLUDE A ROUSING VERSION OF 'I SHOT THE SHERIFF" AND "GOT TO GET BETTER." IN THIS SHOW, YOU GET THE BEST OF BOTH. BRILLIANT USE OF THE WAH-WAH ON "GOT TO GET BETTER" MAKES YOU WONDER WHY EC DOESN'T USE THIS EVEN MORE. VERY AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE RECORDING MAKES YOU FEEL YOU'RE IN THE FIRST ROW.

JULY 30, 2004 -SAN JOSE. A REAL POWERFUL SHOW, PROBABLY THE BEST OF THE TOUR. AS USUAL "SHERIFF" AND "GOT TO GET BETTER" STEAL THE SHOW. ALSO HAS A NICE "COCAINE".

MAY 2, 2005 - LONDON. LISTED HERE FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS ONLY, BUT THE PERFORMANCE ISN'T BAD EITHER. WHAT YOU GET HERE IS THE FIRST CREAM REUNION CONCERT AND CERTAINLY A LOUD AND ENTHOUSIASTIC CROWD TO GO ALONG WITH IT. JUST THE OPENING SONG, "I'M SO GLAD," GAVE ME CHILLS. THIS ONE IS MORE FOR HISTORY THAN ANYTHING ELSE WITH ONLY ABOVE AVERAGE SOUND.

MAY 25, 2006 - LONDON. IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO ADD THIS SHOW TO THE LIST, BUT I KEEP LISTENING TO IT AND THERE'S PROBABLY A GOOD REASON FOR THAT. THE BAND HERE IS REAL FRESH, LOST OF ENERGY. THE FAST SONGS ARE GREAT AND SO ARE THE SLOW BALLADS. JUST A STRONG SHOW.

FEBRUARY 26, 2008 - NEW YORK. ALTHOUGH IT IS A CLAPTON/WINWOOD SHOW, IT IS SAFE TO PUT THIS ONE ON THE LIST.
ALTHOUGH EC'S PERFORMANCE OF "VOODOO CHILE" ON THE 28TH MAY BE A TAD BETTER, THIS VERSION IS STILL GREAT - I HEARD HENDRIX IN EVERY NOTE PLAYED.

FEBRUARY 15, 2009 - TOKYO. OKAY, MAYBE TOO SOON TO LIST IT AS ONE OF THE BEST OF ALL TIME, BUT IT SURE HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS. AWESOME "SHERIFF", AND A SWEET "ISN'T IT A PITY" ALONG WITH A GREAT "DRIFTIN" MAKE THIS A TOP SHOW. I LOVE THE SOUND TOO - SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE IN THE FRONT ROW.

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