Legendary Clapton

Author

By John Hancock

Publish Date

March 7, 2011

Eric Clapton showed a sold-out Valley View Casino Center why he is a rock icon and the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a solo artist and as a member of two legendary rock bands, Cream and the Yardbirds.

Old “Slowhand” opened with a couple of blues classics, “Key to the Highway” and “Going Down Slow.” The set included favorites such as “Wonderful Tonight” and the Bob Marley cover, “I Shot the Sheriff,” which included an inspired solo that got the audience on their feet and dancing. Clapton broke out the acoustic guitar and took a seat to play a few blues numbers about halfway through the show, but then he got the crowd back on their feet with a song by one of his earlier bands, Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla.” For me, the best performance of the night was his “cover” of Cream's “Badge.”

Clapton closed out the set with a seven-and-a-half-minute rendition of “Cocaine” that had everyone on their feet singing along. For an encore that couldn't be beat, Clapton did his amazing cover of Robert Johnson's “Crossroads,” a song Clapton has made all his own and probably his signature song. All in all, it was an amazing performance by a true legend of rock and roll.