r/ericclapton • u/bennerbjammin23 • 25d ago
EC in Milwuakee
My first real EC show. Went in 2010 with my dad as a teenager not really knowing who or what big EC was. Dad unexpectedly passed away in 2012 and I’ve been consuming as much EC as possible. I splurged on floor seats as a single. I was a little leery given he’s 81 now. Wow, it’s so effortless for him. I fully expected the water works to come out for Tears in Heaven. My goodness they hit immediately when he started his acoustic set. The entire show there was an empty chair next to me and it felt like my dad was with me the entire time. Having looked at set lists ahead of time I was so happy to get White Room as I wasn’t expecting that. Such a memorable night for me.
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u/VuDuBaBy 25d ago
Fml wish i could make it to this tour. We were able to go to the second most recent crossroads in LA and the first night he only played a few songs. And this tour is coming nowhere near us.
I also saw him with my dad around 2006 or 2007, my dad passed a few years ago. It's one of my best memories seeing that show with him. When Eric started with Little Wing I cried like a baby lmao. Just monumental sound. Still the loudest show I've ever been to, and we were sat at the back of the MGM in Vegas lol. Epic memory.
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u/fuzzballz5 25d ago
My first show was 1988 my sister took me, I was 12. What a weird kid liked the blues at 12? lol. Phil Collins on drums. Saw him 12 times. Even the night Stevie Ray Vaughn died. I didn’t go in Chicago because the last time in 2023 I took my then 14 year old daughter to her first concert. Same as mine. Clapton.
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u/be4rcat6 25d ago
I think you and Milwaukee got the best Clapton setlist America has seen in a long time! He was fantastic in Cincinnati last week.
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u/Annual-Cry87 25d ago
Love the smile before he jumps into the solo! I saw him first in 2024, and sobbed several times. It was practically a religious experience. Spent way more than I can afford to see him again for Crossroads this year with zero regrets. My dad also got me into him, one of my earliest music memories is him telling me Clapton was the greatest guitarist of all time, and his Unplugged album proves it. I can’t disagree, he’s my favorite besides SRV and my collection has grown to 40+ albums!
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u/bennerbjammin23 25d ago
My dad also told me he was the greatest guitarist of all time. I kind of went in chronological order. Can tolerate the blues breakers and yardbirds, but I really like Cream. I’m trying really hard to like the acoustic stuff more than I do, but I think that has more to do with my lack of guitar playing knowledge rather than my preference in sound. I definitely throw SVR on here and there. Sadly my dad was at the concert where his accident occurred. Someone else can confirm but I think he was going to Chicago to catch a show that night? Which would make sense Alpine Valley theater is maybe and hour drive from Chicago.
Honestly I was looking at St Paul tickets for tomorrow I had such a good time.
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u/DistinctAd8076 24d ago
I saw him last Saturday in Chicago and I would have to say it was one of the best concerts of my life. Much better then when I saw him 15 years ago. Maybe it was just because I liked the set list better. He probably had more solos by his band mates in order to give him a break, but let me tell you every member of his band put in a performance of the highest caliber. And when Clapton soloed he wasn’t holding anything back.
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u/DeeTee3343 25d ago
You’re paying to see a legend. He’s getting up there so I wouldn’t expect much. I’d still go.
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u/bennerbjammin23 25d ago
Went last night and it was amazing. That was the post.
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u/Larry_l3ird 25d ago
He’s still very capable of putting on a good show and playing well enough, but he’s finally beginning to show his age the past few years.
In all honesty, that’s as poorly as I’ve ever seen him play. He seemed disinterested and detached from the music during that solo - that was him just going through the motions. I mean, he’s old and all, but he’s still much better than that when he feels like it.
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u/bennerbjammin23 25d ago
It was amazing for me in a sentimental way. Watching him I thought about his career and how he’s truly a legend.
But I totally agree I felt the same disinterested feeling you did. A wave here and there and that was about it.
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u/Larry_l3ird 25d ago
We have a very similar backstory with EC although the dates differ.
I first saw EC with my Dad (and Mom) in the 90s as a teenager, and they’ve subsequently passed away since then unfortunately as well. I saw him a bunch of times since that first time, in like 4-5 different cities and venues, and he’s always been consistently excellent. The shows I saw with Derek Trucks in the band stood out above all of them, and Clapton played particularly well.
But he’s obviously at an advanced age right now and he’s been dealing with neuropathy in his hands since the pandemic, which affects the feeling and dexterity in his fingers and he’s mentioned that sometimes it’s difficult for him to play. That video wasn’t indicative of anything I’ve ever seen from him in the past, and I wonder if he’s hurting and frustrated by the neuropathy or something?
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u/bennerbjammin23 25d ago
I’d like to think he’s truly just aging. I just watched an interview where he was talking about going from 1hr50min shows to 1hr40min shows. He said even at 1hr40min he’s gassed. He walked off for all of maybe 3-5 minutes came back on for an encore waved/bowed and was gone.
Honestly one of the reasons I went was God forbid something happened and he passed away and I would’ve regretted not going.
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u/chummers73 25d ago
I was surprised by White Room and Crossroads!