Clapton at the Royal Albert Hall

[DaveB]

Just got back from seeing "God" at the Albert Hall.

Ably supported by Robert Cray - that guy has a great voice and very tasteful chops.

Clapton was as you'd expect - a master at his style of playing - made a lot of use of the boost from his Fender Clapton Strat for solos.

Doyle Bramhall played rhythm & lead - totally weird - he played a left handed Strat with a right handed neck that was strung for a right hander. At one point he had a telecaster with a B-Bender - but with his setup I have no idea which note was being bent! We checked out his pedalboard after the gig - blimey - he uses many many pedals.

The highlight though and absolute star of the evening was Derek Trucks. He is a genius with the slide. Everytime he played he added so much to the song. The annoying thing too is that at quite a few points he whipped off the slide (played an acoustic duet with Eric) and was a damned fine player too. They played a full version of Layla with all the Duane slide parts - worth the admission price alone.

I need to check out more of Mr Trucks - any recommendations?

Dave

[jongitarz]

Just got back from seeing "God" at the Albert Hall.

Ably supported by Robert Cray - that guy has a great voice and very tasteful chops.

Clapton was as you'd expect - a master at his style of playing - made a lot of use of the boost from his Fender Clapton Strat for solos.

Doyle Bramhall played rhythm & lead - totally weird - he played a left handed Strat with a right handed neck that was strung for a right hander. At one point he had a telecaster with a B-Bender - but with his setup I have no idea which note was being bent! We checked out his pedalboard after the gig - blimey - he uses many many pedals.

The highlight though and absolute star of the evening was Derek Trucks. He is a genius with the slide. Everytime he played he added so much to the song. The annoying thing too is that at quite a few points he whipped off the slide (played an acoustic duet with Eric) and was a damned fine player too. They played a full version of Layla with all the Duane slide parts - worth the admission price alone.

I need to check out more of Mr Trucks - any recommendations?

Dave

Dave...I have everything Derek has recorded....Most of it can be had here http://www.derektrucks.com/


Also check out his work with The Allman Brothers..Hittin the note is a great CD Derek played here in San Luis Obispo a few months back....Great band. BTW Derek is married to blues artist Susan Tedeschi(sp)

[GWDavis28]

BTW Derek is married to blues artist Susan Tedeschi(sp)

Jon, thanx I didn't know that. Susan's a New England native.

Cool.

Dave, Clapton is great, I haven't seen him in a few years though. The ticket prices are getting out of my range these days.

Glenn |B)

[guitrr]

Dave,

The Derek Trucks Band's latest CD, Bloodlines is a good place to start, it's a very good picture of the band's versatility and virtuosity.

I've seen Derek many times since he was 10, because he is from down this way. Now he's only in his 20's, but has gotten just ridiculously good. It boggles the mind to think of what he's going to be doing in his 40's and 50's. NPR did a story on him last year, and he was playing John Coltrane lines with a slide!

Another good look at him besides the CD's is the ABB's DVD Live at the Beacon, a concert film.


Kane

[Hutton]

I was at Clapton's Glasgow gig. I endorse everything you say about Derek Trucks - what a player! Eric was great. Doyle Bramhall was great. Trucks was just that bit different in the best possible way!

As a bass player I was totally bowled over by the Steve Jordan/Willie Weeks rhythm section. What a powerhouse Jordan is! Weeks was ever efficient, smooth and totally on the groove. They were a nice contrast to the Steve Gadd/Nathan East rhythm section that Eric used last time he toured.

[Big Poppa]

Albert Lee just got back from seeing the show and was raving about Derek also....I have his latest and think its great

[DaveB]

Derek did a gig with his band the other week at the Mean Fiddler here in London.

His playing was flawless...and a great band with him too.

Chatted to Doyle Bramhall as well (super nice guy).

What gets me about Mr Trucks is that his playing is so emotional - but he isnt. Never says a word to the crowd - doesnt seem to want to interact. Plays a mean slide though.

His better half (Susan Tedashi) did an encore with him. You cant beat a hot babe wailing on a tele!

Dave

[Big Poppa]

yeah you can replace the Tele with a music man

[DaveB]

Good point head honcho!

........but you got my drift

Dave

[Junior]

...Doyle Bramhall...

That guy used to hang out with Stevie Ray Vaughan back in the days... when SRV... was alive.

(...or maybe you're talking about Doyle, Doyle's son ...)

[tommyindelaware]

derek is a very quiet person......& a complete modest southern gentleman. my guess is....he stays focused on the guitar & doesn't wanna be too assuming. a qualilty i personally find delightful in a man of his mega talent !!!!

Derek did a gig with his band the other week at the Mean Fiddler here in London.

His playing was flawless...and a great band with him too.

Chatted to Doyle Bramhall as well (super nice guy).

What gets me about Mr Trucks is that his playing is so emotional - but he isnt. Never says a word to the crowd - doesnt seem to want to interact. Plays a mean slide though.

His better half (Susan Tedashi) did an encore with him. You cant beat a hot babe wailing on a tele!

Dave

[DaveB]

derek is a very quiet person......& a complete modest southern gentleman. my guess is....he stays focused on the guitar & doesn't wanna be too assuming. a qualilty i personally find delightful in a man of his mega talent !!!!

I got the feeling that he is so absorbed be what he's doing that he really isnt aware of the euphoria he creates. You cant possibly criticise a man who plays that well

Dave