Clapton/Winwood @ MSG - 2/28/08 - review

Long time friends and long-ago collaborators, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, closed out their 3 night run at NYC’s fabled Madison Square Garden to thunderous applause, dropped jaws and an arena full of satisfied customers. After rekindling their musical kinship last year at Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, it was obvious to the old friends as much as it was to the audience that they had struck upon some magic not felt by many in a long time. Aside from their own respective solo careers, the band resumes of the two musicians read like a virtual “who’s who” of late 60’s era classic rock. Having an opportunity to hear rare Blind Faith songs intermixed with some stellar Traffic tunes and carefully selected cover choices would entice even the most casual music fan. It was with this great anticipation that a packed crowd filled the Garden to capacity all three nights of this limited engagement.

Within minutes of the opening “Had to Cry Today”, Winwood displayed the very same vocal prowess that prompted Spencer Davis to have him sing lead at age 19. “Low Down” came next, keeping the tempo upbeat and the fans cheering into the next tune, Clapton’s brief mid 80’s hit “Foreverman”. It surprisingly had new legs and a fresh sound thanks to a revived Clapton, playing some of his best guitar in recent memory these days, making even this throwaway song a keeper during this high caliber show. Having just passed the day before, the band played a spirited version of Buddy Miles’ signature tune “Them Changes”, dedicating their performance in his memory. A well received Blind Faith two-fer followed, a solid “Sleeping on the Ground” that lead into a letter-perfect version of “Presence of the Lord”, with both lead instruments and voices blending perfectly for the song’s final verse. The instrumental Traffic classic “Glad” came next, while missing the essential lead horn accompaniment, having Clapton on guitar more than made up for its absence, replicating the same familiar horn parts expertly on his black Stratocaster. A seamless shift into another Blind Faith chestnut, “Well Alright”, gave Winwood and Clapton yet another opportunity to showcase their combined talents, harmonizing on the choruses. As the slow tempo of the next song, Otis Rush’s “Double Trouble”, began to take form, the high energy of the show was in jeopardy of being sabotaged. But as soon as Clapton methodically ripped into his first guitar solo, it was clear that he was out to captivate the entire crowd, leaving them hanging on every note picked from his strings. His tone was unimaginably clean and warm, showing elements of the blues from Delta to Chicago, BB King to Albert King and all the Kings in between. This simply was a true blues master flexing his artistry.

Having had his spotlight time for now, the stage then became Winwood’s, starting with a well sung Traffic staple “Pearly Queen” and followed by two solo tunes, “Tell the Truth” and “No Face, No Name, No Number”. His voice has become one of those rare rock and roll commodities, refining over time like wine, sounding almost like that same 19 year old voice of long ago. As the opening notes of “After Midnight” rang out, the crowd rose to its feet with Clapton once again breathing new life into another time honored classic and the keyboardist, Chris Stainton, taking his first solo of the evening, a stunning display of funky Moog work. This was followed by “Tell the Truth”, a surprise Derek & the Dominoes related song performed like the Clapton of ’71 by the Clapton of ’08. As the cheering subsided, Winwood and the band left the stage, allowing Clapton a chance to showcase his love for blues roots in a solo setting. Covering Robert Johnson’s “Ramblin’ On My Mind”, he skillfully executed acoustic slide licks and soulfully wailed as he sung, making the spacious Madison Square Garden feel more like a front porch in Mississippi than a concert venue deep within a modern metropolis. As Clapton walked off stage, Winwood reappeared, sat down at the organ and performed a moving version of Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind”; finally showcasing the soulful organ chops that go along with his classic vocals.

The final portion of the show was a non-stop, relentless feast of musical finery that will long stand as the bar for future measurements in terms of epic, legendary concerts. Clapton laid all of his cards on the table with his reading of Hendrix’s “Little Wing” performing it in the Derek & the Dominoes styled arrangement, with Winwood duetting brilliantly throughout. To nail the coffin, Clapton followed-up with “Voodoo Chile”, the more extended version of this Hendrix classic, which featured Winwood on organ on the original recording. Without question, he laid to rest any guitar-god debate as he channeled Hendrix endlessly, percolating riff after riff and reaching outer stratosphere limits by the closing notes of his final solo. “Can’t Find My Way Home” was the final Blind Faith song of the night, allowing the crowd its sing-along moment. Marred slightly by the over-percussive piano playing of Stainton, the closing “Cocaine” crowd pleaser ended the set on a high note, with every fan applauding madly for one more song. The familiar opening notes of Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy” were unmistakable, and the perfect encore choice to act as the bow atop an otherwise already outstanding gift. It was also Winwood’s finest moment on guitar all evening, stepping toe-to-toe with EC himself, and holding his own to the delight of the packed house.

With your eyes closed, it sounded so close to the original, the fact that two old friends in their fifties backed by a band only put together for these three gigs could accomplish this is astounding. It’s as much a testament to the band as it is an example of how music can withstand the wraths of age and time, allowing itself to be tapped into when the conditions allow it. Having two masters like Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood on stage all night created one of those rare once-in-a-lifetime magical experiences made of as much loving brotherhood as there was musical excellence. A relationship and personal connection as rare in musical circles as it is in life.