At long last, Eric Clapton is back in Paris, 14 years and one day after his concert with Steve Winwood in the very same venue (the private show he played at Mogador for a hedge fund company in 2018 does not count...) In that time, the musical landscape has changed tremendously. Even the monolithic blues-rock guitar idiom saw the avent of new blood like Gary Clark, Jr. or Marcus King, as the old guard inevitably starts fading into the sunset, like Jeff Beck who passed away last year. Now nearing eighty, the man they call Slowhand has nothing to prove, and after being at the forefront of musical revolutions for several decades, he is now content to cater to his audience and play to his strengths.
Clapton’s recent controversies, which are mostly unrelated to his music, have unfortunately colored some perceptions of his work. It’s a shame that timeless classics like "Layla" and "Sunshine Of Your Love," as well as his reverent covers of blues legends, are now viewed through a tainted lens by some newer fans. Nonetheless, his musical legacy stands strong, and this performance serves as a reminder of his enduring talent.
Opening with a new unreleased instrumental called "Blue Dust", which will probably be featured on his upcoming album "Meanwhile", segueing into blues standards "Key To The Highway" and "Hoochie Coochie Man", our man is in fine vocal form. Sure, the timbre is a little gruff and weathered, but it adds a dimension of poignancy to the songs.
The setlist is a little safe, and definitely too short. But a 60-plus year career can't be summed up in a 90-minute show, and this isn't the point here. Clapton is just playing the songs he wants to play in 2024. No "Layla", but an emphasis on the covers he made famous like "Cross Road Blues", an extended version of "Little Queen Of Spades", "Cocaine", and the afore-mentioned "Hoochie Coochie Man" and "Key To The Highway."
Clapton’s guitar work remains stellar, his tone and phrasing as elegant and unique as ever. Although more famous for his mastery of the slow Blues, he demonstrated his ability to cook with gasoline during the funky "Got To Get Better In A Little While," a standout track from his Derek and the Dominos days. While the performance wasn't stretched to epic lengths as on the Fillmore 1970 release, the song remains a great showcase for his formidable guitarist chops. Additionally, it was obvious the man was having a great time: he was relaxed, affable and even quite talkative.
Backing Clapton was a flawless band featuring veterans like Chris Stainton on keys, Nathan East on bass, Doyle Bramhall II on second guitar, Sonny Emory on drums, Katie Kissoon and Sharon White on backing vocals, and Tim Carmon on keyboards. Their cohesion and talent provided a solid foundation for Clapton's performance.
Thankfully we won't have to wait another fourteen years for his next concert in the French Capital: this concert marked the first of two sold-out dates, promising another night of exceptional music and hopefully a few surprises in the setlist. Eric Clapton's return to Paris was a masterclass in musical excellence, reminding everyone why he remains a revered figure in the world of blues-rock, over six decades after his beginnings in post-War England.
