So, did anyone else notice that Eric Clapton wore blue bell bottoms the first day of the Crossroads Guitar Festival on Saturday?
For the seventh installment of raising support for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua (which provides treatment and education to people and their families effected by chemical/alcohol dependence), Eric Clapton brought together a group of guitarists on Saturday that was a “bucket list” of who you want to see perform before going to your eternal destiny.
For seven plus hours, guitars were picked, strummed, tapped and plucked. The blues were rocked, boogied, stomped, brought down and lifted up. The tunes were from Chicago, Nashville, Europe, the city and the country with chords, triplets and arpeggios flying by at lightning alacrity eased on slowly down the road.
MC Bill Murray opened up by getting everyone to get into the mood by repeating the famed chorus of the Cream song, “I’m So Glad” before an incognito Slowhand strolled on stage to add the folksy chords. From there, Mr. Clapton came upon stage for various groups, fitting in perfectly to each musical milieu, which by itself demonstrated the width, depth and breadth of the guitar legend.
Of the summit encounters, Clapton rocked the blues with slide master Sonny Landreth’s trio, before bluegrass legend Del McCoury (looking the part of a Pentecostal preacher) teamed up with dobromeister Jerry Douglas and mandolin queen Sierra Hull. Most moving was a duet between Clapton and Bradley Walker for a gloriously shadowed version of the Sunday Morning Special “I’ll Fly Away”
Clapton later came on stage to join in on the Austin road kill blues wailing of Jimmie Vaughan, sounding like a roadside juke joint band along Highway 35. Last but not least was a nice jam with long time buddies Stephen Stills and Roger McQuinn, teaming up with Jakob Dylan for some passionate solos.
Sans Slowhand, there were still joys unfolding each set. Eric Gales in matching gold lame’ shirt, bling, shoes and teeth, blasted out the blues with Samantha Fish all dolled up like Catwoman, purring and wailing through “I Put A Spell On You” with Kingfish taking the audience to the South Side of Chicago. Joe Bonamassa brought his shades and shark skin suit, joking that “I’m taking Clapton’s ’58 Fender Explorer out for a spin” for some searing guitar work, just as John McLaughlin entered stage right and showed that even Mahavishnu’s get the blues for a take of Albert King’s “Breaking Up Somebody’s Home”
There were some cozy acoustic moments with Sheryl Crow, James Bullard and Taj Mahal, some rockabilly with Albert Lee, rich voice by Gary Clark Jr, some black leather blues from James Bullard and Canadian rocking from Brothers Landreth. Things closed up with John Mayer in rollicking form and things topped off with the well bearded ZZ Top. Seven hours? Why end so soon?