Eric Clapton has announced more dates of his 2025 tour calendar. On November 18, he revealed a six-date Japan residency at the Budokan in Tokyo. He last played the legendary venue in April 2023. Tickets for the concerts, spanning ten days next April, went on sale on Dec. 14 here. On December 2, ticketing agency Eventim announced four Clapton performances in the U.K. to be held in May: one at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham followed by three concerts at his “home away from home,” namely London’s Royal Albert Hall. The provider notes that tickets are on sale here. On Dec. 10, the Clapton website Where’s Eric revealed a pair of shows for Milan, Italy, in late May. (Ticket info here.) And on Dec. 18, tickets went on sale for a pair of shows in France here. See the dates for his 14 concerts below.
Clapton, who will turn 80 next March 30, had a fairly busy 2024 schedule with roughly two dozen concerts including the U.K., Ireland, Europe, South America, and Mexico. He played just four dates in the U.S., with three headlining concerts in California along with the Robbie Robertson tribute concert in Los Angeles.
2023 marked Clapton’s 60th year as a professional musician. The legendary guitarist joined The Yardbirds in 1963 and the following years saw him join John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, and Derek and the Dominos along with a solo career spanning five decades.
Although his 2025 band hasn’t been announced, Clapton is frequently accompanied by his long-running concert band, including Nathan East (bass), Chris Stainton (keyboards), Paul Carrack (keys and backing vocals), Doyle Bramhall II (guitar), Sonny Emory (drums), and Sharon White and Katie Kissoon (backing vocalists). Clapton’s regular opening act is Jimmie Vaughan.
Watch Clapton perform an instrumental version of a favorite at the Budokan in 2023
On opening night of his 2019 residency at the Budokan, Slowhand did something he rarely does anymore: he played an electric version of “Layla.” Read our story here.
On Nov. 29, Clapton released a souvenir of his two 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festival concerts. The various editions are available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.
Clapton has announced a new studio album, Meanwhile, which collects eight previously released singles (including ones with Jeff Beck and Van Morrison) plus six new songs. The album, on CD or 2-LPs, arrives January 24, 2025, via his Surfdog label, and is available to order in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.
2023’s Definitive 24 Nights, capturing his extended 1990 residency at London’s Royal Albert Hall, is available here.
Eric Clapton 2025 Tour (Tickets will be available here, here and here)
Apr 14, 16, 18-19, 21, 24 – Tokyo, Japan – Nippon Budokan
May 18 – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
May 21, 23-24 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall
May 27-28 – Milan, Italy – Unipol Forum
May 31 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
Jun 02 – Nice, France – Palais Nikaia de Nice
Related: Links for 100s of classic rock tours
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