Eric Clapton Plays 2 at Madison Square Garden

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Eric Clapton at Madison Square Garden, October 7, 2018

As Eric Clapton fans know, his touring days are over but he’s still performing selectively. In 2018, Slowhand gave several “insider performances.” In January, he appeared at a charitable concert in the U.K. and then at a private event in Paris.On May 26, he played the annual Greenwich (Conn.) Town Party. On August 18, he was an unannounced guest performer at pal Jimmie Vaughan’s set in Columbus, Ohio. And on September 29, he played a nine-song set at a small venue in Chicago.

In 2018, he had just five “traditional” ticketed events, including his July 8 headlining performance in London’s Hyde Park as part of the British Summer Time series.

Clapton played two of his scheduled dates on October 6-7, at a frequent home, New York City’s Madison Square Garden, with his seven-piece band: Doyle Bramhall, Paul Carrack, Chris Stainton, Nathan East, Sonny Emory, Sharon White and Sharlotte Gibson, all of whom he lets shine. Both shows featured a tight 14-songs, with identical setlists. (Gary Clark Jr. and Jimmie Vaughan each performed roughly half hour sets to open the shows.)

All of the clips below are from the second night, October 7.

Watch both evenings’ first two songs of favorite covers

He earned just one #1 pop single in the U.S., on a notable cover. Watch him perform “I Shot the Sheriff”

Clapton played his now-customary acoustic mid-show set. Watch him play his stripped down version of “Layla”

Watch the band kick it into gear as they perform the main set’s final number, “Cocaine”

“You are unbelievable, thank you,” Clapton said to the crowd upon returning to the MSG stage for his sole encore, as he invited his opening acts, Clark Jr. and Vaughan, to join the band for “High Time We Went.”

Watch the final number, with Carrack singing lead

Eric Clapton, October 6-7, 2018, New York, Madison Square Garden Setlist

Somebody’s Knocking
Key to the Highway
I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man
I Shot the Sheriff
Driftin’ Blues
Nobody Know You When You’re Down and Out
Layla
Tears in Heaven
White Room
Wonderful Tonight
Cross Road Blues
Litle Queen of Spades
Cocaine

Encore
High Time We Went

Eric Clapton 2019 Concerts

Jun 04 – Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena
Jun 06 – Vienna, Austria – Wiener Stadthalle
Jun 08 – Mannheim, Germany – SAP Arena
Jun 10 – Dresden, Germany – Messe Dresden