Once again, Eric’s year started with a run at the Albert Hall before hetook his new blues band around the world. Returning to his musical roots, Eric played large venues and small clubs. Eric played extraordinarily well in this all blues setting. Many of the shows have been rated “outstanding” by fans.
The tour was well documented for posterity. The best live recordings from 1994 are:
Eye of the Hurricane (Mid Valley / 5+)
Back Again (RAH Music / 5)
Clapton performed a combination of blues and hits at this Royal Albert Hall performance on 21 February 1994. This format would be abandoned shortly. This disc is unique in that it features a rare, live performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Stone Free”, which Eric had recorded for a Hendrix tribute album in 1993. Other tracks include “Come In My Kitchen”, “Malted Milk”, “Five Long Years”, and “Layla” (plugged!). Note: Royal Albert Hall 1994 (Dead Brain Productions) is a complete show from the same date, but the sound quality is slightly inferior.
Kind Of Blues (Mid Valley / SB6)
LA Forum (label unknown / SB6)
This concert is one of the “big venue” U.S. blues shows recorded on 3 November 1994. Although “Motherless Child” is the first song on Kind this CD, the performance is taken from another show in an effort to make this a “complete show”. “Motherless Child” is not included on LA Forum. Eric is “on” right from the start. Highlights include “Tore Down”, “Crosscut Saw”, “Five Long Years”, and “It Hurts Me Too”.
The Blues Concert (KTS / SB6)
Nuthin’ But The Blues (Tuff Bite / SB6)
Frisco Blues (label unknown / SB6)
All three titles feature truly excellent sound, but The Blues Concert edges the others out. It would have received a SB7 rating in the Bootography if that rating existed (the top rating is SB6). The other discs still sound better than 99.9% of the bootlegs circulating. All are sourced from the post-production audio of the once-aired Martin Scorcese / PBS documentary. The discs are a compilation from shows recorded on 8 and 9 November 1994. Songs are not in their original order and are missing a second or two from their beginning or end, but this is barely noticeable. Additional cuts not in the documentary are included. It is worth getting this show just for the nine-minute version of “Driftin’”, a fantastic “Five Long Years”, and a truly outstanding “How Long”. Be careful not to confuse Tuff Bite’s Nuthin’ But The Blues with the KTS release, Nothin’ But The Blues (recorded in Hartford, CT on 13 October 1994).
Honorable Mention:
From The Cradle To The Fillmore West (Moonlight / SB5)
This soundboard was recorded on 7 November 1994 and is sourced from the pro-shot video that is in wide circulation. It’s slightly more complete than the above (23 tracks versus 21) but you give up some sound quality. It’s a good, solid performance and “Have You Ever Loved A Woman” is particularly touching. No guitar pyrotechnics in this version, just Eric and his guitar on the solo.
Club Full Of Blues (Moontunes / 6)
This is a truly outstanding audience recording from the last show of the club tour. Recorded at Irving Plaza in New York City on 28 November 1994, it is only missing the final encore of “T’aint Nobody’s Bizness”. Eric pulled out all the stops for this gig. This disc contains material not performed elsewhere — such as “Black Cat Bone;” plus amazing versions of “Sinner’s Prayer”, “Third Degree”, “Someday After A While”, “It Hurts Me Too”, and “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”. If someone asks you why is Eric Clapton nicknamed “God”, play this recording.
Lost Club Shows (Zig Zag / 5 / 5 / 5)
These shows surfaced in late 2002. The package indicates the recordings are from Legends, Chicago (17 November) and both shows from the House of Blues, New Orleans (22 and 23 November). In 2003, it was learned that the recording from Legends was from a different night, but it is still a good show to listen to (venue unknown).All are audience recordings in very good quality. Eric delivers the goods and they are a very nice addition to any collection. On the 22nd, Clarence Gatemouth Brown guests on the encore (Blues Jam / What A Shame).
Where’s ERIC! does not encourage or condone the manufacture of bootleg recordings. They are illegal and artists do not receive royalties from their sale. However, Where’s ERIC! realizes that there are fans who collect these recordings. In that spirit, information about them is provided for fans’ research and guidance purposes. Where’s ERIC! does not sell, trade or provide free copies of bootleg recordings nor can we tell you how to obtain them.
