Eric released his first studio album of original material in nine years in 1998. Pilgrim was a radical departure and its musical styling caught many fans by surprise. Starting on his 53rd birthday, Clapton spent most of the year on the road. The American and UK dates would feature a string section. The American tour was good, but lackluster when compared to the European shows later in the year. But, even the Euro shows lacked the “guitar god” element most evenings.
The best bootleg recordings from 1998 are:
Wonderful Night At Las Vegas (NA6 / 5)
This show was recorded near the end of the first half of the US Pilgrim Tour on 30 May 1998. A string section backs Eric, but the overall playing is much improved when compared to shows earlier in the tour. A solid show, it is rumored to be a favorite among the bandmembers.
Air Viper (Mid Valley Records / SB5+)
Arrowhead (EC Is Here / SB5)
Sunshine in Anaheim (unknown label / SB5)
These three titles contain the only known soundboard recording from the U.S. Tour. Recorded during the second leg, the playing is improved over the shows in the spring.
EC EC / Eric Clapton Earls Court (Zig Zag / 5)
Eric performed three very good shows at Earls Court Arena on 15, 16, and 17 October 1998 — with each night having its own special moments. A string section backs Eric. The only known live performance of “You Were There” was the encore on 15 October. This six-CD set has all three shows collected in one convenient package. The set list was divided into three sections: Pilgrim material, an acoustic set, and a “hits” section. The set list remained static. Eric’s vocals are nothing short of amazing. At a minimum, one should have The Second Night At Earls Court (Goldmaster / 5), when B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt join Eric for the double encore. All are truly excellent audience recordings that rival the quality of the 1997 Japanese tour releases.
Honorable Mention:
Double Image (Mid Valley Records / SB6)
For those who prefer soundboard recordings, this 4 disc set is worthy of mention. It has the Edmonton, Canada show from September plus the first night at Earls Court. There is some strange editing at the end of discs 1 and 3. The final two minutes of “You Were There” come from an audience source.
Paris 98 (Optimum / 4+)
A blistering version of “She’s Gone” is enough of a reason to get hold of this show that was released in Japan directly on CDR. This very good audience recording from 30 October 1998 also has a great “I Shot The Sheriff”. It doesn’t live up to the sound quality of EC EC, but it is much better than the majority of U.S. shows that have surfaced. Michael Petrucciani and Bonnie Raitt join Clapton for the encore of “Everyday I Have The Blues”. No strings attached! No conversations either…the audience can only be heard between songs.
Ahoy Rotterdam 1998 (Drifting Blues Disc / 6 / 6)
It turns out Clapton’s terrific Paris show was just a warm-up for what was to come a few days later in Rotterdam. The shows on 3 and 4 November pack a real punch in an amazing audience recording. The audience is barely noticeable except between songs. The first night features a rare encore performance of “Rock Me Baby” with Bonnie Raitt. The acoustic set has stunning sound. Eric’s playing on the standards and more recent hits like “Old Love” is excellent but the standouts are the new material: “One Chance”, “River of Tears”, and “She’s Gone”.
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.
