News

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood Conclude 2011 Japan Tour In Tokyo

10 Dec 11

Like all weekend concerts in Japan, the final show of the Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Japan Tour began at 5PM. The show by the Blind Faith band mates was dedicated by Eric to Dick Sims, who had passed away two days previous on 8 December. Sims was a member of EC’s touring and recording band from 1974 to 1979.

The concert opened with Blind Faith’s "Had To Cry Today" and for the next two hours, the audience was treated to more songs from the band’s lone album plus hits and deep cuts recorded during their respective solo careers and time spent in other bands like Traffic and Cream. As on all previous tours, "Voodoo Chile" was the nightly show stopper of the 20-song set list.

The 13-date tour kicked off 17 November in Sapporo with stops in Yokohama, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Nagoya and concluded with a 5 night run at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

Below are some quick quotes from fans sent via blackberries and iPhones from the final concert. Full length reviews will be posted in the tour archive as they arrive. Plus, there will be complete tour coverage in the next issue of Where’s Eric! Magazine.

• It was the best one my friend told me who went to all 11 shows in Japan. And I thought so, too. Driftin’s guitar solo was fantastic!!!

• EC and SW make it almost impossibly difficult to chose any highlights as the whole concert was again an exceptional affair, like the previous 4 Tokyo concerts. Among the outstanding songs were: After Midnight, Presence of the Lord with sensational wah-wah, Crossroads, Driftin’ with fantastic guitar work from Eric; Gimme Some Lovin’, Dear Mr Fantasy and Cocaine with an oustanding solo from Chris. But, Voodoo Chile was THE song of the evening. When EC started the intro it was clear that it would be outstanding, full throttle and end with an explosion of guitar and hammond organ.

• The total time of the show was 2 hours and 5 or 10 minutes on all concert nights without exception … The show itself was warm and friendly, but it lacked sharpness for me. I often heard people saying, “Many songs are strange to me “ – “Eric hasn’t played Layla “. Not knowing Winwood’s songs, some audience could’t get satisfied with the show.

• Clapton and Winwood were great but no one has said enough about Chris Stainton, Willie Weeks and the terrific backup singers, Sharon White and Michelle John. Amazing musicians all!

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood Set List – 10 December 2011
Nippon Budokan, Tokyo (JP)
01. Had To Cry Today
02. Low Down 
03. After Midnight
04. Presence Of The Lord
05. Glad
06. Well Alright
07. Hoochie Coochie Man
08. While You See A Chance
09. Key To The Highway
10. Pearly Queen
11. Crossroads
12. Georgia
13. Driftin’
14. That’s No Way To Get Along
15. Wonderful Tonight 
16. Can’t Find My Way Home
17. Gimme Some Lovin’
18. Voodoo Chile
19. Dear Mr. Fantasy (encore)
20. Cocaine (encore)

Band Lineup
Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
Steve Winwood – hammond organ, piano, guitar, vocals
Chris Stainton – keyboards
Willie Weeks – bass
Steve Gadd – drums
Michelle John – backing vocals