Eric Clapton's first concert in Poland since 1979 took place in Gdynia's Kosciuszko Square took place on 14 August in front of 20,000 people.
Review by Malgorzata / Warsaw, Poland
As I huge EC's fan, I had to go to attend his first concert in Poland since 1979. I've had great expectations, after going through various dvds and YouTube short movies with his live performances, including the 2005 Cream reunion, 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival, 2008 MSG EC and Steve Winwood reunion and other recent concerts - just to check how has he been playing recently. But again, the real concert was beyond my wildest dreams - it crossed my imagination about what an EC concert might ever have been. Maybe it was the powerful presence of the man himself, maybe it was the atmosphere of a hot summer evening and a crowd of 20.000 people who went from all over Poland to see and listen to the living legend.
Anyway, the 18-number-show was perfectly balanced. The old-but-gold Derek And the Dominos songs (what a fantastic idea of including them into the program!) proved that they hadn't only been second-hand-stuff next to "Layla" (especially "Why does love have to be so sad"). Superb blues selection, with "Hoochie Coochie Man" and "Little Queen of Spades with the most soulful EC's guitar solo, proved once again that he's always been - above all - one of the greatests blues guitar players of all times. Constantly changing rhythm, mood, style of his songs, giving other musicians the opportunity to perform brilliantly their solos (Chris Stainton - you've been our silent hero!!!) EC presented us a real gem, a 100-carat diamond so shiny that we went blind.
The final sequence with 3 top hits - romantic "Wonderful Tonight", dynamite-quality "Layla" and intriguing "Cocaine" made us crazy and caused a standing ovation Unfortunately, there was only one encore on schedule - the evergreen "Crossroads" (has there even happened an EC's concert without it? Well, yes, "Unplugged"). We wanted more, but we were left with the "I can't get no satisfaction" feeling.
As for me, I could have spent all night there listening to EC's playing and singing. Eric, thanks for giving us moments of pure joy and pleasure. Please, don't stop touring and come to Poland again.
