24 Nights- Rock 1... [portable] | Eric Clapton - The Definitive

In 1990 and 1991, Eric Clapton did something no other rock guitarist had the audacity to try. He booked London’s Royal Albert Hall for eighteen nights (later expanded to twenty-four for the box set) and split the residency into three distinct personalities:

By 1991, Clapton had largely settled into a comfortable groove of vintage Stratocasters and wah-wah pedals. But for the rock shows, he pulled out a weapon he rarely used in a live setting: Eric Clapton - The Definitive 24 Nights- Rock 1...

The riff is syncopated, odd-timed, and glorious. This is where Clapton’s chemistry with rhythm guitarist Phil Palmer shines. The two guitars weave in and out of each other, recreating the studio labyrinth of the original. During the solo, Clapton uses a delay effect that makes his notes bounce off the walls of the Albert Hall. He quotes the famous descending line from the song’s bridge with a venom that belies the gentle melody. It’s a fan favorite for a reason: intelligent, heavy, and heartbreaking. In 1990 and 1991, Eric Clapton did something

The concept was insane in its specificity: Clapton would perform four distinct sets of shows. He played with a blues band (featuring Buddy Guy and Robert Cray), an orchestral set (full orchestra for "Layla" and "Bell Bottom Blues"), an intimate acoustic set (the blueprint for Unplugged ), and finally— the main event—the (a four-piece power band featuring the rhythm section of a lifetime). This is where Clapton’s chemistry with rhythm guitarist

Most retrospectives focus on the Orchestra nights—Clapton taming the beast of a full symphony. Others swear by the Blues nights, where Buddy Guy and Robert Cray turned the hall into a Mississippi juke joint.