 5/24/2025 - London, England - Today, we started our London day with suite views of Big Ben and Parliament then downstairs for an excellent breakfast at our favorite London hotel the Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge. We headed to the Waterloo Tube station but on the way stopped at the Graffiti Tunnel to view some impressive street art. The smell of spray paint was in the air as people were working on stuff as we were there, again very cool. We caught the Tube and headed to Tottenham Court Road stopping to see the impressive Outernet London digital art display. The sound and video were impressive almost felt like a mini Sphere experience. A very cool idea in the middle of the city, these need to happen in the US. We walked a block down and made it to Denmark Street and shopped the block of guitar stores. We got to play some very nice acoustic and electric guitars at Hanks Guitar Shop and I even got to play some nice pianos at the Roland Store. We headed back to Westminster via the Tube and had an nice early dinner at Westminster Kitchen, then back on the Tube heading back to South Kennsington for Clapton night two at Royal Albert Hall. We arrived early at Royal Albert Hall and went in early to our seats, which tonight were in the Grand Tier in Box 6 left of the stage. Great seats but I think I prefer the lower bowl, unless you are front row of the box. Again, the sellout show started on time with Andy Fairweather-Low and the Low Riders opening the show. They played for about and hour some covers and some original stuff. He was well received by the sellout crowd. Eric Clapton and band hit the stage after a brief intermission and played an hour an forty minute classic set. This was Eric's last of three shows at the Hall in 2025. He opened with White Room and played I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man closing the first electric set with Sunshine of Your Love. The acoustic set opened with Kind Hearted Woman Blues and included new song Golden Ring and classics Can't Find My Way Home with bass player Nathan East on lead vocals and closing the set with Tears In Heaven. Doyle Bramhall II played some tasty lead, rhythm and slide all evening and Sonny Emory was on drums with Chris Stainton and Tim Carmon on keys, Sharon White and Katie Kissoon on backup vocals. The band appeared a little tighter on this night than the night prior. The second electric set opened with Badge and then another excellent jam on Old Love. The jams continued with some Crossroad Blues and closing the show with some Cocaine. They came out for the single encore of Before You Accuse Me. A great show at a great venue I guess will have to come back in ten years to celebrate his 90th. Mr. Slowhand, EC still has it at 80! We managed to get some cheap shirts after the show and headed back to Westminster via the Tube closing out another awesome London day. Slideshow |
