Eric Clapton / World Tour 2011 First Leg Gibson Amphitheatre Universal City (2CDR)

CD01:
01. Key to the Highway
02. Going Down Slow
03. Hoochie Coochie Man
04. Old Love
05. I Shot the Sheriff
06. Driftin'
07. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
08. River Runs Deep
09. When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful
10. Same Old Blues
11. Layla

CD02:
01. Tell the Truth
02. Little Queen of Spades
03. Badge
04. Wonderful Tonight
05. Cocaine
-(ENCORE)-
06. Further On Up the Road

Lineup:
Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
Chris Stainton – keyboards
Tim Carmon – keyboards
Willie Weeks – bass
Steve Gadd – drums
Michelle John – backing vocals
Sharon White – backing vocals

This release captures the live performance from Eric Clapton's 2011 world tour at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California, on March 8th. Although the US leg of the tour was limited to just four dates, Eric was in excellent form, delivering outstanding performances at every show in 2011. While he generally maintained a fixed setlist throughout the tour, this specific concert marked the first time the lineup was altered: "Before You Accuse Me"—a staple up to that point—was swapped out for "Tell the Truth," a song familiar to fans from his Japan tours. Additionally, the encore was changed to "Further On Up the Road." That song had only been performed once previously on the US tour; whether due to Eric's mood or a desire to avoid monotony, this release documents the first instance of a setlist variation. The performance quality is superb—especially given it was the latter half of the US tour—featuring a succession of spirited, brilliant solos that long-time fans will absolutely love. Regarding sound quality, although it is an audience recording, it is excellent: stable, clear, and free of muddiness, with a particularly well-balanced capture of the rhythm section. Of course, Eric's sharp guitar playing is also solidly captured.