12-12-12 Additions

Add the Rolling Stones to the incredible lineup slated for MSG's 12-12-12 show.

Too, these stars of film and TV will be on hand as presenters: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Billy Crystal, Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi. Some other names you might recognize are Jessica Chastain, Chelsea Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Karlie Kloss, Seth Myers, Bobby Moynihan, Chris Rock, Susan Sarandon, Jon Stewart, Quentin Tarantino, and Kristen Stewart.

Sad to tell, the passes BPD had are all scooped up. However, fans around the globe will have plenty of options when it comes to enjoying the concert from home. Organizers estimate that nearly 2 billion people worldwide can tune in either through television, radio or the internet.

You can watch it on more than three dozen U.S. television channels or more than two dozen international TV channels. The show will also be live streamed on the biggest online video services including YouTube, AOL, Yahoo and Hulu.

Member Review: Jeff Beck/Eric Clapton

BPD member Manhunter wrote:

It was definitely worth the wait, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.

Legendary guitarists Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton shared the stage occasionally over their four decades in rock, but it was only recently that they decided to join forces for a Together And Apart tour. Heroes during British blues-rock’s heroic age — in 1965, Beck replaced Clapton in the Yardbirds — the pair has a history of sidelong glances, but not really one of true collaboration. They’ve joined each other on stages now and then, but haven’t worked together for any length...... until now.

Beck, releasing a new album Emotion & Commotion in April, included accompaniment by a 12-piece orchestra. As for oomph, it was hard not to view Jeff Beck’s slot as teeming with that intangible. Beck isn’t exactly in the same mainstream realm as Clapton is, but his body of work and frenetic style holds up with anyone. This was showcased often during his performance which included the fine signatures he doled out in Led Boots and the beefy Big Block, and the questionable operatic Nessun Dorma.

Perhaps the set highlight was Beck and orchestra covering The Beatles’ A Day In The Life, with the rising walls of sound in the song majestically coming to life.

Clapton has an extensive back catalog, blues standards and his low-wattage, high-precision style. And for this night, they have each other.

While perfectly complementing each other throughout, the pair could not have had more varied individual sets if they tried. Clapton, 64, opened his slot – basically Act Two of this three-act performance – seated for acoustic versions of Driftin’ and Layla, the latter getting a loud ovation despite being the lounge-y Unplugged rendition. Early on Clapton’s nickname Slowhand could have been changed to Slowerhand as Running On Faith and I’ve Got A Rock ‘N Roll Heart did little to energize the audience. Yet when he stood up and strapped on his electric guitar, the muddy, bluesy nugget Key To The Highway, Cocaine and Bob Marley’s jewel I Shot The Sheriff easily upped the oomph factor.

After each guitarist completed their own roughly 50-minute set, Beck returned onstage with Clapton and his unspectacular but solid blues-by-the-numbers supporting cast for Shake Your Moneymaker, a boogie-fuelled romp which set the stage for what was to come.

Thankfully void of the “super group” mentality where players either timidly sit back or figuratively fight for extended, bloated solos, the dazzling Beck and the more deliberate Clapton alternated playing lead and rhythm on the seedy You Need Love. Here Beck playfully pretended to look at his wrist wondering when the duo would rein the song back in to close.

Although some of the selections definitely could have been fleshed out further, including the finale Crossroads, seeing the duo play off each other during Little Brown Bird atoned for Sly & The Family Stone’s I Wanna Take You Higher which was a tad short.

Both of these guys are in to their sixties, but high-end guitar riffing is timeless. I didn't get to spend any time with the two of them together, which shot to shit all the questions I had prepared. I did get a couple of minutes with each and was so star struck that all I could do was ask how the tour was going and what their respective recording plans were.

Duh!

Anyway, what a privilege, what a treat. Thanks BPD.

Glad you enjoyed it, Manhunter.

The 2010 show season is starting to heat up. So members, get your requests in early.

Wanna join? Visit our homepage.

Crossroads 2010 Announced

The date is June 26; the place, as it was in 2007, is Toyota Park, just outside the Windy City.

Guitarists extraordinaire lined up so far for the single day event include B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Doyle Bramhall II and Buddy Guy as well as ZZ Top and the Allman Brothers Band. Vince Gill, John Mayer and Sheryl Crow will also appear.

Other artists appearing at Crossroads include Steve Winwood, Sonny Landreth, Bert Jansch, Joe Bonamassa, James Burton, Earl Klugh, Robert Cray, Albert Lee and Hubert Sumlin.

All profits from the festival will benefit the Clapton-founded addiction treatment and education facility The Crossroads Centre, located on the West Indies island of Antigua.

We'll be assigning passes in early June. Make your requests today. Not a member yet? Join right away.

Two Gods, One Stage

After pairing with Jeff Beck for 2 Madison Square Garden shows in February of next year, Eric Clapton will be joined by Roger Daltrey for a limited set of dates beginning Feb 25 in Pittsburgh.

This could be the hottest show of the Winter.

The dates are:

Thu 02/25/10 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena

Sat 02/27/10 Nashville, TN Sommet Center

Sun 02/28/10 Birmingham, AL BJCC Arena

Tue 03/02/10 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

Wed 03/03/10 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center

Fri 03/05/10 Memphis, TN FedExForum

Sat 03/06/10 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena

Mon 03/08/10 Raleigh, NC RBC Center

Tue 03/09/10 Duluth, GA The Arena At Gwinnett Center

Thu 03/11/10 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center

Sat 03/13/10 Orlando, FL Amway Arena

BackstagePassDirect can confirm that a limited number of passes will be available for the show. Don't delay, put in your requests early.

Member Review: Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood

Earlier this year, we were the first to announce Eric and Stevie's limited tour. BPD member SavannahSexDrive jumped right on it and ended up with a pair of passes. Here's what he had to say about their recent show:

Back in the 60s, "Clapton is God" would be written on the walls of London after Clapton concerts. Now I truly understand why. Add in another legend to the mix and that is where the real pantsdropping begins. Eric Clapton was a mad man on the guitar, ripping out solos with such amazing speed that I began to wonder how he could be doing that with just his two hands. I heard his live performances before on youtube and such, but being there was entirely different.

It also must be said both Clapton and Winwood worked extremely well together, as Winwood's wonderful vocals, piano playing, and guitar perfectly complimented Clapton's guitar. Eric was totally ON. Blistering fast up and down the neck. His Strat sounded crisp, warm and blazing. As for Stevie Winwood, how can he still sound that good?!?! I closed my eyes and it was if they were playing 40 years ago. And that band! Tight. All together, they made an unstoppable blues driven frenzy of guitar madness mixed with insane piano playing.

I was so happy that they played Voodoo Chile, which turned out to be one of the best covers I've heard. However I was a little let down by Layla as Clapton didn't really put too much power or soloing into it, as the solo was taken away by the piano. And don't get me wrong the piano playing was amazing and fit in the song perfectly, but I wanted to see Clapton let loose as he did on is Unplugged album. I also was a tad dissapointed that they didn't play a few other songs, such as Little Wing, Bell Bottom Blues, Sunshine of Your Love, or Badge.

However, it was still absolutely amazing. I've tried watching some of Claptons previous live performances on this tour, but I feel he just unleashed tonight. Simply put, it was a pants dropping mesmerizing crazy experience ... and I couldn't get enough of it.

About meeting Eric and Steve backstage, how to describe it? One Word - Unbelievable. I did not know what to expect and I was completely blown away. They were down to earth and, dare I say it(?), regular guys. Wow, who'da thunk it.

Set List:

01. Had To Cry Today
02. Low Down
03. After Midnight
04. Presence of The Lord
05. Sleeping in the Ground
06. Glad
07. Well Alright
08. Tough Luck Blues
09. Pearly Queen
10. There's A River
11. Forever Man
12. Georgia On My Mind - Steve Winwood solo
13. Driftin' - acoustic
14. How Long Blues
15. Layla - acoustic version
16. Can't Find My Way Home
17. Split Decision
18. Voodoo Chile

Encore:
19. Cocaine
20. Dear Mr. Fantasy

Band Lineup:
Eric Clapton - guitar, vocals
Steve Winwood - vocals, Hammond B3, piano, guitar
Chris Stainton - keyboards
Willie Weeks - bass
Abe Laboriel, Jr. - drums
Michelle John - backing vocals
Sharon White - backing vocals

Here's the only way I can sum it up: seeing Clapton and Winwood, healthy and in top form, reminds one that, as Albert Einstein once said in reference to Mahatma Gandhi, "Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood."

Thank you ever so much BackstagePassDirect for making this happen.

Who'da thunk it indeed!!

Two Legends, One Month, 14 Shows

Eric Clapton. Steve Winwood.

The names say it all. Two of the biggest legends in rock are again joining forces in a sweet co-headline, 14-city U.S. tour beginning June 10 in New Jersey.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the two rockers have worked together. Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood were charter members, along with Ginger Baker and Rick Grech, of the 1969 super group Blind Faith.

More recently, Clapton and Winwood played the 2007 Chicago Crossroads Festival. Then, they did three nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2008, considered the first full Winwood / Clapton concerts in 40 years.

Now, they are re-uniting for 14 shows across the U.S. in June.

06/10/09 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center

06/12/09 Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Center

06/13/09 Washington, DC Verizon Center

06/15/09 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center

06/17/09 Chicago, IL United Center

06/18/09 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center

06/20/09 Omaha, NE Qwest Center Omaha

06/21/09 Denver, CO Pepsi Center

06/23/09 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center

06/24/09 Houston, TX Toyota Center

06/26/09 Glendale, AZ Jobing.com Arena

06/27/09 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena

06/29/09 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena

06/30/09 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl

Nothing more need be added by us. If you're already a BPD member, better get your request in ASAP. If you're not yet a member but would love to stand beside these two giants, join BackstagePassDirect today.