We weren’t planning on posting anything for a while as we’re still in shock over the tragic events that took place in Boston this afternoon. That said, music heals and songs like I Shall Be Released have gotten us through terrible times. So we wanted to share a performance from Saturday night.
On Saturday night Robbie Robertson made a rare appearance on stage as part of Eric Clapton’s final set of the Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden. As rare as performances by Robbie Robertson are, it’s even more unusual to hear him play a song by The Band. I Shall Be Released was written by Bob Dylan, but was used by The Band as a track on the group’s debut album – Music From Big Pink. After dedicating the song to some dear old friends, Robbie handled vocals on I Shall Be Released as he performed with Eric Clapton and his band at MSG on Saturday.
The second night of Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival [Photos, Setlist and Videos From Night One HERE] already had a jam-packed lineup of six-stringers ready to go, but that didn’t stop EC from bringing out a surprise guest during his show-closing set. Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones emerged with Clapton for Key To The Highway and Sweet Little Rock and Roller.
Later in Clapton’s set, he brought out Robbie Robertson and Andy Fairweather-Low before welcoming most of the weekend’s guests for a finale. Here’s video of Keith Richards’ guest spot…
Performance Order – Crossroads Night Two: Clapton/Akroyd Intro > Sonny Landreth w/ Derek Trucks > Doyle Brahmhall (solo acoustic) W/ John Mayer > Jimmie Vaughan > Blake Mills w/ Derek Trucks > Los Lobos w/ Susan Tedeschi, Robert Cray and Clapton > Warren Haynes (acoustic) w/ Derek Trucks and Greg Allman > Vince Gill w/ Albert Lee and Keith Urban > Keb Mo & Taj Mahal (double dobro) > Gary Clark Jr. > Jeff Beck > Buddy Guy (acoustic) > Eric Clapton w/ Keith Richards, Robbie Robertson, Andy Fairweather-Low and Grand Finale
Here’s another angle with creeper footage of Roger Waters watching the show…
Every three years since 2004 Eric Clapton has called upon his famous guitarist friends and those young axeslingers he admires for a benefit called the Crossroads Guitar Festival to raise funds for Clapton’s Crossroads Centre drug treatment center in Antigua. Following the 2004 edition in Dallas and 2007 and 2010 editions near Chicago, this year’s Crossroads Fest takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Last night was the first of the event’s two nights at the “World’s Greatest Arena.”
Clapton took the stage as the evening’s first act for a five-song acoustic set and returned at points in the night to sit in with many of the performers on the bill. Booker T was up next and was joined by Steve Cropper, Blake Mills, Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Keb Mo for a set of MGs classics. A summit of guitar gods followed, which saw Clapton team up with B.B. King, Robert Cray and Jimmie Vaughan. Sonny Landreth delivered a song while the stage was set for Doyle Bramhall II, who welcomed Citizen Cope and Gary Clark Jr. during his five-song performance. From there, Philip Sayce, Earl Klugh and Al Turner and Kurt Rosenwinkel each took turns leading the proceedings with Clapton joining Rosenwinkel for If I Should Lose You and Way Down That Lonesome Road. Gary Clark Jr. returned for a quick solo interlude which was followed a John Mayer set. Country star Keith Urban helped out Mayer and his band for a cover of Don’t Let Me Down By The Beatles. For Buddy Guy’s set the Chicago legend was joined by Robert Randolph and his protege – Quinn Sullivan. The evening’s MC Dan Aykroyd paired up with Keb Mo for a few tunes before he introduced the Allman Brothers Band to close out the show. The Allmans finished off the evening with a five-song set that included sit-ins from David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Taj Mahal and Clapton himself for Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?
We’ve compiled photos, videos and the setlist from last night’s show…
Last night was the first night of Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival which was held at Madison Square Garden in NYC. The evening started with an acoustic set from EC and continued through the Allman Brothers Band’s six-song closing set. We’ll have more on Friday’s festivities soon, but we wanted to share an impressive covered delivered by John Mayer and Keith Urban of Don’t Let Me Down.
Urban and Mayer are mainstream stars who can still shred melodically and energetically on guitar. This version of Don’t Let Me Down, a song The Beatles recorded during the Let It Be sessions that wound up as the b-side on the Get Back single, offered plenty of opportunity for Keith and John to show off their skills. Thanks to LazyLightning55, we can watch it mere hours after the killer cover happened…
One of the many highlights of the Allman Brothers Band’s 40th Anniversary celebration at the Beacon Theatre in 2009 were a pair of performances featuring legendary guitarist Eric Clapton. Clapton and the band will reprise those stellar performances next week at the first of two Crossroads Guitar Festival shows that are planned for Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 12 and 13 according to a Rolling Stone report.
Rolling Stone says Clapton will kickoff the Crossroads fest with an acoustic set on the 12th and then later that night will join the Allman Brothers Band during their headlining set. Eric will headline the second night, but will prepare by sitting in with a few of the acts set to play on the 12th. Top tier tickets are still available for the fest, which features a slew of talented musicians such as Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr., Booker T. Jones, Citizen Cope and John Mayer.
Here’s a performance of Layla from those 2009 shows…
In March, guitar god Eric Clapton will hit the road for a month-long, cross-country U.S. Tour that will culminate with the fourth edition of Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. Crossroads IV will take place at Madison Square Garden on April 12 – 13 with a bevy of axeslingers aboard including Jeff Beck, John Scofield, Sonny Landreth, Jonny Lang, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, Robbie Robertson and BB King as well as performances from Los Lobos, the Allman Brothers Band and more.
The tour kicks off on March 14th in Phoenix and hits over a dozen American cities with Clapton backed by Doyle Bramhall II (guitar), Steve Jordan (drums), Chris Stainton (piano and keyboards), and Willie Weeks (bass), along with newcomers Paul Carrack (organ and keyboards) and Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar) as well as Michelle John and Sharon White on backing vocals.
The Crossroads Guitar Festival will take over MSG for the first time on April 12 – 13. “The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage,” said Clapton in a press release. “The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect.” Besides the music, MSG will host the “Guitar Center Road to Crossroads Exhibition” which will feature some of the most historic guitars of all-time. Tickets for the fest go on sale Friday, November 30th at 12pm EST.
Here’s more details about the tour and the Crossroads Guitar Festival…
