The concert was held at the Rainbow Theatre inward Finsbury Park, northward London, on xiii Jan 1973. The venue was pop during the 1960s as well as early on 1970s; musicians such every bit The Beatles, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull as well as Queen performed there. The concert was recorded using Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio.
As 1972 came to a close, Eric Clapton had been musically inactive for nearly 2 years. The guitarist, vocalizer as well as songwriter had enjoyed a flare-up of activeness inward 1969, a menses during which he played alive as well as inward the studio amongst Blind Faith, John Lennon (documented on Live Peace inward Toronto 1969) as well as Delaney & Bonnie as well as Friends (showcased on the duo’s On Tour amongst Eric Clapton). Near the terminate of that year, he took purpose inward a one-off celebrity concert inward London amongst Lennon, George Harrison as well as others to practise goodness UNICEF.
In 1970 Clapton played on sessions including Harrison’s All Things Must Pass triple-album. He continued his creative as well as productive streak amongst the landmark Layla as well as Other Assorted Love Songs, crediting the issue to Derek as well as the Dominos. That same year, the group, non including invitee guitarist Duane Allman, toured as well as recorded a alive album, In Concert; that double LP would eventually endure released inward 1973.
Clapton did surface briefly inward the summertime of 1971 inward New York City to seem every bit a backing instrumentalist for George Harrison’s all-star practise goodness Concert for Bangladesh. But other than that admittedly high-profile project, Clapton was absent from the music scene for the improve purpose of 1971 as well as 1972.
The primary argue for Clapton’s disappearance was his descent into the throes of heroin addiction. His status was partly the number of (or exacerbated by) his unrequited dearest for Pattie Boyd Harrison, married adult woman of his friend George.
Another friend, Who guitarist Pete Townshend, knew of Clapton’s plight as well as urged him to render to active musical duty. To that end, Townshend organized a duet of concerts—a matinee as well as an eve performance—to endure held Jan 13, 1973, at London’s Rainbow Theatre.
Townshend assembled an ad-hoc band to dorsum Clapton for the 2 shows. Ronnie Wood of Faces (and afterward of the Rolling Stones) provided back upward on guitar as well as vocals, every bit did Townshend, amongst Clapton playing Pb guitar as well as (mostly) singing lead.
Two recent associates of Clapton also came to his assistance for the Rainbow Concert: vocalizer as well as multi-instrumentalist Steve Winwood as well as bassist Ric Grech had solely lately concluded their fourth dimension every bit band mates amongst Clapton inward Blind Faith. And Winwood brought along about of his Traffic band mates, drummer-vocalist Jim Capaldi as well as Ghanian percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah (the latter is credited on the original Rainbow Concert LP exactly every bit “Rebop”). Adding fifty-fifty to a greater extent than percussive foundation to the performances was Jimmy Karstein, belatedly of Delaney & Bonnie as well as Friends every bit good every bit J.J. Cale’s 1972 album, Really.
In a shape inward which private instrumental feats are oftentimes self-indulgent as well as superfluous, Eric Clapton’s music remains an anomaly. His greatest guitar playing has been every bit passionate every bit Otis Redding’s best singing as well as every bit articulate every bit Bob Dylan’s best songs. Clapton at his peak is every bit skillful every bit it gets.
His music has ever been autobiographical, fifty-fifty when he was working off older approaches rather than creating novel ones. His frequent modifications of styles as well as roles, alternately pushing him into the spotlight as well as moving him into the background, advise a fragile, idealistic man, vacillating betwixt hopefulness as well as disillusionment.
If Derek as well as the Dominos’ In Concert, recorded at the outset of the group’s lonely American tour iii years agone as well as released solely this year, showed Clapton on the upswing, thence Rainbow Concert explores the lower reaches of his psyche. The Rainbow functioning was his sweat at starting all over again, but done without the exuberance that was the hallmark of the early on Domino menses (as a back-to-back listening to the 2 albums illustrates).
Rainbow Concert is a recording of monolithic melancholy. One mightiness suppose that difficult stone as well as despair are antithetical but Clapton, aided past times Townshend, Winwood as well as Wood, every bit good every bit an able supporting cast, makes the wedding ceremony feasible as well as compelling. But non fun.
Disregarding a few awkward moments inward which the musicians betray their brusk rehearsal time, the music is rich inward its make-up as well as lamentable inward note its mood remains exceptionally elusive. Townshend’s as well as Wood’s guitars as well as Winwood’s organ surroundings Clapton inward a protective aural capsule. He, inward turn, industrial plant cautiously, but caution isn’t Clapton’s means — his fine art is founded on risk-taking inward its absolute form, spontaneity. The tiddler glove approach may bring been necessary: Clapton is occasionally indecisive as well as confused. But he also cuts loose every bit much every bit his setting allows inward “Badge,” as well as he’s solid, if non inspired, for virtually of the show.
The cloth contributes to the pervasive melancholy. The vi songs chosen from the evening’s longer plan are either moody, slow-paced or both. Even “Roll It Over” as well as “After Midnight” teach moderate, deliberate treatments. The album’s excitement, such every bit it is, comes from the layered instrumental textures, the solemn measured drive into climaxes that are royal if non explosive, as well as the nuances of Clapton’s restrained singing as well as playing. In these respects, the start as well as terminal tracks, “Badge” as well as Hendrix’ “Little Wing,” are virtually impressive.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 remastered expanded edition of the album was released on xiii Jan 1995, the 22nd anniversary of the concert.
Track listing:
1 Badge 3:29
2 Roll It Over 6:53
3 Presence Of The Lord 5:37
1 Pearly Queen 6:58
2 After Midnight 5:11
3 Little Wing 6:32
Personnel:
Eric Clapton – guitar (lead) & vocals
Pete Townshend – guitar (rhythm) & vocals
Ron Wood – guitar (rhythm as well as slide) & vocals
Ric Grech – bass guitar
Steve Winwood – keyboards & vocals
Jim Capaldi – drums & vocals
Jimmy Karstein – drums
Rebop Kwaku Baah – percussion
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