Grammy winner. Ranked No. 4 on Rolling Stone‘s “100 Greatest Guitarists.” Placed at 53 among the magazine’s “Greatest Artists of All Time.” Relevant enough to be inducted a record-setting three times into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For all intents and purposes, he may as well be donned “The Clapton.” He’s just that good.
And he’s coming to Salt Lake City tonight.
Slowhand Eric Clapton himself is making his way to the EnergySolutions Arena tonight for the cost of anywhere from 80 to 800 Wendy’s Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers (which, in case you’re wondering, cost a buck a piece).
Cost is of no essence, however. Unlike other musicians of yesteryear (read: The Rolling Stones) or overrated iPod maestros of the present (read: U2), Clapton is worth every penny.
Anyone acquainted with blues or rock or the beautiful melding of the two in Clapton’s work knows of his abilities on an electric five-string.
His songs are able to satisfy the grungiest of blues purists (as showcased on the album Me and Mr. Johnson), rank among the greatest songs in all of rock and roll (count “Layla,” “Sunshine of Your Love” and “Cocaine,” to name a few) and still appeal to the yuppie FM 100 soft hits crowd (with middle-age favorites “Change the World” and “Tears in Heaven”).
Name another musician who is able to satisfy a bluesman and the easy-listening investment banker down the street, and the A&E staff will buy you lunch.
We won’t really, but it doesn’t matter. Clapton is still one-of-a-kind.
With the release of his most recent album, The Road to Escondido (a collaboration with blues legend J.J. Cale), Clapton explores a diverse gamut of the blues while taking it easy and making sure his abilities as a guitarist don’t overshadow his immense strength as an all-around musician and lyricist.
Besides, after you’ve penned “Layla,” it’s hard to keep the guitar from overshadowing EVERYTHING.
Again, it’s hard to stress the virtuosity of Clapton without having video or audio to back up the claims made by history and almost every critic with a head on his or her shoulders that has critiqued Clapton’s work.
So if you’re among the unbelievers, go to iTunes.com. Hell, go to YouTube.com–anywhere you can find a Clapton video or song. If that doesn’t convince you, then go back to your U2-edition iPod (my apologies to Bono fans) and listen to something else.
But if you care about music at all, you’ll just plop down some book money and get a ticket before they all disappear.
At 61, Clapton still has a number of touring years ahead of him, but it’s a better bet to snag him now, just in case he doesn’t make it back.
There’s no guaranteeing he’ll ever come to Utah again, or that you’ll be able to forgive yourself for missing “The Clapton” live tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Buy tickets online at www.tickets4concerts.com.