Jeff Beck/Eric Clapton
London Greenwich O2 Arena
13th February, 2010

View: first-tier, not far from stage-left

A dazzling line-up, and that was just the guests, with Brian May on the Becks nearby, getting into Beck and his stellar trio, including Michael Narada Walden on drums, plus a 14- piece orchestra. The 11-song, 45-minute set wasn’t played at 11, but it was impressive all the same, with Jeff on fine, be-shaded form from the off with Eternity’s Breath. The fusion syncopation continued through the sweet Status and fluid bass of Corpus Christi, before Sharon Corr guested on Mna Na. People Get Ready lead us into the Guitar Shop, before Joss Stone dazzled, visually and vocally, on a couple of numbers including I Put A Spell On You, which she did. Jeff did likewise, rounding out with A Day In The Life, which this already was. Eric and his band, including Steve Gadd on drums, and two backing vocalists, also offered 11 cuts, over an hour, kicking into a bluesier groove with Driftin’. Eric sat until Layla loped in for a ragtime tryst, then the honky-tonk keys of Nobody Knows You followed, with the acoustic and church organ of Running On Faith and trad blues of Key To The Highway leading to the standards. The Sheriff singalong had many on their feet and, after the lovely Wonderful Tonight, the veteran crowd rocked through Cocaine and Crossroads. Jeff returned for an eight-song collaboration that ran to 11:10, taking in Shake Your Moneymaker, Moon River, the 60s swing of Outside Woman, clapalong We Wee Baby and the chorale closer of Hi Ho Silver Lining.

Reviewed by Tim Jones
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