When Eric Clapton strode onto the stage of the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday night, elegantly dressed in a dapper blue suit, the occasion marked his first time in front of a Philadelphia audience in 16 years. <\/p>\n
Or to put it in South Philly sports arena terms, that\u2019s two naming rights ago<\/a> \u2014 when the building was known as the Wachovia Center, and Clapton co-headlined the venue with his Blind Faith bandmate Steve Winwood.<\/p>\n The blues-rock legend\u2019s own memories reached further back. In a rare moment of audience engagement, Clapton reminisced about playing the Spectrum in 1967 and thinking, \u201cThis is the best we\u2019ll ever play.\u201d (He was likely referring to Cream\u2019s final Philly show in 1968, which he has in the past called, \u201cone of our greatest gigs ever.\u201d)<\/p>\n Saturday\u2019s show couldn\u2019t hope to reach the frenzied heights of that blistering trio in its prime, but the 80-year old rocker and his band were impeccable. The 90-minute set brought no surprises, alternating classic blues numbers with favorites from his various bands and his early solo career. <\/p>\n Cream\u2019s catalog was well represented: \u201cWhite Room\u201d opened the show, followed later by \u201cSunshine of Your Love,\u201d and the George Harrison cowrite \u201cBadge,\u201d bringing the electric portion of the evening to an epic pitch.<\/p>\n The two plugged-in portions of the show bookended an acoustic, with Clapton seated and longtime bassist Nathan East playing upright bass. East also took on vocal duties for Blind Faith\u2019s \u201cCan\u2019t Find My Way Home,\u201d ably filling in for Winwood\u2019s soaring range. <\/p>\n Clapton recalled 1992\u2019s hit Unplugged <\/i>album with the nostalgic \u201cNobody Knows You When You\u2019re Down and Out\u201d and turned sentimental with the mawkish \u201cGolden Ring\u201d from his 1978 solo album Backless<\/i>. <\/p>\n For those of us who\u2019ve always found Clapton\u2019s English gentleman version of the blues a bit on the bloodless side, there was little to refute that opinion here. A number of blues standards peppered the set \u2014 \u201cKey to the Highway,\u201d \u201cDriftin\u2019 Blues,\u201d and several Robert Johnson classics including \u201cLittle Queen of Spades\u201d and the ubiquitous \u201cCross Road Blues.\u201d All were performed with undeniable polish and Clapton\u2019s elegant solos showcased why he\u2019s known as Slowhand, but all lacked in raw vitality.<\/p>\n As much as he adores the blues, Clapton\u2019s playing gets more adrenaline-infused during his own material. The standout solo of the night arrived during \u201cOld Love,\u201d another tune from Journeyman<\/i> that proved that he retains the agility and fire to tear into a knotty, razor-edged excursion.<\/p>\n For the most part the concert seemed effortless, a double-edged sword implying virtuosity as well as complacency. The most recent song in the setlist was \u201cTears in Heaven,\u201d Clapton\u2019s lament for his late son, originally released back in 1991. <\/p>\n Stagecraft was as understated as the guitarist\u2019s demeanor, satisfied to do little more than keep the musicians in the spotlight. He was happy to cede the figurative spotlight as well, granting significant solo space to guitarist Doyle Bramhall II and keyboardists Chris Stainton and Tim Carmon.<\/p>\n The sold-out crowd hardly seemed to mind, greeting every familiar riff with roars of approval and multiple standing ovations. Each solo was received with something approaching rapture, recalling the sentiment behind the infamous \u201cClapton is God\u201d graffiti that once graced the walls of a London wall.<\/p>\n The British icon isn\u2019t universally regarded in such sanctified terms these days. His outspoken anti-vax stance<\/a> during the pandemic soured many fans, and reawakened memories of a drunken, racist tirade from the \u201870s<\/a> that he\u2019s struggled to quash over the ensuing decades. <\/p>\n Aside from that brief, mumbled stroll down memory lane to the Spectrum, Clapton kept his comments to the Philly audience limited to simple thank you-s on Saturday, preferring, as usual, to let the music do the talking. <\/p>\n Perhaps there was a message to his detractors in his choice of repertoire for his one-song encore: \u201cBefore You Accuse Me,\u201d the Bo Diddley classic that he recorded on 1989\u2019s Journeyman<\/i>.<\/p>\n