Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert with Pete Townshend, Rick Grech, Jim Capaldi, Ronnie Wood, Rebop, Jimmy Karstein and Steve Winwood. On January 13, 1973, Eric Clapton was lured out of semi-retirement for a pair of shows at London’s Rainbow Theatre. Pete Townshend was the one who organized the concerts for Clapton. He also chose the all-star lineup that included Ronnie Wood of the Faces and Steve Winwood of Traffic. An LP entitled “Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert” was released in September 1973 on the RSO label, and was comprised of six songs: Badge Roll It Over Presence of the Lord Pearly Queen After Midnight Little Wing Despite the brevity of the album, I really like the playing. I can tell that Townshend is having a great night. Clapton seems a bit timid at times but he does get in a few good guitar solos. Steve Winwood gets to sing and he sounds strong. Who exactly is drummer Jimmy Karstein? I’ve never seen him on any other record. I believe reviews were mixed for this record. Clapton was still in his retirement phase, and it took one more LP (461 Ocean Boulevard) to return to his previous form. However I enjoy its live energy. A remastered CD with extra tracks was released in 1995. What are your opinions of Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert and/or the 1995 re-release?
EC had been largely out of commission for a couple of years, but he unleashed some inspired playing at the Rainbow.
uh “retirement” EC’s a mess. It’s a near perfect track selection and Pete takes his role as instigator and band leader all in good humor. Of course this album is a recording of the concert that was an excuse to get Eric out of the house and force / guilt him into having a goal. Standing on its own, without the back story, it’s ok.
I'm a much bigger Townshend fan than Clapton fan, but I thought the Who'd-up Little Wing arrangement was overwrought and bloated. I get they were trying to put a different twist on it, but that song is not asking for that kind of treatment IMHO. Otherwise the concert was passable with some inspired moments. Haven't heard it in about 20 years though.
As a Clapton Winwood, Townshend fan The 6 song version was great, enough and fine, it didn't really need the expanded version. Same for live at Leeds etc.etc.
I bought it when it was new, and always appreciated the good nature behind it but always felt it was under rehearsed. Upon the release of the expanded edition, my thoughts were confirmed. I really understand why the other songs were not initially used. (I do occasionally put it on though). But again, it was a good cause, Pete Townsend did a kind gesture. I really would have loved to have been there, I'm sure it was a rock star studded affair.
Karstein did a lot of work with JJ Cale, so it makes sense from that aspect. Always enjoyed it for what it was. Made me wish the Dominos had done Badge and After Midnight.
I got the expanded edition first and later went back for the original. Going into it I was already familiar with most of what Clapton had done before and was just getting into Traffic. I know now that some editing was done (usually to improve the performances although a few really bad edits like on Pearly Queen show that perhaps sticking to one disc was too harsh of a constraint!) but everyone, and I mean everyone, on stage is really cooking. Clapton is the headlining star but the rest of the cast is just as important. Ronnie Wood contributes some excellent guitar work. It's great to have Clapton and Winwood together without the hype and histrionics of Blind Faith. Perhaps my favorite track is Let It Rain. They manage to compact all the power and dynamics of the long Dominos arrangement into a relatively tight 8 minutes (certainly far closer to the original album length.) I'd love to see it get expanded further, if not both concerts in full, then a 2 disc version that doesn't cut down songs like Little Wing or Pearly Queen and features the two unreleased titles, Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out and Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad. It was supposed to be some kind of comeback but really it ends up being a glorious farewell, an excellent summation of his post-Cream work. And when he did reemerge a year later with 461, that was the start of a whole new chapter...
Had an Aussie LP early 90's, didn't mind the performance but thought the sound so so and sold it some years later. Years later someone gave me a cdr of the newly released expanded set which gives a much better feel for the show, i found it highly enjoyable and very happily an improvement in sound. Last year I chanced upon an original '73 Japanese vinyl pressing and picked it up. I have an old radio show on cassette in which those around at the time (Townshend, Harrison etc) talk about the lead up to the Rainbow Shows and his lost years prior. I will recount a few anecdotes around the immediate lead up to and events around the show if anyone so wishes?
Love the All Star cast. I'm a big Townsend, Clapton, Winwood fan. The playing is a bit "draggy" at times, but overall a fun listen. Generally, I'm not a huge fan of "live" albums, but this one is an exception, and is on a semi-regular rotation in my house. I almost forgot. I haven't heard the extended version. I currently listen to the Japanese P33w which has the original 6 tracks.
This was one of those albums that I bought and sold -twice-, thinking perhaps I didn`t give it a chance the first time around and thinking it not very good at all. I still felt the same way the second time around. It looks great on paper but was just not played well by most at all, kind of a sloppy, cringey mess. I am glad however that others can enjoy it!
I never purchased it or owned it but I do recall that it really filled up the cutout bins for several months back in the day.
Most Clapton albums don't have Stevie Winwood; as he's a much better singer and almost equal as a guitarist this is a clear bonus. I also prefer the slower versions of After Midnight. And Roll It Over is a killer song. So, I guess I like this album. I'm not a big enough fan to deciper what level Eric's playing is at and I might even have mistaken some of Ronnie Wood's playing for Eric's.
I never owned a copy of the original release. But when the expanded version appeared on CD....I was all over it. Haven't played it in a while.
As a much bigger Pete fan over Eric, who is still of course great, I didn't notice this myself, but having seen/heard Pete play with others outside of the Who, his playing does suit the Who much more than guest spots. I like the album, but I think it's solid as opposed to stellar. This comment really is "The Key To The Highway," and it's why I am fond of the album. Pete's gambit worked! Knowing the context of why these concerts were held, and what happened after is, um, key to liking it, in my opinion.
I like it well enough but as has been pointed out it was kind of the closing of a chapter in Clapton's career. Most everything released after this I enjoy much less.
I've just got an OG pressing of this. I had to turn down the bass, it is overly powerful on this release. Anyone else think there is way too much bass in this mix? (Never heard anything but 1973 release, maybe it was fixed later)
