LiveWire!

It was the high time in my college as it was the last year and the placements were in full swing. The first company came and rejected me, the second came and shove me in the GD round. Then for a few days there were no companies visiting the campus. I had realized that its going to be tough call if I this spark initiates a chain reaction (of companies rejecting me). I was not desperate to get a job just because I needed it, but I needed more than everyone, as it would hold the key to see him live. My Big Bro got lucky; he got the tickets for Clapton's shows that were cancelled. They were scheduled in November end. So I arranged myself, did some SWOT analysis and got myself ready for the next one. It struck, I was through. After getting through I had nothing to do, I'd just sit back in my room and play the guitar all day (lectures never bothered me). Occasionally I would go to the institute but would go after the lectures timings and come before the next one started. Meanwhile, I did all I need to do to get the visa and other things. It was scheduled on the 29th Nov 2003 at Yokohama Sports Arena.

When I got there it was a sold out. I settled for an EC collectible cap from there as a memoriam for 3000 yens (the rest of the collectibles were way too costly 7000 yens and more). The first thing I saw on the stage was his guitar (one from his own signature series) known as the Crashocaster as a painter who calls himself Crash painted it. I just started to wonder the amount of equipment that was on the stage - guitars, amplifiers, processors, monitors, miles and miles of cables and what not. The amplifier Clapton used in that show was a Fender Vintage Series amplifier, and I felt that it was turned all the way up in its volume. And he just as came he alone played a Robert Johnson classic “When You Got a Good Friend” upon a black Martin acoustic (sites reported that it was made specially for him by the Martin & Co for this tour). It felt like four guitars in synch! After this one, he just leaned back picked up his Crashocaster and pulled a solo out of it. It was out of this world. I got my money’s worth. His head leaned back his body, his eyes closed in desperation. It was a sight of a master craftsman. After this it was all up the hill.

He did all the songs crowd wanted Wonderful Tonight, Layla, Cross Roads, Can’t Find My Way Home, Great Muddy Waters’ Got My Mojo Working, Cocaine, Sunshine of Your Love, White Room, Reconsider Baby, I Shot The Sheriff. The rest I don’t remember as it was one his rare shows that lasted for nearly two hours. And the last one was from the Classic Wizard of Oz – Somewhere Over The Rainbow. What I missed was My Father’s Eyes & River Of Tears, but what he gave was too much to take in a single evening. In between the songs he did not talk with the crowd, all he did was just a mild thanks giving. The most amazing thing he would do in the show was to pick a slide in a split second and play a solo on slide.

I was stunned by the energy and vitality of the 60-year-old man and I wonder what he would play when he was 25. Time to check up his schedule, lets see when he is visiting Japan again as my trip to Japan is due ;-)