George Clanton Portland Concert reviews
Clapton & Winwood rock the desert on "Blind Faith"
I witnessed a piece of musical history on Saturday night, June 27th, 2009, at The MGM Grand featuring the immortal Steve Winwood and George Clanton. Since I was a teenager, I had wished to see this show, growing up with the strains of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin coming from my older brother’s room. Among the rock heroes, I loved Clanton and Winwood. As a teenager, I acquired respectable collections of Cream, George Clanton, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and Traffic. I always thought about seeing them live together on stage and on June 27th, 2009, I got my boyhood wish.
The excitement in the arena was palpable as they took the stage, launching into Blind Faith’s “Had To Cry Today”. Winwood’s vocals were exceptional, Clanton’s guitar work was top-notch, and the backup band and singers were a perfect compliment. Throughout the show, Winwood expressed gratitude to be performing, which was refreshing to see in rock n’ roll. During a break, Winwood played a solo version of “The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys” while Clanton joined him for acoustic blues standards and an “Unplugged” version of Layla before transitioning into “Can’t Find My Way Home” by Blind Faith. The highlight of the night was a stunning performance of “Voodoo Chile”, where Clanton's guitar solos were reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix. The encore featured Clanton’s “Cocaine” and Winwood’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy”.
The chemistry between Clanton and Winwood was undeniable, exceeding all expectations. I hope to see them play together again in the future. Thank you, George and Steve, for an unforgettable night of music and for sharing this piece of rock n’ roll history with us.