Customer Reviews

Live at the Fillmore

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Derek & The Dominoes was one of rock's first jam bands. Whereas their classic album LAYLA (1970) can be best remembered as the prime mixing of the blues and dual rock lead guitar, IN CONCERT is the testament of their impressive jamming abilities. They were associated with the Allman Brothers Band due to Duane Allman's crucial contributions on the Layla CD. However, the core quartet(Clapton, Whitlock, Radle & Gordon) were on their own for the subsequent 1970 tour. The Allmans' spirit was certainly there on the concert stage. In 1973, they released the album IN CONCERT, which is the main source of this more recent box set. Although the 1973 release met little fanfare (the band had already broken up 2 years prior), a listen revealed that this album rivaled the intensity and beauty of the Allman's Fillmore East classic album, which was recorded around the same time. Both albums contain extraordinary guitar solos, extemsive drum solos, essential blues reworkings, and plainly intense jamming. In the early '90s, both albums were remixed and similarly repackaged by Polydor: The Allman's FILLMORE CONCERTS and Dominoes' LIVE AT THE FILLMORE. Each box sets contained new liner notes, extra tracks. Everything sounds brilliant in its remastered glory. Eric Clapton and his American bandmates were at the top of their game when they came to the Fillmore in October 1970. This extraordinary box set faithfully preserves the mind-boggling complete live show they presented.
Very few people actually had a chance to attend a Dominoes concert, so this double CD certainly shows the rest of us what it was like.

If you're reading this review to help you decide whether to purchase this disc, just stop here and buy it. This is the finest live blues/rock album available to man. It was recorded at the peak of Eric Clapton's career, before drugs made a mess of his life, with his best set of songs in hand, at the peak of Rock 'n Roll's most illustrious era. The only drawback is that he isn't playing with the most accomplished bandmates he ever assembled, but when you're competing with the likes of Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and Steve Winwood, what do you expect?

Six of the tracks included on 'Live At the Fillmore' are the same tracks that were originally made available on vinyl in the early 1970's on the 'In Concert' double-LP. The band played four shows over two nights at the Fillmore East (rumor has it the band was not aware that recordings were being made), so alternate takes of the remaining three songs from 'In Concert', 'Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad', 'Tell the Truth' and 'Let It Rain' are offered on 'Live At the Fillmore'. I assume this was done to protect the integrity of the 'In Concert' discs, which are still highly valued because the concensus is that the takes of these three songs on 'Live At the Fillmore' are of lesser quality. Nothing is wrong with the alternate recordings, but the 'chemistry' seems less vibrant than on 'In Concert'. Small things can be noted, such as Bobby Whitlock's chiming piano on 'Tell the Truth' being much less prominent, but for the most part the discrepencies are intangible, and perhaps a matter of taste. On the upside, the 'Live At the Fillmore' discs offer 4 songs that are not offered on 'In Concert'. One wonders what other gems lie in the vault...

The biggest problem you'll encounter with this two-disc collection is figuring out which one to slide into the player first. Each is a great mix of rock and blues. On disc one we open with the firry 'Got To Get Better In a Little While' and 'Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad'. More than their titles are lengthy, with running times of 13:52 and 14:49 respectively. Needless to say, there is a wealth of wonderful wah-pedal guitar heroics from Clapton on every song. 'Key To the Highway' follows, and along with track 5, a cover of Billy Myles' 'Have You Ever Loved a Woman', wanders into some deep blues territory. The joyously rocking 'Blues Power' adds another 10:31 of serious jamming, and 'Bottle of Red Wine' closes the first disc out on another 'high' note.

Disc two offers more mid-tempo fare, including 'Tell the Truth', 'Roll It Over', and even the encore, 'Crossroads', which Clapton frequently rides like a jet train. The only true blues number is a cover of Jimmy Cox's 'Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out'. 'Little Wing', though a great number, is owned by Jimi Hendrix, and so any cover of that is bound to pale in comparison, and Clapton's does. 'Roll It Over' is bound up in funky sensuality, while in contrast 'Presence of the Lord' is high-minded spirituality. No wonder Eric turned to drugs. An eighteen minute-plus version of 'Let It Rain' completes disc two, with Jim Gordon offering the requisite (given the year was 1970) drum solo. Despite all the great songs included here, 'Let It Rain', which reached number 48 in 1972, is the only charting song (and it obviously wasn't this lengthy version) performed.

Derek and the Domino's were short-lived, offering only two albums in the early 1970's, not including their stints with George Harrison on 'All Things Must Pass' and 'The Concert For Bangla Desh'. Their limited output however is like the flash of a camera. This moment of illumination should not to be missed, as it is the closest thing to perfection a soundboard at a rock concert has ever captured.

What a fine document of Clapton's playing in a live setting this is. Even though Eric seems quite nervous at times, his graceful and fiery playing more than makes up for it. In places, Clapton seems to attack the solos as if his life depended on it.

The rest of the band functions as an incredibly tight unit in places and it makes me wish that Derek and the Dominos had managed to stay together for longer. It makes me wonder how much better the show could have been with a little bit more practice. I think the vocal support given by organist/vocalist Bobby Whitlock is particularly beautiful.

I would say that this is a very worthwhile purchase and just another example of why Eric Clapton is so great.

There is no question that this was a supercharged band when they performed at the Fillmore East on October 23 & 24th of 1970. They had helped George Harrison with his classic All Things Must Pass, jammed with the Allman Brothers and recorded a scortching double album with Duane Allman. Plus there were all those drugs...

Simply put, if you like Clapton the blues/rock guitar player, this album will offer endless delights. He is, truly, at the top of his form, backed by a fiery rhythm section, who seem to have a special empathy for Clapton's every turn of phrase (and vice versa).....

BUT, and this is a big but, something went awry when they put this expanded and changed edition together. Evidently, this was remixed from the original multitracks, and, in this case, I believe it's true, because the sound, compared to the original L.P., is lifeless and flat. I have no idea how this could have happened. I still remember when I bought the original L.P. and put it on for the first time, I was amazed at the clarity and electricity of the sound. I thought live albums were supposed to sound tough, but with this album I felt like I was standing onstage with the band, with an unbelievable crispness and warmness.

Because of the wondrous sound and spirited performances, this has remained one of my all-time favorite live albums. So imagine my excitment when I discovered that a remixed expanded edition was being released. I couldn't imagine how good this would sound. I remember exitedly taking it home and putting it on. But it not only didn't floor me, it just sounded sterile. I thought my mind (and ears) were playing tricks on me, so I pulled out my old album for a critical comparison. Sure enough, the album blew the CD away.

I'm not one of those who claim that good old analog is better than digital, I've heard too many digital remasters that were beautifully done and blow the analog version away to believe that. But there are cases where, for what ever reason, the L.P. does beat the CD. Now, I never bought the gold disc version of the original album (wish I had); I'd assume that Mobile Fidelity did it right. But whoever Jay Mark is (remix engineer), he misses the mark, badly, on this release.

Again, this is not only one of the great live albums, this is Clapton at his pinnacle of guitar playing. If your serious about experiencing this great album, I'd recommend seeking out the original double L.P. or finding the gold disc.

Most of this material was released by the "RSO" label in 1973 in an album titled "Derek and the Dominoes In Concert" long before the hall called "Fillmore East" became so legendary as to become a cottage industry on its own.

Regardless of the commercial whirlpool that words like "Fillmore and "Clapton" can generate to the Baby Boom, this collection of notes is nothing less than sublime in its scope and execution.

This is four young yet well seasoned musicians jamming away, each a master, but all playing together to produce an aggregate far greater than the sum of it's parts. While Eric Clapton is at the peak of his "God" mode, Carle Radle, Bobby Whitlock and Jim Gordon provide a backdrop that becomes more than just a vehicle for the star performer to stand out from. Indeed, Gordon pumps out a mesmerizing drum solo during "Let It Rain" which, almost 30 years later, stands out in an era when drum solos were a concert cue to visit the bathroom, catch some Z's or light up another one.

Still, Clapton is the star, playing with a musicality and breezy confidence not seen again until Stevie Ray Vaughn would enter the fray two decades later. This is not the "Yardbirds" or "Cream" Clapton and it sure isn't the "461 Ocean Boulevard" fella either. Here we can listen to a master craftsman plying his trade as in "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad" where he starts with the blistering speed that earned him the reverse monicker "Slowhand", and then trails off into a rather melodic, almost dreamy, trance-like finish.

"Got To Get Better In A Little While" also stands out as hefty treat. Clocking in at a little under 15 minutes, this tome leaves you wanting more, again, a testament to what happens when four musicians at their zenith combine in a (over-used, but here aptly applied)chemistry that truly deserves a niche in the American historical memory.

By the way, a young kid by the name of Eddie Kramer was the engineer of this work. Anyone who has ever read liner notes during the 70's will recognize the significance.

From the opening wail of Clapton's guitar , you know that this album is something different - I have heard E.C.live on various albums - Just One Night , 24 Nights Live , The Rainbow Concert etc but this one transcends them all ! Supported by a superb band , Clapton lets his hair down and produces two hours of the finest rock music ever recorded . The bass , drums and piano back up of the Dominoes forms a fluid structure for E.C. to step on the Wah Wah and weave some of the finest rock guitar lines I have heard - plaintive , emotional , at times frenzied - altogether brilliant . This is a " must buy " for Clapton fans as well as budding rock guitar players -the album captures E.C. at his brilliant best - hear it and you'll understand why the fans called him "God" . My favourites from the album are: "Let It Rain " - you will be hanging on to each riff and won't realise that it is an 18 min song . Clapton holds the song together with the trademark guitar line and fluid soloing . "Key to the Highway " another gem from this recording - Clapton displays his mastery of the blues idiom - electric blues at it's best . Happy Listening - I hope you enjoy this album as much as I did.

This album is a pretty nice document at their only stint at the Fillmore East in Oct. 70', with some nice moments from the Dominos, which was arguably Clapton's finest moment (sorry, it isn't Crossroads). Where is Duane? Well, he was touring with his own band of course (he did join them for two known shows)! This leaves Clapton as the sole axe man during their first & only US tour.

The playing is loose, relaxed, even a little nervous... especially in EC's singing. There ARE other recorded shows by the Dominos which has them as tight as a fist, & on fire. Listening to their shows a month or so later, the performances are like night & day. No kidding.

A shame... b/c these "other" performances were never recorded professionally. They really did get ALOT better live after their Fillmore stand. Either way, this is a nice little set of a band that was too good to last. By the time they peaked live in early December, it was the beginning of the end. It's also probably Clapton's best live document available commercially, which is rather odd after all these years.

This is a great, great live album. The Dominos, Eric Clapton, all-world guitarist, Jim Gordon, all-world drummer, Carl Radle, tremendously talented and experienced bassist, and Bobby Whitlock, singer and keyboardist with another world of experience, rocked the Fillmore for two days and four shows, and got captured on tape. Thank goodness.

The band lacks Duane Allman from the Layla sessions, a guitarist to equal Clapton, so the stunning and unique guitar interplay featured on that album is, sadly, missing. As far as we know, Duane appeared onstage with the Dominos twice. One appearance was not effective, drugs usually given as the reason. Another appearance was recorded by at least two sources in the audience, and is available as a bootleg entitled "Twin Flames Soul Mates". The recordings are very muddy, still listenable, but it is very plain, again, that the two brought out the best in each other. They go at it with a vengeance, offering amazing virtuosity and musicianship for the evening. That, however, is a different band than the one on this CD.

The Dominos sans Allman is more of a smooth and polished unit, not as fiery or emotional, offering songs that get into grooves, the rhythm section backing Clapton in an amazingly smooth and seamless manner, whilst Eric wails. And I mean wails. Some fantastic soloing pours out of his guitar, blistering the audience for long minutes at a time. Jim Gordon adds a frantic drum solo that never slows to allow us to appreciate the cool rhythms, it just goes faster and faster.

Professional, poised, and having fun. The band plays songs that date to their time as Eric's band on his first solo album, with Delaney and Bonnie, and backing George Harrison on "All Things Must Pass". They had actually been together for awhile, and sound like it. The only non-Dominos songs on this album are "Presence of the Lord", a Blind Faith tune, and "Crossroads", which is an Eric Clapton concert staple dating from Cream's "Wheels of Fire" live side. "Bottle of Red Wine" and several others are from Clapton's first studio album, "Eric Clapton", and Whitlock, Radle and Gordon were playing with him then.

There are several bootleg copies of this concert available, most with superb sound, some offering the complete concerts from all 4 shows on these two dates, but where one would go to find that in Arkansas, well, I don't know. I bought this instead, and have a record of the Dominos in concert, and it is worth it. A great band, great evenings, great setting, and great, great playing.

If ever an album deserved 5 stars, this is the one. From the opening riff of "Got to Get Better..." to the last lick of "Crossroads", this two CD set is truly magical. I can't write anything any better than has already been written in the previous reviews, but I did want to say this compilation is well worth the price for the true Rock and Roll fan- not just a Clapton fan. The sound quality is fantastic for something recorded almost 30 years ago.

If you buy any Clapton cd, especially any live cd, this is a must have. Derek and the Dominos, Clapton, at his/their best. Great song versions extended, adding unbelievable solos and song arrangement. The emotion is present and you can feel it travel throughout the song list. The extended versions out do the songs on "The Rainbow Concert" and bring you to a place where you realize this guy is one of, if not, the best guitarist/song writer/performers alive. Although most of the latest live cd's sound more commercial and bland, this is the rawest of material well done at a time where Clapton was on his mark.