Eric Clapton Concert - March 6, 2011

Before I start off this review, let me just state that I haven't been to a concert this good since I saw Paul Rodgers last year at the Del Mar Fair.

The night started off with the opening act...Los Lobos.

They were good and got the crowd all warmed up, but in a way, I kinda felt bad for the band because most of the crowd didn't know any of their songs. It wasn't until the band played "La Bamba" that the audience actually stood up and sang along with the band.

Then came on Eric Clapton and trust me when I say this...there wasn't a person sitting throughout the whole concert.

Clapton opened up with "Key to the Highway." To much of my surprise, he came out with a Powder Blue Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar for this opening song. Usually, Clapton would play "Key to the Highway" on his Signature "Martin" Guitar but instead, blazed on with the Mastery we are all accustomed to when it comes to a Guitar God such as Eric Clapton...he didn't disappoint.

Throughout the concert, the Rock and Roll Legend repeatedly pulled back on his guitar leads, just when it seemed he was ready to rev things up and really cut loose. What resulted was a demonstration of finely honed craftsmanship taking precedence over exploring unknown vistas, and it was both fascinating and frustrating, sometimes simultaneously.

The song "Old Love" defined the BLUESY SIDE of the band. Though 10 minutes long, it featured organist/synthesizer player Tim Carmon and former Joe Cocker pianist Chris Stainton. The two keyboardist were simply amazing...each feeding off of each other and putting their own stamp to the leads they were playing. I gotta tell you, the Hammond B-3 never sounded so good along side with the other keyboard on the other side of the stage. Props to the musicians in Eric Clapton's Band.

Midway through the concert, Clapton played what I thought was the BEST LIVE VERSION of "Wonderful Tonight" I've ever heard. Throughout the song, you could see the couples in the audience in a warm embrace. And if you listened real carefully, you can hear everyone in the audience singing along with Clapton as he sang this beautiful masterpiece.

What I found fascinating later in the concert was the song "Layla." Clapton, sitting on a stool, played the unplugged version of "Layla" on his Signature Fender Stratocaster. I found this pretty unique because throughout the years, we all got accustomed to Eric Clapton playing this version on acoustic guitar....simply amazing.

Of course Eric Clapton played his usual classics: Hoochie Coochie Man, I Shot the Sheriff, Before You Accuse Me, Nobody Knows You When Your Down and Out, Cocaine, Badge...so many Clapton Classics in a 2 hour set. It was good to hear some of the classics from his "Cream" and "Derek and the Dominos" days, and I found it even more special that Eric Clapton finished off the concert with an encore of "Crossroads."

If I had a wish list, I wish that they would have played "Sunshine of your Love" and "Tears in Heaven." But I can understand that with the Legendary Eric Clapton, you have a history of songs...songs that span from the Shagdelic 60's, through the Far Out 70's, through the MTV 80's, through the Unplugged 90's to today. When you go through that many years of great songs, realistically, it's hard to get through them all in one night.

That being said...I still give Eric Clapton 5 Stars because he is a legend and a Master Showman.

A Letter to Roger Goodell

Dear Mr. Goodell,
I'm sure both sides are trying their best to resolve what's in store for the future of the NFL, but I am a bit worried.

My favorite sport is and always will be the NFL. You have the Best Sport in the whole world and nothing is ever going to change that. But back in the 1990's, I also followed Major League Baseball to a passion. It was fun to take my son to a lot of the games, and at the time, it was a sport you could take your family to watch while waiting for football season to come along.

Then the unthinkable happened...MLB went on STRIKE and like a lot of other fans of Baseball, we turned their backs on the sport.

I follow MLB Baseball again.... I might go to 1-2 games a year only to hangout with friends but I'm just not as passionate as I once was because of the STRIKE.

I'm not saying that's what's gonna happen with me if the NFL does go into a STRIKE, but I am worried about the other passionate fans that DO follow the sport.

Whether you read this or not...that's just my 2 cents on the matter.

Thank You

Christmas Quotes

The best Christmas of all is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up with one another.

Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.

Christmas is in the heart...trying to honor it all year round is the real challenge.

We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.

Christmas is not a date...It is a state of mind.

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall and the flame of charity in our hearts.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

Christmas is the keeping-place for memories of our innocence.

Selfishness makes Christmas a burden, but love makes it a delight.

There's an important meaning for Christmas...We are never alone.

There is nothing sadder in this world than to wake up Christmas morning and not be a child.

At Christmas play and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first.

Christmas is the one time of year when people of all religions come together to worship Jesus Christ.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

A little smile, a word of cheer, A bit of love from someone near, A little gift from one held dear, Best wishes for the coming year.

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away...

He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.

Thanksgiving and it's Origins...

Thanksgiving was first celebrated by the Pilgrims of 1621 and many New Englanders continued to celebrate it after that, but it didn't become a National Holiday until 1863 (October 3rd, 1863 to be exact) under Abraham Lincoln.


The biggest advocate to making "Turkey Day" Official was influential nineteenth century magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale, who was probably more famous for having also written the song, "Mary Had a Little Lamb."


Though if you're like most people, you'll be having a lot of turkey instead. There will be an estimated 242 million of the birds raised this year and the average American eats 13.8 pounds a year.


The top state for turkeys is Minnesota, while mid-western neighbor Wisconsin leads in cranberry production. Michigan is #1 in cherries, while the sweet potato leader is North Carolina...which is also home to the town of "Turkey" North Carolina...Population - 262.


Another Turkey (town) in Texas has 445 residence (population), many of whom will be tuning into football. The Dallas Cowboys along with the Detroit Lions play every year on Thanksgiving...or maybe watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which has featured cartoon balloons since "Felix the Cat" first appeared in 1927 on the streets of New York.


...Also the home of Franklin Roosevelt...The President who briefly tried moving the date of Thanksgiving "Up" one week before Congress moved the holiday for good to where it is now...the forth Thursday of every November.

RIP John Wooden...

"Be more concerned with character than reputation. Character is what you are, reputation is what people think you are." ~ John Wooden

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Mom and Dad...I love you both. Thank you for always being there when I needed you.

There are 2 TYPES of people in this World

This is in no way any disrespect I have towards people. This is something I truly believe in and what I live by...

The first kind of person is the TALKER. This person is ALL ABOUT TALKING. All they ever do is talk but never do what it is they talk about. I've seen way too many people in my life that just talk and never do anything about it. These are the people that I don't like to associate with because all they ever do is talk and no action. They Talk the Talk but never Walk the Walk...

Then there are the People that Do. I call them the Doers'. These are people that actually do the things they say they're gonna do and I respect that. They "Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk".

It drives me nuts when I see people that constantly talk about doing certain things in their lives to make them a better person, but I never see it ever done. I don't know about you...but I'm a Doer...I can actually Talk the Talk and Follow it by Walking the Walk.