Review of Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival

Introduction

This DVD features footage from the Crossroads Guitar Festival, which took place on the 4th, 5th & 6th of June 2004, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. As well as three days of concert, it was also a chance for fans to take a look at more guitars from the Clapton collection, which were to be auctioned off in aid of Clapton`s Crossroads Centre in Anitgua. Profits from the concert also went there.

This is the second concert and guitar sale in aid of the centre. The first concert was in Summer 1999 at Madison Square Garden, and that was also released on DVD (and an excellent DVD it was too).

As ever, you don`t quite get the full sets from the show (notable absentees include a duet between Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton) and tracks from Steve Vai, Carlos Santana and John Mayer. The tracklist is as follows:-

Disc One:
Cocaine - Eric Clapton
Love in Vain Blues - Robert Lockwood Jr.
Killing Floor - Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Hubert Sumlin and Jimmie Vaughan
Sweet Home Chicago - Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin & Jimmie Vaughan
Six Strings Down - Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Robert Randolph and Jimmie Vaughan
Rock Me Baby - Eric Clapton, Guy, B.B. King and Jimmie Vaughan
I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow - Dan Tyminski and Ron Block
Road to Nash Vegas - Dan Tyminski and Ron Block
Copperline - James Taylor with Jerry Douglas
Steamroller - James Taylor and Joe Walsh
Oklahoma Borderline - Vince Gill and Jerry Douglas
What the Cowgirls Do - Vince Gill and Jerry Douglas
After Midnight - JJ Cale with Eric Clapton
Call Me the Breeze - JJ Cale with Eric Clapton
The March - Robert Randolph & the Family Band
Green Light Girl - Doyle Bramhall II
Jingo - Santana with Eric Clapton
City Love - John Mayer

Disc Two:
Rag Bihag - Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
Tones for Elvin Jones - John McLaughlin
Josie - Larry Carlton
Going Down Slow - David "Honeyboy" Edwards
If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day - Eric Clapton
Time Makes Two - Robert Cray
Give Me Up Again - Jonny Lang
Neighborhood - David Hildago
I`m The Hell Outta Here - Steve Vai
Desert Rose - Eric Johnson
Funk 49 - Joe Walsh
Rocky Mountain Way - Joe Walsh
I Shot the Sheriff - Eric Clapton
Have You Ever Loved A Woman (Blues in C) - Eric Clapton
La Grange - ZZ Top
Tush - ZZ Top

Video

A 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, as you would expect from a modern concert DVD. Visually, this isn`t exciting as it`s just a load of blokes up on stage playing guitars. This is not a DVD with slick visuals etc. - it`s all about the music.

Audio

A choice of DD2.0 stereo, DD5.1 and dts, and the tracks increase in quality in that order. My only real gripe is that the dts track on disc 1 is just a little out of synch with the video, so it can get a little distracting. The sound on the dts track is just that little bit better than the DD5.1 track, but if you`re not watching the screen too closely then it`s not a great problem. Maybe it was just a glitch on the review copies.

Features

You have the option of jumping straight to guitar solos on disc 1 and 2, which is a good idea.

The other extra is on disc 2, and that is 130 minutes worth of interviews with just about everyone who played at the concert, talking about themselves, blues, guitars, influences and much more. A very susbtantial extra!

Conclusion

Another great concert DVD. Clapton fans will note that this DVD is not all about him, although he does feature on 11 tracks. If you want a purely Clapton DVD, then any of the other releases available will definitely satisfy you. But if you like Clapton, blues and guitars, then this DVD is definitely for you. Some excellent performances, a great combination of artists (many on stage together), and some great songs make for a fantastic DVD.

The picture is just fine, and the sound is excellent. The only problem is that synch problem on the review copy of disc 1. Given that review copies were pressed about 6 weeks before the release date, I`d hope that this was fixed in the final release. Even if not I`d still be tempted as it`s such a good DVD.

Recommended for Clapton fans and guitar fans everywhere.