Snydy has had this up so long I thought It might be worth posting here

I Went Down To The Crossroads...

At Chicago's own Toyota Park. I am refering to Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival. An all day long eveny to raise money for his drug rehad facility in Antigua. It was held on July 28.

The festival was an all day affair starting at 11:50am & going till 11:00pm. It was one great artist after another, with no slow spots. I managed to shoot more pictures in 12 hours than I did the 4 days at Bonnaroo! All the things were in the right place & I just kept shooting. I need to limit my shooting or time the right shot a little better.

I will copy & paste a review I wrote up for an article. It's got some length to it, but I think it covers everything about the day.

The bad part of the trip was the travel. I was supposed to leave Philly at 5:21pm & the flight was delayed 5 hours! We sat on the runway for 3 hours before returning to the gate to deboard. I was very pissed off because I ended up missing the show at Buddy Guy's club, Legends. I was all set up to shoot it & still don't know if any special guests showed up. The flight ended up leaving at 11:15pm. I got into my room at 1:30am, Chicago time. Nice.

The flight home was worse if you can believe that. It was supposed to leave Chicago at 3:31pm. The gate & planes were changed 3 times. We get on the plane & have a narrow window to take off, but then a light comes on in the cockpit & we are stuck again. Mechanics came on the plane & were baffled by this light that wouldn't go off. They switched the part out but didn't work. They debaored us & eventually canceled the flight all together. I talked to work & told them I might not be in on Monday morning & then had Melanie book me the next earliest flight to Philly. It left at 5:45am the next day. I ended up getting a room at the airport Hilton for a cheap $300 bucks! I thought long & hard about going to Legends as I wanted to go there one last time before they relocate it at the end of the year. It would have been to costly between the cabs & shirts. I stayed in watched HBO & ordered room service.

The flight left on time the next day & got home fine.

So here is the link to the pictures & the article I copied & pasted below.

Crossroads Guitar Festival Pictures - July 28, 2007

Enjoy

SB

There are moments in life when one will say “This is once in a lifetime opportunity”. Fortunately this is not one of them. What happened on July 28 in

Bridgeview
,

IL
has happened once before in

Texas
in 2004.

I’m referring to Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. The

Crossroads

Center
is a rehabilitation center located in

Antigua
for substance abuse, something Clapton knows a little bit about. The proceeds from the festival go towards the funding of the center. In 2004 the first Crossroads Festival was held at the Cotton Bowl in

Dallas

,

TX
, June 4-6 and featured many of the greatest guitarists from the past and present. This year’s festival was only one day but featured many of the same artists from the 2004 festival. The festival started promptly at 11:50am with special guest and emcee, Bill Murray. He started off by telling the crowd how we were in store for some great music, for a great cause. Then with a Strat hanging by his side launched into the “only song he knew how to play on guitar”, Van Morrison’s “Gloria”.

Murray
was far from the caliber of say Clapton, Beck or one Mr. Guy, but he gave it his all and pulled through… but then again this wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. He is a comedian after all. As he was nearing the end of the song he got a little help from one of his friends, Eric Clapton. They finished the song and Clapton talked about what was in store for the day. Sonny Landreth arrived on stage to a sold out crowd at

Toyota

Park
. He launched into his set and the crowd devoured it, eager to get the events of the day underway. John McLaughlin came on next. His special blend of Jazz fusion he played complimented Landreth’s set.

Alison Kraus & Union Station were next for a touch of

Bluegrass
. Accompanied by guitarist Jerry Douglas, they soothed what wounds were caused by the two bands prior to them. Doyle Bramhill II was up next. The Texan guitarist’s set was satisfying but could have been a bit more upbeat for my taste. He played seated in a chair. The chair may be standard during his regular shows, but I would save the sitting down for playing an acoustic set, especially in this setting. He did redeem himself later when he played with Clapton’s band. In between sets Bill Murray arrived on stage dressed in period Eric Clapton wardrobes to introduce the bands. When he introduced Derek Trucks he described him as “an American success story”. Son of Butch Trucks, longtime drummer for The Allman Brothers Band, Derek has come into his own right as a respected musician. His set was well received by the crowd but got a little extra help from Susan Tedeschi, musician and wife of Trucks. At one point she tore into a solo that left Trucks looking like

Murray
during “Gloria” (Sorry Bill). The two of them were matched perfectly together. Just when you thought they were done, the legend Johnny Winter made an appearance to the stage. Though now legally blind and with some assistance to his chair, the 63 year old played a raucous version of Dylan’s “Highway 61”. Backed by Trucks and his band, Winter simply rode “Highway 61” into the sunset so to speak. Up next was, Robert Randolph & the Family Band. I’ve seen Robert & Co. a few times and was a little let down by his set. While good, I was hoping it would be the more thunderous, uplifting set I’ve seen in the past. The first of many blues masters of the day came onto the stage, Robert Cray. Robert has been around for upwards of 25 years and has no intention of slowing down. His set was soulful and heartfelt. It was only fitting that Cray was here for his second Crossroads appearance. Jimmy Vaughan, older brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan, came out to play a few numbers of his own with Cray’s band backing him. Jimmy Vaughan is very underrated as a guitarist and the mention of the name

Vaughan
instantly evokes images of younger brother, Stevie. At this time I was thinking this band needed a few more people in it (I’m joking), out comes Hubert Sumlin the great guitarist for the legendary Howlin’ Wolf. After a song or two by Sumlin, the master and living legend B.B. King came onto the stage. He got a standing ovation as he graciously waved and bowed to the crowd who continued to cheer. Finally the crowd settled down, B.B. picked up Lucille and played “Rock Me Baby”. Before the last song, B.B. gave a very sincere toast for his dear friend Eric Clapton who was watching King’s set from stage left. With the band playing softly in the background King went on to say “May I live forever, but may you live forever & a day, because I’d hate to be hear when you pass away He also went on to say “and when they lay me out to rest, may the last voices I hear be yours!”. It was a sobering appreciation of a dear friend and the 81 year old King stated he was no spring chicken anymore. It made me feel that much more appreciative of what I was witnessing. He then told the band to play louder and ripped into “The Thrill Is Gone”, King’s trademark song. This ended King’s set and he walked off the stage. Unfortunately he didn’t return for any other sets. After the first intermission of the day the show continued with John Mayer. While not knowing Mayer’s music, only knowing he possessed the needed skills to play this festival 2 times over, Mayer showed this

Chicago
crowd he could play with the best of them, literally. He played a lot of his newer stuff and someone yelled out “play some blues!” Mayer responded “I was, in my mind, but I know what you mean”. The band tore into the Ray Charles tune “I Don’t Need No Doctor” and the crowd was very pleased. He ended the set with the song “Gravity”, a favorite among his fans. Vince Gill arrived to the stage with a large band and proceeded to play his blend of country rock. Gill, who was at the Crossroads in 2004 returned this year to lend a hand. He got help from Albert Lee as they tore up a great version of “Country Boy”. Lee stayed out for a bit longer as Sheryl Crow made an appearance to the stage. She played “Strong Enough To Be My Man” with the help of Alison Kraus. Clapton came out for one of his few sit ins of the day and played “Tulsa Time” with Crow. For those who were there and were keen enough to notice a very beat up acoustic guitar sitting on the stage, knew that there would be at least one more guest to this already huge band on stage. Sure enough American icon Willie Nelson came out from the wings. He walked over to his trusty guitar “Trigger”, picked it up and waved to the crowd. He played a few songs with Gill & Crow and before it even started, the set was over. There’s just not enough time. Bill Murray referred to

Bridgeview
,

IL
all day long jokingly and while introducing the next band, he said that what Bridgeview lacked was a bit of

East L.A.
Enter Los Lobos. The band most notably known for their version of Ritchie Valen’s “La Bamba” chose to play their own material that day. The mood instantly went from mild to extra spicy. The layering of

Hidalgo
’s & Rosas’s instruments complimented the rest of the bands talents. Now in the final stretch of the show the heavy hitters started coming on stage. One Jeff Beck & Co. came on stage for an hour long set and amazed the entire crowd. Beck delved through his catalogue and played such tracks as "Because We've Ended As Lovers" and The Beatles song “A Day In The Life”. Beck’s guitar is basically an extension of his arm. The sounds you hear don’t seem to match the actions of Beck. His playing is effortless to say the least. His bassist that day, Tal Wilkenfeld sat in with Beck and amazed the crowd as well. She looks young enough to be in day camp, but she’s in her early 20’s and has a reputation of her own. There were no collaborations between Clapton and Beck unfortunately, but the next set made up for that. Eric Clapton and his band arrived to the stage with much anticipation. Armed with Trucks and Bramhill to compliment his guitar, the stage was set. For fans of Derek & The Dominos, they got a real treat with classics like “Any Day”, “Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad”, “Got To Get Better In A Little While” and “Key To The Highway”. The show also showcased a number of covers. In particular “Isn’t it a pity”, the George Harrison tune in which Clapton dedicated to longtime friend Harrison. Robbie Robertson made a rare appearance for a pair of songs with Clapton’s band, “Further On Up The Road” & “Who Do You Love” the later a tribute to the ailing Bo Diddley. Steve Winwood made his way to the stage and sat down behind his Hammond Organ. Backed by Clapton’s band he launched into Traffic’s “Pearly Queen”. Clapton made it a point to say he was excited about playing with Winwood and that they haven’t played together in 25 years. They continued with Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home”, “Presence Of The Lord” and “Had To Cry Today”. This grouping of songs was like the cherry on a sundae, that is until Clapton went backstage and left Winwood to steer the ship. He did so with what might have been the highlight of the show for many. “Dear Mr. Fantasy” was his song of choice. When I think of Winwood, I think of a multi-instrumentalist & vocalist, not necessarily a lead guitarist. When it came time for the solos in Fantasy, he brought the crowd to a level that had not been reached all day. Clapton came back to the stage and they all finished up with the classic J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine”. One last time Billy Murray introduced the next and final act of the show. Dressed now in a Blues Brothers T-Shirt, he put it plainly “I’d like to turn it over to the local authorities”.

Chicago
’s own blues legend Buddy Guy took center stage with his band. Appropriately the set started off with “Dam Right I’ve Got The Blues”, the crowd fell in love with Guy’s set. How could you not? Guy is a master showman in every sense and knows how to entertain a crowd, even to this sold out crowd of 30,000. Nearing the end of the show, the preparations for the finale were starting to happen.

Vaughan
, Cray, Mayer, Winter, Sumlin, Trucks, Bramhill and of course Clapton took to the stage to help Buddy for a mandatory “Sweet Home Chicago”, with everyone trading licks. At about 10:45pm, Buddy and Mayer signaled over to the sound pit to see if there was time for one more. Fortunately there was. The final song of this all day masterpiece was “She’s Just 19”. As the crowd made their way out of

Toyota

Park
, one could not help but to think of the history that had just been witnessed. For all those who could not attend, a DVD will be released by years end.

www.crossroadsguitarfestival2007.com

Rod Snyder August/2007