View source for Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert

{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert
| type       = Live album
| artist     = [[Eric Clapton]]
| cover      = claptonrainbowconcert.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 10 September 1973
| recorded   = 13 January 1973
| venue      = [[Rainbow (London)|Rainbow Theatre, London]]
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Blues rock]]
| length     = 34:48 <br /> 73:49 (remastered edition)
| label      = [[RSO Records|RSO]]
| producer   = [[Bob Pridden]]
| prev_title = [[In Concert (Derek and the Dominos album)|In Concert]]
| prev_year  = 1973
| next_title = [[461 Ocean Boulevard]]
| next_year  = 1974
| misc       = {{Extra album cover
 | header  = Alternative cover
 | type    = live
 | cover   = Clapton_Rainbow_Remaster.jpg
 | border  =
 | alt     =
 | caption = 1995 remastered edition
}}
}}

'''''Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert''''' is a live album by [[Eric Clapton]], recorded at the [[Rainbow Theatre]] in London on 13 January 1973 and released in September that year. The concerts, two on the same evening, were organised by [[Pete Townshend]] of [[the Who]] and marked a comeback by Clapton after two years of inactivity, broken only by his performance at [[the Concert for Bangladesh]] in August 1971.<ref name="Story notes">(2011). In ''Dear Mr Fantasy: The Jim Capaldi Story'' (pp.32–43) [CD booklet]. London: Freedom Songs Ltd.</ref> Along with Townshend, the musicians supporting Clapton include [[Steve Winwood]], [[Ronnie Wood]] and [[Jim Capaldi]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kopp |first1=Bill |title=Eric Clapton’s Lifesaving 'Rainbow Concert' Revisited |url=https://bestclassicbands.com/eric-clapton-rainbow-concert-review-1-17-18/ |website=Best Classic Bands |access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref> In the year following the two shows at the Rainbow, Clapton recovered from his [[heroin]] addiction and recorded ''[[461 Ocean Boulevard]]'' (1974).

A remastered expanded edition of the album was released on 13 January 1995, the 22nd anniversary of the concert.

== Background ==
The concert was held at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, north London, on 13 January 1973. The venue was popular during the 1960s and early 1970s; musicians such as [[The Beatles]],  [[The Who]],  [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]], [[Deep Purple]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]] and [[Queen (band)|Queen]] performed there. The concert was recorded using [[Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio]].

==Reception==
{{Album ratings
| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r4022}}</ref>
|rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
|rev2Score = C−<ref>{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: C|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=C&bk=70|access-date=23 February 2019|publisher=robertchristgau.com}}</ref>
}}

In a retrospective review, [[AllMusic]] deemed the album "an adequate live document, though one can find better performances of the songs on other records." The review also noted that the performance was an ensemble effort, and was as much a showcase for Steve Winwood as it was for Clapton.<ref name="AllMusic"/>

== Track listing ==
{{Tracklisting
| headline      = Side one
| title1        = [[Badge (song)|Badge]]
| length1       = 3:29
| writer1       = Eric Clapton, [[George Harrison]]
| title2        = Roll It Over
| length2       = 6:53
| writer2       = Clapton, [[Bobby Whitlock]]
| title3        = Presence Of The Lord
| length3       = 5:37
| writer3       = Clapton
}}
{{Tracklisting
| headline      = Side two
| title4        = Pearly Queen
| length4       = 6:58
| writer4       = [[Jim Capaldi]], [[Steve Winwood]]
| title5        = [[After Midnight (Eric Clapton song)|After Midnight]]
| length5       = 5:11
| writer5       = [[J. J. Cale]]
| title6        = [[Little Wing]]
| length6       = 6:32
| writer6       = [[Jimi Hendrix]]
}}
{{Tracklisting
| headline      = 1995 CD remastered reissue
| title1        = [[Layla]]
| length1       = 6:24
| writer1       = Clapton, [[Jim Gordon (musician)|Jim Gordon]]
| title2        = [[Badge (song)|Badge]]
| length2       = 3:18
| writer2       = Clapton, Harrison
| title3        = [[Blues Power]]
| length3       = 5:20
| writer3       = Clapton, [[Leon Russell]]
| title4        = Roll It Over
| length4       = 4:11
| writer4       = Clapton, Whitlock
| title5        = [[Little Wing]]
| length5       = 4:36
| writer5       = Hendrix
| title6        = Bottle Of Red Wine
| length6       = 3:51
| writer6       = [[Bonnie Bramlett]], Clapton
| title7        = [[After Midnight (Eric Clapton song)|After Midnight]]
| length7       = 4:25
| writer7       = Cale
| title8        = [[Bell Bottom Blues (1970 song)|Bell Bottom Blues]]
| length8       = 5:26
| writer8       = Clapton, Whitlock
| title9        = Presence Of The Lord
| length9       = 5:18
| writer9       = Clapton
| title10       = [[Tell the Truth (Derek and the Dominos song)|Tell The Truth]]
| length10      = 5:52
| writer10      = Clapton, Whitlock
| title11       = Pearly Queen
| length11      = 4:55
| writer11      = Capaldi, Winwood
| title12       = [[Key To The Highway]]
| length12      = 5:46
| writer12      = [[Big Bill Broonzy]], [[Charlie Segar]]
| title13       = Let It Rain
| length13      = 7:11
| writer13      = Bramlett, Clapton
| title14       = [[Cross Road Blues|Crossroads]]
| length14      = 4:18
| writer14      = [[Robert Johnson (musician)|Robert Johnson]]
}}

== Personnel ==
* Eric Clapton – [[guitar]] ([[lead guitar|lead]]) & vocals
* [[Pete Townshend]] – guitar ([[rhythm guitar|rhythm]]) & vocals
* [[Ronnie Wood|Ron Wood]] – guitar (rhythm and [[slide guitar|slide]]) & vocals
* [[Ric Grech]] – bass guitar
* [[Steve Winwood]] – [[Keyboard synthesizer|keyboards]] & vocals
* [[Jim Capaldi]] – [[drum kit|drums]] & vocals
* Jimmy Karstein – drums
* [[Rebop Kwaku Baah]] – percussion

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Eric Clapton}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Eric Clapton live albums]]
[[Category:1973 live albums]]
[[Category:RSO Records live albums]]