Before attending said concert, we walked (literally) out to the local Hard Rock Cafe to grab a bite to eat, since we can't do so in Salt Lake anymore. There I enjoyed my long-missed chicken fingers and Hickory BBQ Sauce while taking in a few relics from rock history as I drifted into a smooth level of meditation in preparation for my blues guitar salvation.(mental note: omit all clever rhyming schemes from future posts)
The concert itself was excellent, blending a number of individual hits with the handful of songs-most notably "Presence of the Lord" and "Can't Find My Way Home"-Clapton and Winwood played together when they were in Blind Faith. "Presence of the Lord" was especially nice, a longtime favorite that I listened to for the first time the weekend before I entered the MTC back in the Stone Ages. (Also the same night of Randall Edwards' immortal Elvis impersonation in the Dick's Market parking lot.)
The longest-and most impressive-jams were reserved for epics like "Voodoo Chile Blues" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy," with a lot of obligatory blues numbers from Clapton in-between. Winwood stayed away from the solo work he showcased at The Depot two years back, and drew most of his numbers from his Traffic catalog.
I didn't take my camera into the Arena-which was probably a good thing, given the constant rotation of alcohol, marijuana and BO odors that would have undoubtedly vaporized my SLR-but I did pull out my trusty 40D afterward on a modest tour of The Strip after the show. Here are a few highlights:
*I attended the concert with my other friend Josh, who we agreed was an old friend from college.
