Cream Reunion Concert: Day 2

by Saiichi Sugiyama

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On the second night of the reunion concert series Cream means business. "I'm So Glad" makes a cracking opener and it is a luxury to have "Spoonful", a song that used to be the climax of Cream shows in 1967/8, as the second number.

No tentativeness tonight - Jack, Eric and Ginger tear right into it. Despite 30 years of listening to the rich Gibson/Marshall tones on Wheels of Fire, Eric Clapton's Strat and custom-made Fender Tweed Twin amps help him demonstrate once again that tone is in the guitarist's fingers.

Tonight's version of "Spoonful" gives me both flashbacks and a glimpse of what Cream is capable of in 2005. "Outside Woman Blues" showcases how far Eric has travelled as a vocalist while, again, making the Stratocaster sound work in place of the SG. Subtle but extremely impressive stuff. The deceptively complex chordal backing for Ginger's "Pressed Rat and Warthog" sounds less chaotic tonight and again engenders smiles all round.

When the band hits "Sleepy Time", it's evident from the amazing vocals and powerful bass playing that Jack Bruce is in form tonight. The discrepancy in the timing of vocal harmonies over the phrase "we have" in the chorus adds a human factor and the knowing smiles exchanged between Bruce and Clapton show they are clearly having fun. Eric's lead playing is superb with a hint of the classic Live Cream performance yet altogether new and convincing - another classic in the making.

The crisp changes in the rhythm pattern propels the revived classic, "NSU". I am missing the vocal harmony on the last line of the verse -- the line that goes "the only time I'm happy...", so I start singing along in my seat and can't stop. "NSU" is a fun number and Cream performs it as such.

Tonight's "Politician" has more of venom, more snakey-ness and Jack sings it well. The groove is so convincing that although drummer Ginger Baker stays away from those quirky syncopations heard on the Good-bye album, they're not missed.

Ginger's "Sweet Wine" certainly sounds sweet with a great solo from Eric, who's in his element, and Ginger's a power house in "Rolling and Tumbling" while Eric's extended excursions on the fretboard on "Stormy Monday" create a storm of their own with Eric joining Jack using the T-bone Walker chords on the last verse tonight. It's such a pleasure to witness this wonderful music improvised in real time before your eyes and ears.

"Deserted Cities of the Heart" is brilliant again with Ginger as the driving force. The middle section with the tempo change is dramatic and Eric's solo superb. He's in the playing-out mood. Jack launches straight into "Born Under A Bad Sign", and it seems that Eric is so into it that Jack's smile is mistaken for a cue for the solo. Another human touch and as it is such a great performance that I hope the production team puts it on the DVD.

Although the song was never a favourite of mine among the group's original '60s recordings, Cream's 2005 version of "We Are Going Wrong" has become a high point of the show for me due to its magnetic intensity. The band performs it with so much passion that despite its simple lyrics, the tragedy it portrays is quite moving. Jack's voice is strong and Eric and Ginger provide dark and powerful dynamics in the backing. The solo section is a perfect vehicle for the present day Eric Clapton, combining a melodic non-pentatonic approach with firey intensity at times reminiscent of his fabled performance on the 1985 "Same Old Blues".

I said in my review of the first night that the version of "Crossroads" suffered from being neither fish nor fowl. Tonight's rendition sounds more engaging with Eric's lead guitar leaning more on the groove and with killer bend entries into solos. It is this rhythmic tension that made the Wheels of Fire version of the song one-of-a-kind. "Sitting On Top of the World" provides a hint of the heavy staccato accents from Jack and Ginger of the '60s versions.

"White Room" in particular demonstrates that the three musicians are in the process of getting reacquainted. It is a well-known song like this, which each member has played in unique variation with different musicians at one time or another over the 37 years since the band broke up, that shows the time and distance they spent apart. Tonight's "White Room", despite the powerful solo from Eric at the end, ironically does not sound as tight as other lesser known numbers.

This is, of course, to be expected since Cream was together for a relatively short time and the song developed in its own way in three separate directions. Eric does not play like Vernon Reed and Ginger does not drum like Steve Gadd -- they are simply different. It would take more than a few weeks of rehearsal and four concert dates to establish definitive new Cream versions of such numbers, or to develop a new "band" empathy, knowing as second nature how the others will approach an end-break or cue a solo.

Judging from the great musical sparks I hear from the RAH stage, which patently goes beyond a mere nostalgic journey, I am convinced that as they play together more and re-acquaint with each other (and I think there will be no shortcut to this), something new and exciting will emerge. Now that I have seen them together, I'm convinced that they should continue to play as a band beyond 6 May. If not for commercial reasons, for the sake of creating some very unique music, with perhaps a European tour, Jack's health permitting, or an album session slated for, say, early next year?

Cream took the world by surprise, broke barriers and preconceptions,and started something great in the '60s. This re-union was a surprise in itself, but they can surprise us even more. The African groove on the outro of "Sunshine Of Your Love" could mean a new dawn for a truly re-united, semi-permanent, supergroup, or, at least, a sort of collaborating musical family. There's so much strength in this unit -- why not? Meanwhile, two shows down -- two more to go.
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About Saiichi Sugiyama

Saiichi Sugiyama's Modern Guitars Magazine Journal
Saiichi Sugiyama Interview
Sale of the Generation: Saiichi Sugiyama on the 1999 Eric Clapton Christie's Crossroads Auction
Saiichi Sugiyama's Website