Some pals of mine have really been digging in to the topic of the Duane shows with D & the D. I can obviously do some Google research, but this is a better forum, I reckon.
My general sense/ experience is that the real magic of Duane and the Dominoes can be found on the studio album first and foremost, and then the jams that came out on the extended Layla quite a while back added more to the picture.
However, every time I have found some version of the live Duane with Dominoes, for me it has been underwhelming, both due to really rough audio quality and the simple fact that the band did not seem to be fully in synch.
I can live with that - 2 one-off gigs recorded by an audience member might not always yield gold - but I am certainly open to having my mind changed!!!!! Are there versions of either of the live recordings of those 2 shows that are really rewarding in terms of an enjoyable listen, not just a historical event?
You can find reviews of some of the better D&D shows here https://www.whereseric.com/eric-clapton-news/303-dominos-shows-every-clapton-fan-should-know
It does mention the Curtis Hixon Hall show but not the Syracuse show the following night.
Thank you very much, CrossEyedCat. Some enjoyable reading there.
It is specifically the two Duane shows I'm most interested in. I did find a recording of the Dec 1st 1970 show on youtube. It is a listenable recording in terms of audio quality, for me, though it did send the wife and dog out of the room. The actual playing has some hit and miss moments:
There are actually two versions of audience recordings of the Tampa show, none of the Syracuse concert. Back in the '70's the originally circulated recording cut out any introductions, stage banter etc. Maybe to save batteries and/or room on the cassette tape. Many years later, a group of avid Clapton fans from Japan tracked down a different source of the show.
That one has the introductions, banter between songs etc. and is the better audio sounding, although still not of the highest quality. Hilariously, Clapton is introduced at the show's beginning as Ernest Clapton.
An aside, years later ABB roadie Mike Callahan became ticket manager at the Curtis Hixon Hall in Tampa and found boxes of unsold tickets to various shows at that venue. Among those were hundreds of unsold tickets to the 12/1/70 Dominoes show illustrating it was not all that well attended. Most of the time you can find one of the unsold tickets for sale on eBay. Captain Skipper was gracious enough to pass along one to me. A pretty nice keepsake from a show where Duane joined them onstage.
"My friends say I'm ugly I got a masculine face." Tom Waits
I didn't think there was a Syracuse recording but wasn't sure, thanks for confirming.
Interesting story about Mike Callahan and Captain Skipper.
I did a quick Google and found the following, basically what you said with a bit more detail on the names of the bootlegs https://www.collectorsmusicreviews.com/clapton-eric/derek-and-the-dominos-soul-mates-twin-flames-mid-valley-309-310/
There are actually two versions of audience recordings of the Tampa show, none of the Syracuse concert. Back in the '70's the originally circulated recording cut out any introductions, stage banter etc. Maybe to save batteries and/or room on the cassette tape. Many years later, a group of avid Clapton fans from Japan tracked down a different source of the show.
That one has the introductions, banter between songs etc. and is the better audio sounding, although still not of the highest quality. Hilariously, Clapton is introduced at the show's beginning as Ernest Clapton.
An aside, years later ABB roadie Mike Callahan became ticket manager at the Curtis Hixon Hall in Tampa and found boxes of unsold tickets to various shows at that venue. Among those were hundreds of unsold tickets to the 12/1/70 Dominoes show illustrating it was not all that well attended. Most of the time you can find one of the unsold tickets for sale on eBay. Captain Skipper was gracious enough to pass along one to me. A pretty nice keepsake from a show where Duane joined them onstage.
I have shared this but it has been a while.
The show was under attended. I heard from a couple thousand to half full (or empty). But I wasn’t there.
I was attending St. Pete Jr. College, now St. Pete University. Tuesday night show. My friend Mike, RIP, asked me three times if I wanted to go. Three times turned him down. Why? Not sure but it may have been a woman to blame. As in I was going to see my girlfriend.
Another factor is the ads went heavy on calling it D $ tD not Clapton. Also the Duane appearance was a secret. Many did not know it was Clapton.
Had I known DA was coming I would have gone. Did not worry about missing Clapton.
One of my few regrets along with taking the ABB’s many FL gigs for granted. I could have seen the O6 many more times than I did.
Ahwell, you can’t do everything.
