Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall is a November 2015 album by Eric Clapton recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall on 21 May 2015 during his "70th Birthday Celebration" tour.[1] A film of the concert was released on 14 September 2015 via cinema broadcasting in various territories. The cinema release included a report on Clapton's history at the Royal Albert Hall. A DVD, Blu-ray, compact disc and gramophone record release of the performance was released on 13 November 2015.[2]
Recording
Keyboardist Paul Carrack recalled in an interview with the Canadian National Post: "I thought the playing was amazing. Eric doesn't make much fuss about the fact that it's the 70th so in that respect it was just like any other gig but there was a special atmosphere in the hall. When we came off stage the first night Eric said he wasn't gonna let it go on. I think the second night must have been a lot better. [...] With Eric, playing at the Albert Hall … it's really just about the music. It feels like you're playing in a small club, almost. Especially when you've been out playing those big auditoriums, which aren't built for music. But the Albert Hall has this wonderful, intimate atmosphere".[3]
Both a trailer and an official announcement were released by Clapton's official management and concert promoters on 19 August 2015 over the internet and social media.[4] The movie, featuring a selected number of songs performed by Clapton at London's Royal Albert Hall on 21 May 2015 during his "70th Birthday Celebration" tour, was released from 14 September 2015 onwards via cinema broadcasting worldwide under license of Arts Alliance, Warner Bros. Records and Eagle Rock Entertainment.[5] On 1 September 2015 a sneak preview featuring Clapton's live performance of "Cocaine" was released.[6] The release features a high-definition picture and 5.1 surround sound.[7] On 31 August 2015 it was announced that a DVD, Blu-ray, compact disc and gramophone record version of the recordings would be released on 13 November 2015 through Eagle Rock Entertainment.[8] A DVD and three vinyl record package was made available through pre-order via Amazon.com on 16 September 2015.[9] Just before the release was made visible on Amazon.com, an executive of Germany's Warner Music Group told the German radio station Radio NRW that there would be limited gramophone record pressings of the recordings made for the market.[10] On 13 November 2015, the following packages were released: Double DVD with double CD,[11] gramophone record,[12] double CD,[13] DVD,[14] Blu-ray disc[15] and a triple vinyl release with included DVD.[16]
Music journalist Or Barnea of Utab Music calls the concert documentary "fantastic" and notes, Clapton and his band perform on stage "like never seen before".[21]
^Paul Sexton (2015). Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall (CD / DVD Media liner notes). Eric Clapton. United Kingdom: Eagle Rock Entertainment. p. 6. EAGDV052.
^Paul Sexton (2015). Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall (CD / DVD Media liner notes). Eric Clapton. United Kingdom: Eagle Rock Entertainment. p. 7. EAGDV052.
^Paul Sexton (2015). Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall (CD / DVD Media liner notes). Eric Clapton. United Kingdom: Eagle Rock Entertainment. p. 8. EAGDV052.
^Paul Sexton (2015). Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall (CD / DVD Media liner notes). Eric Clapton. United Kingdom: Eagle Rock Entertainment. p. 9. EAGDV052.
^"BVV Medien. Marktdaten. Video Charts. TOP 10 DVD Musik" [BVV Media. Media Results. Video Charts. Top 10 Music DVDs]. GfK Entertainment (in German). Hamburg, Germany: Bundesverband Audiovisuelle Medien e.V. Archived from the original on 29 November 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^"Hong Kong Top 25 Music DVD". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Hong Kong. Hong Kong: hmv Hong Kong Ltd. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
^"DVD – 4-12-2015 a 10-12-2015". Productores de Música de España (in Spanish). Spain: Promusicae.es. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
^"Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). Sweden: Swedish Recording Industry Association. Search for "Eric Clapton" and select the DVD to see the chart positions. Retrieved 25 December 2015.