Eric Clapton is playing a string of gigs in Europe and the UK at the moment. Kicking off his three night run at London’s Royal Albert Hall, he treated his fans to something no one’s ever seen before.
While Clapton hasn’t embarked on any major tours since 2013, he often plays small strings of shows in major parts of the world. During these shows, it’s not uncommon for the iconic artist to whip out a rare performance or song. But the crowd at RAH were privy to something particularly special.
Earlier this week, Eric Clapton treated fans at London’s Royal Albert Hall to a blistering version of Prince’s Purple Rain, featuring a killer guitar solo.
Rounding off his set, fans were stunned by a brilliant cover of Prince’s Purple Rain. This is not only the first time he’s ever played that particular track, but his first Prince cover of any sort. Also featured was a cover of Que Sera Sera in honour of the late Doris Day, and a rare electric version of Layla.
The absolutely killer set also included Tearing Us Apart for the first time since 2011, Change the World for the first time since 2004, and Holy Mother for the first time since 2003.
Following Prince’s passing in 2016, Clapton posted a particularly touching tribute, crediting Purple Rain as the “bolt of lightning” that reinvigorated his hope for the future of music.
Catch the video below.