Cream - Royal Albert Hall - London May 2-3-5-6 2005 (2005)

Exceeded my expectations

I had seen grey-haired Clapton and absolute geezers Baker and Bruce in a cut from this DVD, on VH1 (I think). It was impressive, and I'd hoped the DVD would be worthwhile. It's fantastic, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I'm one who feels Clapton has not lived up to his potential for the past 30 years. Here, he has never been better. In an interview segment, Baker noted that he an Bruce are jazz musicians, and that they consider Clapton a jazz musician, as well. This shed light on why I've always had such a hard time considering them a rock band -- along with their leanings to blues, and some hard-to-define tracks from their albums.

The audio and video productions are first rate. Great lighting and camera angles, and the sound is full and crisp.

I made the mistake of watching a DVD of another 3-man rock hall-of-fame band soon after watching this one. By comparison, they did not come close in regard to skill, versatility, vitality and overall production. July 17, 2008

The reencounter with the best Rock trio ever existed!

The marvellous idea of gather them was fortunately recorded digitally for the posterity and the new generations to come. Royal Albert Hall was the place where they played in May 2005.

You will be able to watch how their emblematic battle songs like Crossroads, Toad, Sunshine of your love, Politician, Sitting on the top of the world and Badge were played with a freshness that really mocks about the fat than almost forty years had elapsed. Bruce in the bass, Baker with that fabulous solo in Toad or the living legend of the guitar Eric Clapton at their best, proving the quality and artistic conviction make fun of the time.

What a great CD. For you it's a must-have.
July 7, 2008

Fantastic reunion

I can't believe the talent of this band still. The energy and voices from these guys is just like it used to be. What a blast from the past. May 14, 2008

Best seat in the house

Took a chance on this on blind faith... (pun intended). I loved the fact that while they are the same people, they are NOT the same artists they were in 1969. They tackle material that must have faded in their memory with vigor, and obviously had a good time in the process. Highlights for me were We're Going Wrong (stunning) and Stormy Monday, which has the absolute BEST performance by Clapton I've ever seen or heard. It is breathtaking, and it's CREAM. I would have purchased the DVD just for this one cut alone. Play this DVD on the best system you can find, the audio is superb, and the camera work and editing are spot-on. Buy this DVD. Period. February 6, 2008

37 Years In The Making!

After 37 years apart, the original power trio is back. Cream defined the power trio that spawned later acts like ZZ Top and Rush among others, and their influence is still felt to this day. In 1966, Rock 'n Roll was moving toward a more eclectic sound incorporating more precision and improvisation. Along with Jimi Hendrix, Cream grabbed this concept by the horns. Some have said that the Jimi Hendrix Experience may have defined the power trio as well. Almost true, but The Experience was more or less a spotlight for Jimi's godlike guitar powers while Cream kept it to more of a group unit. Jack made bass playing more melodic and intricate that gave John Entwistle a good run. Ginger can be safely labeled as Rock's first true drum soloist. And Eric? Well, you have to remember, he was called God at one point here.

During their brief 2 year tenure, Cream threw everything including the kitchen sink into their work; blues, jazz, classical and psychedelia. Some of today's progressive rock buffs look at Cream as prog forefathers along with The Beatles, The Doors, Pink Floyd and others. Unfortunately, tensions mounted within the group as musical differences swelled to the point of getting physical.

Now all is forgiven and the long awaited reunion (save the R&R Hall of Fame ceremony) has come to fold. Eric, Jack and Ginger may have slowed a tad with age, but they still have the old chops. According to an interview with Eric, he said it took some practice to get back to the more fuller guitar sound for the trio after decades of playing in bigger lineups. Jack and Ginger headed more into the jazz foray after the breakup, so hard driving rock may have been a little alien to them after all these years.

Never the less, after several months of planning and rehearsals the guys put on a stellar performance at the same venue they performed their farewell concert at in 1968, the Albert Hall which ironically had future prog giants Yes open for them. Many chestnuts are performed here with the usual standards of Crossroads, Badge and, of course, the obligatory encore of Sunshine of Your Love with only White Room being the most noticeable absentee from the song list for some reason. Many less radio friendly obscure cuts are performed with gusto such as NSU, the lengthy Spoonful, Ginger's spotlight Toad and a cut they've never performed live, Pressed Rat and Wart Hog, with Ginger's only lead vocal. Too much to go over, but it's all great.

One of the things I like about this concert is that you get Cream as a unit and it is NOT presented as "Eric Clapton and Friends" being that Eric went on to a more super-stardom level than the others. In fact, Eric always being the humble man he is does his best to keep a low profile. Eveything is divided equally with playing duties and even the camera shots are spread out equally. The picture quality in the discs is terrific in high definition video cropped at a 1:85 aspect ratio. The audio is just perfect especially in DTS, Ginger's drums just thunder through. Certainly a far cry from that poorly filmed and rotted farewell concert film!

While they may have lost just a little steam over the decades, the guys can still crank it out and this reunion is worth every note of it. January 26, 2008

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