Kidman Blues: Japan Tour 1993 (Tricone 085/086)
Osaka Castle Hall, Osaka, Japan – October 19th, 1993
Disc 1 (55:34): Opening, Malted Milk, Terraplane Blues, How Long Blues, 32-20, Kidman Blues, County Jail Blues, Forty-Four, Blues Leave Me Alone, Tell Me Mama, White Room, Badge, Wonderful Tonight
Disc 2 (55:53): Stone Free, Circus Left Town, Tears In Heaven, Crossroads, Tearing Us Apart, Groaning The Blues, Cocaine, Ain’t Nobody’s Business, Layla
Eric Clapton’s second show in Osaka on the Japan Tour 1993 was previously released on discs three and four of Soul Survivors (Mid Valley 712/713). Kidman Blues features a new audience recording made by the same guy who recorded all the other shows on this tour. This recording is a bit closer to the stage than the one for the first night in Osaka and is much more clear, powerful and well balanced.
The only noticeable cut is between “Tell Me Mama” and “White Room.”
Clapton didn’t deviate from the set list so the structure remains the same. The first half of the show begins with older blues covers starting with Robert Johnson’s “Malted Milk” and “Terraplane Blues.”
They proceed into piano based numbers by Big Maceo Merriweather Clapton claims. Chris Stainton really distinguishes himself, playing very aggressive piano in “Kidman Blues.” The first half of the show ends with a spectacular cover of Little Walter’s “Tell Me Mama.” It’s always fun to listen to Clapton cover these old blues numbers because he truly shows respect and appreciation for his source material.
Just as the first half ran in rough chronological order, so does the second half by opening with two Cream songs, “White Room” and “Badge.” The latter segues perfectly into a gentle and delicate version of “Wonderful Tonight.”
The Jimi Hendrix cover “Stone Free,” another inspiration for Clapton, sounds wild as it degenerates into sonic confusion. The two song solo acoustic set, “Circus Left Town” and “Tears In Heaven” (with attendant applause) form an interesting contrast.
They follow with the rearranged “Crossroads” and “Tearing Us Apart” with trumpets blaring. “Cocaine” closes the set and the encores are “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” and “Layla.”
Kidman Blues is packaged in a double slimline jewel case with the same interior photos and same design on the cover as the others in the Japan Tour 1993 series. While not obviously better or worse than other shows, this is a very nice concert with aggressive playing in clear sound quality and is worth having.
