Made In Holland (Tarantura TCDEC – 15 -1, 2)
Groenoordhall, Leiden, Netherlands – June 11,1977
Disc 1: Sign Language, Alberta, I Shot The Sheriff, Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, Can’t Find My Way Home, Key To The Highway, Tell The Truth
Disc 2: Badge, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out, Have You Ever Loved A Woman, Steady Rollin’ Man, Layla (fade out)
Made In Holland from Tarantura features a good to very good audience source that unfortunately runs about 4 to 5% too fast. The tape is a bit thin sounding, lacking mostly bass, but is clear with the remaining instruments present in the mix. As with Tarantura’s Purple Haze release from Shizuoka 1975, which ran way too slow, the recording really needs to be speed corrected to be fully enjoyed.
The show fades in at the start of “Sign Language” and this and “Alberta” features Eric on acoustic guitar with George Terry handling the lead parts. George takes a very cool and inventive solo in “Sign Language” and by “Alberta” your ears have fully adjusted to the sound. “I Shot The Sheriff” is the first track with Clapton on electric guitar and his solo at the end is blistering, with some cool interaction from Dick Sims on organ. Eric introduces the next track as “Knocking On The Bathroom Door” which has a nice laid back feel. “Can’t Find My Way Home” features Yvonne Elliman on lead vocal and both this and “Knockin” have some added harmonic from Marcy Levy.
“Key To The Highway” picks thing up again and has a cut about three quarters of the way through, unfortunately right in the middle of a sweet sounding Leslie guitar solo. “Tell The Truth” is stretched out to over ten minutes which was typical for this one, much to the crowds liking. After “Badge”, Eric says “We’ll be right back” and the tape returns a few seconds into Marcy’s lead vocal spotlight “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out”. “Have You Ever Loved A Woman” delivers thirteen plus minutes of slow heartfelt blues and “Layla”, which contains almost the entire performance, has the band really feeding off each other but fades just as Clapton goes back to the signature licks to end the track.
A set list also attributed to this show has “Hello Old Friend”, “I Shot The Sheriff”, “Can’t Find My Way Home”, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, “Badge”, and “Layla” but an alternate tape is unconfirmed. It is always a possibility someone is hoarding “Hello Old Friend” from this source too. Despite the speed problem this is a good document with some outstanding moments during a classic era for EC that is worth the listen and is also the first release of this show on silver disc. However, an easy improvement over Made In Holland could not only speed correct this source but also include the missing parts from the alleged alternate tape.
