Planes, Trains and Eric won't hold as much appeal for casual fans as for Clapton diehards, since instead of a career overview, this scrapbook-style diary focuses on the 69-year-old's tour through Japan, Singapore, Bahrain, and Dubai. Clapton has told his band mates that he plans to stop touring when he turns 70. They include Steve Gadd (drums), Chris Stainton (keyboards), Paul Carrack (Hammond organ), Nathan East (bass), and Michelle John and Shar White (backing vocals), who in separate interviews say that he should reconsider (it seems likely that Clapton will continue to play a few dates on occasion, while avoiding the marathons of his past). While visiting Japan, his favorite tour stop, Clapton receives an award in recognition of his 200th performance at Budokan, a venue he has played more than any other non-Japanese artist. Since he gets to travel with his family and a personal chef who accompanies him from Tokyo to Bahrain—carrying suitcases filled with sirloin and rice—one can imagine that he might want to continue. The musical portion of the program incorporates rehearsal and sound check footage, along with 13 full-length live songs, with Clapton updating the arrangements for a few tracks, like “Tears in Heaven,” which takes on a reggae rhythm, and “Cocaine,” faster and funkier here than in the recorded version. Other fan favorites include “Layla,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Crossroads,” “Wonderful Tonight,” and “High Time We Went.” Presented in DTS 5.0, Dolby Digital 5.0 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.0 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include a pair of bonus music tracks. A strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)
Eric Clapton: Planes, Trains and Eric
(2014) 156 min. DVD: $14.98, Blu-ray: $19.98. Eagle Rock Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Volume 30, Issue 1
Eric Clapton: Planes, Trains and Eric
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