Eric Clapton / Slow Hand Japan Tour 1977 Okayamaken Taiikukan (2CDR)

CD01
01. Opening
02. The Core
03. I Shot The Sheriff
04. Double Trouble
05. Badge
06. Marcy Levi On Stage
07. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
08. Alberta
09. We're All The Way
10. Sign Language
11. Tell The Truth

CD02:
01. Stormy Wednesday (Monday)
02. Layla (edit)
03. Encore Break
-(Encore)-
04. MC
05. Further On Up The Road
06. Announcement

-(Bonus tracks: Denmark 1977 Audience Recording)-
07. Tell the Truth
08. Key to the Highway
09. Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out
10. Layla

This release captures Eric Clapton's third tour of Japan, specifically the concert held on September 27, 1977, at the Okayama Prefectural Gymnasium in Okayama. Regarding the 1977 tour, the itinerary omitted Kitakyushu (where he had performed the previous year); consequently, this Okayama show marked the southernmost point of the tour across the Kyushu and Shikoku regions. As he was just 32 years old at the time, the sound is defined by a relentless, high-energy guitar performance that he showcases to the fullest. Every single track is played with immense intensity, allowing the listener to feel the palpable tension in EC's performance. While his 2009 Japan tour featured moments where he smiled and chatted—creating a very relaxed listening experience—this release offers something different: an electrifying, high-tension atmosphere where you can fully appreciate an EC who seems somewhat on edge, leaving the listener breathless. The setlist is packed with highlights, blending hits both old and new from that era. It features an incredibly intense, exhaustive solo on "Double Trouble," as well as a deeply emotional rendition of the classic "Layla." Although it is an audience recording, the sound quality is clear; it appears to have been remastered, with the guitar parts notably emphasized. The overall balance of the recording is superb. It remains consistently stable throughout, with no noticeable fluctuations in quality. You can fully enjoy the relentless, driving guitar work of a 33-year-old Eric Clapton.