Old Slowhand not ready to slow down yet

NO SLOWING down for slowhand Eric Clapton at the O2. He’s a ripe old 66 by now, but Eric Clapton never seems to tire of showing the rest of us just how good a guitar player he is. It’s been a long time since he was nicknamed “God”, but those fingers still move with almost divine dexterity.

There's a track on Eric Clapton's new album entitled Rocking Chair, but don't let it fool you – ol' Slowhand isn't quite ready to slow down yet, and he's gonna be busy taking care of business throughout the rest of the year, with dates in Belfast and Glasgow, and an 11-night run at London's Albert Hall this month, five of those in the company of his old mate (and bandmate in Blind Faith) Stevie Winwood.

This is Clapton’s third visit to Ireland in four years, and the start of the second leg of his 2011 world tour.

His new, self-titled album features guest appearances by Winwood, JJ Cale, Allen Toussaint and Wynton Marsalis, and also from old girlfriend Sheryl Crow, whose song My Favourite Mistakeis all about Eric. Clapton's tangled love life has inspired many of his own songs, including Layla(about his love for George Harrison's girlfriend Patti Boyd, whom he later married), but he's currently enjoying married bliss with his wife Melia, with whom he has three daughters. Tragedy has also provided painful inspiration, most famously on Tears In Heaven, about his four-year-old son Conor who died in 2002 when he fell from a balcony at his mother's New York home.

Last night’s gig featured a line-up of top-notch musicians, including keyboard player Chris Stainton, bassist Willie Weeks and drummer Steve Gadd. Clapton is usually accompanied by a young guitar-toting sidekick, but this time round he’s handling guitar duties himself – maybe he couldn’t find anyone who could keep up with him.

He featured old favourites such as I Shot The Sheriff, Wonderful Tonightand, of course, Layla. Clapton shuffled onstage at 9pm. Key to the Highwayis a bluesy, mid-tempo opener; Going Down Slowtrundles along slowly, but Clapton fires off a killer solo to close the song. Hoochie Coochie Manis a typical Clapton workout, but Old Lovefinds Clapton really firing up the guitar. I Shot The Sheriffis a crowd-pleasing classic, but Clapton has a surprise up his T-shirt sleeve: a fine version of Gary Moore's Still Got The Blues For You, a fitting a tribute to the late Irish guitarist.