CLASSIC CLAPTON are the World's No1 Eric Clapton Tribute Band featuring front-man Mike Hall.
CLASSIC CLAPTON were formed in 1985 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, the home-town of The Animals, Mark Knopfler and Sting. This was long before the term “tribute band” was invented. The band originally called themselves “After Midnight” after EC’s first solo US hit. Their ability to re-create Clapton’s electrifying stage performances really caught the audience’s imagination. In guitar/vocalist Mike Hall, the band possesses a front man who not only looks like Eric, he sings and plays guitar like him too!
In 1999, Mike won a national look-alike competition held at Madam Tussauds, London. Mike has met Slowhand twice, and even received a message of encouragement from the guitar maestro (written on a Concorde menu). They are now acknowledged as The World's Number 1 Eric Clapton Tribute Band.
TYNE TEES TELEVISION were so impressed, they made a programme about them, called 'COVER THEIR TRACKS'. It was screened in the UK in 2000 and received rave reviews, leading to national recognition.
In 2001 they embarked on an extensive tour of UK Theatres. When the band started playing outside Newcastle, they had to think of a name for the show which was easily recognisable by people in other regions, who perhaps had not heard EC’s hit record "After Midnight". They called the tribute show "CLASSIC CLAPTON".
Since then, the band has toured extensively, including concerts at The Royal Festival Hall, London and a triumphant appearance at Glastonbury Festival, England in 2002. The band has toured Ireland, Scotland and Wales numerous times. They headlined an international music festival in Estonia in 2004 and were invited back for another successful concert in 2007. They also appeared at the prestigious Sotogrande Blues Festival in Spain in 2007 and were invited back to Spain to perform at The Star Café, Madrid in January 2008.
In May 2008 they played at The Acoustic Festival of Britain straight after Fairport Convention and just before Jethro Tull. In the past 23 years CLASSIC CLAPTON has become something of a rock institution.
CLASSIC CLAPTON comprises 4 excellent musicians:- Founder members Mike Hall (lead vocals/guitar) and
Vince Mason (drums). Plus John Forster on bass guitar/backing vocals and Paul Warren on keyboards.
They have released three albums. Firstly “THE MUSIC OF ERIC CLAPTON” contains brilliant cover-versions of 17 Clapton Classics. Their second album is a live double CD ''CLASSIC CLAPTON Unplugged'' recorded at Belfast Waterfront Hall. In 2005 they released their third album “CLASSIC CREAM” – featuring 20 songs made famous by the sixties supergroup. All three albums will be available for purchase at their concerts and also by email from the address below.
Eric Clapton has been a major international star since the mid 1960’s, when he revolutionised electric guitar playing with virtuoso performances in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. He has won an incredible 19 Grammies and is the only triple inductee into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of The Yardbirds, Cream and also as a solo artist).
Eric Clapton’s recent tours unfortunately have visited only a limited number of large arenas. If fans want to hear all of his hits performed in more intimate surroundings, they really should attend a CLASSIC CLAPTON concert.
The band will be performing authentic versions of all the popular Clapton Classics including Wonderful Tonight, Tears in Heaven, Crossroads, I Shot The Sheriff, Sunshine of Your Love, Lay Down Sally, Cocaine and of course Layla! There will even be an “UNPLUGGED” segment.
NEARLY 2 HOURS OF CLASSIC CLAPTON
