Boston 2025: Eric Clapton Welcomes Jerry Portnoy Onstage
16 Sep 25
Exactly three years after his last Boston concert, Eric Clapton returned to TD Garden on Tuesday night, captivating the crowd with a setlist that spanned blues, ballads, and favorites from across his career.
Eric’s ties to Boston go back to 1967, when Cream played a 9-night run at the Psychedelic Supermarket. The band returned in March and April 1968 for shows at Brandeis University and the Back Bay Theatre, followed by a Boston Garden stop that October during their farewell tour. In February 1970, Derek and the Dominos performed two nights at the Boston Tea rave. Eric’s first solo show in the city was on July 12, 1974, at the Boston Garden. Tonight marked his 21st solo concert in Greater Boston, including 10 performances at Mansfield’s outdoor venue.
To the audience’s delight, Eric welcomed blues harmonica great Jerry Portnoy to the stage for “Drifting” and “Kind Hearted Woman” at the start of the acoustic set. A Chicago native, he rose to prominence with the Muddy Waters Blues Band and the Legendary Blues Band, and over his decades-long career has performed with a who’s who of the blues world. Jerry first met Eric in 1978 when Muddy Waters supported Eric’s tour, and later joined Eric’s band from 1993 to 1996.
The Boston set list was:
01. White Room
02. Key To The Highway
03. Hoochie Coochie Man
04. Sunshine Of Your Love
05. Drifting – with Jerry Portnoy
06. Kind Hearted Woman – with Jerry Portnoy
07. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
08. Layla
09. Can’t Find My Way Home (Nathan East – vocals)
10. Tears In Heaven
11. Badge
12. Old Love
13. Crossroads
14. Little Queen Of Spades
15. Got To Get Better
16. Cocaine
Eric’s veteran band for all US dates features Nathan East (bass/vocals), Doyle Bramhall II (guitar/vocals), Sonny Emory (drums), Chris Stainton (keyboards), Tim Carmon (Hammond organ/keyboards), and backing vocalists Sharon White and Katie Kissoon.
Only two stops remain on Eric’s 2025 Tour: Friday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City and Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Ticketmaster is the official ticket partner for both shows.
The Wallflowers opened.
Eric Clapton – 2025 U.S. Tour Dates
Friday, September 19 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Saturday, September 20 – Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
Follow Where’s Eric! on Facebook for set lists, photos, and more.
Visit the Eric Clapton Tour Archive to learn more about past concerts.
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