GRAMMY award-winning musical legend Eric Clapton playing at Al Dana Amphitheatre next month will be a dream come true for fans who pined for a bigger venue when the star dazzled Bahrain in 2014.
The 76-year-old English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter takes the stage at the magnificent musical venue on March 19.
He is expected to play a selection of music from his extensive discography, as well as his latest album The Lady in the Balcony which was released in November last year.
The performance will coincide with the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, taking place from March 18 to 20 next door to the amphitheatre at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir.
“Catering to fans of different musical genres is a passion of ours, and with the return of concerts in our new season of events, we can’t wait for our guests to enjoy a legendary night with Eric Clapton,” said Al Dana Amphitheatre chief executive Shane Chalmers.
The ‘Cream’ legend last performed in Bahrain during the Spring of Culture festival in 2014, where hundreds of fans were left disappointed when tickets sold out within a few hours of the sales kiosk opening at City Centre Bahrain.
FLASHBACK: Fans waiting in lines for ticket sales to begin at the City Centre Bahrain kiosk in 2014
Those who had been unable to get tickets for the Arad Fort show then had expressed their hopes for a bigger venue – a wish which has come true with the concert set to take place at the breath-taking 10,000-seat open-air amphitheatre.
Mr Clapton is widely considered to be one the most proficient and influential guitarists of all time, having sold more than 280 million records in just his solo career.
Mr Clapton in 2014 performing during Spring of Culture
Having started performing in 1963 at the age of 17, he has won 18 Grammy Awards after earning his first one in 1972 for The Concert for Bangladesh as Album of the Year – sharing the award with George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston and Klaus Voorman.
He quickly gained popularity to reach new heights in the 1990s with the release of Unplugged and the Grammy award-winning single, Tears In Heaven, coming nearly two decades after the unforgettable Layla. His most recent Grammy Award was in 2007 for The Road to Escondido as the Best Contemporary Blues Album (Vocal or Instrumental) – alongside JJ Cale.
His new concert will feature songs from The Lady in the Balcony album including his most recent single Heart of Child.
The concert is set to build on the amphitheatre’s successful opening in 2021, attracting more than 25,000 attendees to several international, regional and local artists’ concerts.
Renowned Bahraini-Saudi singer Rashed Al Majed performed the inaugural concert at the beau monde venue on November 5, joined by musician Walid Fayed.
International superstar Khalid Robinson then performed on December 8, followed by Arab superstars Majid Al Mohandis and Assala Nasri on December 15.
Eight days before Mr Clapton’s concert, Grammy award-winning Nashville act Kings of Leon will perform at the venue.
Tickets to the Clapton concert are now available on the amphitheatre’s official website www.aldana.com.bh
naman@gulfweekly.com
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