Great solos, but Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck fail to strike a chord

But as Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton’s performance at the O2 proved, two is not always better than one.

Beck, who took over lead guitar duties from Clapton in Sixties group The Yardbirds, got things off to the best possible start. Wearing a sleeveless white T-shirt and shades, the 65-year-old still looked every inch the rock’n’roller as he ploughed through his eclectic set.

Backed by a brilliant band and full orchestra, he played several tracks from his forthcoming album, Emotion & Commotion, including a gorgeous take on Corpus Christi Carol. Cameos from Sharon Corr on Mná na hÉireann, and Imelda May on Lilac Wine added musical and visual interest, though it was Beck who drew the standing ovation for an audacious take on The Beatles’ A Day In The Life. Even if Nessun Dorma took us deep into Brian May territory, it was hard not to be impressed by the guitarist’s fearless approach.

If Beck had taken us to outer space, Clapton made the arena feel as intimate as his front room. Seated with an acoustic guitar, the 64-year-old turned Nobody Loves You When You’re Down And Out into the most unlikely of Valentine’s Day singalongs.

When Clapton went electric, however, too much time was dedicated to dreary blues standards — a crime from an artist with such an enviable back catalogue. I Shot The Sheriff (which edged the hotly contested guitar solo of the night competition) was a highlight. There should have been more.

And so to the mouth-watering finales: Clapton and Beck on stage together. From the first chord, however, it was clear they were suffering from what one might describe as the Lampard/Gerrard problem: two great players who can’t play together. And if Clapton sounded like he was playing at home in Shake Your Money Maker, Beck was very much away — his playing yearned to break free from the confines of the 12-bar blues.

So ill-fitting was the dynamic that it was almost a relief when they reached Hi Ho Silver Lining, Beck’s novelty hit. When it comes to virtuoso guitarists, one is company and two’s a crowd.

Jeff Beck & Eric Clapton
The O2 Arena
Peninsula Square, Greenwich, SE10 0DX