Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Nile Rodgers, Steve Winwood, Others Play Cream & Blind Faith Songs At Ginger Baker Tribute: Watch

Last year, Ginger Baker, the legendary drum monster behind Cream, died at the age 80. Since Jack Bruce died in 2014, that leaves Eric Clapton as the last surviving member Cream. Last night, in tribute to Baker, Clapton got together an all-star band his contemporaries and played a set full Cream classics.

When Clapton announced the shortly after Baker’s death, he didn’t say who all would be performing. He came through with the big guns. The band who played the 15-song tribute set last night at London’s Eventim Apollo was heavy on starpower. As Ultimate Classic Rock points out, Clapton shared the stage with Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, Chic’s Nile Rodgers, the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, the Small Faces Kenney Jones, and the former Roxy Music/Squeeze member Paul Carrack. Steve Winwood, who played with both Clapton and Baker in Blind Faith, also took part, as did Baker’s son Ki, who did not get along with his father very well.

At the start the evening, Clapton acknowledged that Ginger Baker was a difficult man: “He was a scoundrel, but I loved him, and he loved me, and that was that.” Still, the vibe the evening was warm and congenial, and there were big singalongs from the crowd that come through even on fan-made phone videos. The band mostly played Cream songs, but they also ran through a handful Blind Faith numbers, as well as covers Buddy Holly’s “Well All Right” and Robert Johnson’s “Cross Road Blues.” Below, watch a few videos from the show, Ultimate Classic Rock, and check out the setlist.

SETLIST:
01 “Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream) (with Roger Waters)
02 “Strange Brew” (Cream) (with Roger Waters)
03 “White Room (Cream) (with Roger Waters, Ronnie Wood, and Kenney Jones)
04 “I Feel Free” (Cream) (with Nile Rodgers and Paul Carrack)
05 “Tales Of Brave Ulysses” (Cream) (with Nile Rodgers)
06 “Sweet Wine” (Cream) (with Paul Carrack and Will Johns)
07 “Blue Condition” (Cream)
08 “Badge” (Cream) (with Ronnie Wood and Henry Spinetti)
09 “Pressed Rat And Wart Hog” (Cream) (with Ki Baker)
10 “Had To Cry Today (Blind Faith) (with Steve Winwood, Nile Rodgers, and Ki Baker)
11 “Presence Of The Lord” (Blind Faith) (with Steve Winwood, Nile Rodgers, and Ki Baker)
12 “Can’t Find My Way Home” (Blind Faith) (with Steve Winwood, Nile Rodgers, and Ki Baker)
13 “Well All Right” (Buddy Holly) (with Nile Rodgers and Winwood)
14 “Do What You Like” / “Toad” (Blind Faith) (with Steve Winwood, Ronnie Wood, Nile Rodgers, and Ki Baker)
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15 “Cross Road Blues” (Robert Johnson) (with everyone)