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Upcoming Eric Clapton dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Clapton seating in brief: straight on, a little high
The best seat for an Eric Clapton concert is in the lower bowl facing the stage. From there you see the whole band, the screens show close-ups of his guitar, and you sit near the soundboard, where the mix is set and sounds most even. This is a show people come to listen to, so sound and a clear sightline matter more than being in the front row.
His recent North American visits have been short arena runs with an end stage (the stage across one end of the floor). Check the seat map on your event to confirm the layout before you buy.
Floor, sideline and upper level, ranked
- Lower bowl, facing the stage: the top choice for view and sound together.
- Front floor rows: the closest you can get. Confirm on the map that the floor has chairs rather than standing room. Past the middle of the floor, the flat surface means you are looking at the backs of heads.
- Lower-bowl sides near the stage: raised and close, with a good angle on the band. The seats tucked right against the stage edge can lose part of the view to speaker stacks.
- Upper level, center: the value tier, and a better experience here than at a loud rock show, because the crowd stays seated and listens.
A long show is easier from an aisle seat in the lower bowl, especially for anyone with mobility concerns. Check the venue's accessible seating options when you buy.
A night built on the playing
A Clapton concert is a musician's show: an experienced band, extended guitar solos, a set leaning on the blues and the songs that made his name, and little in the way of spectacle. "Layla" remains a centerpiece. Much of the audience sits and listens, standing for the biggest songs. Fans who came for the guitar work get the most out of it.
He has cut back from full tours. After being diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage that can cause pain in the limbs) in 2013, he said in 2014 that touring had become unbearable and that he planned to stop regular roadwork. Since then he has played short, spaced-out runs; in 2019, for instance, he gave 17 concerts in Japan, Europe and the southwestern US between April and September. Because each run is brief, do not count on a second chance in your region soon.
Royal Albert Hall nights and recent runs
- Royal Albert Hall, London: more than 200 performances since a debut there in December 1964, including seven nights between May 14 and 23, 2015, for his 70th birthday.
- Madison Square Garden, May 2015: two New York birthday concerts, on May 1 and 3.
- Crossroads Guitar Festival: a multi-artist event he has hosted periodically since 1999 to support the Crossroads Centre, the addiction-recovery facility he founded in Antigua in 1998.
- 2021 and 2022: eight shows in the southern US in September 2021, then seven US dates with Jimmie Vaughan in 2022.
- September 2023: five arena dates with Vaughan as special guest, running from Pittsburgh's PPG Paints Arena on the 8th through Toronto, St. Louis and St. Paul to Ball Arena in Denver on the 16th.
- 2023, Jeff Beck tribute: concerts at the Royal Albert Hall honoring the late guitarist.
His latest album, Meanwhile, came out digitally on October 4, 2024, and on CD and vinyl on January 24, 2025. For dates on sale now, see the event list on this page.
Why Clapton dates go quickly
Few shows and a big, loyal audience keep demand high for every date.
- Short runs: recent North American visits have been five to eight shows, so one date may cover a whole region.
- Quick on-sales: the September 2023 shows were announced on March 27 and went on sale four days later at 10 a.m. local time, and the best lower-bowl seats tend to go in the first hours of a sale.
- Travelers: because dates are rare, many buyers come from other cities, which adds pressure to weekend shows.
- Resale afterward: once the first sale ends, most of the better remaining seats are on the secondary market, priced above or below face value and shifting as the date approaches.
Reserved Seat orders ship free. Announcements are posted on ericclapton.com.
Yardbirds, Cream and Slowhand
Eric Clapton was born on March 30, 1945, in Ripley, Surrey. His path ran through the Yardbirds (1963 to 1965), John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers (1965 to 1966), Cream (1966 to 1968), Blind Faith (1969) and Derek and the Dominos (1970 to 1971), the band behind "Layla." Solo, he is known for "Tears in Heaven" and the 1992 Unplugged album. He holds 18 Grammy Awards, was appointed CBE in 2004, and Rolling Stone ranked him No. 2 among the greatest guitarists. He is the only artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times: solo, with the Yardbirds and with Cream. The nickname Slowhand came from crowds slow-handclapping as he replaced broken strings onstage.
Frequently asked questions
Is the floor seated at an Eric Clapton concert?
Often, but confirm on the seat map for your event. Even when it is seated, the floor is flat, so rows past the middle see less than the lower bowl.
Are upper-level seats worth it for Eric Clapton?
Upper-level center seats are a good value at his shows, because the crowd sits and listens and the screens show close-ups of the guitar work.
How often does Eric Clapton play the US?
He plays short runs rather than full tours. Recent North American visits have been five to eight shows at a time, such as five arena dates in September 2023.
What is the Crossroads Guitar Festival?
A multi-artist guitar festival Clapton has hosted periodically since 1999, supporting the addiction-recovery center he founded in Antigua in 1998.
How did Eric Clapton get the name Slowhand?
Audiences slow-handclapped while he changed broken guitar strings onstage early in his career.