Khaki Blues

Even if Eric Clapton's post-1989 offerings include such lowlights as "My Father's Eyes" and "Tears in Heaven," the guitar legend has earned the right to sing all the adult contemporary fare he wants. He could cover Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," fuse it into John Lennon's "Imagine" and cut to a rapping Kevin Federline before singing a tender chorus of appreciation for Donald Rumsfeld and he'd still be worthy of our respect--because this is the guy who sang and played guitar on "Layla." As a member of the Derek and the Dominoes supergroup with Duane Allman, Clapton also gave us the immortal rock album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, an incredibly heartbreaking LP inspired by Clapton's affair with George Harrison's wife. I would like to have been a fly on the wall when Harrison first heard "Bell Bottom Blues." Awkward. Before that epic gig, Clapton starred in the first real hard rock band, Cream, who gave us such staples as "Badge," "White Room" and an epic cover of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads." Even when he slowed it down with "Lay Down Sally" and "Promises," Clapton still brought it. Then he sold his soul to Michelob. The man himself plays the American Airlines Center at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $60 to $100. Vist ticketmaster.com.
Wed., Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.