An official video of Cream performing their epic 1968 anthem “White Room” during the supergroup’s historic 2005 series of reunion concerts at Royal Albert Hall in London has debuted on YouTube. The clip features guitarist Eric Clapton and bassist Jack Bruce in great form as they trade off on lead vocals, while drummer Ginger Baker drives the song with his powerful beats and eclectic fills.
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The performance, which took place on May 3, 2005, also features a blistering solo from Clapton. “White Room” appeared on Cream’s third album, Wheels Of Fire. The song peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 28 on the U.K. singles chart.
The video’s premiere coincides with the release of a 20th anniversary reissue of the Cream live album Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005. The 19-song collection is available now as a three-LP vinyl set and a two-CD package. The LPs are pressed on blue-and-green-splatter vinyl, while the CDs are blue and orange.
Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005 originally was released in October 2005 as a two-CD set. The songs were culled from the last three shows Cream played during the engagement. The album reached No. 59 on the Billboard 200 and No. 61 on the U.K. chart.
A video featuring the performances was released on DVD at the same time.
More About Cream’s 2005 Reunion Concerts
The 2005 Royal Albert Hall performances marked the first time Clapton, Bruce, and Baker had played full concerts together since the band’s farewell show at the same venue on November 26, 1968.
The only other time the three musicians had all performed together since 1968 was when Cream was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That took place at a ceremony in Los Angeles in January 1993.
The May 2005 shows featured a mix of originals and blues covers, mainly from the band’s four original albums—Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels Of Fire (1968), and Goodbye (1969).
The 2005 concerts included performances of three songs Cream had never played live before. The first was “Pressed Rat And Warthog,” a song co-written by Baker that first appeared on Wheels Of Fire. The second was “Badge,” a U.K. hit that Clapton co-wrote with George Harrison and that was featured on Goodbye. The third tune was a cover of the 1947 T-Bone Walker blues classic “Stormy Monday,” which Cream never recorded.
Among the classic Cream songs performed at the shows were the band’s interpretations of the blues tunes “I’m So Glad,” “Born Under a Bad Sign,” and “Crossroads,” and the originals “Politician,” “Sunshine of Your Love,” and the aforementioned “White Room.”
Cream also played three more reunion concerts in October 2005, at Madison Square Garden on New York City. The shows took place on October 24, 25, and 26. The October 26 concert was the last performance ever by the band.
Clapton is the last surviving member of the power trio. Bruce died in October 2014 from liver cancer at the age of 71. Baker passed away in October 2019 from complications of COPD at age 80.
Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6 2005 Track List:
- “I’m So Glad”
- “Spoonful”
- “Outside Woman Blues”
- “Pressed Rat And Warthog”
- “Sleepy Time Time”
- “N.S.U.”
- “Badge”
- “Politician”
- “Sweet Wine”
- “Rollin’ And Tumblin’”
- “Stormy Monday”
- “Deserted Cities Of The Heart”
- “Born Under A Bad Sign”
- “We’re Going Wrong”
- “Crossroads”
- “White Room”
- “Toad”
- “Sunshine Of Your Love”
- “Sleepy Time Time” (Alternate)
(Photo by Luciano Viti/Getty Images)
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