In 1963, a teenage prodigy named Eric Clapton joined The Yardbirds.
Now, 63 short years later, that kid — who ended up becoming a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Rolling Stone’s second greatest guitarist of all time — is still going strong.
Case in point, come September, Slowhand returns to the road for his annual late summer concert tour at arenas all over North America.
This time around, the former Cream/Blind Faith/Derek and the Dominos/Yardbirds/John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers axeman is playing six Midwest venues with special guest Jimmie Vaughan. The shows are scheduled to take place at:
Little Caesars Arena
Detroit, MI
Sunday, Sept. 6
Heritage Bank Center
Cincinnati, OH
Tuesday, Sept. 8
United Center
Chicago, IL
Friday, Sept. 11
Fiserv Forum
Milwaukee, WI
Sunday, Sept. 13
Grand Casino Arena
St. Paul, MN
Tuesday, Sept. 15
T-Mobile Center
Kansas City, MO
Thursday, Sept. 17
Last year, Clapton headlined at NYC’s Madison Square Garden on Sept. 19. According to Set List FM, he played 11 electric and five acoustic songs at the Big Apple gig. Notable tracks to make the cut that evening included Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla,” Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” and Cream’s “White Room” and “Sunshine of Your Love.”
“…Eric’s voice is in full swing, his guitar is fierce, and the other band members are on point,” Jazz Blues reported in a review of the show.
“[When] the Garden fills with the sound of that one guitar, Clapton’s Stratocaster,…the feeling is indescribable.”
Need to cross seeing the living legend off your bucket list?
Tickets officially go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 6 at 10 am local time through Ticketmaster but are available now on trusted secondary market sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats.
We only recommend sites with a 100% buyer guarantee, so you know your transaction is safe and your tickets will arrive on time.
Eric Clapton tickets
Inventory to see Eric Clapton live is available on all verified ticketing sites.
We recommend checking out StubHub, Ticketmaster and Vivid Seats to find the seats that makes the most sense for you.
Eric Clapton tour schedule 2026
A complete calendar including all North American tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.
Eric Clapton set list
Last September, the classic rocker took the stage at MSG. Based on our findings at Set List FM, here’s what he performed live that evening.
Electric
01.) “White Room” (Cream song)
02.) “Key to the Highway” (Charles Segar cover)
03.) “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” (Willie Dixon cover)
04.) “Sunshine of Your Love” (Cream song)
Acoustic
05.) “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” (Jimmy Cox cover)
06.) “Kind Hearted Woman Blues” (Robert Johnson cover)
07.) “The Call” (Bob Neuwirth cover)
08.) “Layla” (Derek and the Dominos song)
09.) “Can’t Find My Way Home” (Blind Faith song)
10.) “Tears in Heaven”
Electric
11.) “Badge” (Cream song)
12.) “Old Love”
13.) “Cross Road Blues” (Robert Johnson cover)
14.) “Little Queen of Spades” (Robert Johnson cover)
15.) “Got to Get Better in a Little While” (Derek and the Dominos song)
Encore
16.) “Cocaine” (J.J. Cale cover)
Eric Clapton new music
On Oct. 4, 2024, Clapton released his 22nd studio album “Meanwhile.”
The record, his first non-holiday effort since 2016, is a laid-back, bluesy affair featuring high-profile collaborators like Van Morrison, Bradley Walker and the late Jeff Beck.
For those who have yet to hear the offering, we suggest starting with the stunning, high-flying cover of “Moon River” (with Beck), jaunty stomper “One Woman” and fiery “Stand and Deliver” (with Van Morrison).
If you’d like to give the album a spin, you can find the sturdy “Meanwhile” here.
More recently, Slowhand dropped a deluxe version of 1989’s “Meanwhile” with four bonus tracks. Wanna revisit? Click here to give them a listen.
Jimmie Vaughan
Jimmie Vaughan is a guitar legend in his own right as well.
Originally from Austin, TX, Vaughan is known for operatic blues rock that he’s been playing since the late ’60s when his band opened for Jimi Hendrix.
In the seven decades since, he’s released 18 albums with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Vaughan Brothers (with the late Stevie Ray), and as a solo artist.
You can hear his back catalog here.
Want to see him live? He has five solo shows scheduled this year.
Eric Clapton band members
According to Ultimate Classic Rock, here’s who will join Clapton on the road this year.
Nathan East – bass / vocals
Sonny Emory – drums
Doyle Bramhall II – guitar / vocals
Tim Carmon – Hammond organ/keyboards
Chris Stainton – keyboards
Sharon White – vocals
Katie Kissoon – vocals
Classic rockers on tour in 2026
Rock and roll is here to stay (for now).
Need receipts?
Check out just five of the biggest stars in their 70s and 80s still kicking it on the road this year.
• Bruce Springsteen
• Robert Plant
• The Eagles
• Paul Simon
• Bob Dylan
Who else is out there? Take a look at our list of all the biggest classic rockers on tour in 2026 to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.