Disc 1:  The Core, Worried Life Blues, Wonderful Tonight, Lay Down Sally, Rodeo Man, Fool's Paradise, Cocaine, Double Trouble

Disc 2:  Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out, Badge, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Key To The Highway, Layla, Bottle Of Red Wine, Forever Young (Bob Dylan w/Eric Clapton)

During the summer in 1978 Eric Clapton supported Bob Dylan for three big festivals in Europe.  The first two, on July 23rd at Stadion Feyenoord in Rotterdam and July 1st at Zeppelinfeld in Nürnberg were on the continent.  The third, and by far the largest was on July 23rd at the Blackbushe Aeorodome in Surrey.  With an estimated 200,000 attendees, The Picnic is one of the largest rock festivals in England's history and was his first performance in England in 1978.  Blackbushe is an early Beano title and is the first compact disc release of Eric Clapton's complete set at The Picnic.  This tape probably comes from the same one as the Dylan set but it is much better sounding.  Beano tweaked and remastered the tape heavily with the audience applause sounding tinny.  There are also fluctuations in the quality that is common to tapes made in an outdoor venue.  However it is a very enjoyable listen of a great concert by Clapton and his band.  His entire set is present and the label include as a bonus "Forever Young" from Dylan's set since Clapton joined him onstage for that number including the recent Thinman release Blackbushe 1978 (Thinman-018/19). 

The order of the artists that day ran Merger, Lake, Graham Parker & The Rumour, Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading and Bob Dylan.  It is curious that Clapton wasn't in the pre-Dylan slot but instead played earlier.  The set is identical to the latter half of the US tour with "The Core" serving as the opener and Marcy Levy singing two songs, "Fool's Paradise" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out."  Clapton dedicates "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" to "the star of the show".  In an article titled "Blackbushe Festival - Nice To See Ya, Bob", Phil Sutcliffe observed,  "Not exactly what you might call ideal reviewing conditions but the lack of any visual aid at least increased the concentration on the sound to compensate. And Clapton sounded good! Vocally he seemed relaxed and more confident and instrumentally he exercised a control over his band that I haven't heard before and displayed a refreshing appetite that meant that George Terry was relegated to a strictly supporting role except for the occasional solo. Tough on Terry it may be but it's definitely encouraging for Clapton.

"We got four songs from Slowhand, opening up with 'The Core' which put the band into immediate focus as they growled around the central riff before Levy and Clapton began chewing the vocal cud between them. All the makings of a fine set were in evidence by the time they hit the chorus line and the solo passage confirmed the promise. Clapton's guitar, resonant with occasional twangy edges, contrasted well with Terry's milder tone and they worked the same trick again on 'Lay Down Sally' which rolled along with a positively lascivious gait to judge from the energetic gyrations of two liggerettes in front of me. By the time they got to 'Cocaine' the band were in prime condition with Jamie Oldaker's drumming filling every corner of the song.  Even 'Wonderful Tonight' where the sentiments – sweet and tender – were altogether different, had a sure poised presentation."  (Sounds, 22 July 1978).  Blackbushe was one of the first batch of Beano titles to be released several years ago and comes packaged with several pictures of the event including his joining Dylan onstage.  It is limited to three hundred numbered copies (something which Beano and related labels don't do anymore) and stands as among their very best productions.