Guitar gods Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton have expanded their 2010 concert plans for London, England. The two musicians, who launched their early careers with separate stints in the Yard Birds and went on to build illustrious reputations, will now perform two concerts at the O2 Arena in mid-February.
Beck and Clapton first announced plans for a February 13 show at the massive arena in late September. Today, the pair followed up with the announcement of a second show on February 14, due to high demand.
Tickets for the February 13 concert went on sale to the public on September 28, priced incrementally at ₤125, ₤100, ₤75 and ₤60. All seats in the highest and lowest pricing options have sold out, but some are still available in the ₤100 and ₤75 ranges, according to the shows’ ticket seller BookingsDirect.com.
Seats at Beck and Clapton’s second show will be available to the public starting tomorrow, October 2, with the same pricing structure as the February 13 gig.
The London stand is only the second time the legendary guitarists have co-headlined a show together. The master musicians have performed at the same events previously, but it wasn’t until a pair of February 21 and 22 concerts in Japan earlier this year that they shared a double-billing.
Beck and Clapton credit that show with inspiring them to regroup around the same time next year.
“Eric and I played together in Japan earlier this year and had a blast. Since then we have been in regular contact and talked about doing a similar show for our fans,” Beck said in a statement announcing the first 2010 show.
Clapton added, “I’ve always considered Jeff Beck to be one of the finest guitar players around. He’s a friend, a great guy, and a truly gifted musician. We had such a fun time in Japan that it seemed natural to play together again.”
Over the course of the two nights in London, Beck and Clapton will perform together and apart. A statement on Clapton’s official Web site noted that, while no set list has been chosen yet, the show-ending joint set “is expected to be longer than in Japan.” The pair closed both of their Tokyo sets with approximately 40-minute jams, according to published reports.
Online reports have speculated about the possibility of the monster bill heading to U.S. stages in 2010. Following the concerts in Japan, Rolling Stone mentioned the possibility of a full co-headlining tour, including stops at Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl. However, neither artist has discussed the matter publicly.
