Cream 2005: Live at the Royal Albert Hall on DVD

May 2, 3, 5, and 6, 2005.  A momentous date for thousands of baby boomers, and young fans alike, who gathered at the Royal Albert Hall in London to witness history being made—rather, history being replayed.  Onstage were three lads, graying and mellowed with age, but nevertheless some of the three most influential musicians of the revolutionary 60s.  Cream is often touted as the world’s first supergroup, and their reunion in mid 2005 transports us back to the heyday of radical youth and rabid psychedelia.

With the musical genius of Jack Bruce, the smooth, flawless execution of Eric “Slowhand” Clapton and the creative, unyielding beats of Ginger Baker, Cream shocked the musical scene of the '60s.  The first group to take the power trio to unimaginable heights, they experimented with jazz-rock progressions and psychedelic compositions, becoming notorious for their extended solos and impromptu jam sessions.  Cream only lasted together for three years, because the ambitions and capabilities of each member easily exceeded that of the group, but they’ve produced a catalog of material that has far outlasted their tenure and elevated them to god-like status among fans and fellow musicians. 

The Cream reunion concerts show the finesse of each musician, and it is quite surprising to see how at ease each of them is with the music, considering they haven’t played together for more than a quarter century.  Throughout the concert, it feels like they haven’t stopped playing together at all, and it only shows their expert musicianship.  The 2 DVD set contains select performances from the four dates they played at the Royal Albert Hall, which includes most of the hits, standards and a few lesser known numbers from the Cream catalogue.  

Cream Reunion 2005

Credit: Rhino