When England first caught on to the infectious grooves of blues music, arguably one guitarist stood out from the pack: Eric Clapton. From his early days in the Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, all the way through to his current solo work, there’s no denying that Clapton is a master of the blues guitar. Slowhand celebrates his 71st birthday today, and we wanted to celebrate with some classic footage.

In years past, March in New York City always meant one thing… The Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon Theatre. While the band isn’t touring (for now), there’s a ton of great footage around to help with our nostalgia. One particular performance caught our eye today; a March 19th, 2009 show featuring the work of Clapton for an entire set. Along with special guest spots from Susan Tedeschi and Danny Louis, it’s the work between Clapton and ABB guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks that truly shines.

Watch this exciting performance below, courtesy of cleric131+

Happy Birthday Clapton!

Setlist: The Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon Theatre, New York, NY – 3/19/09

Introduction, Key To The Highway, Dreams, Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad, Little Wing, Anyday, Layla, Ending