POP MUSIC REVIEW : George Harrison Joins Eric Clapton but Can’t Save Forum Show

If you were Eric Clapton, how would you cap off a surprise appearance by the stage-shy George Harrison during your show?

The encore appearance of Harrison on Tuesday at the Forum was itself a magic moment--starting with just the two rock giants at center stage for a brief, lovingly casual jam on a standard blues riff before Clapton’s band joined in for sparkling versions of the Clapton-associated classics “Crossroads” and “Sunshine of Your Love” (the latter featuring a playful Clapton throwing in licks from “Strangers in the Night” and Harrison’s “Something”).

How would you follow that? Maybe with an instrumental of Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”? Or a jam on the Harrison-Clapton co-composition “Badge”?

Either would have transformed the event into a truly historic occasion.

But a drum solo ?

That’s what the packed house got, as Clapton, Harrison and band left drummer Steve Ferrone and colorful percussionist Ray Cooper to wrap up the show with the hoariest of arena-rock traditions, effectively bursting the bubble.

That questionable turn of events was typical of a poorly paced show seemingly designed to cut the legs from under Clapton’s status as one of rock’s true greats.

Bad sign No. 1: Even before the show began, the stage set-up made it clear that Clapton was going to surround himself with a large ensemble, rather than use the minimal-backing format in which he generally shines brightest.

In recent tours Clapton (who also appears tonight at the San Diego Sports Arena and Friday at the Pacific Amphitheatre) has had superstar-guest-band-members to diffuse the attention (Phil Collins one tour, Mark Knopfler the next). This time he was hiding himself in a highly arranged group of slick pros.

Bad sign No. 2: As the house lights dimmed, the audience was fed a tape of a slow-as-molasses, orchestrated version of the instrumental coda from “Layla.” Instantly, the elegant rock/blues epiphany was reduced to pop kitsch.

Bad sign No. 3: The show began with three competent but unexciting songs written by Jerry Williams taken from Clapton’s latest album “Journeyman,” followed by three rousing but predictable oldies. That proved pretty much the makeup of the whole show.

There were some fine peaks: Clapton’s solo on Bo Diddley’s “Before You Accuse,” for example, contained all the transcendently economical passion of his greatest playing, while the loosey-goosey riffing on Sly & the Family Stone’s funky “Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin” during the band introductions injected a needed dose of devil-may-care into the show. And to Clapton’s credit, he never really pandered to the adoring audience, remaining a gracious and appreciative performer as he stood still at center stage, cloaking himself in music he seems to truly love.

But most highs of the show were immediately followed by some sort of comedown, most annoyingly the little atmospheric interludes that linked many of the numbers. Even the traditional set-closer “Layla,” nearly redeemed from the syrupy preliminary tape, deteriorated into a pro forma arena showpiece, complete with cheesy BOOM-boom BOOM-boom BOOM-boom ending.

For the most part, the crowd seemed ready and willing to shower adulation on Clapton no matter what he did, just because of who he is--hardly the kind of environment that pushes an artist to new achievements.

But some, though, having seen the gleam of that moment when Clapton and Harrison stood alone, trading sparkling guitar licks, were left to dream of what could have been.