The “inspiring” 2005 reunion Ringo Starr declared the best show of all time
Ringo Starr has named Cream’s 2005 reunion at London’s Royal Albert Hall the best concert he had ever attended. The performance mattered to him because it brought Eric Clapton’s band back to the venue where they had played their farewell shows in 1968.
Cream played four reunion shows at the hall, choosing the intimate historic setting despite being able to sell out larger venues. Starr flew from Los Angeles to see them, and later praised the concert as a “great, great show”; three subsequent Madison Square Garden dates were marred by limited rehearsal and a fallout among the musicians.
- Starr called Cream’s 2005 Royal Albert Hall reunion his best concert.
- The band played four shows at its former farewell venue.
- Later New York dates ended the reunion on a sour note.
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Cream were a British rock band formed in the 1960s, with Eric Clapton on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass and Ginger Baker on drums. They became known for combining blues with loud, extended instrumental passages, and split up in 1968.
The Royal Albert Hall in London hosted Cream’s farewell concerts that year. Their return there in 2005 brought the three musicians together again for four performances, in a venue closely tied to the band’s history.
Ringo Starr, the Beatles drummer, was among the musicians who attended. The reunion drew interest because it reunited a major 1960s band after decades apart, while the different reception to later New York dates reflected the challenges of bringing the group back together.