Eric Clapton says that he will quit touring when he reaches 70 in 2015. Clapton, who kicks off his next string of North American dates on March 14th in Phoenix, Arizona, explained his decision to Rolling Stone, saying, "The bit onstage, that's easy. If I could do that around my neighborhood, that would be great. You have guys in Texas that play their circuit, and it keeps them alive. But for me, the struggle is the travel. And the only way you can beat that is by throwing so much money at it that you make a loss. So the idea is I'm taking a leaf out of JJ (Cale)'s book: When I'm 70, I'll stop. I won't stop playing or doing one-offs, but I'll stop touring, I think."

 

Over a decade ago, during his 2002 world tour, Clapton told us that he's been eying a slow retirement from the concert arena: "I mean, I know I'm probably gonna go out again, in dribs and drabs, but that tour was. . . I mean, I wrote that in the program -- I don't think I can do this anymore."

 

March 14 - Phoenix, AZ - US Airways Center 

March 16 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center 

March 17 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center 

March 19 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center 

March 20 - Oklahoma City, OK - Chesapeake Energy Arena 

March 22 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena 

March 23 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena 

March 26 - Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena 

March 27 - Duluth, GA - The Arena At Gwinnett Center 

March 29, 30 - Hollywood, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Live 

April 2 - Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena 

April 3 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena 

April 5 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena 

April 6 - Pittsburgh, PA - Consol Energy Center 

April 12, 13 - New York, NY - Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden Arena

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