The last time Eric Clapton came through town he was the white-hot center of attention, with each incredible guitar solo topping the one that came before it.

This pass through finds him acting more in the role of bandleader. With more superb guitarists in his band - this time around Doyle Bramhall II and newcomer Derek Trucks - Clapton was more intent on sharing the wealth. Both guitarists got a generous amount of time in the spotlight, showcasing their own inimitable styles. Even bass player Willie Weeks got a solo.

But it was Clapton, quite possibly the world's greatest living guitar player, that the crowd came to see, and any time spent on anyone else was less time with him.

Still, Clapton pleased in a way that almost became predictable as the show went on. Bramhall would get a solo, Trucks would get one, then Clapton would dazzle the crowd with his own guitar genius.

The treat for the hard-core fans was the way Clapton dug deep -into his catalog, playing songs he hasn't pulled out for years. Well over an hour passed before a radio hit was played - unfortunately, it was a sleepwalking version of Wonderful Tonight.

Kicking off with Tell the Truth and then launching into a burning Key to the Highway, Clapton kept throwing change-ups.

Songs that once were FM radio staples - Little Wing, Further On Up the Road - were brought back in joyous versions that allowed all three guitarists to stretch and explore.

A midshow acoustic set fell surprisingly flat at first until it was resurrected with a gorgeous Running on Faith, along with a fiery version of Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out.

Late in the show Clapton delved into a generous helping of hits, with Layla, Cocaine and Crossroads closing out the evening.

The Robert Cray Band opened the show with less volume yet guitar solos that at times were more intense and feverish than the headliners. Cray pulled songs from his own formidable blues catalog and introduced the crowd to less familiar material such as Twenty, a newer song protesting the loss of life in the Iraq war.

Cray joined Clapton for the final encore, taking the lead vocal and powerful guitar on Crossroads.

Despite a few missteps, it's always a supreme pleasure to witness Clapton, who still hasn't become complacent.

Special kudos to Clapton and his sound crew for bringing a quality sound system and making it sound amazing throughout most of the Pepsi Center, no easy feat with so many musicians onstage.

Eric Clapton

• When, where: Wednesday night, Pepsi Center

• Grade: B+

Mark Brown is the popular music critic. 303-954-2674 or brownm@RockyMountainNews.com