Eric Clapton plays arena with COVID-19 vaccine requirement despite anti-mandate stance

British guitar legend Eric Clapton played a show over the weekend in a New Orleans arena that conditions entry on COVID-19 vaccination, even though he has said he would avoid those types of venues.

Mr. Clapton, who received the AstraZeneca vaccine but is fiercely critical of mandates, played at the Smoothie King Center, which requires patrons older than 12 to show proof of vaccination or a negative test within the prior 72 hours.

A review in the Times-Picayune newspaper suggested the “test result loophole apparently allowed Clapton to, in good conscience, perform at the Smoothie King Center.”

Mr. Clapton, 76, told activist Robin Monotti Graziadei in July that “unless there is provision made for all people to attend, I reserve the right to cancel the show.”

The blues rock guitarist says he had bad side effects from his vaccine shots and has published an anti-lockdown song with Van Morrison, titled “Stand and Deliver.” It says: “Do you want to be a free man/Or do you want to be a slave?”

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