Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson, guitar; Kyle
Brock, bass; Tommy Taylor,
drums.
Eastgate Live, Friday, Feb. 6
★★★★★
Austin’s Eric Johnson has
been highly acclaimed by
many guitarists, including
fellow Austinite Stevie Ray
Vaughan, as one of the finest
guitar players today.
Any doubts about such a
claim were easily put to rest
Friday night at Eastgate Live,
as Johnson’s musical virtuosity
became quite apparent during
his performance there.
A large crowd was on hand
to greet this very talented
musician. In fact, the line
outside the door of the club
had already begun to form by 7
p.m., an hour before the club
opens. Once inside, it was
evident that the crowd size had
passed the standing room only
mark.
The music began around 9
p.m., with opening act Corrie
Bergeron, a College Station
singer and guitarist. Bergeron
performed a 45-minute set of
folk and rock songs, covering
material by artists ranging from
Bob Dylan to Pink Floyd.
Bergeron’s performance was
well-received by the audience,
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who applauded enthusiastically
after each song. At some
points, the performance turned
into a sing-along, most notably
on Bergeron’s very inspired
rendition of Don McLean’s
“American Pie.”
Other highlights of
Bergeron’s performance
included his versions of
Creedence Clearwater
Revival’s “Proud Mary” and
Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were
Here.”
When Johnson made it to
the stage about 10 p.m. for the
start of his show, the crowd
went wild. The show opened
with the instrumental “Souful
Terrain,” from Johnson’s
debut album “Tones. ” This
opening song gave the crowd a
good indication of what they
could expect for the remainder
of the evening: some of the
most skillful, dynamic guitar,
accompanied by solid backing
from bassist Kyle Brock and
drummmer Tommy Taylor.
Johnson’s guitar style is hard
to pin down as any one thing. It
is best described as fusion, a
combination of jazz and rock.
Johnson’s sound, however,
avoids the tediousness that
characterizes much fusion.
“Trail of Tears” and
“Emerald Eyes,” also from
Johnson’s album, were
brilliantly performed. All three
musicians are remarkably
talented, yet it is Johnson that
shines the brightest. He is
apparently a musical
perfectionist who strives to get
everything right Between
songs, Johnson adjusted his
amplifier and checked the
tuning of his guitar, constantly
striving for that “just right
sound. ”
Johnson paid homage to
one of his musical influences,
Jimi Hendrix, with cover
versions of “May This Be
Love” and the classic “Manic
Depression. ” The band’s
renditions of these two songs
were nothing short of
remarkable, and the original
rock guitar master himself
might have envied Johnson’s
six-string mastery.
Johnson is a gifted vocalist
as well, but his remarkable
guitar skills often overshadow
that fact. Songs like “Bristol
Shore” and “Trail of Tears”
featured great vocals as well
fine musicianship.
After an hour of songs that
included material from
“Tones” and a fast-paced
country instrumental, Johnson
pulled out all stops with his
instrumental “Zap,” which was
nominated for a Grammy
award for best rock
instrumental in 1986.
Johnson’s fingers flew across
his guitar’s fretboard during a
brilliant guitar solo that made
“Zap”The highlight of an
evening full of musical
excellence that never let up for
a moment.
Review by Shane Hall
Formal Sale
everything
30-70% off
Formals from... $39.00
(tealength or long)
Belts, lingerie, gloves, hose...
All 50-70% off!
Through Feb. 14
'tfadkAVAjfldi
Culpepper Plaza
Page 4/At Ease/Thursday, February 11,1988