Photos and Review by Colleen Goyer
A crowd of Eric Johnson fans filed into Tupelo Music Hall Sunday night, September 24th for a full evening of music by the artist and his band during a stop on his Treasure Tour. The show was made up of two sets, the first being a mixture of acoustic and electric instruments but lead primarily by Eric on acoustic guitars, with a few exceptions when he took to the piano.
The initial few songs were simply Eric on the acoustic with longtime band member Roscoe Beck on upright bass, but the playing was anything but simple with Eric showing his mastery of the fretboard and right-hand picking/strumming techniques. Eric and Roscoe were joined eventually by drummer Wayne Salzman II and Dave Scher on Keyboards and electric guitar. The foursome played for roughly an hour with little to no stops other than to briefly introduce the next piece, although with a crowd of obvious fans song identification really wasn’t needed. Occasionally someone would yell out something along the lines of “NH Loves your Eric” and he never failed to respond with his appreciation.
The second set was electric with Eric and Roscoe switching to the electric versions of the instruments, guitar and bass.
The set list for the evening was a varied mix of genres. Folk, jazz, rock, some country, and basically a little of everything. One song included strong solos featuring each band member letting them to show off their full range of skills. This set also showcased Eric’s distinctive tonal creations, including his unique violin tone that appears inimitable.
A totally enjoyable evening filled with great music, a little humor, and a room full of happy Eric Johnson fans. The Treasure tour continues in MA in the near future. If you have the chance don’t miss out.