Eric Johnson: Bath... A journey 49 years in the making

A journey 49 years in the making. I can safely check off another "guitarist I must see before I die" from the lengthening list... We set out to Bath, nestled within the seven hill's made famous by it's Roman history... not unlike Rome...  and the famous Roman spa baths.  

I am accompanied on the journey by Dr Beckett, who proceeds to pronounce last rites on my driving skills. I retell a well worn tale of my almost certain demise on that self same road some thirty years earlier... oh how time flies.

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The venue is new to me, a place called the Komedia, a converted cinema that sits in the heart of Bath. The venue is aptly named as this is the "Eric Johnson up close tour".  Seats are a little rustic for me, but we are at the front, stage left (facing the stage). We should have a good view from here. I have my camera and trusty photo pass... must remember "three songs only and no flash"... I check... yes flash is off.  Just before the show starts we are joined by the erstwhile CEO of Liquid Note guitars, Matt Williams, we exchange hand shakes and small talk before the big event.

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This month it's been the year of the rain... eg one years rain in one month... but tonight it is dry and warm, time may be to get a little liquid refreshment, so Dr Beckett leaves to get a small coke. On his return I find a large glass of ice and a small drop of coke... we laugh... at the iceberg of ice that was sure to sink the Titanic.   We sit and talk some more as I wait for the ice to melt and provide me with at least a little liquid refreshment.  I grab a few quick photos of the venue, the pedal board and the set list... 

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Eric hits the stage, fresh face and spiritedly opening the show... I'm not certain about jumping in like some demented paperazzi and grabbing the shots, blocking everyone's view... hell I'd waited 49 years myself to be in this self same spot. So I do as best as I can to keep in stealth mode to grab a few shots before the 3 song curfew ends.  At the end of song 2 I swap to the bigger lens as I've noticed some lens filter reflection... I grab a few parting shots and hope that I have enough good shots for Eric.

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Eric's playing is unique, you can see why players like Joe Bonamassa and Andy Timmons rate him so highly and I dig back in my memory and recall Shawn Lane telling me how much he loved Eric Johnson, a musical genius... and of course he is... fingers flying, but with accurate precision, landing and hitting their mark. Glass like chords shatter and swirl in the air. Creamy, melodic intervals, that smooth clipped, violin sound, all at lightening speed.  I'm kind of transfixed, mesmerised, as my brain is trying to take it all in and as Eric's feet are pumping between the pedals to switch between the jangling chords and rapid fire leads.  I've spent a good deal of time trying to figure it all out and still haven't. He has the fluid hybrid picking, but it's not leading to that fusion slurring legato and it's not the ratatatat of the alternate picker. I decide to stop and let the music do it's work.

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The show is split into two halves, with a decent break for guys my age who like to be able to "stretch their legs", which on the thin as a biscuit like chairs is something I'm looking forward to. 

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I nip to the merchandise stand... "I'll have a extra large shirt" I chirp to the young girl serving behind the counter. "Of course it's not for me... you understand... "... and then I check my mp3 to make sure before purchasing the latest CD and a live in Austin Texas release... not more CD's...  Oh well going to have to work out how I sneak this t-shirt into the already over crowded t-shirt draw as well. I might resort to the tried and trusted female technique of "What these shoes? No these aren't new, I've had them for months... typical you... you never notice" tactic. 

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Part two fires up and we treated to some beautiful acoustic Simon and Garfunkel cover before raiding Venus Isle for High Landrons. The music just continues and they reach a sense of sublimity  toward the back half of the second set.  When The Sun Meets the Sky, just awesome... and the extended intro to the home straight... Cliffs Of Dover.  A small pause and we're into Hendrix... The crescendo of music subsides and the crowd shouts it's heartfelt praise and is standing to give Eric and the band, well deserved, thunderous applause... I hear the voice of a mad Scots man behind me... "Eric you are the best guitar player on the planet"... we look at each other and agree with the sentiment and know... god this guy can play!  

We have to exit the building swiftly, so have no times to say our farewells to those we have met. The journey home is all talk music and guitars... tonight has been a great night.... then I'm reminded to tell guitar fans that the shows are sold out in the UK, but if you got a ticket you are in for a treat. If you need to see the magic happening in real time, then I should mention that Eric stands facing his bass player a lot of the time. So those looking to get the best view of the mercurial "hands on the fretboard" should be seated  in the centre or stage right as you look at the stage. A lot of how he does what he does... well they are just moments of shear magic.

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