Eric Johnson Brings His Treasure Tour to Town

Photos and words by Steve Rose

Famed guitar virtuoso and Grammy award winner Eric Johnson brought his Treasure Tour to the historic Saban Theater in Beverly Hills for a spectacular sold out show. An hour before the show, fans were at the front of the stage checking his pedalboard and guitars, looking to see what his tone recipe is for getting those iconic sounds. The night was split between an acoustic set followed by an electric set. Eric Johnson took the stage with bassist, Roscoe Beck for some of the best acoustic guitar playing I have ever seen. Johnson, playing a Maton guitar - custom built in Australia, sounded perfect. The notes were articulate; the sound filled the historic theater as this masterful player had the audience's attention as soon as his playing began. The fleet-fingered guitarist had a number of great songs during the first set, with some standouts being "April Come She Will," "Once Upon a Time in Texas," and "The Ballad of Elrod and Girlene." About halfway through the acoustic set, Johnson was joined by the rest of his bandmates. Along with Beck, the band consisted of Wayne Salzmann II on drums and Dave Scher handling additional guitar duties. 

After a short intermission came the electric set. All the musicians returned to the stage, plugged in, and got the night really going. Johnson, with his signature Fender Stratocaster slung around his body, coaxed some amazing tones from his pedalboard and the few amps he had on stage. Early into the second set, the band played "Impressions," which is a John Coltrane cover. This song showcased the high level of musicianship of each band member and Salzmann's dexterity behind the kit was very apparent; it was a great selection to have in the set. Other notables were: "Manhattan," "Open Road," which was dedicated to Jeff Beck, and "Cliffs of Dover," the song that earned Eric Johnson his Grammy award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. 

The electric guitar is essentially just wood and wires, but when it's in the hands of someone like Eric Johnson, it becomes more than that. Eric's playing evokes so many emotions and is inspirational in the note selection, song structure, and overall composition. It is a true joy to witness a musician of Eric's caliber and the rest of his bandmates have so much fun delivering so much happiness to those watching. The tour is just getting started, so don't miss your opportunity to see this show in person.