Eric Johnson rocked the House of Blues San Diego
On Wednesday May 2nd, master guitar player Eric Johnson rolled his rocking 2026 Texaphonic Tour through the House of Blues San Diego. It was a cool crisp evening in San Diego, and the intimate Gaslamp venue was packed with fans of this incredible composer, singer, and guitar player. This talented Texan dabbles in many genres, most notably blues, jazz, and rock and roll. And at this show the guitarist played two distinct sets, showcasing both his beautiful acoustic playing and his rocking electric guitar abilities. Large, handwritten lyric sheets with many song options for Johnson to play were noticeably present on the rugged wooden House of Blues stage floor. Seeing the artist’s lyrics handwritten out like that and his commitment to the performance was impressive. Johnson’s show at the House of Blues this evening featured superb sound and lighting, and his set was diverse and enjoyable from start to finish.
The 2nd electric set of the evening started with the rocking “Righteous,” followed by “Forty Mile Town” and an uptempo jazzy cover of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.” Drummer Tal Bergman (well known for playing with bluesman Joe Bonamassa) joined Johnson and Kimbro on stage for this set. He brought a whole new level of energy to this show, making the whole club feel alive as people started to dance. Bergman’s playing on the kit is commanding and he pounded away in the back during some extended drum solos, and just owned the stage. Eric Johnson also played some absolutely incredible guitar solos in this set and actually switched between guitars for each song depending on the tone he needed. He rocked his signature Fender Stratocaster on songs like his hit “Cliffs of Dover,” but he also played a Les Paul on some of the more rocking, blues-inspired tunes. The beautiful vocal on “Desert Rose” is always a Johnson show highlight and his encore of a Jimi Hendrix cover, “Bold as Love,” was eaten up by the guitar fans in the crowd.
Eric Johnson is a fantastic multi-instrumentalist, and this current tour showcases his guitar talents and some of his greatest hits. However it’s also a chance to experience a lovely set of mellower blues and jazz, which made the electric set feel even more powerful. The musicians he chose for this run are also absolutely phenomenal and significantly enhanced the concert experience. This show could be fun for almost any music fan or player, but it’s especially enjoyable if you love great guitar music. Be sure to catch Eric Johnson and these talented musicians as they continue throughout the United States in May, and onto Europe and the UK through August.
