Eric Johanson – SPACE, Evanston, June 4, 2025

Review & Photos: Jim Summaria

Eric Johanson at SPACE in Evanston, IL,

June 4, 2025

Review & Photos: By Jim Summaria

Eric Johanson’s appearance is deceiving because this young man looks nothing like the blues musician I envisioned. His cropped blond hair added to the deception. But in fact, an old soul resides inside. Once he unleashed his guitar and vocal abilities, all doubt melted away as he transformed himself into a Louisiana Cajun blues rock maestro.

Johanson was supported by a bassist and drummer who kept the tempo pulsating while his powerful guitar wailed. His playing vacillated between flash and sweet understatement. He played to the song with tasteful leads that left you wanting more but fully satiated – the ideal balance. His soulful vocals were enthusiastic and raw, adding impact to each song. He's a talented songwriter who writes meaningful lyrics with catchy rhythms and hooks.

Most of the songs Johanson performed this evening were self-penned, and his power trio performed them with energy and prowess. His style brought me back to the early 1970s. But he’s no imitator. His music sounds new and exciting.

The guitarist was born and raised in a small Louisiana town called Alexandria and was gifted his first guitar at the tender age of five. His musical family provided his earliest influences. By his mid-teens, he was traveling down to New Orleans and playing clubs with seasoned musicians. After graduating from the University of New Orleans he decided to reside there and become part of the music scene, while honing his skills.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the area and Johanson lost almost everything he owned. By the next year he moved to New Zealand and stayed until 2010. When he returned to New Orleans he began taking session work and touring with various musicians gaining valuable experience.

It was during this period when he met another excellent New Orleans bluesman, noted singer/guitarist Tab Benoit. Benoit was impressed and signed him to his label. Johanson’s debut album Burn It Down was released in 2017 and was produced by Benoit. He developed a larger fan base during the Covid pandemic by live streaming a weekly music show and interacting with his new admirers.

Johanson has been on a roll ever since. In 2024, he played over one hundred shows in ten different countries. Guitar Magazine named him one of the top twenty-five new blues artists and Total Guitar Magazine had already listed him as one of the top one hundred blues guitarists of all time. To date, Johanson has released eight live and studio albums.

After a welcoming comment to the audience at SPACE, Johanson plugged in, faced the audience, and launched into the blues swamp rocker "Nowhere To Go." From the get-go, the crowd was his. Without hesitation he went into two more songs from his 2020 Below Sea Level album "Never Tomorrow" and "Hammer on the Stone" both with a Robin Trower type vibe.

It was time to pay tribute to his home state by playing the Chuck Berry song "Oh Louisiana" from his debut Burn It Down album. Berry is mostly known for his rock 'n' roll songs but he also wrote some honest blues songs like this one. Johanson performed a heartfelt vocal and one his most moving leads of the night. This is a song that really hit home for Johanson and I bet that he wished he wrote it.

After playing a tune that put the audience in a more contemplative frame of mind, the Louisiana native raised the energy level with "Galaxy Girl" from the 2023 album The Deep and the Dirty. His drummer laid down a steady pulsating beat as Johanson power stroked and released some earth-shaking chords. The song highlighted Johanson's gifted rock-ready voice, and his nimble fingers hit all the right notes during his soaring lead.

The swamp rocker showed off his slide guitar skills with "Borrowed Time" also from The Deep and the Dirty album. Keeping his slide on his ring finger, he brought out his resonator guitar for a couple more songs off the same album. First up was "Just Like New" an up-tempo blues song with a Marshall Tucker Band feel that brought a smile to my face. Then came "Familiar Sound," an old-timey blues that was well-suited for performing on a paint peeling old porch while rocking back and forth with guitar in lap.

He slipped on his boogie shoes for the song "Undertow" -- a rocker that really cooked. Johanson went back to the blues with "Open Hearted Woman" from the Below Sea Level album. With head held back, he made his six-string sing during an extended lead. Now well into the blues zone, deep emotion poured out as he sang. Unlike many blues songs that focus on personal troubles, this song featured uplifting lyrics. But that’s the magic of blues music. Blues heals in bad times but helps you party when times are good.

He paid tribute to his fellow Louisianan Mac Rebennack (a.k.a. Dr. John) by covering his song "I Walk on Guilded Splinters." Johanson’s take was far removed from the original and the well-known cover performed by rock band Humble Pie. But that’s not a bad thing. Johanson is taking great, classic tunes and breathing new life into them.

The emotional slow blues "Changes the Universe" from the Below Sea Level album had Johanson pleading to a loved one. He has a knack for drawing you in with his soothing solos. He was greeted with a loud ovation after the last note.

This young man then tapped into his inner Jimi Hendrix with the song “Don’t Hold Back” (and he didn’t) from The Deep and the Dirty album. With fingers speeding across the fret board while coaxing feedback from his speakers, Johanson unleashed his most impressive solo of the evening. Everyone was standing and shouting their approval.

On returning to the stage for his encore, he lit into another tempo-altering slide workout on the blues song "Burn It Down" from his debut album. If nothing else, this song proved that this young man is a natural when it comes to leading the blues scene into a new and exciting future while keeping one foot in the past. He has studied and learned from the masters, but has developed his own style filled with vitality, emotion and energy. I can't wait to see what he does next.

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 Jim Summaria began professionally photographing rock concerts in 1973 at the age of 19 when he became the staff photographer for the Chicago rock concert promoter Flip Side Productions. Jim's photos have been published in numerous books, magazines and CDs. His rock ‘n’ roll photos have been viewed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum and Hall of Fame on Rt.66 and the Grammy Awards. Jim and writer Mark Plotnick co-authored the books Classic Rock: Photographs From Yesterday & Today and the October 2024 release ‘70s Chicagoland Rock Concerts.  Jim and Mark also co-host the radio podcast That Rock Show on the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum platform.

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