Eric Sommer at Awendaw Green • November 18

iframeEric Sommer, touring guitar player, is a singer, performer, rambler, and one of the finest touring guitar players in the land, and you’ll get to see something special: Eric Sommer on stage, singin’ an’ guitarin’ like no tomorrow!

He’s been everywhere and done just about everything. His Tours with Nick Lowe, Steve Earl, David Bromberg, and British Pop icons Wreckless Eric and Bram Tschicovsky were very formative.

The Atomics

As the frontman for the ATOMICS, Eric guided the band through three national tours. The bands were Mission of Burma, Gang of Four, and The Dead Kennedys in the early days. This line-up put the ATOMICS squarely in the center of the Post Punk and New Wave cyclone…

This master player and songwriter has moved decisively into the red-hot center of the Americana Acoustic/Indie Scene. His four brilliant records and international tours have been very well received. Already an established artist in Texas, Chicago, and Chapel Hill, this creative musical powerhouse is well worth the price of admission – whatever it may be!

Share the new record “TURNING POINT” on your playlists and check-in at www.ericsommer.com • Merch, Schwag, and CD’s plus downloads all available at www.ericsommer.com!

The Critic’s Choice

“How do you call this sidekick to unique personalities ranging from Nick Lowe to John Koerner an underachiever? This multi-instrumentalist bad boy could easily be a superstar in his own right…” Midwest Record, Lake Zurich, IL

“Eric Sommer is an astounding guitar player, a virtuoso on acoustic and electric… Eric has worked with everybody who is anybody; His resume’ reads like a musical encyclopedia…” Nashville Music Reviews, Don & Sherry’s Blog

“It’s a wonderful evening whenever Eric Sommer is part of it… Not to be missed!” Austin Record, Steve Barron

An Unbelievable Resume

Singer/songwriter and touring guitar player Eric Sommer is an unbelievable intersection of improbable influences and experiences channeled into an amazingly diverse catalog and a résumé that reads more like a musical adventure novel than a series of career bullet points.

Sommer emerged from the Boston music scene with a vengeance, a Folk-Rock guitarist with a percussive, open-tuning style adapted from the likes of David Bromberg, Steve Howe, Townes Van Zandt, and Brit Folk legend Davy Graham. But Boston was also a hotbed of New Wave, Power Pop and Punk at that point. So, like a sponge, Sommer absorbed those influences as well, creating a Byrdsian jangle sound that  was unique and catchy. This new sound earned him opening slots for national touring acts and regular bookings – over 40 appearances – at the renowned Paradise Theatre.

Sommer eventually relocated to Europe where he scored tours with Bram Tchaikovsky, Wreckless Eric and Nick Lowe. Eric called Northern Germany home. He moved to Aarhus, Denmark, and called a houseboat off the Dam Square in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, home for a while.

After honing his personal songwriting style and playing every conceivable club as a touring guitar player on the European circuit, Sommer returned to Boston homeless and broke.

Power Pop and The Atomics

Living on the streets and in abandoned squats, Sommer played every available open mic and picked up guitar tips from David Landau and Gary Burton/Steve Howe sideman Mick Goodrick, which led to the formation of a trio called The Atomics, which offered up an American version of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and Nick Lowe during its run. While The Atomics toured relentlessly and shared the bill with the Dead Kennedys and Gang of Four and became one of Boston’s best local New Wave outfits, Sommer was finding constant inspiration in the works of Jeff Beck, Pat Martino, Joe Pass, and Charlie Christian.

With The Atomics’ dissolution, Sommer’s wanderlust took him to New York, as a touring guitar player, Atlanta and finally the suburbs of Washington, D.C., where he founded the Georgetown Film Festival and embarked on a phase of independent film scoring. Since then, Sommer has been a troubadour with no fixed address, and playing well over 250 gigs a year, slowing down just long enough to record a handful of brilliant albums, including Rainy Day Karma with his band, Solar Flares, and his latest solo effort, Brooklyn Bolero. 

The Future is Sparkling…

If there’s any lingering doubt about Sommer’s supernatural versatility, consider that he’s shared the bill with Old 97’s, Nickel Creek’s Sara Watkins, Bluegrass icon Jerry Douglas, Mates of State, Dr. John, Leon Redbone and Built to Spill.

Whether in band or one-man form (which nakedly showcases his amazing acoustic Blues guitar stylings), Sommer is a living history of contemporary music and a musical force of nature. 

Amen.

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CityBeat/Best of Cincinnati