Live From Austin Tx (Dig) [Original recording remastered]

Eric Johnson (Rock) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 1, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: New West Records
• ASIN: B000BD1LJ0
• In-Print Editions: DVD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,930 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Guitar wizard Eric Johnson's 1988 perfomance on Austin City Limits is finally available on CD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Master Captured in a Sublime Performance, December 14, 2005

By 

Mark J. Fowler "Let's Play Two!" (Jacksonville, Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Eric Johnson - Live From Austin Tx (DVD)

If you have even the slightest interest in the playing of an electric guitar you absolutely MUST check out this DVD.

Eric Johnson fans have been circulating old VHS copies of this for decades. EJ has appeared on "Austin City Limits" as often as any performer - perhaps helped by being from that town, although I don't recall seeing other Texans appearing nearly as often. Austin City Limits is one of the most treasured live-music shows in American History. Madonna and Britney Spears and other over-hyped lip-syncing media sell-outs can hog up the mainstream airways as much as they like - all Austin City Limits performers have artistic heft that can't be faked.

This 1988 performance is dated by Eric's "Flock of Seagulls" hairdo and Sergeant Pepper/Michael Jackson/John Phillip Sousa jacket. But the music is timeless. Eric joins his perfectly supporting 2-man bass and drums combo to blow our minds. The now-platinum Ah Via Musicom had just been released and it is fair to say he was "peaking". A known perfectionist in the studio, he would record tracks over and over and over again until they were "just right" and I saw in an interview that he simply didn't think he could play better than on that recording. That being said, he doesn't have the opportunity to "redo" on this live performance, but as he unleashes the most overwhelming guitar technique ever known it doesn't really matter, does it? The man is a force of nature in this performance. Best of all - the DVD features crystal clarity in both the picture and audio. Every one of his flood of notes rings like a bell.

"Musicom" cuts like "Steve's Boogie" and "Desert Rose" surround his performance of perhaps the most incredible instrumental in rock history "Cliffs of Dover". He also covers some Hendrix and "Are You Experienced?" makes us remember the left-handed master while marveling at Hendrix' able successor.

The album-oriented rock airwaves have been flooded for decades with speed demons who race up and down their stratocasters without a thought for tone or note selection. Here is where Eric Johnson completely shines: although as fast as Vai or Malmsteen, Mr. Johnson is as thoughtful and careful in his note selection as Clapton or Louis Armstrong. His tone is so bell-like clear... it is simply unrivaled.

Guitar fans - this is heaven.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The seminal Austin City Limits performance..., October 1, 2005

By 

Darren L. Hightower "Darren" (http://www.strumzilla.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Eric Johnson - Live From Austin Tx (DVD)

I'm going against my best insticts and putting some comments down before I actually receive my copy of this DVD. I know this performance well, because I have treasured my VHS recording of the PBS version for over 15 years. This is Eric during his Ah Via Musicom years, and he is really at his best from a playing standpoint. I saw this by chance while channel surfing back in 89, and I had no idea what I was in for. Seeing Eric live (on video) for the first time is one of a handful of great moments of guitar fandom that I have ever experienced. I obviously can't make any comments about the video or sound quality of this transfer, but I expect that they will be decent because the original broadcast quality was very good considering the standard media used then. This is what most Eric Johnson fans have been waiting for: a complete set on DVD quality video. He has appeared on various other compilation DVDs like G3 and the Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD, but this is the first set length DVD he has appeared on. There are a decent variety of tunes from that time period, mostly from Ah Via Musicom with a few Hendrix covers and some tracks form his Tones release. If you are a fan of Eric Johnson, I am sure this will be the most treasured video release of his that you will own. If you haven't seen Eric play live, you owe it yourself to check this out.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Un-Frickin' believeable!, November 6, 2005

By 

D. L. Worthing "Graphic Designer" (Arundel, Maine United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live From Austin Tx (Dig) (Audio CD)

I've seen Mr. Johnson three times live and this disc absolutely captures Eric at his very best.
Recorded in 1988 between the Ah Via Musicom and Venus Isle discs,his playing is just masterful,vibrant and inspirational.
On this disc he shows why he's one of the world's best guitarists and he performs his butt off in his hometown.
It's one of the best live discs I've heard in a long time.
It captures the essence of Austin's native son.