 Electrifying Guitarist Eric Johanson Embarks On Tour, Promoting New Ruf Records Release, Live In Mississippi Appearing at Princess Theatre in Decatur AL – Wed. May 28 (Decatur AL) – Electrifying guitarist Eric Johanson embarks on tour in support of critically-lauded new album Live In Mississippi (Ruf Records), appearing locally in Deactur at the Princess Theatre, 112 2nd Ave NE, Wednesday, May 28. Show: 7:00pm. Tickets: $35-$45. Info: (256) 350-1745 or visit princesstheatre.org. The best live albums put you right there on the front row. And as the raucous Friday night crowd welcomed New Orleans musician Eric Johanson to the stage at the Ground Zero Club in Biloxi, Mississippi, for a setthat mines his Billboard-topping studio catalog, you’ll feel this generational performer in your bones. “I want Live In Mississippi to make people feel like they’re at our show,” says the Louisiana-born bandleader of the live album bottled last August in the home of the blues. “Whether they’ve just seen the band and want to take a piece of that home with them, or they’ve never seen us perform at all, I want it to bring across the energy and emotion of the live show.” As anyone with their finger on the pulse of modern rock and blues surely knows, Johanson is among a handful of artists dragging these ancient musical forms in vital new directions. Represented by no fewer than five songs on Live In Mississippi, Johanson’s 2023’s solo breakthrough The Deep And The Dirty was his biggest critical and commercial hit to date, summiting the Billboard Blues Chart and igniting the bandleader’s global profile. “A lot has happened since The Deep And The Dirty,” says Eric. “It was #1 on the Billboard and we took the music overseas for the first time, performing in ten countries through Europe, as well as all across the US. It’s been great to meet people from so many walks of life who are digging the music. This record captures us after a year of touring in support of The Deep And The Dirty and has some of the songs we most enjoyed playing each night.” From the thundering gallop of ‘Undertow’ to the instinctive slide-blues of ‘Just Like New,’ Johanson’s power trio moves with a rare musical telepathy. ‘Galaxy Girl’ packs a brittle sting – the band dropping out in the verses to give Johanson’s vocal full rein – while the bottleneck licks of ‘Familiar Sound’ sound both old as the hills and utterly of the moment. It builds to a climax with ‘Don’t Hold Back’s moody strut, the bandleader’s solo right on the brink of anarchy – and that’s exactly how he likes it. “I’m really thrilled with how Live In Mississippi turned out,” says Johanson. “The great thing about making a live record is you just play your heart out at the show, and the record captures where you are at that moment in your life. You don’t have a chance to overthink or re-do anything – or at least you shouldn’t. I just focus on sharing an experience with the people in the room, and I think the listener at home can feel that…”  What The Press Is Saying About Live In Mississippi“ Live In Mississippi captures the raw energy and emotion of Johanson’s performances…the blistering set list showcases the guitarist’s versatility, blending gritty rock with deep blues…makes the listener feel they are there, a wonderful musical achievement exhibiting that connection between audience and artist.” Colin Campbell, BLUES MATTERS! “Johanson’s performance is skintight and polished throughout, as are the driving rhythms of bassist Will Repholz and drummer Terry Scott Jr…blues-rock with a definite Gulf Coast sting. Guaranteed to make you feel like you’re sitting in the front row.” Marty Gunther/CHICAGO BLUES GUIDE “Live in Mississippi’ is a testament to Eric Johanson’s multifaceted talent. He effortlessly re-imagines his own work and breathes new life into borrowed classics, proving his mastery of the blues in a live setting…the wildly receptive crowd was treated to a masterclass in power trio dynamics.” Charlie Steffens/ROCK AND BLUES MUSE “On Live In Mississippi, the emotion is there, the set is amazing, the album was produced to the greatest of standards, and the songs are well-executed by the trio. A truly fantastic live album – completely mind-blowing, and raw in the best possible sense.” Neven Tilli/BLUES ROCK REVIEW Eric Johanson – Live In Mississippi – Spring 2025 Tour Itinerary May 28 (Wed.) – Decatur AL@Princess Theatre May 29 (Thu) – Batesville AR@Levitt AMP Batesville Series May 30 (Fri) – Nashville TN The 58 @ Eastside Bowl* May 31 (Sat) – Evansville IN@Mojo’s Boneyard* June 1 (Sun) = Cincinnati OH@Ludlow Garage June 2 (Mon) – Ann Arbor MI@The Ark June 3 (Tue) – Milwaukee WI@Shank Hall June 4 (Wed) – Evanston IL@Space June 5 (Thu) – Madison WI@The Bur Oak June 6 (Fri) – Minneapolis MN@The Cabooze June 7 (Sat) = Burlington IA@The Washington June 8 (Sun) Memphis TN@Rooster’s Blues House (tentative) *Co-Headlines with Leilani Kilgore |
 Eric Johanson – Changes The Universe (Live) from Live In Mississippi (clink link) ericjohanson.com facebook.com/ericjohanson504 instagram.com/ericjohanson504 |
