Material: Far more than an extraordinary guitarist, Eric McFadden is, to put it bluntly, an experience. From mellow blues licks, Muscle Shoals rockabilly and salt-of-the-earth rock & roll, to intensely emotive runs of flamenco, solo shredding, and even snippets of grunge metal and punk—all in 90 minutes—McFadden takes experienced listeners on a wild, eclectic and satisfying musical adventure.
Musicianship: The seasoned musical trio, including Seth Ford-Young on bass and Wally Ingram on drums, keeps the audience guessing, jumping from a soulful cover of James Hall’s “Train to Salvation” to the captivating sounds of “Catch A Breath,” with its flamenco teasers and pillowtop bass lines. The trio’s exceptional musicianship and tight delivery—displayed within intricate melodies and rhythms—mesmerized the crowd, and McFadden’s sometimes warm, sometimes raspy bluesman, alternated with
belting rock vocals, combine hints of Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty, Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger and Nine Inch Nails.
Performance: With a diverse range of musical experience, it was not always clear where McFadden and the band would go with their setlist, creating audience anticipation and adding to the intensity of the show. “Tick Tock” joined sensitive bass lines and dramatic staccato rhythms with funky flamenco flavors, culminating in a phenomenal drum and percussion solo by Ingram. The bar was raised higher still, to a form of instrumental poetry, in the follow-up “Skeleton Key,” with its dark ‘70s Black Sabbath drive and shredder guitar solo. The trio rounded out the show with “If I Die Today,” a fast-driving track with tight melodies and staccato percussion and drum fills, that left no doubt as to the high quality of musicianship at hand.
Summary: A feisty combination of talent and sheer musical energy, Eric McFadden and his bandmates provide a refreshing take on the concert experience. If you are looking for a cookie cutter, predictable and genre-specific performance, this is not it. For those who have been to their fair share of musical events and want something both original and high caliber, McFadden is your guy. No two shows are alike—an awesome performance for those who respect dynamic originality.
Contact: [email protected]
Web: ericmcfadden.com
Players: Eric McFadden, guitar, lead vocals; Seth Ford-Young, bass; Wally Ingram, drums
