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Rating: Before seeing him live, I had never listened to one of his records; I only knew Eric Sardinas by reputation. I did so later, but I have to say that after a few listens, his records ended up in oblivion. In contrast, the live show I attended was absolutely incendiary and engaging, dripping with blues and distinctively southern flair.
Our man, accompanied by bass and drums, possesses great charisma and carries a very unique image. A Texas hat pulled down over his eyes, never lifted throughout the concert, extremely tight flared jeans, and his dobro in hand. Clearly, the slide on the ring finger.
And if that weren't enough, when midway through the concert, he took off his shirt, his tattooed skin displayed all the pride of his southern spirit: on his chest a rattlesnake, on his back the unmistakable "Respect Tradition".
And then, of course, his music. A rock'n'roll/blues, but very blues at heart, as he himself proclaimed several times during the concert. Seeing him, I understood why he is reputed to be the greatest slide guitar player around, and he's certainly at least one of the most technical. I can’t say much about his songs because I didn't know them, but the Robert Johnson blues he delighted us with were impressive. Accompanied by the unamplified acoustic dobro, played directly into the microphone, the spirit of old blues is evoked in all its power.
And then the unexpected, which elevated him enormously in my eyes. At one point, the power went out: darkness and the system shut down. As if nothing had happened, he continued to play, since his guitar can do without amplification. In the dark, he kept playing and singing, yeah! The atmosphere was incredible, we were in a meadow by a river, the humidity filled the bones, and a shirtless man sang his blues in the silence, under the stars. You can’t see him, but the air is made vibrant by his passion. Obviously, only those closest could enjoy it, much to the chagrin of those further back.
Once the concert resumed, it was time for a solo moment for the two companions, who, with their truly appreciable solos, made it clear how frustrating it can be to be the rhythm section for a flamboyant character like Eric Sardinas. Alternating between intense rock'n'roll and slow blues, Eric sang various verses without a microphone, always to characterize the persona, and jumped off the stage to perform an interminable solo among the furthest audience members, among those who might be sitting down enjoying their sausages.
I experienced two splendid hours, full of music and catalyzed by the charisma of a great communicator.
As I said before, however, on record he seems unconvincing; in his genre, Stevie Ray Vaughan is absolutely on another level. Who knows what it would have meant to see him live..
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