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ERIC SOMMER
Indie / Blues / Powerpop

ERIC SOMMER



WASHINGTON, Washington DC
United States

Profile Views:  374147




Last Login:  12/23/2009
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   ERIC SOMMER: General Info
Member Since1/3/2006
Band Websitehttp://www.ericsommer.com
Band MembersEric Sommer - guitars, harmonicas and vocals
Record Labelclyde is thinking music
Type of LabelIndie


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   Upcoming Shows ( view all )
Dec 27 2009 8:30P
The Blockley Philly, Pennsylvania
Dec 28 2009 8:30P
parkside lounge NYC, New York
Dec 30 2009 6:00P
rockwood music hall NYC, New York
Jan 8 2010 10:00P
smokey joe’s cafe charlotte, North Carolina
Jan 13 2010 10:00P
O’Mainnin’s Bristol, Tennessee
Jan 14 2010 9:00P
The Mockingbird Staunton, Virginia
Jan 15 2010 10:00P
The Vic Columbus, Ohio
Jan 22 2010 10:00P
the monkey house Winooski, Vermont
Jan 23 2010 10:00P
Ralph’s Rock Diner Worcester, Massachusetts
Jan 25 2010 8:30P
cantab lounge Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jan 26 2010 9:00P
Dan McGuiness Franklin, Tennessee
Jan 27 2010 8:00P
Bunganut Pig Franklin, Tennessee
Jan 29 2010 12:00A
The Midtown Little Rock, Arkansas
Feb 13 2010 8:00P
serda’s Mobile, Alabama
Feb 17 2010 10:00P
O’Mainnin’s Bristol, Tennessee
Feb 24 2010 8:00P
acoustic coffeehouse Johnson City, Tennessee
Feb 27 2010 9:00P
R bar Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mar 11 2010 10:00P
O’Mainnin’s Bristol, Tennessee
Mar 17 2010 10:00P
sugar maple Bayview, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mar 19 2010 8:00P
art bar Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mar 20 2010 8:00P
the frequency Madison, Wisconsin
Mar 31 2010 8:00P
mother fool’s Madison, Wisconsin
Apr 1 2010 10:00P
tin roof charleston, South Carolina
Apr 7 2010 10:00P
O’Mainnin’s Bristol, Tennessee
Apr 8 2010 10:00P
the downtown Morristown, Tennessee
Apr 16 2010 9:30P
The Corner Bar Kalamazoo, Michigan
Apr 21 2010 10:00P
acoustic coffeehouse Johnson City, Tennessee
Apr 29 2010 10:00P
O’Mainnin’s Bristol, Tennessee
Jun 16 2010 10:00P
acoustic coffeehouse Johnson City, Tennessee
Aug 25 2010 10:00P
acoustic coffeehouse Johnson City, Tennessee
Sep 15 2010 10:00P
acoustic coffeehouse Johnson City, Tennessee
Nov 10 2010 10:00P
acoustic coffeehouse Johnson City, Tennessee
Dec 22 2010 10:00P
acoustic coffeehouse Johnson City, Tennessee

ERIC SOMMER's Latest Blog Entry  [Subscribe to this Blog]

in the parking lot...  (view more)

Still in Knoxville...  (view more)

clarksdale, MS  (view more)

minneapolis, mn to richmond, kentucky....  (view more)

music and the road...  (view more)

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   About ERIC SOMMER

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In the 80ʼs Eric Sommer broke out of the Boston folk music scene with a mixture of roots-pure fingerstyle acoustic guitar and new wave pop, a blurred combination of Nick Lowe, The Cars and Spider John Koerner influences. This unique alchemy created a driving, guitar-based sound backed by a tight, infectious beat and laced with Byrds-style jingle jangle guitar work; this sound landed him and his band The Atomics into Cantones, the hardcore, working-class punk bar in downtown Boston, just off an area called The Combat Zone, as the house band.

First writing power pop rock songs, Eric slowly blended his acoustic feel, open-tunings and slide guitar into a more personal writing approach, producing a wide rang of very personal songs, songs based on years of road work, travel and observations as well as autobio material. Eric was regularly called on by legendary promoter Don Law to fill in at the new Paradise Theatre, where he shared the stage and a number of tours with many national acts such as David Bromberg, Leon Redbone, John Mayall, Dr. John, John Hammond, Little Feat, The Byrds (McGuinn Clark and Hillman) and new wave British acts like Nick Loweʼs Wreckless Eric, Brahm Tschikovsky and Gang of Four.

Sommer, who paid his guitar dues on the streets of Boston during high school, left the US for Europe and played in Amsterdam and Hamburg, before settling in Aarhus, Denmark where he toured with Danish bands and held steady gigs at Den Hoyle and De Gavverit, very popular clubs for American ex-pats in Europe, and then moved to Amsterdam and lived on a houseboat while playing the Netherlands music clubs, Amsterdam scene and German concert circuit.

Back in Boston, now broke and homeless, Eric lived on the streets and in abandoned warehouses in South Boston while playing every open mic and working every short-order cook job he could find. He took guitar tips from legendary guitar master David Landau, brother of Springsteen manager Jon Landau, then from Mick Goodrick of the Gary Burton Quartet and Steve Howe of YES fame, and listened to all the Joe Pass, Jeff Beck and Charlie Christian vinyl recordings he could find.

The Atomics continued to hold down the house band spot at Cantone’s and after shows and tours with a number of new wave and punk acts like The Dead Kennedyʼs, The Atomics evolved into one of the best local power pop/new wave bands in Boston. The trio disbanded in the mid 80ʼs and Eric moved to New York, then Atlanta working in record stores and one-stops and finally settled around the Mid-Atlantic area, choosing Adams Morgan, a hip, cosmo-type east village like area of Washington DC, as a base of sorts. Eric mixed his music and visual interests together and launched the Georgetown Film Festival which combined indie films and animation with a music festival. This combination led Eric into “motion music” and he has created film scores and soundscapes for a number of short films, features, animations and docs.

Eric is starting to get a bit of long-overdue national and international recognition for his song writing and his unique and explosive guitar style; his vast collection of songs, stories and prose make for a wonderful evening in any venue, and a lot of his writing and free downloads can be found on www.ericsommer.com/trailer.html.

Eric building a name for himself and is getting pretty well-known in many music venues across the US; in fact, Eric has found a home and many couches in Knoxville TN, Chicago IL, Wilmington NC, Macon GA, Little Rock AR, Ithaca NY, Madison WI, Nashville TN, Lexington and Louisville KY and Sioux falls SD plus a whole slew of local spots we can't even spell.

But touring and road work is Ericʼs passion, and he is a regular performer in many national venues, and has built a solid musical and performance reputation across the country. Ericʼs goals are rooted in what John Lee Hooker once said to him at a J.Geils show at The Catacombs in Boston : “If you ainʼt playinʼ, then you payinʼ”.

Since 1995 Eric has been touring and playing all over the US and plays an average of 200 - 270 shows a year. He has been a regular performer at The Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth, MN, The Carrboro Festival in Carrboro, NC and the Festival for the ENO in Raleigh, NC. Recent shows have included bills with Mates of State, OLD 97ʼs, Austin Guitar wiz Monte Montgomery and Jerry Douglas of Union Station, Sarah Watkins of Nickel Creek and Built to Spill...

Jim Reed of Savannah Connect said “Anyone whoʼs been in need of a fix of spectacular, percussive and virtuosic guitar work can rest easily. Eric Sommerʼs coming to town; One of the finest American guitar players on the road today Eric is an American original ... a poet, songwriter and showman... and the master of all things Americana”

Amen.




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   ERIC SOMMER's Friend Space (Top 16)
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ERIC SOMMER's Friends Comments
Displaying 5 of 5 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
Moris Code

Moris Code



Dec 17 2009 4:15 AM

Hi friend :) hope your doing good! If you've ever listened to my music and liked it, now you can download it for free on my profile. There's 14 songs, so just pick whatever you like :)
Stay in touch,
Moris Code
The Ray Stephenson Band

The Ray Stephenson Band



Dec 16 2009 8:05 PM

Hey ERIC SOMMER

My new record just came out this week on I-Tunes and CD Baby. I have included a video talking about the record, hope you enjoy it! Please leave us some feedback to let us know what you think! Thanks for your support.

-Ray Stephenson

PS: This album would make a great stocking stuffer ;)







Want the new album?

Buy from iTunes by clicking here!

Buy from CD Baby by clicking here!

Maurice Mattei & The Tempers

Maurice Mattei & The Tempers



Dec 13 2009 9:10 PM

Download ENTIRE NEW TEMPERS STRAGGLER CD FOR FREE @
 
BUON NATALE!
Sin 4 Sin (The Quarter 12/28)

Sin 4 Sin (The Quarter 12/28)



Dec 12 2009 5:48 PM

Playing Ottobar in Baltimore tonight, 12-12, so if you happen to be in the area, check it!
whats your vice?

whats your vice?



Dec 10 2009 3:12 PM

cheers for acepting hows it going
xx whats your vice
izzy
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