Local musician up for ‘Guitar Superstar’

Sometimes the notion of superstardom has strings attached. In the case of Eric Barnett, there are six strings attached – guitar strings. The Sonoma musician may soon take the mantle of “Guitar Superstar” with Guitar Player magazine’s fourth annual guitar Superstar competition at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall on Sept. 13.
Barnett, a member of local trio Points North, entered the open competition the day before the July 20 due date after mulling his entry into the event the weeks preceding.
“I said, ‘Well, if I don’t, I’ll regret it,’” recalled Barnett, a life-long musician who began playing at age 5, has played violin, written his own music and attended a summer music program at Juilliard, the lauded New York City-based performing arts institution. Barnett, a veteran studio musician, is also one of the creative forces of the three-piece instrumental project Points North.
Judging this year’s Guitar Superstar competition is a panel of world-class guitarists, including Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Elliot Easton of The Cars, George Lynch of Dokken and Lynch Mob and Brendon Small, the co-creator of Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse animated series. Andy Summer of The Police hosts the event.
“The judges are like my boyhood idols to a certain extent. It’s an honor to see them in that strata and have the opportunity to connect with them so I can be heard,” said Barnett. “Win or lose, I will take away from the experience. Just the experience itself – to do it is wonderful.”
The winner of the competition will be featured in Guitar Player, a nationally distributed trade magazine, and receive prizes from over a dozen music-related sponsors. In the meantime, Barnett has focused on preparing his performance, which includes not only rehearsing his chosen song, but charting out the music for the all-star backing band provided by “Guitar Player.”
Beyond technique, the judges’ criteria is based on creativity as well as charisma, to wit, Barnett is concentrating on “trying to come across as a personable, well-rounded kind of guy.”
“I’m looking for the hometown advantage, so anyone who wants to come down and help!” he said with a laugh, then added sagely, “It’s really just a fantastic opportunity. I’m really grateful to be a part of this. You know, the experience itself is going to be wonderful and anything else that comes of this will be great.”
Doors open for Guitar Player magazine’s fourth annual Guitar Superstar competition at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St., San Francisco. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door and can be purchased online at www.gamh.com and www.pointsnorthband.com