Recent years have seen Carl Verheyen performing guitar solos for 67 million viewers at the 2009 Academy Awards, laying down tracks for every variety of movie (everything from from Cars to the upcoming Star Trek), delivering master classes at USC, sharing a stage with pop tart Miley Cyrus and even designing his own signature guitar.
On Wednesday, Verheyen will take the stage with his eponymous solo project at Anthology.
As the reigning guitarist of Supertramp since 1985, Verheyen still tours with the progressive rock group, which just returned from the stages of the Carhaix festival, in France, where they played for 77,000 people. But he also has his hands full with an increasing number of side-projects.
Educating future musicians is at the top of his list.
"It’s great to get around the world and do workshops and master classes," Verheyen said by phone from his home in Topanga, Calif. "I teach sometimes at USC and the Musicians Institute. The reason is because I believe it’s my generation’s job to pass it on ... pass on the knowledge ... otherwise we’re gonna end up with a generation of 'typers' who are into just using computers to create music."
At Anthology, fans can catch Verheyen doing what he does best of all: playing guitar.
"You’re definitely in the moment -- It’s in the very best and highest degree of that trancelike state when ideas are stringing together effortlessly," Verheyen said, talking about delivering the solos he's become famous for.
The Anthology show is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are still available ($10-$33).
