Watch Our Exclusive Black Pumas "Confines" Live Performance

Black Pumas: Adrian Quesada (left) and Eric Burton
Black Pumas: Adrian Quesada (left) and Eric Burton (Image credit: Jody Domingue)

Guitar Center’s epic Guitar-A-Thon tends to yield some pretty spectacular bargains and this year’s spring event was no exception.

This time around, the guitar world was also treated to a set of appearances by Austin-based psychedelic soul merchants Black Pumas.

As the face of this year’s Guitar Center Guitar-A-Thon, the duo – comprising Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada – told a unique tale about how two “rhythm players” discovered their signature retro sound.

And in this exclusive clip, Black Pumas perform a full, uninterrupted rendition of “Confines” – a Quesada/Burton-penned track from their self-titled 2019 debut album.

This exemplary performance shows just how powerful the simple combination of electric guitar and acoustic guitar can be.

“The guitar is a big inspiration for me,” recalled Burton in an interview with Guitar Center. “I was attracted to the guitar at an early age, eight or nine.

The guitar was a good way to find my voice

Eric Burton

“I used to play the violin, and I have some history with strings in general, but the guitar is just pretty much the most accessible instrument. Learning to play the instrument is immediate.

“When I was growing up, I was an introvert (still am in many ways) and often kept to myself. The guitar was a good way to find my voice when I was young. It was a way to express myself when I couldn’t any other way.”

For over half a century, Guitar Center has been helping musicians like Black Pumas to find their voice while offering a huge range of instruments at various price points.

With close to 300 stores across the U.S. and as one of the leading online retailers in the industry, Guitar Center has an enviable reputation as a go-to for musicians like Quesada and Burton.

Black Pumas

(Image credit: ‎ATO Records)

Order the Black Pumas’ eponymous debut album here.

Rod Brakes

Rod Brakes is a music journalist with an expertise in guitars. Having spent many years at the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a writer covering artists, industry pros and gear includes contributions for leading publications and websites such as GuitaristTotal Guitar, Guitar WorldGuitar Player and MusicRadar in addition to specialist music books, blogs and social media. He is also a lifelong musician.