Photos and Review by Max Stewart
Guitar enthusiasts are having a moment. As a shameless guitar nerd who learned to play when I was 11 in the early 00s by printing out (most of the time incorrect) guitar tabs at Kinkos, oh how the times have changed. YouTube, Instagram and TikTok offer an endless platter of different stylistic players and detailed instructions for guitarists to perfect most songs. It is a fantastic opportunity for musicians to expand their horizons and a direct line into seeing more content from their guitar heroes.
John 5 is a prime example of an elite guitarist that has seemingly benefitted from the additional exposure of social media and YouTube. His metal-meets-twang guitar spectacles are a fun way to get your mind blown on his Instagram page(sometimes with his pet cat or dog appearing in the background), and fans can spend hours diving down the rabbit hole of his live videos on YouTube. But to really immerse yourself in the the feel and magnetism of his playing, you have to see John 5 perform live.
When it was announced that John 5 was going to be touring, and that the iconic Marty Friedman would be opening, it was a no-brainer. Fans that ranged from teens in Fender shirts to old metalheads in patched-up jean jackets packed into Atlanta‘s The Loft eagerly anticipating a night of shredding from two of the best.
Marty Friedman is a masterful guitarist who may be most known for being with Megadeth from 1900-2000. Since moving to Japan, he has released a variety of excellent solo albums that showcase his progressive speed metal acumen. When Friedman took the stage in Atlanta, the band huddled together and had a moment to gather themselves before diving into a frenzy wave of rock ‘n’ roll for well over an hour. Friedman is such a mesmerizing player and enthusiastic live performer, and his band elevates his already pulsating sound.
Drummer Chargeeee has the thrashing and animated demeanor that makes you feel like you are at the Whisky-a-Go-Go on the Sunset Strip circa 1984, with the energy, chops and charisma of a supreme metal player. Japanese musicians Naoki Morioka (bass) and Wakazaemon (guitar) are in lock-step with Friedman and shine brightly on their own. Amongst some of his solo work, Friedman actually played a new song off of a yet-to-be-titled album that he tentatively declared “Atlanta Rock City” and even invited a fan on stage to jam with him. He capped things off by blowing the audience away with “Kaze ga Fuiteiru” from his Tokyo Jukebox 3 release. Talk about a next-level way to start the night.
On a personal level, it was important to see Friedman live because our late Live Music Daily founder Andrew McConnell actually interviewed him in 2014. Once his set wrapped, I had a chance to chat with Friedman briefly and remind him of that interview with Andrew. He could not have been kinder and offered his condolences and appreciation.
The audience was fully primed and ready for more after Friedman’s set. John 5 is a superb guitar player that is obviously a fan first. His resume is elite: he started in the band 2wo alongside Rob Halford from Judas Priest, then joined David Lee Roth‘s solo band, was a key member of Marilyn Manson during the apex of their career from 1998-2004, and played in Rob Zombie‘s band from 2005-2022. Oh yeah, last year he joined a little band he idolized as a kid, Mötley Crüe.
He is clearly living out his dream and his passion for playing guitar is infectious (see this video of him giddily playing some iconic guitars). This could not have been more apparent than when he stepped out in front of the crowd with his iconic face-paint, cloak and Telecaster after a Black Sabbath “War Pigs” introduction. As the pyrotechnics lit up the stage, he took us on a face-melting journey of his solo career that include tunes like “Season of the Witch”, “Que Pasa”, “I Am John 5”, and “Cactus Flower”.
John 5 has mind-melting guitar chops reach across the musical spectrum beyond metal and hard rock. He is sneakily one of the best clean guitarists out there, perfecting the “chicken pickin'” / country twang sound with ease. He even commented that he loved and looked forward to playing Atlanta as there was a mutual appreciation for that style of play.
The vibes of his set were just plain fun throughout the night. In addition to the pyro, there was also someone wearing a KISS-inspired character costume that joined on stage, John 5-branded balloons thrown out to the audience. and John 5 himself ended the night wearing a hat that said “I 💗 Butts”. This is also part of his widespread appeal, he has the ability to play the most technically-proficient music but keep the energy of the night lighthearted and not stuffy in any way.The roof just about blew off of the venue when John 5 played a medley of Crüe songs that took fans down a riff trip, from “Dr. Feelgood” to “Home Sweet Home” to “Looks That Kill”. The way he absolutely nails every single note and tone of all of those songs in a live environment is unreal. John 5 has a PhD in Rock ‘n’ Roll, and we were all the students hanging on every note in awe. He even took requests from the crowd at the end of the set, challenging the audience to ‘stump him.’ He ended up tearing through Van Halen’s “You Really Got Me” (solo and all), further proving that he is the ultimate fan living out his guitar-playing dream in full effect.
It is humbling to see guitar players that have put in many thousands of hours of practice perfecting their craft get recognition and be looked up to generations of fans. Do yourself a favor and go see John 5 and Marty Friedman!
