Horror Enthusiast and Guitar God Wows Fans at a Monday Night Club Show
Words and Photos by Michael Sprouse
John 5, the virtuoso guitarist celebrated for his work with Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Halford, recently graced the stage at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia.
John is on a short headlining tour across America, before he joins Motley Crue for their latest world tour.
When the stage lights came up at Tally Ho Theatre on Feb. 19, the audience cheered as John strode onto the stage, clad head to toe in a long white leather sleeveless coat with a red number “5” and holding his beautiful white, black and red guitar.
Behind him, across the stage, was an arc made up of guitar amps and four small video screens on either side of the drum kit which was on a small riser. The virtuoso guitarist was joined by drummer Alex Mercado.
His amazing set included tracks like “Crank It – Living with Ghosts,” the shred-tastic “Creep Show,” and the awesome “I am John 5”, along with several cover songs.
Watch John 5 play “Crank It — Living with Ghosts” for Guitar World on YouTube:
His intricate string-skipped arpeggios left the crowd in awe and John 5’s commitment to perfection was evident. For nearly and hour and a half, he ripped through more than 20 songs, including a Motley Crue medley with snippets of ten Crue songs.
During the set, videos of Frankenstein’s monster, cartoon robots, various permutations of John himself as a skeleton or a monster and even a cartoon Gene Simmons, flashed across the screens!
John 5’s live performance transcends what you hear on albums or see on YouTube. His playing style defies what you would normally expect from a rock guitarist, blending rock, jazz, progressive, country, and blues—often all within the same song.
Throughout the night, in addition to his melodic metal grooves, John treated the audience to a bass jam, as well as banjo and mandoguitar solos, showcasing his versatility.
Regardless of the song, John 5 poured passion and emotion into every note. His craft, honed and mastered over more than 30 years, resonated with the fans. Tonight was definitely an eye-opening experience for everyone at the Tally Ho Theater, whether they were already hard core guitar aficionados or just rookies who had never experienced the work of John 5!
John 5’s performance left an indelible mark, reminding everyone in attendance at the Tally Ho, why he’s a legendary guitarist in a league of his own.
Setlist
1. Season of the Witch
2. Que Pasa
3. Six Hundred and Sixty Six Pickers in Hell, CA
4. Howdy
5. Crank It – Living With Ghosts
6. Zoinks!
7. Strung Out
8. Cactus Flower
9. I Am John 5
10. How High the Moon
11. Mando Jam
12. Constant Sorrow
13. The Black Grass Plague
14. Creepshow
15. Hot for Teacher
16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
17. Live Wire / Too Fast for Love / Shout at the Devil / Looks That Kill / Home Sweet Home / Wild Side / Girls Girls Girls / Same Ol’ Situation / Dr. Feelgood / Kickstart My Heart (Motley Crue medley)
18. The Star-Spangled Banner (played with his teeth!!)
19. The Ghost
20. Pink House/Walk (Pantera snippet)
21. Every Breath You Take
(He was taking song requests at the end!)
22. Imagine
23. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (Eurythmics cover/ Marilyn Manson version)
24. Land of Misfit Toys
Here are some photos of John 5 performing at the Tally Ho Theater on Feb. 19, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse.
