One of the most gifted and most underrated guitar players on the planet graced the Queen City with his presence this past Thursday as John 5 and the Creatures made a stop at the Neighborhood Theatre on the “Season of the Witch” Tour. John has made his mark on the rock scene being the former guitarist for Marilyn Manson and currently for Rob Zombie. But John 5 is so much more than a hired gun and it’s on his solo albums where he truly gets to shine. On this particular evening in Charlotte, John 5 showed exactly how good he really is combining incredible technique with exquisite emotion and master showmanship to the delight of the crowd.
With no opening act, the show got off to an amazing start as John 5 and the Creatures took the tiny stage at the Neighborhood Theatre by storm. Dressed in a full length studded red robe and in full makeup complete with flashing teeth, John 5 looked as cool as he played kicking off the show with “Guitars, Tits, and Monsters” from his latest offering “Season of the Witch.” What followed was a wild and wonderful ride through different genres and styles with everything from jazz to industrial to country and even a touch of disco. Bassist Ian Ross was solid all evening and drummer Rodger Carter never missed a beat although he was barely visible behind his kit. There were more than a few crazy moments as well with a clown coming out at one point shooting the audience with silly string. For the industrial vibe of “Season of the Witch,” John 5 came out with a black lace veil covering his face and his neon green liquid filled guitar. He even grabbed a violin bow to give things a very surreal sound. He also showed that his talent is not limited to the guitar as he played a banjo for the bluegrass metal song “The Black Grass Plague.” At one point John 5 switched instruments with Ian playing his bass as Ian played John’s guitar. The unpredictable continued with John 5 commenting that things were gonna get weird again as he donned a black wig and mask for “Making Monsters.”
The evening would not be complete without his signature LED light up guitar and a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” John took a moment to introduce his bandmates and thank the crowd for being so awesome saying that he wished he knew more songs so that they could keep playing. The evening was capped off with a medley of more than a dozen rock songs, some of which were John’s personal favorites and those he was most influenced by. Included in this medley were snippets of Pantera’s “Walk”, “Roxanne” by The Police during which the audience began to sing along, KISS’s “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” and a little Rage Against the Machine with “Killing in the Name .”
It was an incredible evening of music from a truly gifted musician and an amazing show. If you love the guitar, you owe it to yourself to see John 5 and the Creatures when they roll through your town. It is truly a one of a kind event.
Set List:
Guitars, Tits, and Monsters
Flight of the Vulcan Kelly
Six Hundred and Sixty Six Pickers in Hell
Here’s To the Crazy Ones
This Is My Rifle
Jiffy Jam (Jerry Reed cover)
Hell Haw I.G.R.
Season of the Witch
Portrait of Sidney Sloan
First Victim
Guitar Solo
The Black Grass Plague
Behind the Nut Love
Making Monsters
Beat It (Michael Jackson cover)
Medley
We would like to thank Natalie Camillo from Adrenaline PR for the credentials to review the show.
