JOHN 5 (Current Motley Crüe Guitarist – USA 🇺🇸) – Concert review and pro shot pix via ROCKSTARPIX from a recent show at Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts in Patchogue, NY on November 6, 2025 #john5 #guitarist #heavymetal

*** Special thanks to Selena Fragassi from FR PR for helping make this happen!!!***

John 5 Haunts the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts – November 6, 2025

Halloween may have ended days ago, but John 5 wasn’t ready to let the spirit fade just yet. On November 6, 2025, the virtuoso guitarist transformed the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts in Patchogue, NY, into a glowing cathedral of sound and spectacle. The stage was lined with illuminated pumpkins, setting a mischievous tone for the evening — and in the true spirit of the season, fans were treated to Halloween candy tossed into the crowd by guitar tech David Vela.

Performing just weeks after the release of his 11th solo album, Ghost, John 5 opened with eerie precision, sliding into “The Ghost” while wielding his trademark white Fender Telecaster. The air buzzed with energy as he unleashed a set filled with dazzling musicianship — equal parts discipline and chaos. Every flurry of notes felt like controlled fire, each phrase a reminder that few guitarists can match his command of the fretboard.

What makes a John 5 show so striking is not just his technical prowess, but his restraint. There’s no frontman, no vocals — only drums from Alex Mercado driving the rhythm and a few subtle effects layered beneath. The performance lives and breathes through John 5’s fingers alone: fast, fluid, and fearlessly inventive.

While many first discovered him through his high-profile stints with Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and Mötley Crüe, his solo work exists in a world entirely his own. Songs like “You and Me and the Devil Makes Three” and “Black Grass Plague” blur the lines between metal, bluegrass, and fusion, a mash-up that feels more Dixie Dregs than industrial grit.

Visually, the show played like a ghost story come to life. John 5 appeared in his signature white and black makeup, a nod to The Creatures era — pale face, black lips, and jagged black streaks cutting across his cheeks. He tore through “Crank It,” “Que Pasa” (complete with frenetic kill-switch bursts), and an inventive spin on Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” all while rotating through an impressive lineup of instruments: a mini Telecaster known as “mini-Goldie,” a light-up guitar, a banjo, and even a translucent-bodied electric.

Through it all, he barely flinched — his focus unbroken, his expression unreadable. The lack of showy emotion only heightened the sense of awe; he didn’t need theatrics when the playing spoke volumes.

The night was equal parts haunted carnival and technical masterclass, a showcase of artistry that felt both unearthly and intimate. With Richie Kotzen sharing the bill on this tour, fans lucky enough to catch this pairing are witnessing two of rock’s most gifted guitarists in their purest form.

KICKASS FOREVER notes :

I (John Erigo) got to see John 5 perform near my home when the tour stopped at The Capitol Theater in Clearwater, FL. I was amazed at just how technically sound John’s playing was live. Also, the versatility!!! Everything from pure metal crunch, to Blue Grass/Chicken picking to lounge music – the dude even rocked mini guitars and a BANJO!!! A real master of his craft.

Pix/Review courtesy of DALILA KRIHELI aka ROCKSTARPIX  – enjoy the pix!!

John 5’s latest album GHOST was released on 10/10/2025 – here’s some info:

Track List:

Wicked World
Deviant (feat. Stephen Perkins)
Strung Out
L.A. Express
Hollywood Story
Fiend (feat. Kenny Aronoff)
Ghost
Moon Glow (feat. Matt Bissonette and Marco Minnemann)
You, Me and the Devil Makes Three (feat. Tommy Lee)
Executioner (feat. Gregg Bissonette)

RELEASED:
October 10, 2025

MIXED, PRODUCED BY:
Barry Pointer

CO-PRODUCED BY:
John 5

LENGTH:
29:38

Order the album here —> JOHN 5 GHOST album

John 5 on the album GHOST:

Ghost is perhaps my proudest achievement to date. To me, the meaning of life is doing what you love.  And this is what I love. I am surrounded by ghosts in my life and I needed to honor them with this album. It is what I was meant to do. I’m so happy to have had some incredibly talented friends join me on this album.

You can find ALL of John 5‘s links here —> LINK TREE

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