The trek is a guitar enthusiast’s dream come true
Next year, John 5 is returning to the road with his band The Creatures. The run begins on January 26, 2024, at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California and wraps up on March 1 at The Observatory North Park in San Diego, California. John 5 will be joined on select dates by fellow guitar virtuoso Marty Friedman and Liliac, as well as previously confirmed guests Jared James Nichols, Nikki Stringfield, and Van Halen tribute act, The Atomic Punks.
“I am really looking forward to see all of you monsters on the road,” John 5 said.
Additionally, John 5 has added three new shows to the tour in Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. Tickets for all shows are on sale now. Check out the full tour itinerary below.
Before John 5 hits the road for his solo run, he has one more show scheduled with Mötley Crüe on New Year’s Eve in southern California.
John 5 signed on to be the Crüe’s new guitarist last October following the retirement of founding member Mick Mars. Mars, 71, retired from touring due to his “ongoing painful struggle” with Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S.), a degenerative disease which affects the spine. John 5 was an obvious choice, given his history with the band. In 2019, John 5 co-wrote the songs “The Dirt,” “Crash and Burn,” and “Ride with the Devil” for the soundtrack to Netflix’s Mötley Crüe biopic, The Dirt.
On October 31, Mars revealed details for his debut solo album and released the record’s lead single, “Loyal to the Lie.“
John 5 is very close with Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, whom he called his “best friend.” In a 2019 interview with Outburn Magazine, John 5 said of Sixx,”We love each other. He has inspired me and taught me so much about life in general. He’s a phenomenal songwriter, lyricist, author, everything. He’s always telling me to listen to this audio book or see this movie. He has a happy marriage, a happy life, a successful band he started from the ground up. He’s one of the most inspiring people. He’ll text me all the time to read something or try something. It’s wonderful. He’s a phenomenal photographer as well. I remember him telling me that he’s going to take bass lessons again and get into playing with his fingers. He was so dedicated.”
John 5 recently entered the studio with Mötley Crüe and producer Bob Rock to begin recording new music.
Back in May, Fender announced a brand new John 5 signature guitar. The Limited Edition John 5 Ghost Telecaster® is the latest Fender artist signature guitar for John 5. Along with the ax, he revealed a special accessories collection that includes a white leather strap with red suede backing, a 10’ cable in arctic white with custom molded red ends and a six-pack of 351 celluloid picks featuring John 5’s logo and graphics.
“I’ve played Telecasters my whole life and getting to design my own is a dream come true,” said John 5. “When it came to design, I was inspired by some of Fender’s previous collaborations, but sought to create a model that would be both visually stunning and comfortable to play. Fender helped me design a Telecaster that was different from anything else on the market and the easy-to-play all-white fretboard and unique pickguard is proof of that. The leather strap and cable match the guitar’s white aesthetic and the pick visuals are absolutely killer!”
John 5 started his career as a session player before establishing himself as a premiere guitarist for rock music heavyweights including David Lee Roth (Van Halen), Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Marylin Manson, Rod Stewart, and more. For almost three decades, John 5 has become one of the most in-demand guitar players on the planet, having worked with an impressive array of talent from across the industry. An eternal student of music, John 5’s expansive knowledge of various genres shows up in his bluegrass licks, sweep-picking solos and high-speed chicken-pickin’ lines.
Marty Friedman released his latest album, Tokyo Jukebox 3, back in 2021. Earlier this year, he mounted a U.S. tour with Queensryche. To the delight of fans, Friedman also joined his former band Megadeth for a few global performances this year.
1/26/24 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory@
1/27/24 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theater@
1/28/24 – Las Vegas, NV – Count’s Vamp’d^
1/30/24 – Colorado Springs, CO – Sunshine Studios
2/1/24 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theater#
2/2/24 – Turtle Lake, WI – St. Croix Casino#
2/3/24 – Green Bay, WI – Epic Events Center#
2/4/24 – Kansasville, WI – 1175 Event Center#
2/6/24 – Angola, IN – The Eclectic Room#
2/7/24 – Harrison, OH – The Blue Note#
2/8/24 – Cleveland, OH – The Winchester Music Tavern
2/9/24 – Flint, MI – Machine Shop
2/10/24 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs
2/12/24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille
2/13/24 – Lititz, PA – Mickey’s Black Box
2/14/24 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall
2/15/24 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theater
2/16/24 – New Bedford, MA – The Vault Music Hall & Pub
2/17/24 – Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall
2/18/24 – Sellersville, PA – The Sellersville Theater
2/19/24 – Leesburg, VA – Tally Ho Theater
2/20/24 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room
2/21/24 – Atlanta, GA – The Loft @ Centerstage*
2/23/24 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall*
2/24/24 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater*
2/25/24 – Tulsa, OK – The Shrine*
2/27/24 – Denver, CO – Oriental Theater*
2/28/24 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater*
2/29/24 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile
3/1/24 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
*with Marty Friedman
#with Liliac
@with Jared James Nichols and The Atomic Punks
^with Nikki Stringfield
Tickets are on sale now HERE
John 5 VIP Soundcheck Meet and Greet passes are available for all shows HERE