BOYCE AVENUE play 2 nights at HOB Anaheim July 23 & 24

Emerging into the music world through YouTube, melodic rock band Boyce Avenue is headlining a two-nighter at the House of Blues in Anaheim on Jul. 23 and 24.

Formed from brothers Alejandro Manzano (vocals / guitar / piano), Daniel Manzano (bass / backing vocals) and Fabian Manzano (guitar / backing vocals), Boyce Avenue has gone from uploading their always loved cover songs to YouTube, to owning their own record label, 3 Peace Records.

Along with their covers of popular songs, such as “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith, the band has had two studio albums “All You’re Meant to Be” and “All We Have Left,” their live album “Live in Los Angeles” and their EP “No Limits.”

While preparing for their two-days in the U.S. followed by dates in Europe, Boyce Avenue talked with Concert Guide Live about the transition from YouTube to filled stadiums.

CONCERT GUIDE LIVE: When touring, what does a typical set list look like for the band? Do you strictly play self-written material, or do you also perform the covers you are so famous for?
BOYCE AVENUE: Our shows always include both original songs and cover songs. We definitely like to change it up and make each show unique but we can guarantee that at any full live show, you’ll hear both originals and covers.

CGL: What are the main differences you have encountered switching from Universal Republic Records to your personal record label, 3 Peace Records?
BA: Having our own label gives us the freedom and hands-on approach to try new things and really choose our own path within the industry. We are thankful for our time on Republic Records, but at the end of the day it wasn’t the right fit for us and we are much happier having more control and running our band the way we see best fit.

CGL: Having emerged into the limelight via YouTube, how do you feel Boyce Avenue has transformed from an internet-known band to a band that fills stadiums? What was the biggest struggle you had breaking that barrier?
BA: We credit a big part of transitioning to our amazing fans. Ultimately our fans make it possible for us to tour and everyone who comes out and buys tickets and supports our music has helped us get to where we are today! We are really thankful for our fans and appreciate everything they’ve done for us.

CGL: What do you feel was the defining moment in the creation of Boyce Avenue? Is it a challenge working with family, or a blessing?
BA: There have been a few moments that really stand out – the EMAs in Belfast, playing Good Morning America, hosting our own Live Concert Film in LA all have been amazing. One of the earliest moments that stand out was when we played at the Mall of Asia in the Philippines and there were thousands of fans screaming and singing with us – that was a huge moment for us and an exciting time, no doubt!

CGL: What are any pre-performance rituals the band may have? Any after the show traditions?
BA: We really don’t have any specific rituals, but we like to discover and check out the cities we are in – often times we like to go out for dinner or to a pub after our shows. If our family is with us on the road, we like to hang out with them before and after the shows as well!

CGL: With your upcoming two-night show at the House of Blues, how do you mix it up from one night to the next?
BA: Our Anaheim shows are going to be a blast! We are so excited to be playing two nights at the HOB – especially during VidCon when a ton of our friends are going to be in town. Every night is ultimately a different audience so naturally the interaction with each crowd is always unique, also these two nights we have amazing friends helping us out. They’ll help make each night even more unique!

CGL: What other projects is the band currently working on aside from the tour?
BA: Right now we are working on our original album, and we are always working on new great covers and collabs!

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD BAND play Verizon Wireless Jul 14 photo: Mark Seliger

The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, having shined through as the very soul and epitome of blues rock, will be performing at Irvine Meadows on Jul. 14.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Noah Hunt, Chris Layton, Riley Osbourn and Scott Nelson have crafted songs with such classical, soul-filled blues acoustic guitar riffs and timeless lyrics that their audiences can’t help but feel the pain of the lyrics before being hit by the ever-present rock edge of the electric guitar.

“I’ve toured with some really great people over the years. I mean, my entire career it started with my first major tour being with the Eagles when they got back together, then BB King and Bob Dylan and Van Halen and Aerosmith… so to try and say one was better than the other, or this one was the best experience, would be kind of doing a disservice to the other musicians that I’ve played with and the experiences I’ve had,” Shepherd said. “I try and surround myself with the best musicians possible, because I think that helps me become a better musician.”

Experiencing the amount of talent not only in his own band but in those he has played alongside has helped Shepherd to create the passionate, contrasting music the band continues to play.

“I grew up on a lot more than just blues music — certainly a lot of rock and roll around the house, and country music, R&B and funk, so all that stuff finds its way into my music,” Shepherd said. “But I think if you were trying to categorize my music it kind of straddles the line between rock and blues, we kind of lean from one side to the next on any given song.”

With the amount of diversity in their music, the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band has landed six No. 1 blues albums, received five Grammy Award nominations, two Billboard Music Awards, a pair of Orville H. Gibson awards and the Blues Foundation’s “Keeping The Blues Alive” award, among others.

“Each one of my records I think are a great representation of who I am as an artist at that point in time in my career,” Shepherd said. “Obviously the one that was the most successful and was at the No. 1 position for all the blues tracks, it set the record and holds the record for No. 1 blues track, is ‘Trouble Is…'”

“Trouble Is…” features the band’s unforgettable hit “Blue on Black” that continues to be a staple in the band’s set list for each show.

“Ever since ‘Blue on Black’ became a big hit, that always gets played at every concert,” he said. “The goal as a songwriter, in my opinion, is to write a song that people don’t get tired of hearing, a song that is also timely and doesn’t sound dated. And I think this song did that.”

Aside from the band’s signature song “Blue on Black” always being played, you can be sure that their concert will always end with a rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child.”

“Ever since I put my band together when I was 15 years old I’ve always ended every show with a version of Jimi Hendrix’s song ‘Voodoo Child,'” Shepherd said. “That’s the big encore, last song of the set kind of thing and so that is without-a-doubt always part of my show. Once you hear that song, you know the show’s about to be over.”

With these two songs in the mix, the rest of the set list is always subject to change, continuing Shepherd’s theme of diversity and spontaneity in music.

“We try to do for whatever makes for an interesting concert and a good time,” he said. “I like to change the set list on any given night to keep things interesting to the band. We actually have a lot of fans that come to multiple shows in a row, so this way it’s possible that they’ll see a different concert from the night before.”

Alongside tour dates, the band is currently working on a live DVD for the fans. It has already been recorded and is currently being edited and ran through, but has no current set release date.

“When you’re actually recording something like that, in a live environment, the best thing to do is actually forget that it’s happening, because when you’re really overly aware that the cameras are rolling and things are being recorded, it can actually affect your performance — and not always in a positive way,” Shepherd said. “The fans have been asking us for a live DVD for forever, so I think they’ll be happy we’re finally giving them one.”

SHATTERED SUN play Mayhem 2015 photo: Arnold Garza

Sextet, Texas-born band Shattered Sun became a new addition to the metal scene, reopening the realm of metalcore, heavy metal fused with harcord punk. After a touring session with big shot metalheads Testament and Exodus, Shattered Sun is set to appear on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival, starting at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, CA on Jun. 26 and the San Manuel Amphitheatre in San Bernardino, CA on Jun. 27.

“This last tour that we were on with Testament and Exodus, nobody knew who we were for the first few dates of the tour,” Marcos Leal (vocals) said. “We didn’t even have an album out yet, so we really had to go earn it. But I think this time around people are not only coming to see us but I think our fan-base has grown.”

Shattered Sun creates a lyrical twist on the typical angry, gore-driven metal album. They created the fast-paced sound with layers of beautiful guitar work, beats and melodic keys, backed by a positive message of hope with their new release “Hope Within Hatred”.

“The message lyrically; I just wanted to put out this message ‘Hope for Humanity’, hope for the future,” Leal said. “I just feel like negativity drives the media … I just feel like people thrive off of it, so I kind of wanted to put out a more positive message; having a belief in the future, a belief in each other, just how things are going in society.”

The new album stood as a moving forward point for the band to determine where they would go in the music industry.

“Musically when we went into the album we were kind of at a crossroads in our lives individually and this was kind of like our last shot,” Leal said. “We put everything in this album and, like I tell everybody, this album is six guys at a crossroads trying to find out the path we’re going to be able to take.”

Marcos Leal (vocals), Daniel Trejo (guitar), Jessie Santos (guitar), Joseph Guajardo (bass), Robert Garza (drums) and Henry Garza (keys/samples) released their new album via Victory Records and have already landed No. 1 on the CMJ Charts, Top 20 on ITunes metal charts and No. 47 on Billboard’s Top New Artist/Heatseeker Chart.

The writing process for the band always starts with the creation of the music, followed by the lyrics, according the Leal.

“It’s not until I get I get the final sound and listen to it, music gets you into that place,” he said. “I don’t really like to be forced in a studio, it has to naturally happen. When it happens organically it’s something that’s really special and something I take pride in.”

On this album, Leal’s favorite lyrics became a reality in their song “Burning Regrets”, one of the more mellow, emotional pieces. This song offers a different tone to the metal crowd with the same technical sound behind it.

“‘Burning Regrets’ is about something really personal to me. My grandmother being diagnosed with cancer and at the time I wasn’t really there for her, so it’s kind of a personal apology to say ‘I wasn’t there, and I’m sorry that I wasn’t.’ I made her a promise on her deathbed that I was going to really pursue my talent, which was singing at the time since I was a little kid. Everything I do and everything on tour is really for her.”

Shattered Sun is the creation of a dream among childhood friends that continues to prosper, matching their commitment with their level of talent.

“The core of the group has been together since we were kids, so for it to finally be coming to life it’s just unreal to see us all grow,” Leal said. “It’s the American dream.”

NICKELBACK play Verizon Amphitheatre Jun 26

Regardless of any Internet vendetta against Nickelback, their popularity is an ever-growing presence in the music industry and they’re ready to rock Southern California on Jun. 26 at the Verizon Amphitheatre.

The “No Fixed Address Tour” was born out of a new realm of recording as a means of revamping the sound, as well as revamping the band’s excitement about performing.

“We wanted to try recording in a different way than we’ve done in the past (where you just sort of post up in a studio and don’t come out until it’s done),” Mike Kroeger (bass) said. “That is a way of doing it, for sure, but it can get a little stale and when you run into those writing blocks or creativity slows down, it’s nice to be able to freshen it up.

“So we decided to try recording in multiple locations around the world… it just kept it really fresh. One day you’re in LA and a few weeks later you’re in Hawaii or we did some stuff on our tour last year and we were working in Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, France — just wherever we happened to be. It was really good for keeping the vibes fresh — in a different climate, in a different environment — all of it was pretty cool.”

With members Chad Kroeger (lead vocals / guitars), Ryan Peake (guitars / backing vocals), Mike Kroeger (bass) and Daniel Adair (drums), the band has upheld a strong, recognizable, face in music that will be touring almost nonstop until mid Dec.

Although their new work holds on to the traditional sound (Chad Kroeger’s distinct rock’n’roll growl and classic riffs, to be specific), Nickelback has modernized their sound with more technical sounds and a more pop-vibe (especially present in newer videos, such as “She Keeps Me Up”).

“Million Miles An Hour” continues the hard rock theme fused with slight techno undertones, while “Edge of a Revolution” gives the nostalgic remembrance of their earlier albums.

“It’s hard to know a favorite song,” Mike said. “They all have a different sort of feeling or a different sort of place in your heart. It’s hard to choose one… I feel bad saying one’s my favorite; it’s like choosing a favorite kid and giving up on the rest of them.”

Even with an appreciation for all of their songs, the band recognizes the staple for each set list; including “Photograph”, “Rockstar” and “How You Remind Me”.

“There’s a few that we just have to play and we oblige,” Mike said. “We’ve had so many singles that when you go through a list of songs and you just isolate the singles you should play because most people have heard them, there isn’t a lot of room for anything else unless you want to go up there and play for four hours. It’s difficult to cut and choose the songs to play because you want to play the deep cuts for the hardcore fans, but there’s just not enough time.”

Amidst picking a setlist to truly give the fans the “Nickelback experience”, the band has their pre-performance traditions to ensure an unforgettable night.

“It used to be that we did a shot of Jagermeister before we go up on stage, but then over the course of a few years — we’re not fast learners — we kind of realized that Jagermeister doesn’t taste very good,” Mike said. “Most of what I like to do beforehand now, I like to just be by myself and get my head ready to go up there and do my thing. It’d be like somebody who does sports. You’ve got to get your mind ready so your body can do the work. It’s less rock’n’roll and more yoga.”

NICKELBACK play Verizon Amphitheatre Jun 26

KAMELOT play Grove of Anaheim May 15

Symphonic, power metal band Kamelot kick off their North American Haven tour, hitting the Grove of Anaheim on May 15 alongside Dragonforce, making their only southern California appearance.

Featuring members Thomas Youngblood (guitars), Casey Grillo (drums), Oliver Palotai (keyboards), Sean Tibbetts (bass) and Tommy Karevik (vocals), the band is releasing of their album Haven this month.

Their tenth studio album introduces a cinematic, power metal vision of a dystopian future. The recent release of their single “Insomnia” offers a sci-fi twist on the dystopian world, capturing the feel of the yet-to-be released album.

Concert Guide Live had a moment to talk with Palotai about Kamelot’s upcoming tour and the inspirations behind their new album.

CONCERT GUIDE LIVE: What are you looking forward to during this North American tour?
OLIVER PALOTAI: Especially for me being a European musician touring the US, I enjoy the special character of the US fans. Always friendly and enthusiastic while still being polite and knowing where the “inner circle” of a musician starts. That little bit of privacy you have being on tour. Some nations don’t care about that which makes touring sometimes difficult.

CGL: How does the new album Haven differ from past albums? How will it surpass the chart-topping Silverthorn?
OP: At this stage of our career, it is not about producing a “better” album than the ones before, while still evolving as a band and composers. Silverthorn was our first album with our new singer Tommy Karevik, which meant establishing a new relationship and a new working flow in songwriting and composing. So, with Haven, Tommy became even more an integral part of the process. Haven brings back some of the virtues of the Black Halo era and even before, while adding the never-ceasing, experimental flux which is at the heart of Kamelot.

CGL: What was the inspiration behind your sci-fi video “Insomnia”?
OP: We debate a lot the changing of society while being on tour or in the studio, the influence of the new technologies and how it can end up in the wrong hands. Insomnia is a visual catalyst of all that: Surveillance, enforced political conformity, suppression.

CGL: Before you started writing Haven, did you have the dystopian society idea already in mind?
OP: Yes, it was the starting point. Kamelot was always about similar projections, philosophy, history and science. Instead of reflecting the past, like on Silverthorn, we wanted to write music about the present and the near future this time.

CGL: How has the band changed sound-wise in the past 20+ years?
OP: We’ve always been open to influences from very different styles, not only those considered being modern at the times. At the very heart of Kamelot lies the urge to change and to experiment, not deliver basically the same album over and over again. Since we work a lot with orchestra and electronic sounds and grooves likewise, we have infinite possibilities to colour our style, while staying always heavy at the core.

CGL: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it?
OP: Metal, symphonic, some progressive elements. But, most important: Listen for yourself!

CGL: Anything else you have on schedule after this tour?
OP: We have a couple of European festivals coming up, then the main European tour in September/ October. Second leg of the US tour in November/ December. 2016 then Australia,South America and Asia.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY Unblackened Tour wraps at the Grove April 19; Photo by Justin Reich

Backed by their dysfunctional metal fanbase, Black Label Society is ending their U.S. touring of “Unblackened” at the Grove of Anaheim on Apr. 19.

“The sky’s the limit — actually there is no sky and there is no limit,” Zakk Wylde said.

With Wylde’s signature bullseye Les Paul, unmistakable brotherhood kutte and Nordic God-based beverages (Valhalla Java coffee, to be exact), Black Label Society has become an unstoppable touring force of bearded legends.

“I’m blessed to be able to do what I always wanted to do when I was a kid,” Wylde said. “There are no drawbacks to that. The reason you have posters of Jimmy Page on the wall and Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Al Di Meola and all these guys is because that’s what you want to do with your life.”

The band now consists of founder, Wylde (vocals and guitar), John DeServio (bass guitar) and newest members Jeff Fabb (drums) and Dario Lorina (guitar).

“Everybody that’s ever been with the band, always brings their own flavor to the soup,” Wylde said. “That’s the beautiful thing about it. Dario, he can play the guitar, play piano and sing – so obviously he’s a triple-threat. Jeff’s just amazing on the drums. I’ve been really fortunate that all the guys we roll with are all great guys, and just phenomenal musicians as well.”

The addition of the new members doesn’t halt success for BLS, but gives opportunity for new strengths and success.

“It’s just like with a head coach, you just let all of the guys use their strengths. You don’t force a Rottweiler to be a poodle or the other way around,” he said. “That’s why you utilize it and that’s why it works, you use its strengths.”

While on tour, BLS released the album “Catacombs of the Black Vatican” that, even under a time-crunch, continues the perfect blend of Wylde’s ever-improving voice backed by impeccable guitar riffs.

“It was like, ‘all right, I’ve got 25 days to write a record.’ So every day you go out there and you start writing,” Wylde said. “Pretty much all of the other records I’d walk into the studio with nothing, and then once you get in there you get inspired and start writing because everything sounds great and it’s just the breeding ground.”

The song “Fields of Unforgiveness” goes back to the roots of Wylde’s career, offering listeners an Ozzy Osbourne feel.

“I still get turned on by music just as much as when I picked up a guitar when I was 14 years-old, and now I’m 48,” he said. “You just hear other great musicians and it’s definitely inspiring.”

The most traditional BLS songs on the album are “Beyond the Down” and “Heart of Darkness,” holding true to the heavier, up-tempo band.

Although this album still offers the unforgettable BLS sound, it matches it with new mid-tempo, blues-inspired riffs. “My Dying Time,” with a killer music video and a sinister feel, highlights the instrumental value of the band, featuring minimal lyrics.

With new releases and continuous tour dates, BLS doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

“To me it was never a drag, no one ever had to force me to practice. Ever,” Wylde said. “You just do it because you love it. Everything down to making the records, to writing them, to making them, to mixing them, to the artwork, to everything. If I was a team owner, I’m interested in everything – the drafts, the players, the concession stand, the parking – I mean, I just love being involved with everything, down to the way the grass is mowed.”

TESTAMENT Thrash HOB Sunset Apr. 2; Photo: Stephanie Cabral

Recreating a classic thrash metal line-up in their Dark Roots of Thrash II Tour, Testament is performing their original albums, including all of “The Legacy” and “The New Order”, plus songs from “Practice What You Preach”. The tour will hit the House of Blues in Hollywood on April 2 alongside Exodus and Shattered Sun.

Band members Eric Peterson, Alex Skolnick, Chuck Billy, Gene Hoglan and Steve DiGiorgio are creating a new album amidst the touring season, using the revival of their old albums for inspiration.

With the members currently living in different states, Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson have been making demos for songs for the new album to be collaborated with the entirety of Testament during tour breaks.

“It’ll be nice to get on the road and kill two birds with one stone,” Billy said.

“In the back of my head, I’m thinking we’ve been touring doing the same kind of set just with new records for a few years and right now doing this in the middle of writing, we thought, ‘let’s just doing something different.’ Trying to get inspired by where we all started is kind of the hopes of it.”

Testament, previously known as Legacy, developed during the creation of thrash metal. With six songs demoed for critique among the rest of the members, the new album is diving back into the heart of thrash metal, rekindling the roots of the band.

“I think we started as a thrash band because we were young and probably doing speed back then and drinking. Playing fast was the way to do it,” Billy said.

“I think I started definitely changing where I was going lyrically with our songs as the years progressed. From our first couple of records where they were kind of typical gloom and doom metal lyrics, to now they’re personal things that have touched my life- parents passing away, friends on drugs, war, and the planet.

“There’s just so much going around that impacts my life every day that I’ve just worked it into my writing.”

Testament’s lyrics have continuously created the harsh, thrash metal feel alongside emotionally developed lyrics. With the rekindling and reunion of Chuck Billy and Testament in the early 2000s, the band continues to grow in fan base and talent.

“Right after “The Gathering” record was the point I got sick with cancer in 2001, so I was kind of down for a few years,” Billy said.

“When they had that benefit for me in San Francisco, Thrash of the Titans, we all came together for that show and we all got up on stage and played a song that kind of kicked off the reunion. The reunion started in ’05 and carried through until today.”

To continue the reunion, the band will be reintroducing bassist DiGiorgio in their Dark Roots of Thrash II Tour. Having a strong line-up and set-list to offer audiences, Testament has stood the test of time, becoming the “legacy” they had always wanted.

“I think over close to 30 years, we’ve stayed true to ourselves as far as Testament style without trying to conform to what’s hip and what’s current.”

EXODUS crush it at House of Blues Sunset on Apr 2.

Standing as one of the Forefathers of thrash metal, Exodus celebrates 30 years of brutality that is set to hit the House of Blues in Hollywood on Apr. 2 alongside Testament.

“How many bands are relevant after 30 years?” Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza said. “We’re really fortunate to have the fans that we have and the following that we’ve always had. Things have come and gone but we’re still here so we’re very excited about that.”

Featuring members Tom Hunting (drums), Jack Gibson (bass), Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza (vocals), Lee Altus (guitars) and Gary Holt (guitars), Exodus just released their 10th album in Oct., Blood In, Blood Out, which hit Top 40 in the U.S. Billboard Top 200 Charts within week one.

“I think everything is still the same brutal vibe that it has been from the beginning,” Zetro said. “I think we’ve gotten better as musicians, as players, as writers and to me I love this new record… I didn’t love every song in the past albums. I may have liked some songs and loved others, but this one I loved every song — I think it was well-written and well-performed by everyone.”

Along with this album, Exodus released the music video for the song “Blood In, Blood Out,” featuring fans, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and, as per usual, the necessary amount of gore to entice its fans.

“We invited about 150 of our loyal, greatest fans down to be in the video and we told them to have white shirts on and said, ‘Exodus needs fight club!'” he said. “We have to Fight Club every night — that’s what we do!”

While staying heavy and true to the brutality of Exodus, the band has continued to create a stronger image and sound that is undoubtedly the thrash metal standard.

“If you go see Exodus now, it’s the best time to see Exodus. The line-up is stellar, the album is just crushing it and us live is just killing it,” Zetro said. “We were the inventors of thrash metal. It was us, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. We were all the pioneers of thrash metal.”

With fans moshing together to create Fight Club videos and fill up multiple stadiums, Exodus is becoming a stronger symbol in the music era even 30 years later.

“I tell these guys to put their fucking horns in the air and as far as you can see, hands go up in the air — that’s power, let me just tell you. It’s an awesome feeling when the lights drop and 80,000 people are going, ‘Exodus… Exodus…Exodus…’ It’s wild. That’s why I keep doing it.”

URIAH HEEP play The Coach House March 12.

Uriah Heep, blossoming in the prime time of rock music, is strutting around 45 years of talent that has no intention of slowing down. In a swing of tour dates, such as the March 12 show at the Coach House Concert Hall, and the release of their 24th studio album “Outsider”, Uriah Heep is carrying on the torch of 70s rock history across the world.

“It’s great to have a new product out to keep everything fresh,” Mick Box (guitar, vocals) said. “It’s been received really well around the world by the media and our fans, so we’re delighted.”

Box was also invited recently to interpret classics from The Doors for a tribute album, working alongside Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge, one of Uriah Heep’s first inspirations.

“They asked me if I wanted to be a part of it and I thought, ‘Yeah, that would be pretty cool,'” Box said. “It didn’t have a lot of guitar in the original bit, and I felt that I could add to it and give it a little spin.”

Having been with the band since they were called Spice, Box has seen the evolution of Uriah Heep, which is now a five-piece group featuring Bernie Shaw (lead vocals), Phil Lanzon (keyboards, vocals), Russell Gilbrook (drums, vocals) and Davey Rimmer (bass).

“I think when we started out we were quite diverse. That was left from the “Spice” days,” Box said. “Then we developed into a progressive rock band, then we became a straight up rock band and that’s where we sort of stayed. You go through life experiments, then you find a niche and you stay with it.”

With positive lyrics and the creation of optimistic rock music, Uriah Heep is known to be a treasure to see live. When performing live, they play old music, new music and everything in between to capture the entire essence of the band, not simply the latest album.

“When you see Uriah Heep, I think you get the journey through our musical career,” Box said. “We play for real, we are for real, and if you come and see us you can still see the passion.”

John 5 plays Ramona Feb. 8, The Whiskey Feb. 11, The Coach House Feb. 12; Photo By Robb Fenn

John 5, while shredding through his first instrumental solo tour, is hitting up the Ramona Mainstage (Feb. 8), Whiskey A Go Go (Feb. 11) and The Coach House (Feb. 12).

“I’m really excited to do all of these shows because it’s the first time I’m going to be doing this instrumental thing,” he said. “I’ve been putting out records forever and this is the first time I’m actually going to go do some shows.”

Having played with multiple groups and individuals, John 5 has become a style of guitar playing rather than simply a musician. His underrated talent and background is something born of Guitar Gods.

“It’s a lot more responsibility doing my instrumental thing because I have to make all the decisions,” John 5 said. “It’s tons and tons of work, because I’m so used to my whole life playing in these huge bands and never had to worry about anything except what time catering was.”

Currently John 5 is working with Rob Zombie on a live album coming out in February after just having finished a new studio record that is yet to be released.

“We just finished our new studio record and packed it away, and it’s just a monster. It’s the greatest album that Rob has ever done. It’s unbelievable.”

Having now worked with Rob Zombie for 10 years, John 5 feels their first connection from Ozzfest is stronger than ever.

“Things couldn’t be better in Zombie land,” he said. “It’s the greatest gig I’ve ever had in my life. Zombies go forever, they never die.”

Prior to being connected with Rob Zombie, John 5 worked with Marilyn Manson for five years.

“It was New Year’s Eve every day. There was never a dull moment, to say the least,” he said. “I’m very proud of those times. We were on top of the world.”

Opportunities and music weren’t the only thing Manson gave him, however. Manson labeled him with his now solo name “John 5.”

“He gave me it (the name) on Ventura Blvd. at a restaurant called Gaucho Grill in Studio City,” John 5 said. “He goes, ‘All right, your name is going to be John 5,’ and I remember going home and practicing my autograph.”

While working on his solo project and projects with Rob Zombie, John 5 continues to embrace his music and develop a stronger love for his work.

“It’s definitely the meaning of life for me – be happy doing what you’re doing and be able to make a career out of it. You couldn’t ask for anything more.”