Photos and review by Dave Kasiorek
The famous monsters tour featuring headliner John 5 (and the creatures) with special guest Wednesday 13 at Jergel’s was one of intimate energy with a back splash of horror and mysterious stage presence. A few hundred fans packed tightly to the back of the venue came to have some fun with some daring acts.
Wednesday 13 is your if Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie had a baby, echoing a similar show with use of stage props and thumping crowd anthems, with songs like “Too Fast For Blood” and “Scream Baby Scream”. Lead singer (Wednesday 13) kept things interesting through out the show especially on “Blood Sucker” when he wore a creepy mask on the back of his head and played the whole song, back facing the crowd and acting as if he were possessed. Later he found a unique way to get the crowd clapping their hands in the air with a large pair of scissors that as he opens and closes the crowd follows. On the last song “I Love To Say F*^%” he came out with an umbrella dawning a giant middle finger on it as the crowd held their middle fingers high in the air and chanted along with the involved front man. After the show Wednesday 13 would join their merchandise table to chat with some fans.
Awaiting one of the best guitar players out there right now, John 5. The intro “Halloween (movie theme)” was played by John 5 behind the stage as a witch creeped out of the stage set holding a monster head filled with candy, throwing it in the crowd getting everyone ready for tricks and treats. “Making Monsters” and “Flight of the Vulcan Kelly” kicked the monstrous instrumental show off giving the fans some early tricks and treats with his unique way of bending the strings and using pedals to create some off the radar guitar work. John 5 is known for his variety. He blends so many different genres together but yet you can tell it’s him. “Hell Haw I.G.R” sees him whipping out the banjo and mandolin shredding some hillbilly boogie for those back woods folks. From the country we go to the dark roots of some Sabbath-esque metal with “First Victim” that leads right into “This Is My Rifle” which could fit on mega progressive albums like Liquid Tension Experiment (Dream Theater, minus James Labrie and John Myung with Tony Levin of King Crimson). “Zoinks!” is a new song that was written for the tour and has some hardcore guitar slapping riffs and heroic solos with a blend of progressiveness. After an hour of shredding through some original instrumental material it was time for some covers. “Enter Sandman” saw the crowd singing along word for word followed by a medley consisting of several riffs from bands like Slayer, Def Leopard, Led Zeppelin, Marilyn Manson, Metallica, Rush, Van Halen, Rage Against The Machine, and Alice In Chains, leading into a solo walkoff for John 5. Coming back out for one last song “Guitars, Tits, and Monsters” with it’s bluesy metal tone closed out a show of near perfection of instrumental professionalism.
This is a show worth going to see. Wednesday 13 with their anthemic rock and stage props and John 5 with his unique playing style and heroic instrumentation, you will not be left unsatisfied. There are many tricks and treats for the fans at this one!