The Arcada Theatre welcomes back guitarists John 5 and Richie Kotzen, this time as part of their co-headlining tour.
The annual tradition continues, with John 5 stopping by the Chicago area. These shows are great as you will always see familiar faces at them. Regardless of how many times you see John 5 demonstrate his musical prowess, you can’t help but still be blown away by not only the speed but also the musicality of it all. He is one of those guitarists who, while he can and does play extremely fast, it never feels like he’s just playing fast for the sheer hell of it. Each note rings out with beautiful precision.
These days, John 5 seems to favor the leather jacket and pants look over the multiple different costumes he used to change into throughout the set. That’s not to say that he’s done away with all of the theatrics. There’s still an array of face masks, and his love of horror is on display by way of the large screen at the back of the stage. You have to remember, this is John 5, so, of course, there are a number of guitars that are brought out, such as his famous “lava lamp” glow in the dark guitar. The majority of the evening, however, he could be seen playing his signature Ghost Telecaster. The fact that he played some segments on a mandolin and banjo proves that it doesn’t matter what kind of stringed instrument he has his hands on.
What’s better than a night seeing an outstanding guitarist? Seeing two of them on the same lineup, of course! As was the case with John 5, Richie Kotzen is no stranger to the Arcada Theatre, having performed here before, both as a solo artist and with The Winery Dogs. When you see his name on the marquee, you know the crowds will come. It was unfortunate, however, that his set didn’t begin until 10.50 PM, which proved to be too late for some who were unable to stay for his full set.Kotzen really is the full package. While he is primarily known for his skills on the guitar, he also has an incredible voice which rivals many. He is also a prolific songwriter. Earlier this year, he released the album Black Light/White Noise with Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith as part of Smith/Kotzen. This current tour with John 5, however, is Kotzen on a solo endeavor. The set showcased Kotzen’s unique blend of rock, funk, soul, and blues that he has become known for.
Kotzen is an artist who constantly has something going on. As well as his solo work, and that as part of The Winery Dogs and Smith/Kotzen, he has also signed up to be part of Nuno Bettencourt’s Six String Sanctuary in Las Vegas this coming January. So if you want to work on your guitar skills, this is the place to be! There will be workshops, masterclasses and performances from the likes of Steve Vai, as well as Nuno Bettencourt and Richie Kotzen, and more. So if this show wasn’t enough of a fix for the guitar nerds among us, there’s always the possibility of a trip to Vegas!
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