Halfway to Halloween
What do you get when you mix half of Rob Zombie’s band and the lead singer of New Years Day? One hell of a party, that’s what. John 5 and Piggy D(aka Count D) have been bandmates for the better part of two decades, touring with horrorshow mastermind Rob Zombie. Thank the devil that they finally decided to take their solo projects out on the road together for a halfway to Halloween tour.
Last night’s stop in Garden Grove was a homecoming show for singer Ash Costello of The Haxans. She reminisced about her preschool being down the street and having performed on the GARDEN AMP stage as part of the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival as a child. While I’m sure her performance was good back then, Ash has become a fantastic performer and lead singer of both New Years Day and The Haxans. Her strength as a singer was on full display when she blessed the crowd with an intro of “I Put A Spell on You” into their original song “Dirty Magic”.
Whenever I am asked about who the greatest, past or present, guitar players are, I’ve always included John 5 in my answer. His playing is beyond virtuoso, and his ability to switch between different styles in jaw dropping. His inclusion in my list of greatest is generally met with a look of confusion by people who seemed to have stopped listening to rock music in 1987. The thing that sets him apart from his peers, besides a mastery of his instruments, is his stage presence. Beyond face melting song after face melting song, John 5 maniacally grins at the audience throughout his entire set, feeding off the energy that can only come from a rock show. Throw in a stage show that evokes the lab of a mad scientist in a dark and spooky castle and there is enough for all of the senses to take in.
John 5
The Haxans
