Come and Take it Live, Austin, Texas
April 29, 2022
Photography by Michael Mullinex
Come And Take It Live hosted John 5 and the Creatures on Thursday Night (4/28) for an evening of horror-themed technical fretmanship. The house lights went down and the video monitors sparked to life as a John 5 Mascot ran onstage waving around a light gun, signaling his arrival. John took the stage dawning a skull mask and shredding up a storm to wild cheers from the crowd. These types of predominantly instrumental shows are fascinating, and it’s fascinating to see the cultish devotion from die-hard Audiophiles and guitar nerds. John 5’s set was a technical display of skill, ranging in style from Industrial tinged Metal to acidic Rockabilly. To distinguish the songs beyond the skillful flourishes, 5 leans into the theatrical side employing different costumes, video feeds, and even masks for each song. Something as simple as using a violin bow on a Lava Lamp Telecaster adds a memorable quality to the song “Six Hundred & Sixty-Six Pickers.” The night reached its apex as John 5 launched into a medley of different popular Metal songs from Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name to Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, before giving his fans one last reason to howl at the moon with his hit This Is My Rifle.
