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Live at Observatory Santa Ana
January 30, 2025 Review by Kim Scirotto
To call the show we saw at The Observatory fantastic guitar fest is an understatement! It was an outstanding and incredible guitar extravaganza! Due to NAMM being in full swing in Anaheim, lucky concertgoers were able to see the incredible stylings of John 5 and Marty Friedman and several other guitar masters who graced us with their incredible technique and musicality!
With NAMM in town for the weekend, Orange County was swarming with musicians and enthusiasts from all walks of life, and many were in attendance at The Observatory in Santa Ana for a proper night of rock n’ roll. Fans started arriving early and formed a line that stretched out past the venue. As soon as the doors opened, everyone packed in by the stage in anticipation of this epic show.
The guitar marathon began with Nikki Stringfield (Iron Maiden) and Patrick Kennison (Lita Ford) delivering a robust acoustic set with hits from their newest album, “Ghost Notes.” For their opening number, they debuted the hard-hitting rock anthem, “Suffer the Masses.” This song set the tone for the night with its themes of independence and rebellion.
Up next was the haunting track “Where the Demons Lie,” which delved into the dark side of human nature with its introspective lyrics and heavy guitar riffs. After performing such a dynamic set, the duo addressed the audience and reminisced about past NAMM shows, where they always tried to choose songs that represented the spirit of NAMM.
They closed out their excellent set with an acoustic version of the song “Aces High,” which featured dual guitar solos and harmonies that had the audience in uproarious applause. Stringfield and Kennison left the stage with the crowd wanting more.
Fans did not have to wait long to have their fill of the next dynamo on the docket. As the lights started to dim to the dominating melody of “The Terminator” theme, Nita Strauss made her way to the front of the stage with her guitar, adding her own touch to the intro tune.
Strauss and her band did not give the audience much time to recover from their excitement before shredding into the instrumental powerhouse “Summer Storm,” creating a sea of headbanging throughout her set.
Strauss performed the intricate and far-reaching “Mariana Trench” and the uplifting and energetic “Alegria,” leaving the audience in awe.
She then brought metal vocalist Kasey Karlsen on stage to blow everyone’s mind with her mighty vocals. Karlsen and Strauss had everyone headbanging and cheering along to the evocative “The Wolf You Feed.”
Strauss thanked the audience and showed appreciation for the other acts before reflecting on how her younger self would be left in disbelief over playing with the legends in the lineup.
She then urged the audience to always work hard for their desires and, “Together, we can be victorious,” which was a perfect transition into her closer number, “Victorious.”
The anticipation continued to grow as each act performed, and it was no different when Marty Friedman’s insignia appeared onstage and, shortly after, the guitar master himself.
As fans chanted his name, everyone quickly realized that his band wasn’t joining him. Friedman stated that he would perform solo because his band was stuck in Japan!
Friedman soon proved he could still deliver an amazing set, opening with the Sayuri Ishikawa cover, “Amagigoe.” He quickly went into his blistering “Whiteworm,” and his intricate solos and fast-paced shredding had the audience on their feet and cheering.
Friedman gave us a taste of his new album, “Drama,” with the emotive “Illumination,” which impressed the crowd with the mixed elements of rock, classical, and Eastern influences.
While taking a short break to address the room, Friedman expressed his gratitude for all the love that was radiating throughout the venue.
He then took us on a musical adventure with the intense “Devil Took Tomorrow” and the fluid “Undertow,” which had fans awestruck due to its technically demanding licks and layered melodies.
The energy remained at a constant high with the relentless intensity and the electrifying atmosphere, never letting up! Friedman expressed how much our support meant to him and he closed out the set with “For a Friend.”
After a night of such powerhouse talent, it would be understandable if the audience could not handle any more awesomeness, but the night was far from over with the upcoming set of John 5!
As the house lights started to dim and the stage became illuminated with the John 5 backdrop, a light fog and eerie track began to envelop the room. With the screens glowing white and the fog getting heavier, “Pure Imagination” began to ring through the speakers with a heavy beat from the drums.
A steady, muted strumming began emanating from the stage, and as soon as John 5 fully appeared on stage – with his signature ghostly white and black face and equally white and black telecaster – he dove into the gritty “Strung Out,” which paired well with the macabre video compilation playing on the screens behind him.
After enormous applause, John began playing the genre-blending “Que Pasa,” a fusion of rock, metal, and flamenco – a perfect song to showcase John’s musical prowess. With his versatility as a guitar player, it is unsurprising how effortlessly he can blend and switch between genres. His next genre jump involved the playful and twangy “Howdy,” which had the room ready to get up and dance with its quick, sharp bends, crisp and clean tone, and rockabilly undertones.
With what would be the first of many guitar changes, John switched to a bass guitar to perform “LA Xpress,” which contained cool bass effects and a fantastic bass solo!
John gave a quick hello to the audience before returning to his eclectic set and infamous telecaster with the funky “I Am John 5.” The self-referential tune showcased his multi-faceted guitar skills with a strong rhythmic groove, shredding solos, and technical brilliance.
After he asked us if we were “ready to get weird,” he took us through another genre-bending journey, which saw him switch out his guitar for what looked like an electric mandolin to play a tribute to the famous jazz standard “How High the Moon.”
We saw another guitar exchange – this time a clear guitar with glow-in-the-dark liquid that paired perfectly with the suspenseful atmosphere that the track “First Victim” cultivated. The eerie and dark melody brought chills to the room, wonderfully exacerbated by John’s ghoulish mask that depicted an uncanny valley version of his makeup. Then, John played a brilliantly arranged cover of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” which had us singing along to the lyrics.
The final guitar change for the night might have taken the cake as the best: an entirely LED telecaster that illuminated the room and complimented the calming essence of the track “Cactus Flower.” When John informed us that the end of his set was near, the room was understandably disappointed, but he made it up to us by closing out with the perfect Motley Crüe Medley of staple songs “Dr. Feelgood,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Kickstart My Heart,” “Live Wire,” and “Home Sweet Home.”
After the medley was finished, John thanked the crowd and left the stage, signaling the end of a fantastic guitar fest.
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by Shane Pase Photography
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