Stroudsburg, PA — On a crisp November Friday night, the Sherman Theater transformed into a six-string sanctuary as guitar titans John 5 and Richie Kotzen united for a tour stop that felt less like a concert and more like a masterclass in musicianship. Drawing from his high-octane shredding legacy with Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and now Mötley Crüe, John 5 — who recently released his latest album Ghost — brought a beautiful contrast to Kotzen’s soulful mileage. The two styles meshed together in a way that felt as inevitable as it was electric.
John 5 opened the night like a mad scientist commanding a laboratory. Under deep blue lights, his glow-in-the-dark guitar became more than a show prop — it became an extension of his personality. Unpredictable, wild, and technically pristine, he tore through blistering runs that veered from metal fury to bluegrass twang, seamlessly navigating shifting time signatures and defying genre boundaries.
His set was never flash for the sake of flash. Between the flashy moments were clean, straightforward riffs and technical passages any music lover could latch onto. Every solo felt carefully sculpted, carved with intent and emotion. Whether channeling country chicken-pickin’ or building tension with harmonic dissonance, John proved he’s more than a shredder — he’s a musical storyteller writing with a fretboard instead of text. Mid-set, he toyed with expectations, slipping into a rare Mötley Crüe medley that swept the theater into nostalgic chaos. The familiar riffs hit both anthemic and intimate, as if he’d brought a piece of his storied past directly into this Pocono Mountains venue. At one point, he even jumped into the crowd and let a lucky fan play his guitar in front of a packed house.
When Kotzen took the stage, the atmosphere shifted. His band — tight, synced, and low on theatrics — created a warm bed for his vocals and fluid guitar tone. Unlike John 5’s theatrical procession, Kotzen’s presence was grounded and calm, but no less commanding.
Kotzen’s voice soared: textured, soulful, and honest. His signature tone floated over guitar work that moved from searing leads to gentle, emotive passages, shaping melodies that felt both personal and expansive. His setlist spanned his career, dipping into both new material and deep cuts from his back catalog. Every song felt deliberate — the mark of a player who knows exactly how to make his instrument speak. In the Sherman Theater’s intimate room, his phrasing felt like a conversation: with his guitar, with his bandmates, and with everyone in attendance.
John 5 and Richie Kotzen’s night at the Sherman Theater was more than a gathering of guitar legends. It was an evening of contrasts — speed vs. soul, flash vs. finesse — and yet nothing ever clashed. Instead, the differences intertwined, elevated one another, and ultimately created a deeply satisfying night of music.
John 5 Tour
Photos: David Zeck / Rock Documented – Sherman Theater
