John 5 w/s/g The Haxans at The Chance in Poughkeepsie 05/11/2022 -By: Rob Smittix

On Wednesday May 11th my friends and I took to the NYS Thruway, crossed the Mid-Hudson Bridge into good ol’ Poughkeepsie and grabbed a table at The Chance Theater. Last time I was at The Chance was years ago when my band Smittix played with The Toasters at The Loft. The place brought back memories for sure, it was exactly as I remembered it, a classic vibe with The WPDH banner hanging over the stage and a very polite and friendly staff.

The Haxans (Ashley Costello & Matt Montgomery) opened up the show bringing powerhouse vocals and musical sorcery to their performance. The duo was fun to watch as they had a great set and their stage banter was well received. Guaranteed The Haxans have earned new fans from their well produced show Wednesday night.

John 5 is more than just a chapter in The Bible, John 5 is more than just a robot with short circuits, John 5 is a class-act guitarist with a very impressive resume. It was a real treat for everyone in the crowd to experience a guitarist that is so gifted and versatile performing right in front of them. I didn’t meet John 5 personally but I get the impression that he is a humble musician. Listen, a lot of people can play guitar but then you have guys like Jack White, Yngwie Malmsteen and John 5 who are prodigies. I’ve never met Malmsteen either but it’s pretty well known that he’s a dick and I think John 5, although he doesn’t drink or do drugs would still be way more down to earth.

All in all, it was a great night and if you ever get the chance to see John 5 in concert, take it!