Mötley Crüe guitarist John 5 is gearing up for the band’s massive summer tour. In a recent interview with Eonmusic to promote his upcoming May 2026 European solo trek, John 5 discussed his strict dedication to honoring original guitarist Mick Mars‘ iconic parts and teased the possibility of deep cuts making their way into the live shows.
John 5 elaborated on why he absolutely refuses to alter the classic riffs and solos that defined the band’s legendary catalog, viewing them as essential pieces of rock history.
“Yeah, it’s our childhood, you know? Those solos are embedded in our brains, and I wanted to play them just like how they were written, just how Mick wrote those solos. I wanted to play them because they’re perfect. You can’t change them. It just is not right if you change them, because they’re burned in my brain and your brain like that, so I just wanted to play them just like how they were written. It’s just like if you see a piece of sheet music, and you’re doing a session and you’re reading, you’re playing, and you’re, like, ‘That doesn’t really work’, and change this like that. No, you don’t do that — you play how it was written. And yeah, those solos are perfect. So I love it, and it puts a smile on my face every time I walk on that stage.”
The guitarist also shared his love for the band’s lesser-played tracks. When asked if he’d like to play songs from the 1994 era featuring singer John Corabi or tracks from 1997’s controversial Generation Swine, he confirmed his practice room habits.
“Every time at rehearsal, I’ll play ‘Red Hot‘, I’ll play ‘Ten Seconds Of Love‘, ‘Bastard‘, ‘Take Me To The Top‘, ‘Louder Than Hell‘, ‘Glitter‘, ‘Generation Swine‘, anything. I’ll play all these songs all the time, and it’s so fun. I love it. I love it. Love it, love it, love it.”
While keeping the official tour setlist a tightly guarded secret, he strongly hinted that fans will be very pleased with the song selection for the upcoming run.
“We’re going to hit the road this summer, and I don’t want to reveal what the setlist is, but it’s exciting, so I’m super excited,” John told.
Regarding the potential for fresh Mötley Crüe music following the tour, the guitarist admitted that the band’s next steps currently remain undetermined.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen after the tour. I don’t know what’s planned. I have no idea, but I just love being a part of it. So they just let me know what’s going to happen. But right now, there’s nothing planned, unfortunately.”
The upcoming “The Return Of Carnival Of Sins” tour will officially mark the 45th anniversary of Mötley Crüe, as well as the 20th anniversary of their massive 2005-2006 “Carnival Of Sins” era. The 33-city Live Nation trek kicks off on July 17, 2026, at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. Direct support for the entire run will be provided by Extreme and Tesla.
“The Return Of The Carnival Of Sins” 2026 tour dates:
- Jul. 17 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
- Jul. 18 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
- Jul. 20 – Clarkson, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
- Jul. 22 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre
- Jul. 24 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion
- Jul. 25 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
- Jul. 27 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
- Jul. 29 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
- Jul. 31 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
- Aug. 1 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
- Aug. 3 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
- Aug. 12 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
- Aug. 14 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
- Aug. 15 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
- Aug. 17 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
- Aug. 19 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
- Aug. 21 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater
- Aug. 22 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
- Aug. 24 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
- Aug. 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
- Aug. 27 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
- Aug. 28 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
- Sep. 8 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater
- Sep. 10 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
- Sep. 11 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
- Sep. 13 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
- Sep. 16 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
- Sep. 18 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
- Sep. 19 – Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Amphitheater
- Sep. 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
- Sep. 23 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
- Sep. 24 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheater
- Sep. 26 – Ridgefield, WA – Cascades Amphitheater
