What does it mean to continuously preserve a culture for generations, if not a century? Genre-bending rock and heavy metal guitarist Marty Friedman delivered an electrifying shredding performance at Whiskey a Go Go (The Whiskey) on February 22nd, 2025. This historic performance in Los Angeles marked Friedman’s final United States show for his ‘Live Drama’ tour – featuring his fan-favorite songs and new songs from his latest album Drama.

Needless to say, Marty Friedman’s performance was stylistically and technically intricate – with his ability to combine both the American and Japanese styles of rock & heavy metal music, all the while expressing his explosive artistry in shredding. His exuberant and meticulous guitar riffs not only reflected his tenure as a former lead guitarist in the Heavy metal band Megadeth in the 90s but also his innovativeness from his years of living in Japan for the past 20 years. Interestingly, Marty Friedman’s performance was reminiscent of a gunslinger from John Ford’s Western films – but in this case, a lone wolf who maintained the honor code, value, and legacy of rock and heavy metal culture.

The opening acts for Marty Friedman were delivered by Rock and flamenco guitarist Roland Grant and acoustic duo Nikki Stringfield & Patrick Kennison. Roland Grant’s performance felt like witnessing a run-and-gun situation at a Western bar – especially with his fast-paced adroitness with flamenco guitar. On the other hand, Nikki Stringfield & Patrick Kennison’s harmonic guitar play felt like they were recounting past folklore, also at a Western bar. The choice to bring in other respective genre-bending artists, especially at this historically known rock performance venue, was a suitable start before Marty Friedman commandingly appeared on the stage.

Marty Friedman took the stage whilst nodding his head and pounding his chest with his clenched right fist – perhaps his way of expressing gratitude to the passionate fans at The Whiskey. As the already energized crowd erupted with ecstatic cheer, Marty Friedman and his talented band members (who were all from Japan, including a five-string bass player, another passionate electronic guitarist, and an indefatigable drummer with corpse paint) then graced the audience with his melancholic yet emotionally riveting rock song Deep End and Angel. The moody beginning allowed the audience members to slowly groove along Marty Friedman’s precise yet emotive guitar riffs.

But immediately following the melancholic mood, Marty Friedman seamlessly brought the overflowing energy of heavy meal spirit to the crowd. The pacing of his set choices became increasingly faster and sporadic – as if witnessing an unstoppable bullet train working its way around the world. Marty Friedman and his unblemished band members took the audience on a nostalgic roller coaster ride without hesitation. Especially some notable performances included his rendition of Megadeth’s iconic song Tornado of Souls, his cover song from his Tokyo Jukebox albums (Marty Friedman’s interpretation of popular Japanese songs), Kaze ga Fuiteru, powerful metal song choices such as Hyper Doom and Elixir, as well as poignant song choices from his new album Drama including Illumination and Tearful Confession.

The audience was mesmerized by how absorbed, if not fierce, Marty Friedman’s electronic guitar performance was throughout the night. During every one of his performances, Friedman closed his eyes while delivering his intricate guitar riffs –reflecting how the spirit of rock and metal music has taken over his ability to provide immaculate shredding with his electronic guitar. The night at The Whiskey was then concluded with a profoundly personal encore performance of For a Friend – a heartfelt tribute dedicated to his lifelong friend and collaborator, Jason Becker.

It is incredibly difficult to believe that despite his 62 years of age, Marty Friedman’s young and thrilling energy has triumphantly captivated the audience at The Whiskey. Not only did his eclectic performance give the audience a youthful recollection of the 80s/90s rock and metal culture, but the legendary Marty Friedman’s impeccable shredding also served as a declaration of rock and metal culture’s relevance even to this day.

Set List:
1. Deep End
2. Angel
3. Monophony (Wakazaemon cover song)
4. Hyper Doom
5. Amagi Goe (Sayuri Ishikawa cover song)
6. Tornado of Souls (Megadeth cover song)
7. Kaze ga Fuiteiru (Ikimonogakari cover song)
8. Tearful Confession
9. Illumination
10. Devil Take Tomorrow
11. Elixir
12. Tsume Tsume Tsume (Maximum the Hormone cover song)
13. Dragon Mistress
14. Kaeritakunattayo (Ikimonogakari cover song)
15. For a Friend