John Bush recently shared a highlight from his solo performance series, John Bush Celebrating the Songs of Anthrax 1993–2003, calling attention to the support he received from former bandmate Charlie Benante. Bush posted the moment on Instagram, sharing a photo of himself alongside the Anthrax drummer.
In the caption, Bush reflected on the pressure and excitement of performing with Benante watching from the crowd. “When you play in front of Charlie Benante, you better play it right!! Not too fast,” Bush wrote.
Fans quickly reacted in the comments, expressing excitement at seeing the longtime collaborators together again. One fan wrote, “Great to see you and Charlie together! You guys made some great music together!” Another commented, “It must be such a trip seeing a member of Anthrax in the crowd!”
Bush’s first-ever solo concert took place on December 13 at Whisky a Go Go, where he celebrated his era as Anthrax’s frontman. The setlist focused on material from the four albums he recorded with the band, spanning Sound Of White Noise through We’ve Come For You All.
Audience response to the show was overwhelmingly positive, with fans praising Bush’s vocals and calling for additional performances. According to Blabbermouth, the concert kicked off a three-date run, with subsequent shows scheduled for December 18 in St. Charles, Illinois, and December 20 in New York City.
Brave Words reported that fan-filmed footage from the Los Angeles performance has already surfaced online, with professionally recorded audio expected to follow. Bush has also indicated that, due to the strong reception, more shows could take place in 2026.
In a previous interview with Dr. Music, Bush addressed whether he sought permission from Anthrax members before performing songs from his tenure with the band. He explained, “I talked about doing this for a while. So I didn’t really necessarily because I had talked about it for so much for so long. I didn’t really feel like it was necessary for me to go ask people’s approval at this point,” Bush said. “It was something that I was saying I’m going to do this and of course I wanted everybody to be happy about it, you know, the Saint guys included. But it was not something that I said, ‘Hey, can I do this?’ Cuz I kind of felt like I had already talked about doing this for a long time and it was already out there. I think most people were supportive of it.”
Bush served as Anthrax’s vocalist from 1992 to 2005, recording four studio albums during his tenure, including Sound Of White Noise, which remains the band’s highest-charting U.S. release. According to Louder Sound, the 1993 album peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and marked a stylistic shift toward a more alternative metal sound.
Bush’s solo performances revisit material from 1993 to 2003, spotlighting a distinct chapter in Anthrax’s history. Benante’s visible support adds an emotional and symbolic dimension to the shows, resonating strongly with longtime fans of the band.
