![\"Jes](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Web-Photo-6-1024x683.png\")
Jes Farnsworth will perform at Stephie’s 7-10 p.m. May 22 before leaving for the tour.<\/p>\nJes Farnsworth will perform at Stephie’s 7-10 p.m. May 22 before leaving for the tour.<\/p>\n
Photo by Frank Serio Photography<\/p>\n
Apopka guitarist Jes Farnsworth will join former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted on tour in July. Farnsworth\u00a0currently\u00a0plays acoustic guitar\u00a0about\u00a0once a\u00a0month at Stephie\u2019s Pub & Irish Eatery\u00a0on W. Orange Blossom Trail.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really exciting,\u201d said\u00a0Stephie\u2019s\u00a0owner\u00a0Paddy Savage. \u201cThis is big time stuff, and for a guy from a small town like this to get that boost \u2014 it\u2019s quite amazing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
From July 1 to July 25, Farnsworth will perform in 10 states across the eastern U.S.\u00a0with Jason Newsted & The Chophouse Band.\u00a0An April 24\u00a0post<\/a>\u00a0on the Jes Farnsworth Music Facebook page describes the band\u2019s music as \u201ca gritty brand of outsider Americana, with roots outstretched into traditions of bluegrass, folk, soul, rock, and a bit of heavy metal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Become A Member<\/p>\n The Apopka Chief does not have a paywall, but pavement-pounding journalism is not free. Join your neighbors who make this vital work possible.<\/p>\n See Member Benefits<\/a>Join Our Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n For\u00a010\u00a0of the concert dates, Jason Newsted & The Chophouse Band will open for Blackberry Smoke, which Farnsworth said has \u201ca Southern rock vibe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re\u00a0fired-up\u00a0to finally take this to the people, and it\u2019s an honor to head out on the road with the Blackberry crew for our first proper run,\u201d Newsted said in the Facebook post. \u201cBlackberry Smoke has built a loyal following that knows and enjoys good music.\u00a0We\u2019ll\u00a0be performing TCB originals and selections from a few of our heroes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Farnsworth\u00a0first met Newsted\u00a0approximately 17 years ago\u00a0and\u00a0eventually toured\u00a0with him in 2013 to promote the album \u201cHeavy Metal Music.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMy friend took me to his house one day \u2014 this is back in 2009 or so \u2014 and we kind of hit it off, and we kept jamming over the years,\u201d Farnsworth said. \u201cThen, when 2012 came along, he wanted to do a project\u00a0[the heavy metal band Newsted], and he chose us to be a part of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Newsted\u2019s tour also introduced Farnsworth to his now-wife, who\u00a0brought him to the Apopka area over\u00a0two\u00a0years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a big Disney fan, so we\u2019re always going to Disney and stuff,\u201d Farnsworth said. \u201cWe chose Apopka because we always drive through it on our way to Disney.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Farnsworth began performing at Stephie\u2019s shortly after moving to Apopka. When\u00a0he saw\u00a0a Stephie\u2019s\u00a0Facebook post searching for a performer on a Friday night, he decided to send Savage an email.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe said, \u2018Come in and see me, and we\u2019ll talk about it,\u2019\u201d Farnsworth said. \u201cBy the time I got there to see him,\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0already\u00a0wrote\u00a0on the sign that I was\u00a0gonna\u00a0play there. I was like, \u2018I guess I already got the gig.\u2019\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0about 35 gigs in or something later,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0still playing there, and\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0my main place to play.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Since receiving\u00a0a\u00a0text\u00a0from Newsted\u00a0about a month-and-a-half ago\u00a0asking him to join the tour,\u00a0Farnsworth said\u00a0he has rehearsed twice for around four days at a time.\u00a0Although he values the\u00a0tour as an opportunity to \u201creunite with my old friend and have a good time,\u201d he will be back to playing at Stephie\u2019s afterward.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHe really loves it here, because this is his home base, and we were the first ones to really give him a job singing here,\u201d Savage said. \u201cThe people here really love him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Farnsworth will perform at Stephie\u2019s 7-10 p.m. May 22 before leaving for the tour.<\/p>\n Sarah Merly is an editorial assistant and reporter for The Apopka Chief. She joined the Chief in May 2025 after graduating from Patrick Henry College’s journalism program in Washington, D.C. In her spare time, Sarah loves watching rom-coms, visiting Disney, and throwing parties.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2-1.png\")
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