
For years now, I’ve more or less been on a mission to see every and any band live that I’ve ever cared about going all the way back to my first concert (AC/DC) in 1996. Dokken is one such band that has alluded me all this time, although I have seen numerous ex-members over the years, including original bassist Juan Croucier on stage with Ratt in 2017, guitarist George Lynch at a Daytona record shop in 2018, and classic lineup bassist Jeff Pilson on stage with Foreigner in 2024 (whom I also interviewed for Rewind It Magazine earlier that same year).
But to see founder and frontman Don Dokken on stage performing the classics was still on my to-do list, especially knowing his intentions to “slow down” after various ailments, including a spinal/neck injury that left his right hand partially paralyzed in 2019 that has limited his mobility greatly. After taking all of this into consideration, the Mrs. and I made a last minute decision to make the trek to see Don and co. at the Mount Dora Music Hall in Mount Dora, FL this past Friday, 8/21, something I think we each can say we’re glad we made the effort for now.
Upon arrival, openers Papa Wheelee – who we previously caught opening for Bret Michaels and Lita Ford back in 2018, and as far as we could tell were not listed anywhere on the flyer for this event – were already well into their set, with guitarist Sam Bittenbinder walking down the aisles playing the national anthem with his axe behind his head, at which point we knew it would be a fairly epic night. The band closed out their sets with “Mississippi Bruhaha” (hopefully I got that one right) and “Do It Anyway,” priming the crowd for surely more epic moments to come.

Papa Wheelee performing at the Mount Dora Music Hall in Mount Dora, FL on 8/21/26 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).
And then, cover act Hairborn took the stage. Now, I don’t want to come off as too harsh here – there’s definitely some talent there, namely their two guitarists. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen the energy leave the room quite so fast before, nor have I ever witnessed so much dead noise in between songs from a band before (a sure way to lose some attention spans). They actually started off well enough though, opening with Judas Priest’s “Electric Eye” before going into Motley Crue’s “Dr. Feelgood,” Y&T’s “Mean Streak” (which I was actually surprised to hear), and Sammy Hagar’s “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” but I still couldn’t help but feel like things were a bit Spinal Tap-esque here.
The group then went into a cover of “We All Die Young” from the 2001 film Rock Star, something I’ve never seen anyone else attempt before. Triumph’s “Fight the Good Fight,” Tesla’s “Modern Day Cowboy,” Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years,” and Dio’s “Rainbow in the Dark” were all fun enough as well. But if the guys in Hairborn just worked on their onstage presence a bit more and maybe incorporate some onstage banter in between hits, they might find their fanbase grow even further.
Last but not least, Dokken finally took stage just after 10pm, and with his barstool within arms reach, it was clear this was a new era indeed. These days Don is backed by a solid band despite the absence of any and all other original members. Guitarist Jon Levin has been beside Don’s side for well over two decades now, while bassist Chris McCarvill and drummer BJ Zampa, who have each served time in House of Lords, provide a solid rhythm section.
Opening with “Kiss of Death,” the band went through “The Hunter,” “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” and “Fugitive” before Don took a seat to tell a story involving Polaroid photos regarding the origins of “Into the Fire” before launching into the 1984 track.
A drum solo from Zampa followed prior to another brief backstory on the song “Breaking the Chains” (which involved a conversation with Scorpions guitarist Rudolph Schenker while touring together back in the day), which midway through saw an unfortunate moment when Don accidentally unplugged Levin’s guitar and the crew scrambled to get it working again. (The rhythm section thankfully kept the beat going during this like the pros they are though.)
Things quickly got back on track with “Dream Warriors” (from 1987’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3), which saw one of the biggest responses of the night from the crowd. The classic power ballad “Alone Again” was sandwiched in between newer track “Saving Grace” and ’90s-era number “Too High to Fly” before a guitar solo from Levin (which featured segments of “The End” by The Doors).
The classic sing-a-long “It’s Not Love” was up next before McCarvill was given his due with an impressive bass solo, which also segued into part of Free’s “All Right Now.” “In My Dreams” had the audience on their feet once more before “Heaven Comes Down” and finally, “Tooth and Nail,” rounded out their set for the night.
Was it a perfect show? Of course not (I’d say that’s fairly obvious at this point). But despite the current conditions (and any flaws), a Dokken show is still a show of rock royalty, one that I’m glad was finally able to be witnessed firsthand.

Dokken on stage at the Mount Dora Music Hall in Mount Dora, FL this past Friday, 8/21 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).











