Photos By Brooke Striewski

For as long as its existed, rock n’ roll has always provided plenty of examples of tenacity, a D.I.Y. from many of those involved, willing to go above and beyond so that the show can go on. This was on full display all-around at the show held at The Barn in Sanford, FL this past Saturday, August 1, which was fully organized thanks to an idea that developed in the mind of Karen Lazer of Lazer Focused Talent Agency after a conversation with local musician/singer Leo Lee Rocks.

Thanks to this, a first of its kind, once-in-a-blue-moon type of concert was put on by top notch musicians lead by Joel Hoekstra of Whitesnake and Trans-Siberian Orchestra (and currently Stephen Pearcy/formerly Night Ranger, among many others), who Rewind It Magazine readers may recall we last caught up with in Cassleberry back in late 2024 as part of Hoekstra/Gibbs. Joined by XYZ/former Great White singer Terry Ilous, former Metal Church/Autograph bassist Steve Unger, drummer Patrick Johansson (who has served time on stage with W.A.S.P. on more than one occasion), and at times the previously-mentioned Lee, the act didn’t even have a chance to fully practice their set together beforehand aside from the usual soundcheck.

It was also encouraging hearing that most of these guys were running on fumes that night, each having to catch their own early morning flights to make it on the stage that night. (I myself was feeling the same levels of exhaustion after having been up at 4:00am the day of, I’ll just say thanks to the actions of others.) But it is seldom not worth it to not push through it all to make it still happen, and I’m glad that all those involved could still make the memories we now all share from the experience.

Local cover act After 5 primed the crowd appropriately, opening with “Boys of Summer” by The Eagles, Blondie’s “One Way or Another,” and The Cult’s “Love Removal Machine.” But by the time the band had gotten to Foreigner’s “Jukebox Hero,” Def Leppard’s “Too Late,” and Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” they were definitely speaking more of my language.

After 5 primes the crowd at The Barn this past Saturday, August 1. (Photo by Brooke Striewski)

But the real highlight came in the form of their version of “Detroit Rock City,” a personal favorite KISS track that showcased the talent of the rhythm section here for sure. More covers of AC/DC’s “T.N.T.” and “Hell’s Bells,” The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter,” and Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” followed, yet none topped the aforementioned KISS song in my book. (I may just be a tad bias here though if I’m being honest.)

And finally, the previously-mentioned all-star lineup took the stage just after 8:00pm on Saturday night, opening with a trio of Whitesnake classics in the form of “Slide It In,” “Fool For Your Loving,” and “Love Ain’t No Stranger” prior to launching into their version of the David Coverdale-era Deep Purple hit, “Stormbringer.”

Next up, Ilous gave a heartfelt dedication to his late predecessor in Great White, Jack Russell, prior to going into the anthem “Rock Me,” one of the absolute highlights of the night. Terry’s other well-know act XYZ was represented next with “Inside Out” before Joel took over on vocals for Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.”

“Break on Through (to the Other Side)” by The Doors was up next before Leo Lee joined the band for a round of songs that included Deep Purple’s “Burn” and “Perfect Strangers,” as well as yet another cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” Johansson then briefly stepped into the spotlight for a drum solo before AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” could be heard, followed by an extended (and I do mean extended!) version of Led Zepplin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” complete with a Slayer riff or two thrown in for good measure.

As if that was not all enough, the full band then regrouped on stage for Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” and “Still of the Night,” as well as Rainbow’s “Long Live Rock n’Roll” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” at this point with both Terry and Lee sharing lead vocals, as well as one of Hoekstra’s own guitar students, Juan (apologies I did not catch the last name), came out to take over on some leads.

XYZ/former Great White frontman Terry Ilous shares a moment with Hoekstra protege Juan on stage at The Barn this past Saturday, August 1. (Photo by Brooke Striewski)

But perhaps the most unexpected moment of them all came at the very last hour as bassist Steve Unger took over the lead vocal position for a cover of Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places,” which everyone joined in for in true sing-a-long fashion. It was a fitting, epic ending, to an otherwise already epic evening.

Interview with Devon Kerr and Jason Junop of Lockhart By Jesse Striewski

Back in 2023, a little Canadian band named Lockhart first came across my radar and gave me a bit of hope again for new rock music – a rarity indeed these days – as a whole. I found myself not only reviewing their initial, self-titled EP at the time, but also picking the brain of frontman/mastermind behind the band, Devon Kerr.

Fast forward to present day, with the band dropping their debut full-length album, City Pulse. When the chance to do another interview with another band member, I once again jumped at the chance, this time opting for bassist/vocalist Jason Junop, known for his work with the likes of Cauldron and Goat Horn as well (often using the alias Jason Decay in these acts). But little did I know it would be a two-for-one affair, as said vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Kerr would once again join in for some of the topics we discussed, too.

First and foremost, already knowing how many of the tracks on the band’s earlier EP were more or less already constructed by Kerr beforehand, I was wondering if it was more of a group effort when it came to writing/putting together the new songs, in addition to whether or not the band was physically together in the studio or not for City Pulse. Junop stated; “I would say I was a bit more involved. I did write one song and sang a little more on this one and had more input on production and such but it was still all mainly Devon. I recorded my bass and vocal parts at Welfare Sound and Muskoka Recorders up here in Muskoka.”

I couldn’t help but notice that the band appears as a five piece in the new video for the track “Can’t Shake It,” and was curious if this more or less for the sake of the video, or if it could possibly lead to future, permanent members (and if that was Thunderor/Skull Fist guitarist Jonny Nesta I saw tucked in there, too), as well as if drummer Fabio Alessandrini was on tour at the time for the shooting of their video for “City Pulse” (That features Emily Merrick in his place instead.) Kerr noted; “We used guys from the Toronto music scene to play in the music video, Jonny Nesta, and Ryan Staffa. You’re right about possibly becoming future members in a live sense at least! You’re also absolutely right about Fabio, he was out touring with Enforcer in South America during that time.”

Existing fans may also note that three of the tracks from City Pulse (“Under Fire,” “Just Can’t Wait,” and “No Chance in Heaven”) can also be found on that first EP. Prior to hearing these new versions, I was intrigued to know if they were the same tracks as previously recorded before, or all-new versions. Kerr told me; “They’re newly recorded. We changed the key of “Under Fire,” but kept the keyboard takes for “Just Can’t Wait,” and some of the keys from “No Chance in Heaven” as an ode to the EP. We know people really enjoyed those rough cuts on the EP, so we wanted to keep some of that in there.”

The track “Together As None” is also a slightly reworked 2018 Cauldron song, so I was wondering if it was Jason’s idea to use it as a Lockhart track, as well as if there were possibly one version he preferred over another, now that there were two unique variants of it. Junop stated; “That would depend on which band I’m playing it with. The Cauldron version suits Cauldron, and the Lockhart version suits Lockhart better. I think that was a standout track for Cauldron but almost too far in the AOR direction for what Cauldron is known for; Lockhart could take it to new places.”

Speaking of Cauldron, with it being a number of years now since we’ve received new music from them, I had to ask if there might be a chance we may see/hear something new from them anytime in the near future. Junop informed me; “We’ve been working on new songs for almost 3 years now and have almost a full record of new material put together, but we also all have kids now which takes priority and our logistics also keeps things slow. So I won’t put a date on it but it’s on the back burner.”

As far as playing live went, I wanted to know if Lockhart had primarily played out regionally so far, and if and when there might be any upcoming plans to take the band on the road in the near future, and was actually somewhat surprised by the response given for this one; “We have not played live at all. The music is too shiny and complex to put it all together just to go play in a greasy club. If the right show comes along then we will do it.”

And lastly, with such a vast amount of influences showing through in their music, I had to know what a dream lineup would look like if Lockhart could share the stage with any band(s) possible, past or present. Junop said matter-of-factly; “Slik Toxik, Platinum Blonde, Killer Dwarfs and Sacrifice.”

That being said, hopefully some day we’ll all be able to rock alongside Lockhart in a live setting (with or without any of the previously-mentioned dream lineup bands). Until then, be sure to grab yourself a copy of City Pulse, and crank your speakers up to ’11!’

Film Review: Evil Dead Burn (New Line Cinema/Screen Gems/Ghost House Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures/Sony Pictures Releasing)

By: Jesse Striewski

I pretty much knew going into it what to expect from the new Evil Dead Burn; another run-of-the-mill gorefest that ups the ante each and every chance it gets. Unfortunately, this sixth entry of the long-standing Sam Raimi series does not provide much more justification for its very own existence other than just another excuse to inflict further carnage.

Right off the bat, we’re introduced to some of the most unlikable characters ever committed to screen, none of which I ever found myself sympathizing much with or caring about. Shortly after unknowingly causing an awakening of deadites at his late grandfather’s secluded lakehouse (who of course had been researching them in great detail before his death), Joseph (Hunter Doohan, one of the few recognizable faces here from Netflix’s Wednesday) and his girlfriend Thya (Luciane Buchanan) witness his brother Will (George Pullar) and wife Alice (Souheila Yacoub) bickering at their co-owned club prior to Will driving off in anger and ultimately crashing in a seemingly drunk driving incident, which of course was actually the work of a deadite (apparently Jessica from 2023’s Evil Dead Rise, played by Greta Van Den Brink – something I had to look up to even figure out.)

Fast forward to Will’s funeral, where Alice is the odd one out among her now-former, extremely miserable in-laws. Somehow no one hears as a morgue attendant is killed off and Will’s father Edgar (Erroll Shand) is attacked/infected by a resurrected Will right after the service, and they all retreat back to the lakehouse with Alice in tow as though it’s all suddenly hunky dory now. Of course all hell breaks loose here, and they each die off/become infected in their own gruesome ways. (I’ll just say the scene with the dog was an all new low point of the series in my book too.)

Every bit of cliche and predictability is thrown at the audience from then on out, with a sharp object conveniently always within arms reach to cause more damage. Aside from a jump scare or two, there’s narrowly a moment of true tension or suspense, all leading to an underwhelming climax that leaves one feeling as though they just wasted two hours of their life. (A fairly depressing experience to be honest). Every frame is filled with negativity, and I realize I may be of the minority among those in the theater with me at the time, but what’s become modern horror is not really my idea of a “good time” anymore.

I guess you could say I’ve become more conservative in my later years. But while I can still appreciate the earlier Bruce Campbell-led Evil Dead films for what they were, nowadays I prefer there to be at least some sort of real substance (Raimi’s 2009 effort Drag Me to Hell and last year’s Weapons each come to mind) behind the mayhem, not just brutal chaos for the sake of it. (Which I guess some people do enjoy.) Even the previous Rise entry felt as though it had some semblance of heart to it. (The brief cameo from Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie at the post credits was a bit of a nice touch, albeit a slightly confusing one.) The true problem with films like this though is there’s zero lasting power anymore. It serves its purpose while its here, then will quickly disappear in the void to be forgotten and not remembered for any sort of artistic value whatsoever – I know I certainly won’t feel a need to revisit this one anytime soon.

Rating: 1.5/5 Stars

Album Review: Bolan – Gargoyle of the Garden State (earMUSIC)

By: Jesse Striewski

Often times when a musician attempts to go solo and step out from the main act they’ve always been known for, the results can be a bit of a let down. Such is not the case with Skid Row bassist (and one time Rewind It Magazine interviewee) Rachel Bolan, who has long since possessed the chops to go out on his own. (One needs to look no further than Skid Row’s 1992 cover of the Ramones track “Psycho Therapy” with Bolan on lead for an early example of this.)

I knew the moment I heard the first single “At War with Myself” (featuring Danko Jones) from his debut solo album Gargoyle of the Garden State, that I was hooked, the song reverberating in my head for days after.

From then on its one hard-hitter after another with Bolan enlisting the likes of fellow musicians such as Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt (“Jet Black Universe”), Slipknot’s Corey Taylor (“Big Stick”), and S.R. bandmates Snake Sabo (“See You on the Other Side”) and Scotti Hill. (“Rock and Roll Star.”)

Does it have its weak spot or two? Sure. But those looking for some fast, ’70s style proto-punk should be pleased here. (Not to mention this will likely serve as the closest we’ll get to a new Skid Row album anytime soon.)

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Film Review: Masters of the Universe (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Mattel Studios/Escape Artists/Amazon MGM Studios/Sony Pictures Releasing International)

By: Jesse Striewski

By all means, I should’ve known better (and perhaps I did but just didn’t want to believe it) to trust that Hollywood wouldn’t take yet another beloved childhood property and make an absolute mess with it. But of course, that’s what they almost always do, so why expect anything less with the new Masters of the Universe? I was really pulling for it too, and wanted to believe it could be done right this time.

It actually starts off promising enough; we’re introduced to the young Prince Adam of Eternos (a.k.a. He-Man, played by Artie Wilkinson-Hunt before Nicholas Galitzine takes over as the young adult version), struggling to earn respect from both his father the King Randor (James Purefoy) and peers while training to be a warrior under the guidance of the king’s general Duncan/Man-At-Arms, played by Idris Elba.

Things quickly go south once the evil Skeltor (Jared Leto) and his army attack and take over the Castle Grayskull, overthrowing the kingdom in the process. But with the help of the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) Adam is able to escape safely to Earth with the Sword of Power.

And that is where the film lost me. From that point on, it went from what seemed like would be a straight epic action-adventure movie, to a painfully executed slapstick comedy that just tries so hard to throw in another cheap joke each and every chance it gets, effectively reducing its characters to walking one-liners rather than the feared warriors that they should have been portrayed as. (Just look at the embarrassing performance from Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn here.)

That’s not to say there are not a few bright spots; Camila Mendes of TV’s Riverdale is always fun to watch whenever on screen. And a cameo from Dolph Lundgren – He-Man from the original 1987 film (which admittedly had its own flaws but still works far better as an actual adventure film than this mess here) is of course warranted. But as much as I kept wanting the film to get back on track (there are moments of hope for it to do so), it just continues to go further off the rails each and every chance it gets, each bad joke and clunky over-the-top fight scene seemingly getting worse than the last.

I was reminded of the cringy feeling I got while watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film from Michael Bay in 2014. It doesn’t care about or respect its audience in the slightest, but rather expects you to put up with any unnecessary nonsense it throws at you, all for the sake of those who are either completely new to the material, or have too short of attention spans to watch anything with actual substance. (I would’ve much rather seen something more akin to the recent animated Netflix series Revelation, which was much more faithful to the source material.) This is the perfect example of Hollywood getting it wrong again; judging by its box office intake so far, maybe they’ll actually listen to its core audience for once.

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Album Review: Lockhart – City Pulse (High Roller Records)

By: Jesse Striewski

When Lockhart first emerged on the scene with their debut EP a few years back, I knew they were instantly filling a gap I had no idea I needed prior in the world of melodic AOR hard rock music.

City Pulse expands what they had started on that original release, the opening/title track quickly taking listeners on what feels like a continuous ride through the dark, verboten underbelly of any given major city that includes a music video that fits alongside of it perfectly.

Holdovers from the first EP such as “Just Can’t Wait” and “No Chance in Heaven” sound newly polished here, while the album’s second single “Can’t Shake It” is a catchy pop anthem that gets stuck in your head for days, featuring bassist Jason Junop’s Cauldron bandmate Ian Kilpatrick on lead guitar.

In short, what Lockhart are doing is nothing short of phenomenal; it’s the type of music that makes one want to scream from a mountain top to all those wasting their time on so many other substance-less acts out there to just stop. Indeed, there’s something better out there for all of us, you just have to seek it out and find it – in this case I only wish there was more of it.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Film Review: Backrooms (A24/North Roads Films/21 Laps Entertainment/Atomic Monster/Phobos/Oddfellow Entertainment)

By: Jesse Striewski

Those already familiar with filmmaker Kane Parsons’s previous creepypasta webseries such as Backrooms and The Oldest View may already have a good idea what to expect with his major directorial debut here. But now with the backing of a major studio such as A24, his vision seems much more limitless than ever before.

Set in 1990, the film follows divorced/alcoholic furniture store owner Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who, after being forced to take shelter within his own store, discovers a treasure trove of underground liminal spaces while living there. He eventually enlists his young assistant manager and her stoner boyfriend (played by Lukita Maxwell and Finn Bennett, respectively) to further explore these strange findings; even his skeptical therapist Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve) finds herself sucked into this maze of horror.

While not entirely unpredictable or flawless, the film plays off as one of those haunted house features you don’t want to take your eyes off of, no matter what the circumstance may be – think a cross between The Shining and The Blair Witch Project, and you’ve got a fairly decent comparison.

At just twenty years old (almost twenty-one now), Parsons is already the youngest director to reach number one at the American box office, and no doubt destined to do more amazing things in the future, providing he can keep from replicating the same formula too much of course.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Series Review: Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (Netflix/Upside Down Pictures/21 Laps Entertainment/Flying Bark Productions)

By: Jesse Striewski

I recently read an online assessment of modern TV shows somewhere that basically stated there’s so few shows that are even remembered these days due to them coming and going at such a rapid fire pace. And after giving it some thought, I couldn’t help but agree for the most part, albeit with some exceptions.

Stranger Things, the Netflix series that first debuted in 2016 and spawned a mountain of media and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, is one such exception. So it was only a matter of time before the recently-finished original series would get a spinoff like the animated Tales From ’85, which takes place between the second and third seasons of said original show.

There’s really not all too much by way of extraordinary ideas to be found here; the same gang of kids (all voiced by a different cast now) fight a new group of monsters in their small town of Hawkins, IN, but only this time they’re joined by a new punk outcast kid (voiced by Odessa A’zion). Some familiar voices found throughout include Lou Diamond Philips, Robert Englund, and Janeane Garofalo.

While watching this latest take on the franchise I could tell that some of the magic was not quite the same as it had been for the former live action series, while at the time time I also got that vibe from the good old days of Saturday morning cartoon shows, and could appreciate what they were trying to do here. Far from perfect, but there’s also far worse ways to spend a weekend worth of binge-watching as well.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Film Review: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (Lucasfilm LTD/Fairview Entertainment/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

By: Jesse Striewski

After years of mounting fatigue for the now overly-saturated Star Wars franchise (thanks in large part to Disney), I was less than enthused for the latest installment within this once-epic universe, The Mandalorian and Grogu, to say the least. And judging by both the lower-end intake the film had at the box office this past opening weekend, and the very noticeable half-empty theater at the showing the family and I made it to, I’m not entirely alone when it comes to this sentiment.

That being said, the semi-recent Disney+ series The Mandalorian was a likeable enough addition within the world of Star Wars (despite a very un-likeable lead in the form of the pretentious Pedro Pascal in the title role) that wasn’t entirely forgettable as so many of the other recent spin-offs in the franchise has been.

Indeed, The Mandalorian and Grogu has its merits, following “Mando” (Pascal) and his non-speaking little sidekick as they track down and try to bring former Imperial leaders to justice (in a very post war kind of way) on behalf of the New Republic. Things go astray when they attempt to rescue Rotta The Hutt (son of Jabba and voiced by Jeremy Allen White) from captivity and an entirely new world of problems (and an unlikely alliance) quickly ensues for the duo.

Amidst the often over-the-top action and/or hokey characters, there’s nostalgic throwbacks to special effects and earlier films like The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and a retro fitting music score. There’s even an appearance from filmmaker Martin Scorsese (in a voice role), and Sigourney Weaver in one of her most cardboard (and laughable) roles to date.

As absurd as it all might be, once it does finally get going, its easy to get lost within its world; you’ve just got to have the patience/endurance long enough to let it get you there.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Series Review: Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 2 (CBS/Chuck Lorre Productions/Warner Bros. Television)

By: Jesse Striewski

The third series to spawn from late 2000’s hit TV show The Big Bang Theory (after the more recent Young Sheldon) may just be the best of the bunch, more akin to situational family comedies in the style of such classics as Roseanne or Home Improvement than the former two. (It should also be noted this show also takes place in the ’90s.)

The first season of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, starring Montana Jordan and Emily Osment in the titular roles, started off promising enough. But in season two, the production seems to have hit its stride.

There’s plenty of compelling storylines throughout the season to be found; from controversial news casts by Mandy (“The G Word and a Blaspheming Bimbo”) to a drunken birthday gone wrong for Georgie (“A Big Birthday and Tequila Shots”), there’s no shortage of simple fun here.

The supporting cast truly helps round things out here; Will Sasso and Rachel Bay Jones as Mandy’s parents Jim and Audrey McAllister, and Dougie Baldwin as younger brother Connor (Dougie Baldwin), all steal some respective moments of their own, while recurring characters like Georgie’s mother Mary (Zoe Perry) and grandmother Connie (Annie Potts) have their own occasional moments in the sun as well. (The Beanie Babies episode with said grandma is also one of note.)

Far from life-changing (or even perfect) stuff here, but it does the trick for good old-fashioned family entertainment when needed.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars