Series Review: Alien: Earth (FX/Hulu)

By: Shawn McKee

In the beginning, Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) redefined the horror/sci-fi sub-genre. The script by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett borrowed elements from nearly every space alien film before it, while modernizing the genre with visceral, atmospheric horror.

The legendary Xenomorph design by Swiss artist H.R. Giger has become one of the most recognizable movie monsters of all time. Of course, Alien also introduced face-huggers and chest-bursters, creating an interesting dilemma for a deadly species reliant on host bodies to reproduce.

Alien gave us one of science fiction’s greatest characters, Lt. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who only wishes to eradicate the Xenomorphs from existence. Ripley represents humanity in an inhumane world, where an omnipresent, faceless company (Weyland-Yutani Corp) wants the alien species at all costs.

In 1986, writer/director James Cameron delivered one of the greatest sequels ever made with Aliens. The film’s strong focus on action distinguished it from its predecessor, broadening the story’s scope with thrilling and memorable scenes throughout.

Though visually impressive, Alien 3 (1992) began the steady downward trend that continued with Alien Resurrection (1997), Alien: Covenant (2017), and the ridiculous Alien vs. Predator films.

I’m no fan of Prometheus (2012), and I moderately enjoyed the much praised but forgettable Alien: Romulus (2024). Ultimately, my interest in the series barely extends beyond Alien 3. So, color me skeptical when Disney and FX announced a TV series set two years before the events of Ripley’s first encounter, called Alien: Earth.

How does the show measure up? Seven episodes in, I can confidently declare its ranking as one of the best TV events in years.

The concept of Xenomorphs on planet Earth dates to the production of Alien 3. The idea was floated until they ultimately ended up with Ripley crash-landing on a prison planet. All the preceding films were unable to expand on this idea until now.

Alien: Earth is an eight-part series featuring a large cast and a complex, multilayered plot. Its grand scope and high production values result in the cinematic quality of HBO’s Game of Thrones or other big-budget shows. The special effects (from Wētā Workshop), set design, performances, and music are all top-notch. What the show accomplishes most effectively is capturing the primal horror of the original Alien while blending it with the thrilling action of the sequel.

This is thanks in part to series creator Noah Hawley, who clearly understands the style, motifs, and terror of the Alien universe while enriching the source material. Hawley also created the equally impressive FX series Fargo, based on the Coen brothers’ classic film. Alien: Earth has a lot to say, and its dizzying plotlines may overwhelm some viewers. But for those attuned to it, the experience is as gripping as anything in recent memory.

The story is set in 2120, where five companies control the world and lead commercial exhibitions throughout the Solar System. Mankind’s endless search for immortality has led to the creation of Cyborgs (cybernetically enhanced humans), Synthetics (AI beings), and relatively new Hybrids (Synthetics with human consciousness). Hybrids are the secret creation of the Prodigy Corporation, where they essentially implant the mind of a human (in this case, terminally ill children) into an artificial being.

Prodigy also happens to be a competitor of the Weyland-Yutani Corp, which sponsored a 65-year space expedition to obtain otherworldly specimens (most likely for biological warfare). As the USCSS Maginot nears the end of its mission, collecting several extraterrestrial specimens, disaster strikes, and the vessel crash-lands on Earth, directly into Prodigy territory. Prodigy lay claim to the ship and all its cargo, leading to further conflict with Weyland-Yutani.

We’re given glimpses into the disastrous Maginot mission, its slaughtered crew, and a fully-grown Xenomorph wreaking havoc. The show wastes no time in delivering the carnage, but it also slows the pace to introduce multiple characters with differing motivations.

Cast standouts include Wendy (Sydney Chandler), the first hybrid, and Kumi Morrow (Babou Ceesay), the cyborg chief security officer and sole survivor of the Maginot.

There’s also Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant), Prodigy’s synthetic chief scientist, Boy Cavalier (Samuel Blenkin), the childlike Prodigy CEO tech trillionaire, and indentured medic Hermit (Alex Lawther), who also happens to be Wendy’s human brother (before she became a hybrid). Overall, top-rate acting is palpable across the entire cast.

The first four episodes center around the aftermath of the Maginot crash, resulting in a loose Xenomorph amidst caverns of biological horrors throughout the ship. The hybrids are enlisted to contain the cargo as Murrow is singularly focused on delivering the same cargo to its rightful owners.

Episode five, titled “In Space, No One…” is a stand-alone flashback to the events that led to the ill-fated Maginot’s crash. In writing and directing the episode, Hawley said it was to be his own Alien movie, which it aptly feels like. With one episode now left, we can only imagine where things will go.

Naturally, Alien: Earth has received widespread critical attention, earning praise as well as criticism of its writing, characters, and heavy focus on AI.

At its best moments, it’s thrilling and intense. At its weakest, it’s a bit talky. There’s real magic at work here. After what Disney and 20th Century Fox did to the Predator franchise, turning the deadly killer into inept fodder for unlikely plot-armored characters, I’m pleasantly surprised and relieved Alien: Earth hasn’t suffered the same fate.

The show pays tribute to the original and its legacy of fans without spoon-feeding them. It stands out as a testament of science fiction horror, where we Alien fans feel right at home.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Dirtt and Billion Dollar Babies at the Shock Rock Showdown in Mount Dora, FL on 9/20/25 Words By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

When it comes to “cover” bands (your average bar bands that simply play various songs by any given number of artists), I’ve always been vocal about my feelings towards them (which is usually not of the highest esteem). But tribute bands on the other hand, i.e. groups that go the extra mile to represent one band only as authentically as possible, I’ll usually make an exception or two for (even though in most cases I’ve typically already seen the original band/acts in the first place, such was the case with this past Saturday night’s showcase).

When I first set up coverage for the Shock Rock Showdown with Motley Crue and Alice Cooper tribute acts The Dirtt and Billion Dollar Babies, respectively (plus an appearance/autograph signing from legendary rock photographer Mark Weiss) at the Mount Dora Music Hall in Mount Dora, FL (the same venue Rewind It also covered last year’s KK’s Priest/L.A. Guns/Burning Witches show at), I didn’t know I’d once again be going to a show in ill health, having just had yet another PICC line installed/starting IV meds again the day before for the bone infection I’ve been fighting for far too long now.

But I hate not following through on my word, and the show had two things going for it that made the decision to still go all that much easier; not only was it at a seated venue (pretty much a dealbreaker right now), aside from it’s eight o’clock showing, it also had an earlier, matinee show that began at five, meaning I could be out of there early enough to wake up on time for my treatments the following morning (sold!)

But enough about my ‘woes,’ – “on with the show” (a little early Crue reference for those who remember) as they say. We arrived just in time to hear The Dirtt’s spot-on versions of “Wild Side” and “Take Me to the Top” before they slowed it down for the timeless power ballad “Home Sweet Home.” “Louder Than Hell” (also from the same 1985 album, Theatre of Pain) followed, and was definitely welcomed (certainly not one I’ve ever heard the actual Crue retrieve from the vault any of the many times I’ve seen them before).

The Dirtt giving the crowd their best Crue on Saturday night in Mount Dora, FL (Photo by Brooke Striewski).

More familiar numbers in the form of “Girls, Girls, Girls” and “Kickstart My Heart” followed before the mood shifted with “Shout at the Devil” (complete with album intro “In the Beginning” beforehand), followed by “Looks That Kill,” which saw the band ceasing activity just after the first chorus due to “technical difficulties.” After regrouping the band then paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with their rendition of 1983’s “Bark at the Moon” before finally going out on top with the classic “Live Wire.”

In between acts we caught up with said Photographer Mark Weiss, who had a table set up and was signing copies of his book The Decade That Rocked, as well as his new magazine, Rocked. With Brooke and I each being heavily involved in the world of rock journalism (both print and photo) since roughly 2009 and 2013, respectively, it almost goes without saying we’ve both been fans of his for some time now (but being more of a photographer, I knew it meant much more to Brooke than it did myself).

Rewind It’s Brooke Striewski (center) and Jesse Striewski with legendary rock photographer Mark Weiss at the Shock Rock Showdown on 9-20-25 (selfie taken by Mr Weiss).

And Weiss could not have been more gracious of a host as he signed our copy of his book, making the experience all that much more worthwhile.

Billion Dollar Babies were up next, and instantly brought their best version of Alice Cooper with them. Opening with “Black Widow,” which unfortunately the band also found themselves dealing with some of their own “technical difficulties” for. But the issues were quickly resolved by the time the band moved on to such classics as “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “Under My Wheels,” “Feed My Frankenstein,” and of course, “Billion Dollar Babies.”

More early tracks in the form of “Long Way to Go,” “Muscle of Love,” “Is It My Body,” “Dead Babies,” “Ballad of Dwight Fry” (complete with the singer sporting the straight jacket, naturally) and “Desperado” all followed before “Go to Hell,” “I Love the Dead,” “I’m Eighteen,” and “School’s Out” finally closed out the epic set on a high note.

Shock rockers Billion Dollar Babies paying tribute to Alice Cooper in Mount Dora, FL this past Saturday night, 9-20-25 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).

As alluded to before, I’ve been lucky enough to catch both the real Alice Cooper and Motley Crue bands live over the years (if memory serves right, four times each/eight times total), so by all means I could’ve easily skipped this show and been just fine in theory. But each band played their hearts out last Saturday, and even though I would’ve loved to have heard a tad more diverse of a set (some ’80s-era Cooper thrown in there actually would’ve been extremely welcomed), the night was no doubt a blast, and I’m glad we still have bands like these keeping the music alive.

Nine Inch Nails at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, FL on 9/10/25 Words and Photos By Shawn McKee

Throughout his nearly 40-year career, Trent Reznor has produced an enormous catalog of music. After 15 albums (including EPs) and numerous tours since 1988, Nine Inch Nails launched their ongoing “Peel It Back Tour” across Europe, the U.S., and Canada. I was fortunate to catch them at the Benchmark International Arena (formerly the Amalie Arena) in Tampa, FL.

The arena show spotlighted a lengthy list of iconic songs from nearly every album, a real treat for fans. This was my second Nine Inch Nails concert after catching them in Orlando for their “Twenty Thirteen Tour” in, you guessed it, 2013. It was an impressive show that the recent tour has only improved upon. I can’t recall a moment when I wasn’t captivated throughout their 2.5-hour performance (which felt like an hour at most).

The “Peel It Back Tour” includes Trent Reznor and frequent collaborator Atticus Ross, with a lineup featuring Robin Finck (guitar), Alessandro Cortini (bass), and Josh Freese (drums). The arena was structured with two performance spaces, a main stage for the band, and a smaller “B-stage” in the middle of the packed floor.

Opening DJ act Boys Noize kept things lively for the most part, playing over an hour’s worth of electronic music as the stadium crowd expanded, eagerly awaiting the main event. We waited as the lights dimmed and a single spotlight illuminated the B-stage, revealing Reznor before a grand piano. An eclectic set list began with the subdued “Right Where it Belongs” and then charged into a memorable evening of sound and fury.

After the opener, the band took center stage, switching gears with pulse-pounding “Wish” from their ’92 Broken EP, “March of the Pigs,” (an obvious crowd please-er), and epic rock ballad, “Reptile.”

Reznor frequently switched between the two stages to deliver some of the band’s well-known rock songs on the main stage and quieter, piano-based melodies on the small stage. It was effective in not only highlighting the versatility of the music but also keeping things fresh and engaging.

Nine Inch Nails seated at the piano in Tampa, FL on 9-10-25 (Photo by Shawn McKee).

The main stage radiated an electric light show of moody colors, visuals of rain, moving silhouettes, and video projection against the translucent curtain, which was frequently lowered throughout. Certain songs seemed to bathe the stage in deep reds or shadowy greens as the band pounded through one fan favorite after another.

The show captured the full force of their extensive work, resonating with a generation of fans now grown from their high school days. The set list unfolded in a mostly chronological order, featuring recent tracks like “Find My Way,” “Copy of A,” and “Vessel” before surging into a rapid-fire run of fan favorites, including “Piggy,” “Closer,” “Come Back Haunted,” “Mr. Self Destruct,” and “The Perfect Drug.”

They also performed the electro-synth rock “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” from the upcoming Tron: Ares soundtrack—their first film score to include the band’s moniker and not credited solely to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

The artistry was at its peak during a finale that felt like a time capsule of electrifying closing numbers. Strobes and flares lit the stage through the searing intensity of “Burn” from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack.

The propulsive “The Hand That Feeds” throbbed with machine-like riffs before giving way to the inevitable “Head Like a Hole.” And then the band closed with a hauntingly beautiful rendition of “Hurt,” delivered in all its dark, melancholy glory.

I’ve long outgrown the morose teenage angst so emblematic of the ’90s (thankfully), but the music has never left me. Seeing Nine Inch Nails again was a memorable experience—a powerful tribute to their storied legacy and to the generations of fans, both young and old, who still carry it with them.

There may be more albums and tours ahead, but for now I’m satisfied with the enduring gift of rock and roll in all its forms.

Album Review: Mike Tramp – Songs of White Lion Vol. III (Frontiers Music s.r.l.)

By: Jesse Striewski

It’s kind of ironic that Mike Tramp, the iconic voice behind ’80s hard rockers White Lion, would release his latest album of the band’s material re-recorded at a time when I’ve been on a personal kick of sorts of their earlier catalog (specifically the band’s 1985 debut effort, Fight to Survive).

So I was more than stoked when the recent zombie-inspired video for the title track to said first album, “Fight to Survive,” dropped (complete with an appearance from legendary metal DJ Eddie Trunk himself), which is just as fun as it is chessy.

More tracks like “She’s Got Everything,” “In The City,” “If My Mind is Evil,” and “All Burn in Hell” (still one of my personal favorites, both then and now) are all strong numbers. But surprisingly, some of the updated versions found here (such as “Cherokee”) lose a bit of their edge this time around.

White Lion is without a doubt one of the most underrated acts of their era, and the fact that Tramp is still keeping the music alive is a testament to his tenacity; give this one a spin with an open mind and you might just discover something you never knew you loved.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Film Review: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (Sony Pictures Releasing/Stage 6 Films/Bleecker Street)

By: Jesse Striewski

Typically when asked what my “favorite movie of all time” is, I struggle to give a definitive answer. But in the field of comedy films, for decades now my mind has almost instantly always gone to 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap, the rock mockumentary featuring the fictional band of the same name. So as soon as I heard the news about Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, I knew I would be there on opening night (or more accurately, an early IMAX screening of it on September 10).

The film itself follows the core of Spinal Tap, Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), David St. Hubbins (Michael Mckean), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) reuniting after a fifteen year gap for a comeback concert in New Orleans, all while being filmed again by Director Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner).

Inner band turmoil and the search for that ever elusive drummer all ensue, and there’s appearances by the likes of Paul McCartney and Elton John (among others). But the jokes unfortunately don’t always go to “11” this time around, despite how hard they may try to (although the pay off in the end is rather satisfying).

Flyer for the previously-mentioned early showing of Spinal Tap II the author attended on 9-10-25, although the Q&A advertised here was nowhere to be found, only a brief introduction from Director Rob Reiner prior to the film was present.

Can I recommend Spinal Tap II? Of course. But if you’re not as big of a fan of the first film as myself, you might find yourself lacking interest in the proceedings here. But still, we live in a world where Spinal Tap (the band) are still around to give us at the very least one more round; that alone can’t be all that bad.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Album Review: Blessthefall – Gallows (Rise Records)

By: Jesse Striewski

2025 has been somewhat of an odd year so far for underground music, especially in the world of metal sub-genres, where bands such as 2000’s metalcore act Blessthefall are now making new music once again after an over five year recording absence.

As soon as I heard (and saw the tongue-in-cheek video for) album opener “mallxcore,” I was instantly brought back to the band’s earlier days. Tracks like “Wake the Dead,” “Drag Me Under,” and the title number are all equally-filled with brutal energy. Conversely the likes of “Somebody Else” and “Fell So Hard, Felt So Right” all show the band’s lighter side.

Earlier this year I was able to catch the band live for the first time in fifteen years at the annual Welcome to Rockville festival in Daytona, which no doubt helped sparked excitement for the band’s “comeback.” All in all, Gallows is filled with ten (mostly) intense tracks that should pacify just about any fan of the band.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Retrospective: 40 Years since ‘Fright Night’ By Jesse Striewski

The ’80s were no doubt a creative and unique time for horror films, with the vampire sub-genre being one that really hit its stride by the midway to end points of the decade. Over the course of it, fans had their choice of more tongue-in-cheek affairs such as Once Bitten (1985), My Best Friend’s a Vampire (1987), and Vampire’s Kiss (1988), to more straight-forward, well-known and polished classics like The Lost Boys (1987) and Near Dark (also 1987).

But one has always stood out above the rest (yes even more so than the beloved Lost Boys mentioned above), 1985’s Fright Night. Released on August 2 of that year, newcomer Director Tom Holland blended horror and comedy so seamlessly one easily gets lost within its own world.

William Ragsdale plays Charley, who, after figuring out that his neighbor Jerry (Chris Sarandon) is indeed a creature of the night, does all he can in vain to convince his best friend (Stephen Geoffreys) and girl (Amanda Bearse) of his findings. When they don’t “bite,” he enlists the help of a somewhat passed-his-prime horror show host in the form of Peter Vincent (played brilliantly by the late Roddy McDowall in a tribute to both Vincent Price and Peter Cushing).

From then on, the fun truly begins, leading to a surprisingly atmospheric, good vs. evil film where the young heroes are fighting for their lives while their cries for help to parents and/or authorities just land on deaf ears. What begins as a battle of wits comes down to a classic life-or-death battle in the finale.

A sequel, simply titled Fright Night Part 2, emerged three years later in 1988, and an eventual glossly remake came out in 2011, but neither were able to fully capture the magic of the original. I can still remember discovering it for the first time on TV late at night as a kid, and knowing I was watching something truly unique (everything down to the poster artwork to even the music just felt perfectly placed). As the old saying goes, “They don’t make ’em like they used to.” If you give Fright Night a visit again anytime soon, you’re sure to see why.

Great White and Slaughter at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on 8/23/25 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

Nearly a decade ago now, I was able to catch Jack Russell’s Great White in Daytona (with fellow ’80s acts FireHouse and Bobby Blotzer’s Ratt) back in late 2016. It was an exceptionally fun October night that I now hold even more dearly in my memories since Russell’s passing last year.

So when I heard that the current lineup of Great White would be heading to the Hard Rock Live Orlando (with direct support from Slaughter), I knew I had to finally catch the original version of the band live after all these years (you may also recall my recent interview with founding guitarist Mark Kendall last month where we also spoke about the show).

I’m happy to report that this latest incarnation of the band – which has seen its share of frontmen come and go since Russell’s tenure and leading up to current lead singer Brett Carlisle – are indeed doing the band’s legacy justice (despite being a tad on the “safe” side while live now).

After indulging (just a tad) at the next door Hard Rock Cafe with the family/usual suspects (the wife Brooke and son Jacob, each photographers), we were in the venue with ample time to catch openers Slaughter, who were surprisingly one of the few bands still left from their era that I had yet to see live.

The band came out with guns a-blazin’, opening with the fiery “Mad About You,” and it was instantly clear it was worth the wait all these years for Slaughter. Two more tracks from the band’s 1990 debut album followed in the form of “Burnin’ Bridges” and “Spend My Life” before “Unknown Destination” took things in another direction.

Slaughter bassist Dana Strum (left) and vocalist Mark Slaughter gave it everything they had this past Saturday night at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando. (Photo by Brooke Striewski)

“Eye to Eye,” “Days Gone By,” and “Real Love” all followed before the lighters (or more accurately these days, cell phones) came out for the timeless power ballad “Fly to the Angels.” This of course paved way for their epic anthem “Up All Night,” which had the crowd pumping their fists to the very last note. But the guys still had a little life left in them, and jammed out to a section of The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” before they fully wrapped things up

And finally, Great White hit the stage just after 9:30pm. Opening with the modest “Desert Moon” (honestly not one of my favorites from them) before things getting kicked up a notch via “Lady Red Light” and “Stick It” (The latter of which much more up my alley and one of my personal favorites. Also to note, I heard a much older fan beside me shout “You were just a baby!” during its introduction, and I’m still not sure if she was referring to me, or possibly Carlisle on stage).

Things slowed down yet again for the more blues-ly numbers “Rollin’ Stoned” and “House of Broken Love,” as well as the first power ballad of their set, “The Angel Song.” “Mista Bone,” “Gonna Getcha,” and “Big Goodbye” each kept the momentum going.

Great White frontman Brett Carlisle (left) in the moment with guitarist/co-founder Mark Kendall at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL this past Saturday, 8-23-25. (Photo by Brooke Striewski)

Before we knew it, the night was already winding down as the band launched into one of their most well-known tender tracks, “Save Your Love.” And at last, one of the greatest ’80s hard rock/glam/hair metal anthems of all time, “Rock Me,” followed before the band called it a day with their signature Ian Hunter cover, “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.”

Leading up to the show, I saw some negative online comments, criticizing the band for still going without “most” of their original members. Not only is it impossible to do when at least two of your said original members have since passed away, but as I explained to my son, whatever the current version of the band may be, these groups are still keeping the music itself alive as best as they can, and I’ll still take what I can get over nothing at all (just look at the recent major loss to the music world with Ozzy Osbourne, for example), and I’ve got nothing bad to say about the current versions of neither Great White, nor Slaughter.

Pretty Boy Floyd, Sunset Rebellion, and Magi at the West End Trading Co. in Sanford, FL on 8/15/25 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

Back in late 2018, Rewind It Magazine were commissioned to cover a Pretty Boy Floyd show in Daytona Beach, FL (with Nova Rex on the same bill). Unfortunately by the time we had made it, PBF were already on their last song of the night, and we had effectively missed the majority of their set, although some mingling with members of the band still did ensue afterwards (there’s still several photos from this night out there on all of our socials).

Nearly seven full years later, Pretty Boy Floyd were making their way back to our neck of the woods again (thanks in part to those at Lazer Focused Talent Agency for inviting them to come to town), and I knew we had to finally be there to get the full effect of their set this time around. And after some back-and-forth online conversing with frontman Steve Summers, plans were in place once again for Rewind It to review their show in Sanford, FL on Friday, August 15.

The moment my always-reliable wife/photographer Brooke and I arrived to the venue, I had reservations whether or not I would be able to actually make it to the end of the night (those of you die-hard Rewind It readers out there may actually recall I had recent surgery to my left ankle that I’m still recovering from). Thankfully, a member from the crew that night recognized my dilemma and graciously located a chair for me to use for the evening (thanks again, Mark).

Local act Magi were the first to take stage, and I was instantly intrigued by their throwback ’70s look (including an open-chested shirt adorned by their frontman a la Robert Plant) and sound. Songs like “Sun and Moon” and a cover of Cream’s “White Room” were all spot-on, and you could tell the chemistry of this group came together organically.

Sunset Rebellion were up next, and definitely matched the energy (though not necessarily the sound) of the previous group. The band fused more modern rock genres like alternative metal and post-grunge, and their lead singer was all over the stage for tracks like “Godzilla” (Blue Oyster Cult cover) and “Rebellion.”

And at last, ’80s rockers Pretty Boy Floyd hit the stage just after ten o’clock, and it was clear that everyone in that room was in for nothing but a good time from then on. Opening with “Your Mama Won’t Know” from their 1989 debut album was the perfect segue to tracks like “Toast of the Town” (their first Motley Crue cover of the night) and the anthem “Leather Boys with Electric Toyz.”

“Wild Angels,” “Live Wire” (another Crue classic) and “48 Hours” all followed, and were equally entertaining as the banter in between songs from frontman Summers (which was downright hilarious on more than one occasion). Somewhat newer number “Good Girl Gone Bad” followed before “Rock and Roll Outlaws,” “The Last Kiss,” and “Saturday Nite” kept the party going.

“Public Enemy #1” (the third and final Motley Crue cover of the night) followed before things slowed down a bit for the classic power ballad “I Wanna Be With You.” “Love Sick” was squeezed in before the band ended the night on a high note with their answer to KISS, “Rock and Roll (Is Gonna Set the Night on Fire)” brought the house down.

No sooner than the band exited stage were all four members – Summers, bassist DieTrich Thrall (also of Lords of Acid), and newcomers Matt Muckle (drums, also of German hard rock act Kingdom Come) and guitar shredder Jake Curtis Allard (the mind behind Midnight Maniac) all stuck around to hang with their fans/newfound friends (yours truly included) and pose for pics/sign any and all merch for them.

Pretty Boy Floyd frontman Steve Summers (left) with the author Jesse Striewski after Friday’s show at the West End Trading Co. in Sanford, FL on 8-15-25 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).

Often times it’s easy to find plenty of naysayers – usually just know-it-all online keyboard warriors who have never really done anything of much significance themselves – who like to put down or write-off bands like Pretty Boy Floyd. But these guys are still out there keeping the flame alive and giving every ounce of energy they’ve got, night in and night out (tonight they’ll also be playing Piper’s Pub in Pompano Beach before they eventually venture over to Texas).

Their shows are still full of plenty of vigor and enthusiasm (and as fun as can be), and with so many of the old guard now either retiring or worse, I’m glad to still have bands like Pretty Boy Floyd (as well as Great White and Slaughter, who Rewind It will also be covering next weekend in Orlando) around to provide a great night out like they did this past Friday. The moment I hear the band are coming to town again, I’ll likely be the first in line for it.

*More band photos still to come soon.

Book Review: Fahrenheit-182: A Memoir By Mark Hoppus with Dan Ozzi (Dey Street Books)

By: Jesse Striewski

The first thing my teenaged son said to me upon realizing I was reading the new memoir via Blink-182 bassist/vocalist/co-founder Mark Hoppus (with Dan Ozzi) was, “But, you’re not really a fan.” While it’s true I’m far from a die-hard when it comes to Blink’s brand of pop punk (though I’ll still take them over Green Day any day of the week), I’m still able to find value in nearly any music-related autobiography, especially ones that offer such fascinating insight.

Beginning with his upbringing in the Mojave Deseret that included a tumultuous divorce of his parents, it eventually leads up to the formation of Blink-182 shortly after his move to San Diego to attend college.

Each monumental moment, from meeting and writing with band co-founder Tom DeLonge, touring in a van in the early days, firing original drummer Scott Raynor (who I legitimately hope he mends ties with again someday) and eventually finding Travis Barker, rising to the highest heights only to have them stripped away on more than one occasion, and ultimately battling cancer, it’s all covered here.

As someone who also once played bass and gigged around in a van with a punk band (albeit on a much smaller scale), it’s as easy to find to find common ground with Hoppus as it is breezing through his memoir.

Rating: 4/5 Stars