I can’t say I was expecting to cover two back-to-back concerts for Rewind It Magazine this past week (with punk legends The Exploited being the first on Thursday, October 3). But once I heard that Whitesnake guitarist Joel Hoekstra and Devil City Angels frontman Brandon Gibbs were playing an acoustic show just a stone’s throw away from where I live at Lake Concord Park in Casselberry, FL, I knew it would be worth the effort to catch with both my wife Brooke and son Jacob (each veteran Rewind It photographers by now).
We’re definitely far from strangers when it comes to Hokstra, Brooke and I having already caught him play live years prior on stage with Night Ranger (one of just many more acts he has been a part of over the years, including Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Foreigner). And we were primed to see him again as a member of Whitesnake at a 2022 Scorpions show we were at prior to them sadly needing to cancel the rest of their tour shortly beforehand. This would however mark our first time seeing Brandon Gibbs, who aside from being in the aforementioned Devil City Angels, was also on the sidelines for Poison during their recent 2022 tour.
We didn’t have much time to catch opening local cover act Spitfire (other than hearing their version of Pat Benetar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” and maybe one or two others) before we were swiftly whisked away to a “backstage” area for a brief pre-show meet and greet with Hoekstra and Gibbs themselves (thanks so much again to their management for arranging this).
Whitesnake guitarist Joel Hoekstra performing in Casselberry, FL on 10/4/24 (photo by Jacob Striewski.
There’s some rock fans out there who might say you can’t properly “rock out” at an acoustic show, but I beg to differ. This was none more evident than when the guys took the stage and opened with an upbeat rendition of the Devil City Angels’ “Boneyard.” A cover of Whitesnake’s “Love Ain’t No Stranger” preceded Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” appropriately.
Hoekstra then followed things up with “Hard to Say Goodbye” from his side project, Joel Hoekstra’s 13, before breaking into an impressive guitar solo. Acoustic versions of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” and Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” were also surprisingly more effect than one might think in that form.
Some heartfelt words came from Hoekstra regarding the recent cancer battle of former Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich before the duo closed out their set with the massive Whitesnake classic hits “Is This Love” and of course, “Here I Go Again” before the guys took their final bows of the night. It was undoubtedly a fitting ending to an already fine evening.
Rewind It Photographer Jacob Striewski (center) with Whitesnake guitarist Joel Hoekstra (left) and Devil City Angels frontman Brandon Gibbs in Casselberry, FL on 10/4/24.
Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to witness a number of historic rock and metal acts grace the stage at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, FL; a reunited Black Sabbath and Judas Priest at Ozzfest in 2004. STP/GN’R offshoot Velvet Revolver along with grunge masters Alice In Chains in 2007. And the mighty KISS and Motley Crue together on the same bill in 2012 (just to name a few).
But I never expected to cram in so many shows in such a short time there as I had this summer; Sammy Hagar’s Best of All Worlds Tour on July 14, Styx and Foreigner on July 20, and, as of this past Tuesday, August 20, Yacht Rock Revue, REO Speedwagon, and Train (the latter of which I definitely never thought I would ever be seeing live). The one difference between those two recent shows and this one though was Rewind It were actually there on official business this time, with a photo pass in hand to cover the entire show in full detail.
The show kicked off with young Anchorheads Yacht Rock Revue, and judging by the amount of followers in Captain’s hats that had clearly come specifically to see them, they would prove to no doubt be a like-able act. The band opened with the 1980 Christopher Cross hit “Ride Like the Wind” to much applause, and had me “hooked” from that point forward.
Other soft rock staples like “Lowdown” by Boz Scaggs, “So Into You” by Atlanta Rhythm Section, “You Make Loving Fun” by Fleetwood Mac, “Heart to Heart” by Kenny Loggins, and of course, “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass helped keep the spirit of these tracks alive and well before the band launched into an original song of theirs, “Tropical Illusion.”
Yacht Rock Revue gave their best renditions of ’70s/’80s soft rock classics on Tuesday night in Tampa, FL(Photo by Jacob Striewski).
But the guys weren’t done just yet; Toto’s “Africa,” Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street,” and Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” all made their way in their set before the band finally set sail and left port, winning over many a new fan along the way I’m sure.
REO Speedwagon was no doubt the band that got myself and teenage son Jacob through the gates that night, and one that I had missed out on seeing several times over the years despite many chances to catch them. To say I was determined to finally check them off the bucket list would be an understatement.
“Don’t Let Him Go” and “Take It on the Run” was the perfect one-two punch to open it with, while “Keep Pushin’,” “Live Every Moment,” “Tough Guys,” “I Wish You Were There,” and “Music Man” found Kevin Cronin and company keeping the momentum going before getting back to the real heavy-hitters (also to note, I hadn’t realized until the show began that longtime bassist Bruce Hall was M.I.A. for this show, though former David Lee Roth/Electric Light Orchestra bassist Matt Bissonette seemed a fitting substitute in his place).
The timeless power ballad “Can’t Fight This Feeling” found cell phones across the venue aglow before “Son of a Poor Man,” “Time For Me to Fly,” and “Ridin’ the Storm Out” segued into the classic love song “Keep on Loving You” to close things out on an epic high note.
Lastly, there was Train. As I had alluded to earlier, Train is no doubt a band I can’t say I’ve ever gone out of my way to listen to. But I was indeed surprised by the amount of energy displayed by both band and crowd once they hit the stage, opening with the 2003 hit “Calling All Angels.”
Band founder and frontman Pat Monahan had the crowd in the palm of his hands as the group went through tracks like “If It’s Love,” “Get to Me,” and “Save Me, San Francisco,” casually taking selfies on cell phones handed to him via audience members near the front of the stage along the way.
Train frontman Pat Monahan was in the zone this past Tuesday, August 20 in Tampa, FL (Photo by Jacob Striewski).
But alas, by the time the band got to “Meet Virginia/The Joker,” Jacob had long finished shooting his final song of the night in the photo pit, and the two of us were hanging on by a thread after a grueling long day leading up to the event. Knowing we still had that two hour drive ahead of us, we packed up our gear and headed out to the highway (hitting a McDonnald’s drive thru on the way home too of course just for good measure).
Through it all, it was a night of music worth documenting, and memories worth making with my newest Photographer, and one and only child that should no doubt last a lifetime for the both of us.
I really was not anticipating making two separate trips to Tampa to see concerts with the family this past week, but sometimes opportunities present themselves that you’ve just got to run with. And while the previous weekend’s Sammy Hagar show was filled with nonstop rain that found us all drenched to the bone, classic rockers Styx and Foreigner at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre this past Saturday, 7/20 was a relatively dry (albeit humid) night in comparison.
Traffic did however cause Brooke, Jacob and I to be late enough to miss the entirety of John Waite’s set, although we could still hear the faint echos of what sounded like a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” closing out his set on our way into the venue (thankfully I had already seen Waite once before back in 2012).
For as long as I can remember, Foreigner have been an American (and technically also British) institution, and we were ready for the very first notes of opener “Double Vision” on what is likely the band’s “farewell” tour of sorts (dubbed the Renegades & Juke Box Heroes Tour on paper). Classics like “Head Games,” “Cold as Ice,” “Waiting For a Girl Like You,” “Dirty White Boy,” “Feels Like the First Time,” and “Urgent” (which it’s very possible I’ve done at least one of these at karaoke at some point in my life) all filled the evening air.
An admirable drum solo by former Eddie Money, Steve Vai, and Whitesnake drummer Chris Frazier signaled a brief reprieve (although not for the one obnoxious drunk girl directly in front of us – on her feet and dancing the entire show – even during the drum solo! That’s a new one indeed) before the band stormed back with “Juke Box Hero.”
Foreigner getting the crowd primed properly in Tampa, FL on 7/20/24 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).
Lead singer Kelly Hansen brought the crowd to its feet and had them singing along (with the assistance of the Plant High School Chorus behind him to boot) on arguably still one of the greatest power ballads ever written and performed, 1984’s “I Want to Know What Love Is,” before finally ending the night with the classic hard-hitting anthem “Hot Blooded”
Seeing the likes of the previously-mentioned Hansen and Frazier, as well as former Dokken bassist/Rewind It Magazine interviewee Jeff Pilson, all performing these timeless classics on stage together was no doubt a moment in time that I’m glad was not missed. Perhaps the only other thing I would’ve really liked to have seen would’ve been at least a brief appearance from lone original guitarist Mick Jones, but I won’t complain too much after a set as stellar as theirs!
Styx is another one of those bands that have just always been there too, whether at the forefront or in the background, making up the soundtracks of our lives for decades. If memory serves me correctly I’ve danced (or tried to anyway) with at least one girl to one of their songs in my lifetime, most likely at a school function (or was that just an episode of Freaks and Geeks?).
After numerous missed chances to catch the band live over the years, that finally ended once the band took stage with “The Grand Illusion.” Tommy Shaw’s “Too Much Time on My Hands” had the crowd eating out of his before the band slowed things down for 1973’s “Lady,” largely regarded to be the first true rock power ballad of all time.
“Lorelei,” “Crash of the Crown,” “Miss America,” and “Rockin’ in Paradise” all kept the crowd going well enough prior to them finally breaking out the big guns. “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights),” “The Best of Times,” “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)” and of course, “Come Sail Away” gave the audience the biggest bang for their bucks that night.
After exiting the stage in typical fashion, the band returned for an encore that included the unmistakable “Mr. Roboto” before finally closing it out with “Renegade.” To say all these songs mentioned here have stood the test of time would be a gross understatement; don’t miss the chance to hear them live if you haven’t already at least once in your lifetime (you’ll be hard-pressed to regret it).
Often times many “supergroups” may sound good on paper, but end up just feeling forced and/or just plain forgettable. Such is not the case with Revolution Saints, who, now four albums in, seem to be hitting their stride.Founded and fronted by Journey drummer extraordinaire Deen Castronovo, the group is currently rounded out by Whitesnake/former Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra, and Foreigner/former Dokken and Dio (and recent Rewind It interviewee) bassist Jeff Pilson.
Things start off a little on the safe side with the somewhat basic title track, but quickly progress with the likes of “Changing My Mind,” “Fall On My Knees,” and the ballad “Can’t End It Right Now,” all of which deserving to be modern hits in their own right (if only radio these days didn’t focus on just the same classic “hits” unfortunately).
Journey’s obvious influence definitely shines all the way through to the ending track “No Turning Back,” and fans of their music should have no problem whatsoever adapting to the sound of Revolution Saints (I certainly haven’t); give it a fair try and you might just be surprised with the results.
For many years now, bassist Jeff Pilson has been someone I’ve held much respect for (as one bass player to another), and has been on my radar to interview for quite some time now. But with someone with as many fires consistently burning as Pilson has, that is not always an easy feat. Currently, Pilson is still rocking stages with classic rockers Foreigner, and has two new albums soon to drop with both “supergroups” Revolution Saints, and The End Machine.
My patience finally paid off this past Tuesday, January 30, when I was finally able to sit down and speak with Jeff regarding all of the previously-mentioned projects of his, as well as touch upon other aspects of his storied career, including playing in such other legendary acts as Dokken and Dio.
With new music from Revolution Saints looming on the horizon, I wanted to jump right on the subject of that group right away, and asked a little about how his involvement with them initially came about. He explained; “It was a project originally conceived by (Frontiers President and mastermind) Serafino Perugino, and just one of those things that I just couldn’t resist. I had already met and worked with (Whitesnake guitarist) Joel Hoekstra over the years, and (Journey drummer) Deen Castronovo is just a total powerhouse in everything he does. It’s all come together fairly organically, and definitely looking forward to the new album.” (AgainsttheWinds will be dropping via Frontiers Music s.r.l. on February 9.)
Having a chance to already preview said upcoming album, I personally had a favorite track from it in mind already, and wondered if Jeff possibly had one as well. He told me; “I wouldn’t say I necessarily have a favorite track per se, since I tend to gauge things as a whole. I’d say the entire record is really solid overall.”
As previously alluded to, Pilson has also been busy once more with The End Machine, a project he started with former Dokken bandmate George Lynch in 2018. I asked him what could be expected with their upcoming third album, The Quantum Phase (set to be released in March), and he explained; “Well, it’s our first album with our new singer Girish Pradhan, who’s just such an amazing young talent that brings so much to the table. His vocal styles really compliment the band, and we’re extremely excited for everyone to hear the end results!”
2024 also marks twenty solid years for Pilson as a member of Foreigner, and I had to know what it was like for him when he first joined a band of such stature. He told me; “It’s been nothing short of phenomenal, having grown up listening to so many of those classic songs over the years and then having the chance to be up there actually playing them live has been such a joy. And we’re definitely excited to be getting out there this year and doing one last major stretch of the whole nine-months-out-of-the-year touring cycle.”
I was also curious what it was like playing quite possibly one of the greatest power ballads of all time every night in the form of “I Want to Know What Love Is” (which actually turns forty years old this year), and Pilson stated; “To this day I still get goosebumps from playing it and hearing the crowd sing it back to us. It’s just one of those timeless songs that everyone knows and loves, I’ve always personally loved it, along with “Waiting For a Girl Like You.”‘
And speaking of power ballads, I also wanted to know if he felt “Alone Again,” the very first ballad he had ever co-written while a member of Dokken, still holds up to this day. Pilson explained; “Don (Dokken, lead singer) already had the bare bones for that song for quite some time, and I just came in and helped complete it. I’d say it definitely holds up though – being told from the perspective of someone longing for something they cannot have will always no doubt be a fairly universal theme.”
Of course I wouldn’t be a good journalist if I didn’t at least inquire if the chance for a reunion (or even possibly a one-off show or two) with Dokken could someday be a possibility in the distant horizon. Pilson stated; “I wouldn’t ever rule anything out entirely (because there’s always a chance), but I know he currently has his new album out that he’s still promoting at the moment, and I’m definitely busy with all of the projects I currently have going on right now as well, so it’s definitely not a necessity at this given time.”
I also couldn’t resist to ask what it was like filming the video for “Dream Warriors” (from 1987’s ANightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors), and if he was a fan of horror films prior to that moment. He told me; “I wouldn’t say I was a huge fan of horror films before that, but I always liked the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, and working with Robert (Englund) and being around him as Freddy was a ton of fun, and just a total blast on set!”
As if being a member of each of the previously-mentioned bands was not enough already, Pilson also spent some time on-and-off with the legendary Dio in the ’90s and early 2000’s. I asked him to tell me a little about what that experience was like for him, and, of the three albums he recorded with them, if he had a personal favorite. He enlightened me; “That was another dream come true, to be up there alongside someone like Ronnie James Dio – what more can you ask for?! But I’d have to say (1993’s) Strange Highways was probably my favorite to record; I’d say I was definitely more involved with that one over the others, and truly captured where the band was at at the time the most.”
Last but not least, I had to ask about his involvement with the 2001 Mark Wahlberg film Rock Star (one of my personal favorites), where he played the part of Jorgen in the fictional band Steel Dragon. He informed me; “Well, I was already involved with working on the music for the film at the time, so it seemed only a natural fit to play in the band on screen. I still had to audition for the role like anyone else, but I must’ve done something right…though I’m still not holding my breath for Hollywood to knock down my door again to this day” (Laughs).
