Photos By Brooke Striewski

Back in late 2006, I had been a new father for just over half a year when I ventured out to Ormond Beach, FL for Biketoberfest to catch Quiet Riot and Skid Row – two bands I loved while growing up that many of my middle/high school peers would surely give me flack for still rocking out to at the height of grunge and nu metal (Though I never cared much what anyone else thought). It ended up being one of the funniest shows I had ever been to up to that point, and I’ll forever be grateful to have seen the late legends Kevin DuBrow and Frankie Banali on stage together prior to their unfortunate, respective passings since.

Twenty years later, and a lot has certainly changed. But I knew when I saw Quiet Riot were coming to the Hard Rock Live in Orlando with Vixen in tow on Friday, March 6 (coincidentally one year to the day since I was also discharged from the hospital), it was time to finally catch the band live again, this time with my wife and Photographer Brooke beside me for the ride, too, who was ready to once again break out her SLR camera again for the occasion. (As crazy as the first week of March might have started out for us, too.) And after putting in a last-minute request, we got the “okay” from none other than Quiet Riot guitarist Alex Grossi himself (the only remaining member of the band left from said time I caught them back in ’06 who I also interviewed for Rewind It Magazine back in 2021), we were all set to go. (Thank you again, Alex.)

Almost immediately after entering the building it was clear that we had made the right decision to go. While preparing to start photographing the show from the side of the stage, Brooke ran into longtime (and legendary) Quiet Riot bassist Rudy Sarzo, whose initial time in the band stretches all the way back to the late ’70s, and recently returned to the lineup in 2021. Sarzo – who also served some time in both Ozzy Osbourne’s band and Whitesnake in the ’80s, and has also had stints with the likes of Dio and Blue Oyster Cult, among so many others – was no doubt one of the major selling points for us to go that night in the first place (Especially yours truly, having come from the school of bass players myself.)

Another group that we’ve caught live before who have also experienced some significant lineup changes since the last time we saw them back in 2019 (opening for Sebastian Bach, ironically at the very same venue), the always-lovely Vixen, who now featured new lead singer Rosa Laricchiuta, and temporary bassist Jennifer Jo Oberle filling in for Julia Lage. (Who is currently on tour oversees with Smith/Kotzen, and admittedly I was a bit disappointed to find out was not there, though Oberle no doubt did an admirable job in her place).

Vixen on stage at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on Friday, March 6. (Photo by Brooke Striewski.)

The gals kicked off the night with plenty of energy though, opening with “Rev It Up” before launching into “Charmed Life,” “How Much Love,” “Crusin’,” “Hard 16,” and “Cryin’.” A medley featuring parts of “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “I Want You to Rock Me,’ “Perfect Strangers,” “What You’re Doing,” “War Pigs,” and “Still of the Night” kept the momentum going before a drum solo from Roxy Petrucci lead them back to “I Want You to Rock Me.”

Yet the girls were still far from finished, with “Streets in Paradise, “Love is a Killer,” “Not a Minute Too Soon,” “You Ought to Know By Now,” “Love Made Me,” and of course, “Edge of a Broken Heart” all finally wrapping up their whopping seventy-five minute long set.

By the time Quiet Riot hit the stage the excitement was undeniable. The previously mentioned Sarzo and Grossi were now joined by another former Rewind It interveiwee, Jizzy Pearl of Love/Hate (another band whose show we covered some years back in 2018), and drummer Johnny Kelly of Type O Negative and Danzig fame. (Who I was also lucky enough to catch on stage with both acts in the past in the ’90s and ’00s.)

Bass icon Rudy Sarzo commanded the stage with Quiet Riot at the Hard Rock Live this past Friday, March 6 (Photo by Brooke Striewski).

In an instant the entire audience was transported back in time with the likes of “Run For Cover,” “Slick Black Cadillac,” “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” and “Love’s a Bitch,” all paving the way for what was still to come. The tender “Thunderbird” was then introduced and then dedicated not only to late guitarist Randy Rhodes (who the song was originally penned for after his tragic death in the early ’80s), but also DuBrow, Banali, and another former Sarzo bandmate, Mr. Ozzy Osbourne himself.

“Party All Night,” “Blackout in the Red Room,” and “The Wild and the Young” all kept the party going before the guys unleashed a medley of their own that featured “Let’s Get Crazy,” “Crazy Train,” a guitar solo from Grossi that segued into Van Halen’s “Eruption,” and a touch of Type O Negative’s “Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)” before coming full circle back into “Let’s Get Crazy” again.

By that point, there was not much more left to do other than the one-two punch of “Cum On Feel the Noize” and “Metal Health (Bang Your Head).” No doubt it was a night full of fun and classic anthems, but there’s more to it than just that; each time bands like Quiet Riot and Vixen hit the stage, they’re keeping not only the music itself alive, but also the memories of all those those who had a hand it helping to create it.

In Memoriam: Ace Frehley (1951-2025) By: Jesse Striewski

It’s hard to believe that just a few short months ago, we still lived in a world where all four original members of legendary rock outfits Black Sabbath and Kiss were all still walking the earth. Now that has obviously changed quite dramatically, first with the devastating loss of Ozzy Osbourne in July, and now the unmistakable original Kiss guitarist/co-founder Ace Frehley this past week on October 16.

Born Paul Daniel Frehley in The Bronx, New York on April 27, 1951, Frehley first picked up the guitar at the start of the British invasion in the early ’60s as so many of his fellow peers had done around this time. But aside from playing guitar, Frehley also found himself mixed up with rough gangs and earning the nickname “Ace” by the age of 13.

But music was his true calling, and after briefly serving as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix at age 18, he eventually found found his way to the band that would become Kiss in 1972, helping to create something the likes the world had never seen before by 1973, bringing to life the “Spaceman” persona in the band and even designing their now-classic “lightning bolt” logo that can seen in nearly every far corner of the world now.

The rest as they say, is KISStory, with Frehley going on to dominate the ’70s rock world with his bandmates Paul Stanely, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss. Aside from their trademark makeup and infectious anthems, the group were also known for their theatrics, including Frehley’s oft-smoking guitars that he custom built himself.

But years of hard living took its toll, and by 1982, Frehley became the second original member of Kiss to exit the band. By the late ’80s he struck back hard, with a string of solo albums beginning with Frehley’s Comet in 1987.

After a period of dormancy, Frehley and his former Kiss bandmates took the world off guard when him and Criss made their first appearance with the band on stage in over a decade at an MTV Unplugged tapping in 1995. From then on, it was a full scale reunion, complete with makeup and costumes and all, that lasted into the early 2000’s.

I had really become a fan of Kiss in the early ’90s during the non-makeup years, and can vividly remember watching that MTV Unplugged episode when it first aired. I felt the same excitement that was in the audience that night, and couldn’t wait to see the band in concert (which I had just started going to around this time, staring with AC/DC in 1996).

But it would take a number of years before I would finally see Kiss live in 2012, but which point Frehley had been replaced by his fourth and final follow-up guitarist in the band, Tommy Thayer. But even without him there physically, his presence could still be heard and felt with each and every lick played that night.

Finally, in June of 2024, Ace was set to play at the Hard Rock Live nearby me in Orlando, FL, and I was determined to finally see him, despite it landing on a Friday and being extremely tired from a long day’s work beforehand. I brought my teenaged son Jacob with me, and for the first time ever he was able to hear the music of Kiss played live, with timeless tracks like “Detroit Rock City,” “Cold Gin,” “Shout It Out Loud,” and of course, “Rock n’ Roll All Nite,” all leading the charge (it’s a memory I hold dear now that I won’t soon forget).

Ace Frehley performing with his band at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on 6/21/24 (Photo by Jesse Striewski).

When it was announced last week that Frehley had passed after suffering a fall that lead to a brain bleed, it hit me like a ton of bricks, as though a long lost uncle had left this world. And now after being put to rest this week, there’s a sense of finality that’s becoming more and more familiar with each legend we lose.

But no matter how much time might pass, the guitar riffs of Ace Frehley will continue to echo, with each and every guitarist out there he’s already influenced, and every up-and-coming musician that he will eventually leave a mark on for future generations to come. Rest in peace, Spaceman.

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.

Interview with Great White Guitarist Mark Kendall By Jesse Striewski

When it comes to elite rock/metal guitarists, there’s typically a select few that come to mind for most, whether it be Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi, Joe Perry, or the late, great, Eddie Van Halen. But for my money Great White lead guitarist Mark Kendall has always deserved a spot at the table nearby these greats, and the band he co-founded more than four decades ago now has been fairly underrated in many of the annals of rock history (at least in my opinion).

So when I had the chance to speak to Kendall from his home via phone this past Tuesday, July 15 ahead of Great White’s upcoming Orlando date at the Hard Rock Live on Saturday, August 23 (which Rewind It Magazine will also be there to cover), I was both completely prepared for it, and elated.

I was glad to hear that I was the first interview of the day for him as we each settled in for our morning (or in my case in the time zone I’m in, early afternoon) cups of coffees. One of the first things I asked was when the last time the band had hit the central, FL market, to which he replied, “I’m not really sure. I know we played some shows in Ft. Lauderdale, FL last year, but as far as Orlando itself I don’t think we’ve been there for awhile, so we’re pretty excited to be returning.”

He continued; “We used to play the Spring Break programs with MTV and at one point were kind of like the back up band playing on the beach, so a lot of memories there in that sense. Just Florida in general has always been a great experience with the best fans for us.”

Flyer for upcoming Great White/Slaughter show at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on Saturday, August 23.

Great White have been more or less knocking out shows across the U.S. since the start of 2025 with various bands (namely current tour mates Slaughter), so I was curious what some of the highlights have been on the tour so far. He informed me; “We played kind of a small area called Elko, NV recently and the fans were just crazy, and it was really a good show! Since we don’t tour like we did back in the day on a bus where we’re gone from home and touring for like a year and a half, we’ll just go out and play maybe one or two shows then go back home, so there’s a lot more flying involved now. But the fun part about it though is getting to play with a lot of bands we never played with before back in the day that we respect like Styx and REO Speedwagon. So we’re meeting these guys that we knew from afar but never really knew personally, so that’s kind of fun.”

Kendall furthered his point; “And we basically grew up with our fans, so it’s fun to see fans from back then still rocking, and the new generations that come along with them, too. A lot of times like with our parents, the music was so far removed from what we were listening to as teenagers that we couldn’t really relate to their music. But with the parents of today that our introducing their kids to our stuff and the like, I think most of them realize ‘Hey, these guys rock pretty hard!'”

I was wondering how far back the band’s history with said tour mates Slaughter went, and he told me; “We have a lot of history with Slaughter! For one thing they’re on the same agency as us. We never toured with them per se, but I’ve known Mark (Slaughter, vocalist) since he was about nineteen when he was with Vinnie Vincent (in the Vinnie Vincent Invasion), so we’re pretty good friends. When we play together we always have a great night, and I think we give the fans their money’s worth.”

With a catalog that spans thirteen full studio albums, I was curious as to what songs he looked forward to playing the most each night, as well as any tracks from the vault he might possibly like to unearth someday. He told me; “Well, I like what they call the ‘deep cuts,’ you know songs that weren’t really on the radio maybe as much as some of the others (or at all). One thing I also like is when we maybe extend jams because we don’t really know what’s going to happen with those, so you know that makes it kind of exciting. Of course I still like playing “Rock Me” because it creates a lot of memories for me.”

He continued his thoughts further; “When you finish an album and the record company comes down to the studio, you kind of look at them to see how they’re reacting, and I remember them getting real excited when they first heard that song (“Rock Me”). It was our first really big hit, and it was our third album! Before that we had to grind it out, and went out and toured with Judas Priest, Whitesnake, and Europe for our first album. And when we came home, the record company wasn’t that excited, so they dropped us off the label! So now we have no record deal, no money, and we had just toured for almost a year and now we’ve got to start over? I mean how tough is this business?” (Laughs)

Kenndall explained some more; “So then we made our second record on our own by borrowing money and got a hit on a L.A. radio station, which was enough to get the attention of Capitol Records. They ended up coming down to see the band play, and now we’ve got our second opportunity, so now we’ve got to get it right! To get a second chance is a miracle, but we didn’t think a third chance was going to happen, so to come out with our third album and a song that excited a big label like Capitol like that was truly a wonderful situation. So we got our first big hit and sold a million records! (Laughs) And we’ve played that song a lot now, but it’s always for a different audience, and it’s always a nice feeling with all of those memories attached to it.”

He wrapped up his thoughts by saying; “This year we’ve pulled out some songs that we maybe haven’t played in twenty-five years. We’re playing “Stick It” in the set now, which is from our very first album. And even though it didn’t do too well at the time, we gained a fanbase, so it wasn’t a waste of time or like we were going out on those early tours totally cold. But believe it or not, when we change just two or three songs in the set list, it gives the set a whole new look just by doing that. We try to grab something from as many albums as we can, but we can easily get thirteen or fourteen songs in with a ninety minute set.”

While most people were busy tossing their VHS collections as soon as they went out of style, I continued to expand my own with anything and everything ‘old school’ I could find. One such film was 1987’s Maid to Order with the baby-faced Ally Sheedy, which also featured a brief appearance from Great White at a party scene as a backing band called the Loaded Blanks (which I honestly did not catch on to until maybe a few years back). So of course I had to pick Kendall’s brain a little on what that experience was like, and he filled me in; “It was a medium that we weren’t really used to (movie-making), so that was a lot of fun to be a part of. We played the backing band for the maid played by Merry Clayton, who’s actually a kick-ass singer!”

He continued; “We learned a few things along the way, and there were these guys on the crew who kept sneaking this little frog somewhere in every scene, but not telling the director! So you can watch the movie and be like, ‘Look there’s that frog!’ (Laughs) And the extras that played our roadies in our scenes were crazy! We would go out to the garage and be snipping on a bottle of whiskey with them after we had just got done talking with Ally Sheedy in the kitchen (Laughs), so it was a lot of fun.”

He continued; “And back then we were also in the Joe Piscopo special for HBO where we played the backing band while he played Frank Sinatra. And I came jumping threw the air while playing the solo and he said ‘Marvelous and wonderful guitar!’ (Laughs) So it was just a blast.”

Back in 2019, I was also able to speak with former Great White singer, the late Jack Russell for Rewind It Magazine, and I asked him a similar question at the time as one from earlier regarding what songs really affected him while performing live the most, to which he answered the power ballad “Save Your Love” was a very emotional/spiritual experience for him. I asked Mark if he felt somewhat similar while performing it, to which he stated; “For me it’s a great memory because I was working with a guy named Stephen who was in the band briefly on guitar and keyboards before Michael Lardie joined. We wrote that song and it was almost all Stephen’s music, and I kind of changed it around to be an acoustic song, but we didn’t use it until later. And Stephen passed away a few years ago, so that’s kind of a fond memory for me.”

He went on; “That’s cool that it was emotional for Jack. For me, it wasn’t a huge hit, but when we played arenas, every Bic lighter was going (Laughs). So with our fans that like our band, it was a hit to them. I don’t know if I’m as emotionally attached to it as Jack was – maybe the song meant something to him with a girlfriend or a wife or somebody in his life perhaps. But it was a nice song, and every band had their own ballad of sorts back in the day.”

Regarding Jack Russell, who left us nearly a year ago now last August, Kendall elaborated with hindsight; “We were the best of friends and did everything together. He had gotten into some trouble maybe three or four months after I first met him, so I had to start a band (Dante Fox) from scratch and even had a chick singer at first until he was able to get out, and then we took him over the singer we had and things kind of developed from there.”

He continued further; “A lot of the memories from when we first met, being at his parents house with these huge dreams – we were doing interviews like you and I are doing right now with cassette players acting like we had made it. (Laughs) We used to pretend like we were playing the Forum, and then we ended up actually playing it. All the stuff we dreamed about we really believed it. And it all happened, so that’s pretty surreal.”

Kendall ended his thoughts by saying; “We were very close. I don’t think we ever had a single argument our entire careers, but it’s just unfortunate that addiction is what separated us. It wasn’t anything personal, and I still loved him to death. But when we separated, I just wanted him to get well and come back to be the best, most kick-ass Jack Russell possible. And although it didn’t really happen that way, that does not take away decades of us touring the world, and all of the shared memories we had together. I’m not going to let addiction take that away from me, because those were just awesome years, man.”

Testament and Kreator at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on 10/15/24 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Jacob Striewski

Up until this past week, Testament were still one of the few remaining early/OG thrash bands I was waiting to cross off my list to see. Little did I know my son/Photographer Jacob and I would essentially be spending two back-to-back days with the band in Orlando, first at a meet and greet/Q & A event at Park Ave CDs on Monday, October 14, then followed by watching the band perform at the Hard Rock Live with Kreator and Possessed (two other bands I’ve also been waiting many years to see) on Tuesday, October 15.

Monday night’s said event, where the band answered questions in an interview-type setting (as well as several questions from fans in attendance) before signing coffee cans of their newly-released Brazen coffee from Concept Cafe Coffee among other items (I personally had a can of it and a copy of 1992’s The Ritual album signed). There was even a brief pumpkin-carving contest, in which one fan in attendance took home the win for their Testament-themed submission.

Father and son writer/photographer duo Jesse Striewski (left) and Jacob Striewski with Testament’s (from left to right) Chris Dovas, Alex Skolnick, and Chuck Billy at Park Ave CDs in Orlando, FL on Monday, October 14.

As if the Park Ave CDs event was not enough to quench just about any fans’ thirst, the group were primed to hit the stage the following night at Hard Rock Orlando, and Rewind It were set to cover the show from start to finish with a photo pass. Unfortunately though it was still not meant to be to see death metal pioneers Possessed, whose set we missed entirely thanks to the traffic endured along the way (although a brief encounter with one of the younger members of the band did present itself for Jacob while on the other sides of the barricades prepping to shoot).

By the time we actually arrived, German metal masters Kreator – who ironically we had only caught the tail end of their set the last time we came across them at 2023’s Welcome to Rockville festival – were just kicking things off with (after “Run to the Hills” and “Sergio Corbucci is Dead” as brief intros for good measure) “Hate Uber Allies,” “Phobia,” and “Enemy of God.”

I was taken back by the amount of energy on full display by both band and audience alike (at one point the band had the crowd “open the pit” for one of the most intense moshing sessions I’ve ever witnessed to date) as they plowed through more numbers in the form of “666 – World Divided,” “Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite),” “Hail to the Hordes,” “Betrayer,” and “Satan is Real.”

Kreator give it their menacing all on stage at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL last Tuesday, October 15 (photo by Jacob Striewski).

An audio recording of “Mars Mantra” lead to a couple of demonic looking figures – reminiscent of something out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – walking out on stage to segue the group into “Phantom Antichrist,” “Strongest of the Strong,” and “Terrible Certainty.” Another brief intermission lead to an encore featuring “Violent Revolution” and “Pleasure to Kill” prior to the metal legends taking their final bow and exiting the stage.

And speaking of metal legends, Testament finally made their way onto stage after the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right” curiously acted as their intro. “Eerie Inhabitants,” “The New Order,” and “Apocalyptic City” started their set off promisingly enough, though the enthusiasm from the crowd actually seemed to feel greater during Kreator’s set by this point in all honesty.

Testament frontman Chuck Billy giving it his all on stage at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on Tuesday, October 15 (photo by Jacob Striewski).

More old and new favorites alike followed in the forms of “Raging Waters,” “The Preacher,” and “Trial By Fire” before a drum solo by admirable newcomer Chris Dovas, which then steered the band towards the likes of “First Strike is Deadly,” “A Day of Reckoning,” “Do or Die,” and “C.O.T.L.O.D.,” which all kept the momentum going.

Some of the best moments were saved for last as “Disciples of the Watch,” “Over the Wall,” and “Into the Pit” ended the already epic night on an epic high note. On a personal side note, one of the highlights during the entire two-night ordeal came via seeing/meeting former Death bassist Steve DiGiorgio, a local legend in his on right, as a member of Testament.

Ace Frehley at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on 6/21/24 Words and Photos By Jesse Striewski

Ever since the moment I first got my hands on a fully intact vinyl copy of KISS’ 1979 Dynasty album via a secondhand find as a teenager, I’ve been a loyal, card-carrying member of the KISS Army. But the one and only time I was able to actually catch the band live back in 2012, I could not help but feel there was still something missing…namely the absence of beloved original guitarist Ace Frehley.

But after the week I had just endured, I wasn’t sure I’d even make it to Frehley’s show at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on Friday, June 21. It was both my sick wife Brooke, and teenaged son Jacob – who had been too young to see KISS with me all those years ago – that helped each motivate and convince me not to miss the Spaceman again by saying “But you love KISS!” (hard to argue with that logic!).

Local Orlando rockers Sick Dogs were still on stage by the time Jacob and I had arrived that night, and although they put in admirable enough effort, their harder-edged sound seemed slighty “off” for the setting. But the moment Frehley hit the stage with 1977’s “Shock Me,” I knew we had made the right choice to catch Ace (who claimed he was literally just dropped off in a car just moments before taking stage).

The immortal KISS anthem “Shout It Out Loud” followed before Ace dropped a new track, the catchy “Cherry Medicine” (which unfortunately a good portion of the crowd did not seem to care much about at all), but the epic Frehley’s Comet track “Rock Soldiers” from 1987 got everything back on track.

Another KISS classic followed in the form of “Love Gun,” which drummer Scot Coogan (also of L.A. Guns) took over the lead vocal duties for, though not before a slight “mishap” the first go-round as the band stopped the song early in it’s offset to berate the lighting techs for improper placement of the spotlight (I can’t make this up!).

The title track to Frehley’s latest album “10,000 Volts” gave the audience a much-needed jolt of electricity before going into “Parasite.” Then the intro to “God of Thunder” segued into a couple from Frehley’s 1978 solo album in the form of “New York Groove” and “Rip It Up.”

From that point forward it was all KISS classics (“Detroit Rock City,” “Cold Gin,” “Strange Ways,” and Frehley’s self-proclaimed, all-time personal favorite, “Deuce”), instrumental jams, and solos (complete with Ace’s signature smoking guitars, of course) before Ace and company (which also currently consists of guitarist Jeremy Asbrock and bassist Ryan Cook, each of Gene Simmons’ solo band, too) exited stage.

Of course things could not simply end there though; within minutes, the band was back on stage to close things out with arguably one one of the biggest rock anthems of all time, the immortal (albeit overplayed) “Rock and Roll All Nite.” It was the only fitting end cap for a night already full of legendary rock, from one legendary rocker.

Bush, Bad Wolves, and Eva Under Fire at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on 11/14/23 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

This past Tuesday, November 14, Orlando was graced with some ’90s post-grunge perfection when Bush lead the charge through the Hard Rock Live for the very first date of their current Nowhere to Go But Everywhere tour, complete with support from Bad Wolves and Eva Under Fire in tow.

Just days prior, Rewind It had visited the Hard Rock for Bullet For My Valentine’s show the previous Friday (an admirable concert in its own right). But having been a teenager/high school student in the decade Bush had originally emerged from meant that there was much more nostalgia going into it for me than said last show. The only other difference this time around was I had my wife Brooke acting as photographer rather than my son, Jacob.

I had looked up Eva Under Fire prior to going into things as well, who seemed decent enough at a quick glance. Commanding frontwoman Eva Marie (whose voice reminded me of a cross between Heart’s Ann Wilson, and Lizzy Hale of Halestorm) gave it her all on songs like “Comatose,” “Heroin(e),” “Devil in Disguise,” “Coming for Blood,” a cover of Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Unstoppable/Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” and “Blow.” A chance meeting with Marie shortly after their set was the icing on the cake.

Rewind It’s Brooke Striewski (right) and Eva Under Fire singer Eva Marie after the show on Tuesday night.

On the other hand, Bad Wolves are a band truly worthy of having the title “bad” in their name. Now, I understand there’s been some drama within the ranks of this band after former lead singer Tommy Vext was ousted over “creative differences” (a nice way of saying he likely didn’t confirm to the rest of their beliefs) a couple of years back. But sans their 2018 single “Remember When” (a track they of course did not perform), I really can’t say I was a fan of much of their material to begin with, so I truly have no investment with one side or the other either way (but in comparison, I think I would’ve much rather had seen Bad Wolves when Vext was still at the helm of the mic, as their current frontman, Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz, simply did not come off as very “likeable”).

I truly tried to get into their set (which was introduced by WJRR DJ Mel Taylor) as they went through titles like “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “Killing me Slowly,” “Savior,” “Sober,” and “Lifeline,” but couldn’t help thinking all I was hearing was the most generic of mainstream rock available. Even their closer, a decent (yet still very odd choice, in my opinion) cover of The Cranberries’ 1994 hit “Zombie,” only elicited a mild reaction in my book.

Finally, the main even everyone had come to see, Bush, hit the stage just after 9pm. Opening with a one-two punch of numbers from their 1994 debut Sixteen Stone in the form of “Everything Zen” and “Machinehead,” the band instantly had the crowd in their grasp.

Songs like “Bullet Holes,” “The Chemicals Between Us” (where I can honestly say my wife and I lovingly held hands the entire time throughout), “The People That We Love,” “Quicksand,” “Swallowed,” “Nowhere to Go But Everywhere,” and “Heavy is the Ocean” all followed before lead singer Gavin Rossdale sprinted off into the crowd during “Flowers On a Grave,” running to the top of the balcony to finish off the song before ultimately heading back to the stage all in due time.

“All Thing Must Change” and “Little Things” followed before the band took a brief reprieve prior to their encore, which consisted of “More Than Machines,” “Glycerine” (with Rossdale performing solo with just his guitar), and finally, “Comedown.” I doubt that even the most casual of Bush fans (and grunge, for that matter) could find one single complaint with the band’s set last Tuesday night at the Hard Rock; I know I certainly couldn’t if I tried.

Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale going from balcony to stage during one of the most exciting moments of Tuesday night’s show at the Hard Rock Live Orlando.

Bullet For My Valentine, Of Mice & Men, and Vended at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on 11/10/23 Words By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Jacob Striewski

Back in 2006 (what now feels like a lifetime ago), I caught this little unknown Welsh band at the time opening for Rob Zombie called Bullet For My Valentine. Two years later I saw them again, opening on a bill alongside Avenged Sevenfold and Atreyu at the 2008 Taste of Chaos Tour. Five more years after that, I caught them as openers for Alice Cooper at a gig I worked security for at the CFE Arena in 2013. A lot has definitely changed for the band in the span of all those years, the most apparent being they’ve since grown to be headliners themselves rather than simply a warm-up act, and rightfully so.

Just days prior to their show at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL on Friday, November 10, I received a request to cover the concert from the publicist for openers Vended, the young Iowa-based metal group who have since been carving a name out for themselves and gaining significant traction thanks to two of its members being the sons of Sliptknot’s Corey Taylor (Griffin Taylor) and Shawn Crahan (Simon Crahan). After shifting a few things around, I was able to make it to the show with my own son (Jacob) yet again acting as my photographer for the event (who ironically was “with me” in a way at that very first Bullet For My Valentine show back in 2006 when his pregnant mother and I attended it together).

The minute Vended hit the stage, it was clear they were not about to go easy on their audience any time soon, after a recording of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” was played and slowed down to eerie levels before the guys emerged on stage to blast into “Ded to Me.” More hard-hitters in the form of “Am I the Only One,” “Overall,” “The Far Side,” and “Asylum” all followed before the guys stepped aside to let Of Mice & Men take a turn.

I’ve always held a small place in my heart for metalcore bands like Of Mice & Men, but for whatever reason had still not seen them live before now despite the number of shows I’ve been to over the years. It felt like 2010 to me all over again as the band plowed through a set of tracks both new and old that included “Bones Exposed,” “Would You Still Be There,” “Castaway,” “Obsolete,” “O.G. Loko,” “Into the Sun,” “Warpaint,” and “Bloom.”

Finally, Bullet For My Valentine took over the stage, and full command of the room for that matter. While “Knives” and “Over It” were admirable enough to kick things off, it was song number three (“Your Betrayal”) that really got the crowd pumping. “Piece of Me” followed before the band dug deep in their catalog with “4 Words (to Choke Upon).”

The crowd stuck in there until the very end as the band went through old and new songs alike in the form of “The Last Fight,” “All These Things (I Hate Revolve Around Me),” “Shatter,” “Scream Aim Fire,” “You Want a Battle (Here’s a War),” “Rainbow Veins,” and “Don’t Need You.” By the time all was said and done, there was nothing else left except to visit the merch tent on the way out (and the nearby Voodoo Doughnut shop!) before finally calling it a night.

Sebastian Bach and Vixen at the Hard Rock Live Orlando on 10/30/19 By Jesse Striewski/Photos by Brooke Striewski

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Last year Rewind It Magazine was there to bring you coverage of former Skid Row front man Sebastian Bach’s show at The Plaza Live. This past Wednesday night, October 30, at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Bach seemed to be full of a sense of rejuvenation as he plowed through a set that consisted entirely of his former band’s music, and the crowd ate up every minute. It was no small feat for him to pull off such an epic show, either, considering he was dealing with personal issues, having just learned of his family’s home in California being under evacuation due to wildfires shortly before going on stage.

Newcomers Kobra and the Lotus kicked off the night with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm expected from a lesser-experienced act. Front woman Kobra Paige was easily the center of attention as she slinked around on stage in a blue jump suit, belting out numbers like “Burn!” and “Let me Love You.” It also didn’t hurt she had immense talent backing her, including the dual guitar work of Jasio Kulakowski and Ronny Gutierrez.

Vixen were up next, and have been on my radar of bands to see for awhile now. Although something did feel like it was missing without former vocalist Janet Gardner and of course founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund (R.I.P.), former Femme Fatale singer Lorraine Lewis and Jaded guitarist Britt Lightning did more than admirable jobs in their shoes (especially Lightning, whose looks first caught my eye when I saw her play with Jaded back in 2005). The band opened their set with a number from Lewis’ previously mentioned former band, “Waiting on the Big One.” More songs from throughout the band’s career followed, including “Cryin’,” “Runnin’ with the Devil/I Want You to Rock Me” and “You Ought to Know,” before of course ending it with their most recognizable hit, “Edge of a Broken Heart.”

Finally Bach hit the stage, opening his set curiously with a more obscure Skid Row number, “Forever,” before going into the first Skid Row album in it’s entirety as promised. And as soon as the familiar riffs of “Big Guns” kicked into gear, it was clear it was on! The rest of the album’s first side – “Sweet Little Sister,” “Can’t Stand the Heartache,” “Piece of Me,” “18 & Life,” and “Rattlesnake Shake” – relentlessly followed.

Before going to “Side 2,” a turntable was actually wheeled out on stage, and the band even briefly segued into the theme song of “WKRP in Cincinnati” before Bach literally dropped the record’s needle to signify the start of “Youth Gone Wild.” Pandemonium quickly ensued, as that lead to two more of the album’s heavier tracks in the form of “Here I Am” and “Makin’ a Mess.” Things of course slowed down a bit for “I Remember You” before closing the album portion of the set out with “Midnight.”

Of course the band wasn’t quite finished yet, and came back for an encore of tracks from the Slave to the Grind album, including “Slave to the Grind,” “The Threat,” “In a Darkened Room,” “Monkey Business,” and even ending with the once-controversial “Get the Fuck Out.”

It was definitely a treat to hear so many songs that normally would not have been included in his set list, and about the only other thing Bach could’ve possibly done to make the night even more complete would have been invite his former Madam X bandmate and Vixen drummer Roxy Petrucci on the stage to jam “We Reserve the Right to Rock.” Still, I’ve seen Bach live multiple times on his own, and I’ve seen his former band Skid Row play without him as well. I can honestly say that watching Bach perform a full set of Skid Row music, with photos and videos of his former band being displayed the whole time on screens on all sides of the stage, was by far the best night of Skid Row music from start to finish I’ve ever witnessed so far.