Tag: Trans-Siberian Orchestra

All Star Jam featuring Joel Hoekstra, Terry Ilous, Steve Unger, Patrick Johansson, and more at The Barn in Sanford, FL on 8/1/26 Words By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hoekstra and Gibbs at Lake Concord Park in Casselberry, FL on 10/4/24 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Jacob Striewski

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.