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.

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.

Styx and Foreigner at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, FL on 7/20/24 Words and Photos By Jesse Striewski

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).

Album Review: Revolution Saints – Against The Winds (Frontiers Music s.r.l.)

By: Jesse Striewski

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.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Scorpions at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL on 9/14/22 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

Last night, the Rewind It Magazine family took an unexpected road trip to catch classic rockers the Scorpions perform at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. But not even traffic delays and copious amounts of of rain could dampen the mood when we arrived (fashionably) late to the event.

To see such legends as vocalist Klaus Meine and guitarist/band founder Rudolf Schenker, not to mention former Motorhead/King Diamond drummer Mikkey Dee (I always felt somewhat cheated when he was actually absent the one and only time I saw Motorhead back in 2009, although former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum in his place was was a more than worthy fill-in) was worth every bit of stress it took to get there.

Although Whitesnake were originally on the tour with them, they unfortunately had to opt out due to frontman David Coverdale’s ongoing health issues. As disappointing as this may be, the all-female group Thundermother were still pegged as the openers. But, due to said road and weather conditions, we missed their set completely too (though we were able to finally see the girls doing an autograph signing session at the end of the night).

In fact, The Scorpions were actually already in the middle of their second song, “Make It Real” (“Gas in the Tank” served as the opener) by the time we even arrived. The laid back vibes of “The Zoo” and the instrumental “Coast to Coast” followed before a couple more-than admirable new tracks in the form of “Seventh Sun” and “Peacemaker.”

The band took things back to the ’80s for a bit with “Bad Boys Running Wild” and “Send me an Angel,” throwing in another instrumental, “Delicate Dance,” in between. This was followed up by the massive 1990 power ballad “Wind of Change,” which was no doubt a collective emotional moment for everyone in attendance last night.

“Tease Me Please Me” and the title track to their latest album, “Rock Believer” proceeded before a bass/drum solo between Dee and bassist Pawel Maciwoda commenced. After which, the guys started breaking out the big guns in the form of “Blackout” and “Big City Nights.” A short reprieve brought the band back for an encore of “No One Like You,” and finally the massive hit anthem “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” which sent everyone there home breathless.

There’s no denying the sheer rock greatness that graced the stage in Tampa last night, and the memory of it all will no doubt last a lifetime.

Album Review: Whitesnake – Flesh & Blood (Frontiers Music s.r.l.)

Whitesnake

By: Jesse Striewski

I’m not really sure what’s more surprising; the fact I’m reviewing a new Whitesnake album in 2019, or the fact that it actually exceeds expectations. With so many bands from their era often not able to re-capture the same lightning in a bottle, Whitesnake are a definite exception.

The album’s first single, “Shut Up & Kiss Me,” was honestly a bit too generic to stir up much emotion for me. But the follow up single, “Hey You..You Make me Rock” definitely gets things back on the right track. There’s plenty of other rockers to get the party started, including “Good to See You Again,” “Trouble is Your Middle Name,” and my personal favorite off the album, “Well I Never.”

Of course there’s a couple of lighter moments as well; “Always & Forever,” “When I Think of You (Color Me Blue),” and The Beatles-inspired “After All,” which are all worthy of putting alongside any of the Snakes’ best power ballads. All in all, David Coverdale and company have assembled here 13 tracks more than just a little deserving of a listen that I might actually come back to hear again soon myself.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars