Rock N' Roll Theatre

Glam rock from the 1980s provides almost all of the source material for the 2012 film called Rock of Ages . Based on a musical of the same name, we find ourselves in a world mirroring the Los Angeles nightlife during those glory days of hair metal, but something still feels off. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark for a trip to the Bourbon Room to see Stacee Jaxx take the stage along with Arsenal, Wolfgang...

The life of American country music star Johnny Cash hit the big screen in 2005 with Walk The Line. An absolute beast at the box office, this film is one of the highest grossing musical biopics in history, and won more than half of the 62 awards it was nominated for. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark as they journey alongside The Man in Black from his early beginnings cutting singles for Sun Records, to t...

In 2001, the corporatization of the music industry was at an all-time high. With CD sales headed towards their peak, Josie and the Pussycats fought off subliminal messages being embedded directly into their recordings by the evil MegaRecords empire led by Fiona. Join hosts Jon and Mark has they travel to Riverdale to see how this three-piece Archie Comics band went from the bowling alley to the bi...

Jimmy Cliff brought reggae music to worldwide audiences when he starred in the 1972 film called The Harder They Come . Backed by an outstanding soundtrack that featured many first-wave ska and reggae classics, this was a showcase for the real Jamaica. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark as they try to recap Ivan's troubles adjusting to city life while chasing a dream, which also includes driving a sto...

What could be more coveted than a spot on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1973? Almost Famous documented how a teenage journalist was able to tag along with a fictional heavy rock band called Stillwater while their star was on the rise. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark as they take in the almost never-ending journey of this tour from city to city, while William's mom dials in her landline sk...

The all-time largest grossing opening weekend for a biopic in North America belongs to Michael. This 2026 film covers the first 20-years or so of Michael Jackson's career as one of the biggest icons in the history of music. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark as they travel from the small club shows by the Jackson 5 in the late 1960s, up to his solo Bad tour in 1988. You may encounter the odd llama or...

A fictional revival of folk music heavyweights took centre stage in the 2003 mockumentary called A Mighty Wind . Co-written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, the film features an entirely original soundtrack with the cast performing the music themselves. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark as they tune into the Public Broadcast Network special "Ode to Irving" and watch out for those flower ar...

A series of R-rated short stories featuring exceptional hand-drawn animation and a rocking soundtrack were unleashed to the world as the film Heavy Metal in 1981. While many say this film is not for everyone, it has aged well over time and become a cult classic. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark has they take the journey from the backseat of Harry Canyon's futuristic New York City cab all the way to...

The Spice Girls brought 90s Brit-pop to the big screen with Spice World. Filled with musical numbers, celebrity cameos, and a whole lot of confusion, this film had the band tear through London in a double-decker bus with that evil paparazzi in hot pursuit. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark as they do their best to follow along. It's time to spice up your life! Send us a message Support the show Rock...

The real-life story of Mike and Claire Sardina as Lightning & Thunder was brought to the big screen in 2025 with Song Sung Blue. These life-long musicians teamed up to deliver the hits of Neil Diamond to audiences in the Milwaukee area in the 1980s and 1990s. Join co-hosts Jon and Mark as they venture through this musical-drama crossover and uncover a film with two very different halves. Welco...

Eminem's debut on the big screen was in 2002 with the semi-autobiographical movie called 8 Mile. Not only did the film open at number one on the U.S. box office, its soundtrack clinched the number spot on the U.S. Billboard 200, and the track "Lose Yourself" notched his first number one U.S. single. That's a lot of number ones. Co-hosts Jon and Mark journey through the inner De...

In 1982, Bruce Springsteen released a self-recorded, lo-fi album with no press called "Nebraska". In 2025, Jeremy Allen White starred in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and delivered a strong performance that chronicled the struggles Springsteen was facing while making the album. Co-hosts Jon and Mark ride through the highs and lows of this rocking biopic that ends up leaving a litt...

That Thing You Do! was Tom Hanks' debut as a writer and director that chronicled the rise and fall of a fictional garage rock band called The Wonders in 1964. Climbing the charts with their hit single that doubles as the namesake of the film, the band went from local talent shows to Hollywood prime-time TV in only a matter of months. Co-hosts Jon and Mark revisit this hurricane of 1960's...

Metallica entered the early 2000s at a crossroads. Without a bass player and without a sense of direction, the remaining members forged on with a therapy coach and a documentary film crew in their quest to complete the 2003 album "St. Anger." The result was the overly long, reality TV-vibe induced, Some Kind of Monster. Co-hosts Jon and Mark make their way through this journey from the m...

KISS were at their commercial peak when they brought KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park to television screens in 1978. To be a little more accurate, the second-highest rated made-for-TV movie of 1978. Co-hosts Jon and Mark dissect the mysterious on-goings at a theme park run amok by the creations of the (recently fired) mastermind Mr. Devereaux. With rock n' roll, kung-fu, talismans, and the...

The first episode of Rock N' Roll Theatre covers the 1979 classic cult film Rock N' Roll High School starring the Ramones. Co-hosts Jon and Mark discuss everything from Marky Ramone playing invisible drums on the sidewalk to exploding white mice in Principal Togar's Rock-o-Meter lab experiment. Let's not forget that ripping live set at The Roxy either. Includes a full breakdown...

Prince and the Revolution unleashed Purple Rain onto the big screen in 1984. Co-hosts Jon and Mark try to make sense of some of the more bizarre scenes found alongside the rocking club footage at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. Was The Kid really just making music for himself? Could they really compete with Morris Day leading the Time? What about that water gun guitar solo at the end?  Dearl...

Welcome to the Rock N' Roll Theatre Podcast! Co-hosts Jon and Mark kick-off their new series exploring movies that rock. Each episode will cover theatrical release information, memorable scenes, soundtracks, critical reception, and the lasting legacy for every hit or miss on the big screen.  Episodes available now! Send us a message Support the show Rock N' Roll Theatre Podcast Website:...