Great stuff Tim ,cheers to Bonedady too,what a guy!
You are going to post pics of the Burlesque show ,aren't you?!
Sorry ,i'm a bit pi,drunk at the moment..
LIVE - It's the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender!
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Apr 11, 2009 2:59 p.m. JC:
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- Rated: 86 ↑
Apr 11, 2009 3:34 p.m. Joe Carducci - Gretsch/FMIC:
WOWWW!!! What a night! Every band that took the stage in the main ballroom rocked the house. Whether you're a seasoned swing dancer with a hot lookin' dance partner or just simply into boppin' to music while standing in one place (which is more my style), there was no way you could stand still from the rhythm radiating from the sound system.
The CHOP TOPS delivered a righteous, high energy performance that took the spirits in the main ballroom into orbit. Guitarist, Shelby (shown here displaying a few of his tattoos), is a blast to watch as he makes the art of playing the electric guitar look incredibly FUN! Vocalist/drummer, “Sinner” has a dynamic voice that’s delivered with the same authority as his rock solid drumming. Upright bassist, Brett is masterful & rhythmically a tempo machine monster.
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- Rated: 132 ↑
Apr 11, 2009 3:45 p.m. wenzel:
Joe, the show looks awesome! Great job Proteus and Bonedaddy for helping out!!! If you guys want to pay for me to come out to take photos for you next time, let me know and I'll be there with all of my gear. I can take leave for such an event no problem...
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Apr 11, 2009 4:32 p.m. Proteus:
Look who appeared last night!
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Apr 11, 2009 4:35 p.m. Proteus:
Also in the familiar friends and faces department, Buddy and Suzi Dughi (of Hot Rod Trio and Be Bop Boys fame) came in yesterday for their set later today.
Buddy and Suzi always look great, and bring a great vibe of good times just to be around. But Suzi was looking exceptionally radiant in high couture, and we couldn't resist some pics with a guitar that matched.
Trés eleganté, ness paw?
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Apr 11, 2009 4:36 p.m. Proteus:
Words would be superfluous.
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Apr 11, 2009 4:37 p.m. Proteus:
Alright, alright! It's 2:30 Saturday afternoon...VLV is barely half over.
Most of yesterday is now up – and I'm headed out for cars and more bands bands bands!
We'll meet up later and swap stories.
Keep swingin'.
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- Rated: 86 ↑
Apr 11, 2009 5:06 p.m. Joe Carducci - Gretsch/FMIC:
The Gretsch display was used freely by attendees as a backdrop for taking souvenir photos. Here are a few of my favorites from last night (Friday, 4/10)…
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- Rated: 132 ↑
Apr 11, 2009 5:08 p.m. wenzel:
Tim, great covereage!
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Apr 11, 2009 5:44 p.m. Joe Carducci - Gretsch/FMIC:
A view as you walk into the Mardi Gras ballroom...
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Apr 11, 2009 8:42 p.m. DrGretsch:
Awesome!, Awesome!, Awesome!
Thanks for doing this!,
We'll my night is planned now! :)
Kudos!
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- Rated: 314 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 5:51 a.m. Proteus:
So.
Today (OK, yesterday now) I listened to bands, recorded, took pics, and talked to people pretty much nonstop from 6:30 PM till 2 AM. I haven't looked at the pics or heard the audio yet – but I'm sure there's great stuff.
What a treasury of every sort of American music, circa 1940s through early 60s, this "rockabilly" festival provides! I'll have coverage on a dozen more bands just from yestertoday to demonstrate. (Band coverage happens in the other thread – I'm just saying.)
I had a great visit at the booth with Paul Pigat and his manager Kathy Campbell; we'll be doing a video interview/demo/sit-down tomorrow afternoon before Cousin Harley's soundcheck for their 6:30 opening slot in the Mardi Gras. I'm looking forward to it – and if anya y'all have more questions or requests for Paul, you must have them to me (via this thread or email) in the next 12 hours.
Lots more to tell, more pics and coverage coming here.
Great day of music, lemme tell ya!
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- Rated: 54 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 9:54 a.m. Bernw:
This is superb Proteus - and Joe - and Bonedaddy!
The whole thing looks like a really top notch fun event! We don't (as far as I know) get anything like this in the UK - and certainly not anywhere near on such a large scale.
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- Rated: 24 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 9:59 a.m. Playboy:
Bernw, you might want to try here for the UK Rockabilly Rave. VLV is THE rockabilly weekender, but the rave is most likely the second largest and they also did one in Vegas last October. I think it is a Jerry Chatterbox event.
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- Rated: 91 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 11:24 a.m. Ratrod:
So, has Paul Pigat finally chosen his Gretsch yet?
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Apr 12, 2009 12:46 p.m. KuuKOO:
His Es-350 is beat down. He needs help :)
GO PAUL GO!!!!!!!
AMEN Rat!
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- Rated: 59 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 1:02 p.m. bobbyrivera:
I'm kinda GASing for an ES-350 w/ p90's (and have been for awhile).
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Apr 12, 2009 1:11 p.m. KuuKOO:
My vote for him is a Tenny with 2 p-90s.
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- Rated: 86 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 5:29 p.m. Joe Carducci - Gretsch/FMIC:
Saturday night was nothin' but a PARTY! Rock'n music filled the halls & corridores as VLV attendees made the scene...
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Apr 12, 2009 5:41 p.m. sroux:
HAHA....the guy in the back of line on the 6th picture down is our drummer.
Damn him!...he better have gotten me a signed photo of Kim!
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- Rated: 34 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 5:47 p.m. atlantaspike:
Bobby Rivera said: I'm kinda GASing for an ES-350 w/ p90's (and have been for awhile).
My main ride is a '49 ES 350. They are less expensive now then they have been in years (like everything else I guess). Couldn't imagine a better archtop guitar for me, as much as I love my Country Club.
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- Rated: 91 ↑
Apr 12, 2009 11:46 p.m. Ric12string:
Thanks for helping Proteus out, bonedaddy!
Great coverage, Proteus, but I anticipate that the floodgates will open a bit more on Monday and Tuesday as you have time to post more.
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Apr 13, 2009 9:21 a.m. Konrad:
Hey, could someone ask Kim Falcon if she has some Polish/Central European blood in her. I have two friend girls who could be her long-lost twin sisters. (One even sports a retro look!)
Proteus, dying to see the Cousian Harley interview...
K
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- Rated: 314 ↑
Apr 13, 2009 11:01 a.m. Proteus:
Monday Mornin', Las Vegas
Indeed the floodgates will open – a trickle this morning, and if all goes well, the deluge tonight.
As always, I'd hoped to post in something closer to real time; as always, there are too many people to see, too much to capture, too much to process.
Pics and audio for all of Thursday's, Friday's, and Saturday's bands are done and waiting in the queue – that's 18 acts, and some wonderful stuff in there. Another four or five bands from yesterday will be coming later.
Also more Girls-n-Guys-n-Gretsch pics (heavy on the girls, sorry ladies!), miscellaneous views around the compound, and reportage.
But first, I have to get from here to there. I have 40 minutes now to slam some content from the queue, then to the airport (I have to share a ride with Kim...) and a pair of flights to get me to Amarillo by evening. Assuming I have two brain cells to rub together by then, I hope to complete the saga.
And it has been a saga. I feel like I've been at VLV for months. I barely remember any other life (though my accountant called this morning with a nasty pre-4/15 reminder). It's been nothing short of a feast of great American music – pretty much every pop "genre" from the 30s to the early 60s, with a healthy dessert of later forms of hyphenated-billy and fresh takes on all of it.
From the fashion to the culture, it's provided non-stop opportunity to reflect on and give respect to history, and to contemplate what it all might mean – even where it might be going.
Less abstractly, it's been an obvious great time for attendees, no matter why they're here: for the friendship and camaraderie, for the music, the dress, the dancing, Vegas itself. In truth, though, I think pretty much everyone had had "enough for the moment" by sometime Sunday night, and there was a sense of things winding down, of basking in afterglow and memories.
I'm hoping the rest of the coverage will give y'all some sense of it.
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Apr 13, 2009 11:04 a.m. Mark G:
Thank you very much for your heroic efforts.
