Viva Las Vegas 15 - Featuring Duane Eddy

Cars (Part 1)

The Car Show has become a major venue at Viva, more like a day-long festival in its own right, with live music alternating with DJ’d music all day long, dozens of vendors of every sort of rockabilly ware, and every opportunity to enjoy people-watching – not to mention hundreds of vintage iron and rods from wild to mild.

I go to a lot of carshows - mostly local shows in the midwest, Hot Rod Nationals in Louisville, some marque-specific nationals.

But no part of the country has an automotive culture quite like that of California and Vegas, and on display at Viva’s car show: the distinctive mix of traditional customs and lead sleds, restorations, honest drivers, rat rods, and wild fabrications makes it unique. I know from overheard conversations that the guys who build their cars don’t have complete respect for the guys who buy theirs ready-made.

But whatever the preference and attitude of each owner, the cars - like the clothes and the music - provide another medium of creativity and expression for owners and craftspeople.

For anyone with a heart for classic American iron, an eye for good-lookin’ well-dressed people, and an ear for the music, there was more than enough at the Car Show to keep your head spinning.

(I’ll break the photos into several posts, alternating with band and people coverage – because that reflects the rhythm of the day. Little commentary should be needed - I think these cars will speak for themselves and their owners.)