(Note: Check out my Wednesday & Friday & Saturday & Sunday adventures)
It’s like Christmas Morning! VIVA is officially here, bring on the bands, shopping, clothes, the bowling, the burlesque etc. etc. etc. But first bring on my wristband for the weekend!
Since it was so cold in Toronto, I decided that we needed to hit up the pool. I mean seriously..look how nice and warm it looks outside…
WRONG…oh so very very wrong. It was windy and cold and we lasted a half an hour. Booo Vegas! What’s up with that? So we decided to grab a drink in our room and get ready for a favorite event of mine that afternoon…”Sweetpea’s Hooch and Smooch“.
What I love about Sweet Pea’s event is that she always seems to find the best bands, has fun games for VIVA attendees to meet each other and there is always a good turn out. It honestly for me is the perfect way to start my Viva weekend.
Of course I had to dress up for the afternoon (this is Viva after all). Vintage 1940s Blouse is from Cabaret Vintage, Belle Blossoms Hair Flower, Luxulite drink tab necklace, Vintage Bakelite bracelets and black pencil skirt acquired on my recent trip to Seattle from Diva Dollz.
Okay back to my Sweet Pea Afternoon. The First band that we heard when we finally got there (and LOVED) was Shuggie B. Goode. Their sound was really fun and fantastic for dancing and when we walked in the band was singing a song about the Lindy Hop (win!).
Here is the most adorable couple dancing together (they danced all weekend long). I just adore her dress with matching running shoes…too cute!
Even Elvis likes to dance!
Now I’m going to probably mess up the order of who I listened to next but does not really matter. We also heard the killer sounds of TJ Mayes from Oklahoma, who kept the dance floor packed the whole set.
Then I finally got to hear the Roy Kay Trio. They have been on my bucket list for some time of bands I needed to hear live and boy did they deliver a great show. With their country/Hillbilly Bop Rockabilly sound I could have danced all night long to them.
Hunger has by this time consumed my thoughts so time for food..really healthy food (wink wink) before we change and attend the first official evening of VIVA.
THURSDAY NIGHT-Tonight we travel around Europe to hear the best sounds of Rockabilly.
Up first, meeting up with my lovely friend Sabine who lives in Las Vegas and is a swing dancer like myself. Sabine always has the prettiest dresses and hair and is an amazing dancer as well.
Thursday Night Band # 1-The Hi-Tones from Russia. These guys were really really good and I now know why they played the main Ballroom because they sound is too huge to contain to one little room.
After the Hi-Tones we all zipped out of the Ballroom to the room down the hall that had the band “Li’l Mo and the Unholy 4″ on stage. We were greeted by a PACKED room (which got really really hot, really really fast). But Li’l Mo was so good and worth sweating to death over.
BUT I think maybe the heat was getting to at least ONE of my friends.
Li’l Mo done, time to head BACK to the Ballroom to continue our European Rockabilly tour with “The Go-Getters” from Sweden.They were incredible and the room was super packed for them as well.
During this band my husband decided to ask the lovely lady from earlier pictures in the striped dress to dance with him.
After the dance we found out that my hubby was the FIRST man OTHER than her husband that had asked her to dance in over 60 years. 60 years! Wow!
After the Go-Getters we were BACK to the other room for Mike Bell & the Belltones from Finland (I’m getting dizzy from all the running back and forth lol!).
During their set Rockabilly legend “Huelyn Duvall” joined them on stage. Huelyn hit the Billboard charts with “3 Months to Kill”/”Little Boy Blue”. That was a pretty cool experience for fans of Rockabilly.
We ended our evening BACK at in the Ballroom for London, England’s Rockabilly Band “The Savage Hornets” and they turned out to be my absolute favorite band of the evening..hands down. So much fun!
I also scored some “It’s really late but don’t we still look awesome” photos with Toronto friends. Then.. I went to bed.
And that is my LONG post on the first day of VIVA. Can you believe that was only day 1? Man I’m tired just reliving it thru this post 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and if you attended VIVA tell me who you favorite Thursday band was?
Further Reading:
- Vintage Vegas-Neon Boneyard Park
- The Dancing Side of the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend
- Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18-Wednesday (Pre Viva day)
- Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18-Thursday
- Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18-Friday
- Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18-Saturday
- Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18-Sunday
- Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender 16-The Friday
Liz 🙂
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