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My ears are still ringing a week later as I write this, but that could be due to the fact that I just saw The Paladins and The Gamma Rays AGAIN last night *post-Rumble*. This Scene is proof that Too Much of A Good Thing is—A Good Thing. Despite thunderstorm warnings for both last Friday & Saturday, the rain not only held, but we had the HOTTEST weather ever on a Saturday Rumble date (To quote Wendy Lebeau from onstage: “Stay hydrated!”). There seemed to be a preponderance of cars new to the venue as well. On Friday night, the rows between the rods were filled with customs and any extra space—was plugged by the vintage bikes also ALWAYS welcome at this event. All of the above being only pre-’63, non-billeted, road worthy chariots, of course.
Cheryl had decided this year to hand over the emcee duties to Michelle Terranova of GoKatGo! Radio (WNHU 88.7fm, New Haven CT). If you are anywhere on The East Coast—heck, really anywhere at all—you need to check out Michelle’s site (www.gokatgoradio.com) if only for the show listings inc. non ’Billy acts o’ worth such as The Misfits, Mr. Iggy Pop, and others. Michelle GoKat! and folks like her not only “Make The Scene” but MAKE the Scene, savvy? She is essential to OUR way of life and it is an honour to hang with her just a little bit—let alone deluge her with links to e-bay vintage swag neither of us should really be looking at during our respective day jobs!
[“THAT is THE Best Paintjob in the show!” One brutha w/red wings
almost broke my freakin’ fingers in a handshake of agreement!]
I therefore took my sweetass time driving us there and we proceeded to stop off for not one but two of The Best Chocolate Milkshake(s) in The Northeast at The Triple-A Diner in East Hartford. This is across a lot from Dignified Endings Casket Store—in an old converted I-Hop! Man, we had our noses pressed against the windows like kids in front of a toy store—ANYWAY…We arrived too late to catch tatty’d he-men The Alley Dukes, who represented Thee Montreal Contingent this year. Cheryl still got slipped a copy of their new cd CHOKIN’ THE CHICKEN (Northern Redneck Records)—along with the typical French Canadian hospitality. Oui! Oui! ;)
The Star Devils from Cincinnati, Ohio came up next but I have to plead guilty of being distracted from their set by all the people I kept running into: The couple we met on the plane to the big Oneida Fest in Green Bay two years ago; me old fetish mates from BOUND Hartford; etc, etc. This year’s (always F-R-double E) Friday night’s attendance rivaled that of previous Saturdays! I was literally overwhelmed by the *intoxicating* party atmosphere of this whole Scene—a party I didn’t haveta pick up the beer tab fer or clean up after! Through The Keyhole Burlesque also showed up between slots on Friday night to entertain the troops. Eye-Kandy Quotient for the entire attending populace being what it was, however, it was kinda like a strip club on a thong-only beach, if ya get mah drift.
[Lead singer for The Gamma Rays and Certified
Road Agent Johnny Dewar hits the stage.]
The Gamma Rays have two members in The Road Agents—make that 2.5 (height wise!), as lead singer Johnny’s son & budding teen idol Jeff Dewar came up onstage to deliver 3 songs inc. a cover of Bob Luman’s “Try Me” (Besides Jeff, I noticed that there were other teenage patrons this year into The Rockin’ Scene—gives ya hope for The Youth of Today. Not to say Yer a role model or anything Jeffrey—that would be too dangerous, Man!). Responsible for coordinating a good bunch of the ‘package shows’ that play up thisaways besides their own gigs, The Gammas finally got the crowd up there dancin’—as they always do.
The Paladins closed Friday night with the first of their 2 big sets for The Rumble. Along with bruisah Brian Fahey on drums and the ever-photogenic Mr. Thomas Yearsley on standup bass, Dave Gonzalez played a RAGIN’ bunch of old favorites (At 17 years & runnin’, the supply is, frankly, endless) and new tunes from their latest release, EL MATADOR (Lux Records). I do not believe it is medically possible for DG to write a song that is not automatically catchy—two standouts from the new disc being “Don’t Come Callin’” and “Lookin’ for a Girl Like You”. He is THE totally down-to-earth real deal, while being also the embodiment of some Robt. Williams’ illo of a So. Cal Greaser KING. The Pal’s proceeded to wear the audience down—but in that gooood pounding sweaty sexual way. IOW we were all ready for Round two on…
Saturday boasted a record attendance (500 more than ever before at the gate!) and the clear blue sky showed the automotive epidermis thereat its’ fullest advantage. Of note was Jerry Brophy’s ’50 Ford Coupe in DEEP purple w/“chameleon ghost flames” that seemed to burn upward from another dimension (For colour pix of this & more, check out the #2 ish of Kustoms Illustrated—THE best looking hot rod digest out today & the ONLY one—to mine eyes anyway—whose photography has ever managed to convey the true beauty and depth of kustom work. That’s at www.kustomsillustrated.com, bunky!) Vendors were also out in full-force inc. much to my (happy) dismay, Spindrift Records, who have been emptying our wallets on a regular basis ever since that Oneida gig (I got my first copy of Rock&Roll Purgatory from them and the rest, as they say, is history =)). Stephanie and her husband are two of the patron saints of Psycho’ that MAKE The Scene (What I said likewise about Michelle GoKat!).
[Living Vince Ray pinup playin’ a mean
standup: Wendy Lebeau & Her Beaus.]
Slim Sandy lured me back into the pavilion with a great take on “Rockin’ Bones”—jes’ by hisself, as Sandy’s one-man lo-fi approach is enuf to carry a fine eclectic set. He was the original drummer for the late Ray Condo who was supposed to play The Rumble but (sadly) just recently passed on (I feel bad for anybody who never caught RC live—his stage presence was akin to a John Waters or R. Crumb character let loose upon Western Swing. I feel worse of course for Ray…). Purty sure we espied Sandy the night before at The Triple-A—further confirmation of good taste—we’re glad YOU made it to the gig, Slim! Following him was Wendy Lebeau & Her Beaus (husband & bro’in-law) with an old fave of mine by Wendy’s previous outfit, The Fleabops, “Rockin’”. Speakin’ of outfits: Ms Lebeau (no relation to Cheryl) was sporting a 2-piece tropical red & white number that effortlessly made her more noticeable than a whole burlesque troupe, as well as look like a living Vince Ray pinup. Uh…yeah! She plays a mean standup too! Full props.
[Are those devil’s horns in back of his head?
Mike King of The Starlight Drifters.]
Next, The Old Line Skiffle Combo came on providing a diverse offering of skiffle, rockabilly, etc. The whole mix of bands this year presented a wide assortment of styles and held your interest, standing out individually unlike many multi-group festivals. Maryland’s J.P. McDermott & Western Bop came up next with a bunch of superbly delivered covers THEN proved to anyone they are more than just a cover band with some originals, “Lucky Stars” and “Not Enough (Of You)”, that can hold their own with work by Holly & Orbison respectively. Michelle GoKat! and I were drooling over J.P.’s satin threads which he said he (& the rest of the similarly-attired combo) HAD TO wear for showmanship’s sake—despite it being 100+ degrees on that stage! I majorly identify with sech sartorial philosophy.
It used to be The Road Agents tried to only have bands play The Rumble once in order to give everybody a shot, but summer touring schedules being what they are, that policy had to be…modified. So along with The Gammas & Paladins, The Starlight Drifters made a return visit this year and Chris Cassello’s gi-tar playing is even more incredible than ever, Ladies & Gentlemen. Mike their standup bassist (almost seems it should be a given at a rockabilly show) did a swingin’ version of…Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard”(!) which had old greasers like meself giving “The Devil’s Horns” at this family outing—sure beats that overpriced moshpit at Ozzfest, eh?
[The real deal So. Cal KING:
Dave Gonzales of The Paladins.]
The indefatigable Paladins ended the festivities with their 2nd set, the encore being a request made by Cheryl of “You Make It, They Take It” with The Starlight Drifters coming back onstage to assist in instrumental & backing vocal duties.
Of course—Too Much of a Good Thing…is Never Enough. So my ears are still ringing from LAST night. Don’t know when The Paladins will be out this way again, but thanks to The Road Agents we got our fix of them and more.
Until next year at Rumble Numero 7…
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