Viva Las Vegas #22 Part one

I'm back at Viva Las Vegas (the 22nd) with John Howard for the sixth straight year. There is much to enjoy, although my appreciation of rockabilly as presented by earnest young groups with the obligatory stand up bass has faded somewhat. Thursday featured mostly younger or less well known bands but established singer and guitarist Kim Lenz made a big impression with songs such as 'Guilty' and 'Shake a Leg'. Most dynamic act of the night was undoubtedly LA band The Desperados, who rocked across the stage incessantly, mostly playing a single repetitive note on numbers such as 'Wasted and 'Let's Get Wild'. Also enjoyable and looking good in a slinky black dress was Ruby Ann, who impressed with 'Train to Satanville' and 'Dynamite'. Veteran UK neo-rockabilly band Restless came across strongly with singer Mark Harman in good form. They were introduced by Big Sandy who claimed they were his favourite band. Of the lesser known groups I was impressed by  Seatbelt on a couple of Sparkletones numbers. Spanish singer Al Dual was competent and Ross and the Wild Boys and the Nite Howlers were energetic if limited. As ever the crowd came in all shapes and sizes with fifties fashion and over the top tattoos much to the fore. The halls were pretty packed and it was only Thursday. I hate to think what the crush will be like over the weekend.
One of the highlights of Friday was the Stars of Rockabilly segment with three originals from the fifties. Billy Harlan, in a pink jacket, included early hits such as 'Schoolhouse Rock' and 'I Wanna Bop' and was joined on stage by three ladies, introduced I think as the Harris Sisters  for 'This Lonely Man' and 'I Ain't Elvis'. Ray Campi, celebrsting his 85th birthday the next day, appeared next waving a US flag. Confederate flags are banned at VLV this year so he had to leave his usual one at home. He was backed by Rip Masters on piano and despite looking a bit frail came across well on 'How Low Do You Feel', 'Rockin' at the Ritz' and 'Rockabilly Man'. Rip did a solo number before the third artist, Don Woody, came on stage. He was excellent on 'Bird Dog, 'Make Like a Rock and Roll', 'Red Blooded American Boy' and his best known song 'Barking Up the Wrong Tree'. Completing the segment, which was compered by Big Sandy, was Scandinavian rocker Jan Svensson, whose set included 'The Wayward Wind' and 'Pity Me'.
Earlier, the hillbilly flavoured vocals of Wayne 'The Train" Hancock went down well on numbers such as 'Juke Joint Jumping, 'Louisiana Baby', 'Johnny Laws', 'Honky Tonk Man' and 'Blue Suede Shoes'. The Boogie Playboys from Hong Kong dressed in matching pink suits were great fun on a mixture of old and new numbers sung in both English and Cantonese. Their set included a good version of 'That's Alright'. One act in the Piano Bar caught my eye. This was Messer Chups, a mostly instrumental trio featuring an attractive bass guitarist with a weird hiccup in her voice when she sang. Also appearing were Big Six, featuring Sugar Ray Ford, making their final appearance. Dressed in baggy check suits this six piece includes two horns and were highly entertaining on numbers such as 'Where's My Sombrero' and 'Blue Moon'. The evening ended, for me, with some of the female acts on Wild Records, including the lively Hi-Tones and Shanda and the Howlers.