The rockabilly community thrives throughout the world and on almost any given weekend of the year, you can find a rockabilly festival going on somewhere. These festivals, known as rockabilly weekenders, range from small to epic in size. They combine music, cars, vendors of retro clothing and products, and more to create a rockabilly experience that rockabilly "newbies" can enjoy just as much as hard-core enthusiasts.
Rockabilly weekenders revolve around (of course!) the music. As the rockabilly scene grows around the world, more and more great rockabilly bands emerge to take the stage and provide great music. And these bands range from straight-up traditionalists to countless offshoots like the psychobilly of The Reverend Horton Heat to the Swingabilly of Delco Nightingale.
Knowing where they're roots lie, fans at rockabilly weekenders accept bands that lean more towards the blues as graciously as bands that lean toward the country. In the end, the fans simply want to hear good music and watch the exciting bands that make it.
But--as good as it is--it's not just about the music! Nothing goes better with rockabilly music than classic cars of the pre-1970s era. Most rockabilly festivals feature a strong showing of classic cars, hot rods, roadsters, muscle cars, and other wonderful pieces of four-wheeled art. And the people that love these old cars are pretty much guaranteed to be fans of rockabilly music to some extent.
Another common aspect of the rockabilly weekender is pin-up art. This retro form of artwork features the clothing of a bygone era. You'll find pin-up art on all types of medium from postcards, to posters, to guitars, to the sides of cars. There are often pin-up "fashion shows" in which women of all shapes and sizes are typically accepted on stage to show off their finest retro/rockabilly clothing. The artwork can sometimes get a little risqué, so keep that in mind if you're bringing kids to the festival.
Tattoo art is another large aspect of the rockabilly community. To be clear, you don't have to be the illustrated man or woman to attend a rockabilly weekender. In fact, you can be completely clear of tattoos and no one will think twice. But many diehard rockabilly fans love tattoos and it's not unusual to see arms, chests, and legs that are largely covered in the art. And if you're infected with the tattoo fever as a result of everything you see at the festival, there may well be someone there to paint you up on the spot!
At times as you walk through your daily life, it can seem like you and a few friends are the only people who even understand what rockabilly is, let alone consider themselves fans of the music. But look around and see if you can find a rockabilly weekender in your area. When you attend your first festival, you discover that there are literally thousands of people out there from all walks of life who enjoy the rockabilly music and community more than you might have ever thought possible!
Rockabilly weekenders revolve around (of course!) the music. As the rockabilly scene grows around the world, more and more great rockabilly bands emerge to take the stage and provide great music. And these bands range from straight-up traditionalists to countless offshoots like the psychobilly of The Reverend Horton Heat to the Swingabilly of Delco Nightingale.
Knowing where they're roots lie, fans at rockabilly weekenders accept bands that lean more towards the blues as graciously as bands that lean toward the country. In the end, the fans simply want to hear good music and watch the exciting bands that make it.
But--as good as it is--it's not just about the music! Nothing goes better with rockabilly music than classic cars of the pre-1970s era. Most rockabilly festivals feature a strong showing of classic cars, hot rods, roadsters, muscle cars, and other wonderful pieces of four-wheeled art. And the people that love these old cars are pretty much guaranteed to be fans of rockabilly music to some extent.
Another common aspect of the rockabilly weekender is pin-up art. This retro form of artwork features the clothing of a bygone era. You'll find pin-up art on all types of medium from postcards, to posters, to guitars, to the sides of cars. There are often pin-up "fashion shows" in which women of all shapes and sizes are typically accepted on stage to show off their finest retro/rockabilly clothing. The artwork can sometimes get a little risqué, so keep that in mind if you're bringing kids to the festival.
Tattoo art is another large aspect of the rockabilly community. To be clear, you don't have to be the illustrated man or woman to attend a rockabilly weekender. In fact, you can be completely clear of tattoos and no one will think twice. But many diehard rockabilly fans love tattoos and it's not unusual to see arms, chests, and legs that are largely covered in the art. And if you're infected with the tattoo fever as a result of everything you see at the festival, there may well be someone there to paint you up on the spot!
At times as you walk through your daily life, it can seem like you and a few friends are the only people who even understand what rockabilly is, let alone consider themselves fans of the music. But look around and see if you can find a rockabilly weekender in your area. When you attend your first festival, you discover that there are literally thousands of people out there from all walks of life who enjoy the rockabilly music and community more than you might have ever thought possible!
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