| HOME | ISSUE 1 | ISSUE 2 | NOW VIEWING PIGEONHOLD ISSUE 2 |
| Features: MIKE WATT | INDIEPRESS | FARAQUET | |
| Reviews: Rex Hobart & the Misery Boys, Ass Ponys, Sonic Youth, Primal Scream, LTJ Bukem, The Derailers, The Jayhawks, Josh Rouse, Sally Timms | |
| Other Stuff: Rebel Rockabilly Weekend, Pigeonhold Showcase, Fiction | |
One of our area's best regional treasures for music fans is a small festival of sorts that takes place each summer in Indianapolis, Indiana. This year the Rebel Rockabilly Weekender took place June 28-July 1 at the Ramada Inn South, a noticeable change of venue from last year's more era-appropriate Fountain Room. More than 15 bands performed in the hotel's "Copa Lounge," vintage vendors sold their wares in a large convention room and a custom car show took place in the hotel's parking lot.
The Rebel Rockabilly Weekender was developed as a way to encourage people to visit The James Dean Gallery in Fairmount, Indiana. The gallery director, David Loehr came up with the idea with two bands, Three Blue Teardrops and The Atomics, who were visiting during the James Dean Birthday Weekend in 1993.
"We talked about having the two bands play in Fairmount and that's how it started," Loehr says. "Later that same year we blocked off the street, made a stage out of cement blocks and plywood, and there were about 7 bands that performed."
Eight years later, the event has taken on an identity of its own, from drawing 150 rockabilly fiends that first year to more than 500 last year. They come from all over the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia and even Japan to celebrate rockabilly and 1950s culture. "The music, the style of dress and the whole lifestyle is timeless," organizer David Loehr says. "It's a whole way of living."
Loehr still oversees the entire event, including the booking of the musicians. "I book bands that I want to see, and hope that everyone else does too," he says. "I try to mix it up with some authentic 1950's veterans, some of today's top names, and some new comers."
Rockabilly Rebel Weekenders have, at past events, seen legends such as Ronnie Dawson and Wanda Jackson, as well as up and comers like Deke Dickerson and The Derailers. This year's Weekender kept up that tradition.
The Saturday night line-up this year began with Bloodshot Recording artists Lil' Mo & The Monicats, who opened their rousing set with a toned down, female version of Tim Carroll's "Every Kind of Music But Country." A group of teenagers, Cave Catt Sammy proved that continued the excitement before the evening was turned over to a rockabilly originator, Vernon Taylor. Taylor, who was a Sun Studios recording artist back in the day, played a variety of his own songs and other Sun classics.
The evening was rounded out by honky-tonkers BR5-49, who kept the audience going for well over two hours, including a good portion of the show where they took requests and gave dedications - crowd pleasers to the nth. Jitterbuggers quickly took over the dance floor as the group ripped through their traditional, high energy live set including a host of favorites like "I Ain't Never," "Humdinger," "Waitin' for the Ax to Fall," and "Crazy Arms." Big Sandy (of Big Sandy & The Fly Rite Boys), who performed Friday night at the weekender, joined the group on stage for a fiery rendition of "Hip Shakin' Mama." BR5-49 came back for a two song encore of the traditional hillbilly anthem (sped up appropriately), "Mountain Dew," and "Little Ramona's (Gone Hillbilly Nuts)," the song about a punk rock girl discovering the virtues of music from the hills - practically written for the weekenders audience.
While the Rebel Rockabilly Weekender has gotten some local television and media coverage in recent years, it is in its entirety an independently driven event for the fans of the music that started rock 'n' roll and has long since been forgotten by commercial radio and large record labels.