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Tag: Big Band Music

The Vintage Side of Zoomer Radio + Boo Bash 2017

I’m a big fan of vintage music, especially music from the 1920’s-1960s. Swing, Blues, Jazz, Rock n Roll and I have quite a big collection of music in my possession (well I think it’s big). However even though I have all this music at my finger tips, sometimes I want to change-up and have someone else supply the soundtrack from my day and this is where radio stations will give me the fix I’m looking for.

Insert ZOOMER RADIO in Toronto. It’s a station that plays timeless classics (music from the 1920’s and up, in various styles) and also has several vintage radio programs that are right up my alley and I know my readers as well.

So I’m excited to announce that I will be working with them on a more frequent basis to bring awesome vintage content (20’s-60’s) for my readers and for their listeners as well. Stay Tuned (hehehe Radio Pun)!

zoomer radio logo

Now what exactly does Zoomer have that the Vintage Inn readers might like? Well that is easy. Lots of great vintage programs! Check out my suggestions below and then mark you calendars to listen to them live or online (for anyone outside of Toronto).

Toronto's Zoomer Radio Vintage shows

Big Band Sunday Night with George Jonescu (Sundays 7-11pm) –Vintage Inn Fav!

For the Blues Music Fans-Midnight Blue with Ziggy (Monday-Thursday 12am-1am): Songs from the 1930s and 40s that were never played on radio, and more recent songs teetering ‘on the edge’.

Robbie Remembers 60s, 70s & 80’s (Monday-Friday 6pm-10pm): In Toronto, Robbie Lane and The Disciples were one of the city’s top bands, and now, decades later, Robbie Lane continues the rock’n’roll tradition – he plays the clubs on weekends, and hosts two hours of great oldies you just won’t hear anywhere else – ‘The Sixties at Six’, remembering the British Invasion, surfing, folk-rock and Motown, and then ‘The Seventies at Seven’ with the great singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Carole King, and the pop stars like ABBA, Three Dog Night, Elton John and Fleetwood Mac. Robbie Lane will also be talking about the top Eighties hits at Eight.

Saturday Night Bandstand (Saturday’s 7pm-1am): Neil Hedley helps you dust off your dancing shoes with everything from rock and roll to disco, including your requests!

Theatre of the Mind (Monday-Friday 10pm-11pm): Frank Proctor selects, and then describes some of the greatest shows from the golden age of radio — the 1930s and 1940s — like The Shadow and Fibber McGee & Molly. A half-hour of drama, mystery or suspense is followed by a half-hour of comedy — Vintage Inn Fav!

Vintage Favourites (Every Sunday 2-4pm): Gene Stevens hosts this weekly adventure into truly vintage music –from 1950s and 60s… and way back to the 20s, 30s, and 40s as well. Vintage Favourites is AM740’s weekly adventure into the music of the past … radio veteran, music historian and story-teller, Gene Stevens puts the spotlight on a new theme. –Vintage Inn Fav!

The British Invasion (Saturdays 6-7pm): The British Invasion will proudly feature the terrific acts that came out of England with Cliff Richard in the late 50s, through the glory days of Merseybeat and Beatlemania, with countless groups and singers from The Pacemakers, Animals, Searchers and Herman’s Hermits, to the Stones, Kinks, Small Faces, DC5, and Moody Blues – and of course, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, Donovan, Pet Clark, Manfred Mann, Peter & Gordon..and so many others.

Consignment Heroes (Sundays 1pm-2pm): Consignment Heroes is hosted by Paul Kenny, his son Bogart Kenny and Zoomer’s Ben Mercer. Listen and call in for advice on: appraisals, collections, how to store stuff, dispose of or sell stuff in the best way.

Happy Listening Friends!

P.S. Scroll down to see the Halloween party we attended at the station.

Vintage Radio, child listening to it

Beyond their radio programs they also host events, like their most recent ‘Live To Air Boo Bash featuring the Dreamboats‘ that myself and a few friends attended. The night was so much fun! We danced to awesome 50’s music from The Dreamboats (go and see them if they are in a town near you), ate yummy foods and met so many wonderful employees and listeners of the radio station. I enjoyed every minute. There was even a costume contest for $250 and my friend Jacquie the creator of the Toronto Vintage Society was a finalist. In the end the most beautiful woman who was in her 80’s won the grand prize and it was well deserved (seen below).

Zoomer Radio Boo Bash Costume Contest
Source: Zoomer

Below are some of the photos I took and then please visit the link HERE to check out Zoomer’s images.

And the prize for most non creative costume goes to….ME! I went as my “own character” from GREASE called “leggs”. I just ran out of time to bring something new to the table this year.

The Vintage Inn Blog Grease Costume Halloween 2017

Yours Truly & Toronto Vintage Society’s, Jacquie (finalist in the best costume contest).

The Vintage Inn Blog & Toronto Vintage Society Halloween 2017

My awesome friends.

Zoomer Radio Boo Bash 2017

The Dreamboats in action!

The Dreamboats 1950s 1960s Band

Photo with the band and friends in between their sets.

The Dreamboats at Zoomer Radio Boo Bash 2017

And that is a wrap. I’m hope you enjoyed learning all about this awesome radio station and when you get a chance, check out some of their vintage programs I mentioned above.

Question Time: Do you have any vintage radio stations you like to listen to? If so share in the comments below.

Liz

 

What Are Your Vintage Influences?

Recently I received a comment on my blog from Jessica from Chronically Vintage and she brought up the statement about the movie “League of their Own” being a big vintage influence in her life.  Then when I returned her response, I had to think for a moment who MY vintage influences were that helped shape the vintage gal I am today.

Well I have given it some thought and now I would like to share them with you and then maybe you can share yours with me?

Further Reading: Check my ‘ABOUT ME‘ page.

1940s vintage image of two women with 1940s Hairstyles and 1940s Jewelry talking.

I was a late bloomer when it came to my transformation into the clothing side of the vintage world. It was not really until that I moved to Toronto for Fashion school in 1999 that I started to stumble upon vintage items that were hard to come by in my home town (thank you Kensington market!) which then helped start my vintage clothing obsession.

BUT I was exposed to many vintage “things” growing up before this time. Here are some of the things that influenced me in my early days:

My Grandfathers Big Band Collection of Music– I remember spending what felt like hours sifting thru his collections and asking to borrow one or 2 CD’s to take home and listen too each visit. He is the reason I fell so deeply in love with the early sounds of the Big Bands.

Glenn Miller Record
Source: Flickeriver

Sunday Afternoons watching MGM Musicals with my mom-It was a tradition for my mom and I too sit down and watch one of those amazing Technicolor fantasies together. I loved escaping from the world around me for 2 hours as I was serenaded by Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced across my screen in one stunning outfit after another.

meet me in st louis Trolly Song
Meet Me in St. Louis with Judy Garland
Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly in "Singin' in the Rain"
Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly in “Singin’ in the Rain”

Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea– I adore all of Lucy Maud Montgomery books and so when they were turned into a TV mini series (Anne) and a TV series (Road) I was even more hooked. Hooked on the stunning outfits from the early 20th century (1903–1912) to be even more exact.

Anne of Green Gables TV Show Anne from 1980s
Anne of Green Gables
Road to Avonlea
Road to Avonlea

I feel so in love with the show Road to Avonlea that I wanted to create my own clothing for the characters, so sketching of my own designs became my new hobby. And eventually was the reason I entered Fashion marketing school in Toronto (and forever changing my life).

Road to Avonlea Clothing
Costume from Road To Avonlea-Sullivan Entertainment

Swing Kids the movie-I must have watched this movie 10 million times and vowed to one day learn how to dance like that.

Enter the..Swing Revival in the 90s which lead to my ongoing love of Lindy Hop.

Johnny Favorite Swing Orchestra

Johnny Favorite Swing Orchestra-First Neo Swing Band I ever saw that visited Sarnia

The famous Gap commercial from 1998 that helped bring swing music back into mainstream: a real swing revival in the US.

Here are my more recent influences:

Vintage bloggers (thank you internet)-My first vintage blogger I ever found was Retro Chick and she ended up sending me down a rabbit hole of awesomeness that I have never been able to get back out of (or want to).

Retro chick
Retro Chick herself

Toronto Vintage Society-Being part of this group and their awesome knowledge of all things vintage has really pushed my passion to the next level. Thanks everyone!

Vintage Prom-Toronto Vintage Society

Flickr and Pinterest-These 2 sites are every vintage lovers dream. The image below I found on Pinterest but was originally seen on Flickr. Seeing real-life images of ladies in gents from your favorite era is a great way to perfect your vintage look.

1930's vintage wedding photo featuring a bride in an elegant long train 1930s wedding gown with veil.
Source: Flickr-PROprofkaren

Etsy &, eBay-What I don’t have to leave the comforts of my home to pour over tons of vintage dresses and accessories in a store but can instead buy them online? Yes Please! And boy have I ever used these sites (Etsy more than Ebay) to push my style to the next level.

1950s vintage dress with plaid top and black skirt.
Source: Etsy-TheVintageMistress
1940s vintage dresses lot
Source: eBay

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

Vintage EventsVIVA Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, All the vintage events being held in Toronto, Lindy Hop weekends and so many others. You can’t help but be inspired after leaving these events.

Toronto Vintage Events past
Source: Toronto Vintage Society

Mad Men-I don’t think I have to say much about this show as this show is pretty much everyone’s modern vintage inspiration. Hello..Joan!

Mad Men ladies

2019 Update: Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is my new TV Show Fashion Inspiration. Those clothes…drool.

marvelous mrs maisel

Okay I have so many more but I think I will stop here for now.  It’s your turn… What are YOUR Vintage Influences?

Liz 🙂