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Category: personal

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18-Sunday

(Note: To view my other days at VIVA click on the days: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

Last day of VIVA, wow it went so fast how was that possible? I guess it’s possible when you are having the time of your life. All good things must eventually come to an end, right?

Happy Easter! Sunday for me is ALWAYS shopping at the vintage vendors day, since many of the vendors put their items on sale as they don’t want to take tons of stuff home. Every year I have gotten lucky and have found some wonderful items and this year was no different. However I did find that I purchased less this year due to the Canadian dollar being so poor so that the exchange rate made everything so much more expensive. Oh well more money left over for future trips.

First up I picked up a couple of great scarfs to add to my collection.

vintage scarf

This souvenir San Francisco scarf is my favorite of the two.

vintage novelty scarf

I also purchased the cutest brooch, it’s a Heinz 57 Ketchup bottle!

vintage novelty brooch

Then just as I was about to walk out a happy camper with what I had, I saw out of the corner of my eye a vintage 1950s Shirtwaist dress from the vendor “Love Street Vintage” who I had the pleasure of purchasing past dresses from before. It fit like a glove and it was a good price so it CLEARLY came home with me.

1950s Vintage Shirtwaist Dress

After shopping we thought we would see if we could get into the Sunday Pool Party which normally in the past we have not been able to do, due to it being the popular day and there are normally long line ups. But this year ended up being really easy and I think it might have had to do with the high winds making people think it was cold at the pool (which it was not). Yay for us!

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015

My friend had secured several lounge chairs for the gang which ended up being in good prime viewing of the women’s swimsuit contest and the bands on the stage. Thank you!

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015
The Canadians at the Pool
VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015

There was so many GORGEOUS swimsuits to be seen, as you can see from these 3 lovely women. The red head is actually a fellow Canadian who has a super blog called “Pinup Persuasion“, who I did not realize I had taken a photo of until I just looked at now and clearly missed saying hello. Opps. She did later on enter the vintage swimsuit contest, which I’m glad she did because her suit was stunning (as did the girl in the green suit).

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015 Vintage Swimsuits

The band that played earlier in the afternoon “The Cavaleros” were really good (and Canadian) and kept the party going with their cool surf sounds. My favorite part though was when they took “Sing Sing Sing” and made it into a Rockabilly/Surf Version. The video I took even had Lindy Hoppers (from San Francisco I found out later) dancing to it. LOVE IT!

Speaking of San Fran here is my new friend from San Fran who was also a Lindy Hopper and really cool to chat with.

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015
Lindy Hoppers at the Pool

Then my friend Bill stole my camera to take a picture with beautiful women.

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015

Bill JUST missed his chance with these ladies, by seconds. His loss.

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015

I guess the pool party is not amusing for everyone….

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015

Unfortunately I have no great photos of the swimsuit contest as the sun was pretty bright and was making it hard to see what I was taking pictures of. So you just have to take my word on the fact that the suits were stunning (as you saw above). Here is one photo though that turned out okay.

VLV 18 Pool Party Sunday 2015
One of the Contestants of the Pool Party

After the contest, we packed up our stuff and headed in to get ready for the Sunday evening favorite of mine and many others..the Jive Contest! BUT first what is starting to become a tradition, getting as many Canadians together for a group photo.

Here is this years, we clean up nicely don’t we?

Canadians at VIVA 18

Okay back to the Jive Contest…Once again the dance floor was filled with lots of wonderful dancers and once again my favorite did not get picked (I always chose wrong) but it was still fun to watch. Here is a clip of the 2nd round of the contest. The couple in the front of the video in the matching pink outfits ended up winning the whole thing.

And here is another tradition! Taking a photo with the Orleans Sign.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015
Me and the Sign

Now the evening is really winding down and now my body is telling me that it’s soon time to call it quits. We did however want to see the Doo Wop All Stars Show. This years show included: Herb Cox-The Cleftones; Eugene Pitt-The Jive Five and Bobby Lewis (“Tossin & Turning”) It was really great and super stylish as Doo Wop bands tend to be.

Do Woop All Stars Show VLV 18
Do Wop All Stars Show VLV 18

One again the floor was packed with dancers. Here is a little video I took during one of the sets featuring Bobby Lewis.

After the show my husband and I had to say our goodbyes as we had an early flight 🙁

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015
Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015

And then it was done…

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015
And that’s a wrap!

That was VIVA 18 2015. I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures as much as I enjoyed being in those adventures. Will I maybe see you next year?

FURTHER READING:

Liz 🙂

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18-Thursday

(Note: Check out my Wednesday & Friday & Saturday & Sunday adventures)

It’s like Christmas Morning! VIVA is officially here, bring on the bands, shopping, clothes, the bowling, the burlesque etc. etc. etc. But first bring on my wristband for the weekend!

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 wristband.
Viva Wristband

Since it was so cold in Toronto, I decided that we needed to hit up the pool. I mean seriously..look how nice and warm it looks outside…

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015

WRONG…oh so very very wrong. It was windy and cold and we lasted a half an hour. Booo Vegas! What’s up with that? So we decided to grab a drink in our room and get ready for a favorite event of mine that afternoon…”Sweetpea’s Hooch and Smooch“.

Sweet Pea's Hooch N' Smooch at Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend.
Poster from the afternoon event-So fun!

What I love about Sweet Pea’s event is that she always seems to find the best bands, has fun games for VIVA attendees to meet each other and there is always a good turn out. It honestly for me is the perfect way to start my Viva weekend.

Of course I had to dress up for the afternoon (this is Viva after all). Vintage 1940s Blouse is from Cabaret Vintage, Belle Blossoms Hair Flower, Luxulite drink tab necklace, Vintage Bakelite bracelets and black pencil skirt acquired on my recent trip to Seattle from Diva Dollz.

The Vintage Inn Blog Vintage Rockabilly Style-Hair Flower, vintage 1940s blouse, pencil skirt, vintage bakelite

Okay back to my Sweet Pea Afternoon. The First band that we heard when we finally got there (and LOVED) was Shuggie B. Goode. Their sound was really fun and fantastic for dancing and when we walked in the band was singing a song about the Lindy Hop (win!).

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015-Bands Shuggie B. Goode
Shuggie B. Goode

Here is the most adorable couple dancing together (they danced all weekend long). I just adore her dress with matching running shoes…too cute!

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 Dancers-Older couple enjoying themselves.
Dancing is not reserved for the young.

Even Elvis likes to dance!

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 Dancers
Viva Las Vegas!

Now I’m going to probably mess up the order of who I listened to next but does not really matter. We also heard the killer sounds of  TJ Mayes from Oklahoma, who kept the dance floor packed the whole set.

Then I finally got to hear the Roy Kay Trio. They have been on my bucket list for some time of bands I needed to hear live and boy did they deliver a great show. With their country/Hillbilly Bop Rockabilly sound I could have danced all night long to them.

Roy Kay Trio Viva Las Vegas 18 Rockabilly Weekender

Hunger has by this time consumed my thoughts so time for food..really healthy food (wink wink) before we change and attend the first official evening of VIVA.

Dinner of Champions-VIVA 18 Rockabilly Weekender
See mom there is green on my plate!

THURSDAY NIGHT-Tonight we travel around Europe to hear the best sounds of Rockabilly.

Up first, meeting up with my lovely friend Sabine who lives in Las Vegas and is a swing dancer like myself. Sabine always has the prettiest dresses and hair and is an amazing dancer as well.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 vintage 1940s dress and pinup swing dress
Evening Outfit Vintage 1940s Dress from Jack Lux in Toronto

Thursday Night Band # 1-The Hi-Tones from Russia. These guys were really really good and I now know why they played the main Ballroom because they sound is too huge to contain to one little room.

The Hi-Tones VLV 18 Rockabilly Weekender
The Hi-Tones

After the Hi-Tones we all zipped out of the Ballroom to the room down the hall that had the band “Li’l Mo and the Unholy 4″ on stage. We were greeted by a PACKED room (which got really really hot, really really fast). But Li’l Mo was so good and worth sweating to death over.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 - "Li'l Mo and the Unholy 4
Packed Bienville Room

BUT I think maybe the heat was getting to at least ONE of my friends.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015
Now Now Dean..

Li’l Mo done, time to head BACK to the Ballroom to continue our European Rockabilly tour with “The Go-Getters” from Sweden.They were incredible and the room was super packed for them as well.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015

During this band my husband decided to ask the lovely lady from earlier pictures in the striped dress to dance with him.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 - dancing at Viva

After the dance we found out that my hubby was the FIRST man OTHER than her husband that had asked her to dance in over 60 years. 60 years! Wow!

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 dancers at Viva

After the Go-Getters we were BACK to the other room for Mike Bell & the Belltones from Finland (I’m getting dizzy from all the running back and forth lol!).

During their set Rockabilly legend “Huelyn Duvall” joined them on stage. Huelyn hit the Billboard charts with “3 Months to Kill”/”Little Boy Blue”. That was a pretty cool experience for fans of Rockabilly.

Huelyn Duvall VLV 18 - Viva Rockabilly Weekender.
Huelyn Duvall

We ended our evening BACK at in the Ballroom for London, England’s Rockabilly Band “The Savage Hornets” and they turned out to be my absolute favorite band of the evening..hands down. So much fun!

I also scored some “It’s really late but don’t we still look awesome” photos with Toronto friends. Then.. I went to bed.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015 Rockabilly Style / Vintage Style
Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 18, 2015

And that is my LONG post on the first day of VIVA. Can you believe that was only day 1? Man I’m tired just reliving it thru this post 🙂

Thanks for stopping by and if you attended VIVA tell me who you favorite Thursday band was?

Further Reading:

Liz 🙂

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