Leather jackets, bowling shirts, pomade, greased up-dos and more pin-up than you can poke a stick at; no it wasn’t a Grease convention. Rockabilly icon Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot was in town.
Warmed up by local chanteuse Lanie Lane, the crowd lapped up the sweet mix of country, jazz and blues from Lane and her band. Safe to say her upcoming solo show in May will be a sell out given the rapturous welcome she received from the crowd. A perfect way to step back in time.
While in all respects a ‘cult’ following in South Australia, the vintage and rockabilly scene has certainly not been this big in a long time. With so many rockabilly events moving through our city, such as the recent Kustom Kulture and Día de los Muertos, the Rockabilly Riot couldn’t have come a better time. Looking every bit the part, Setzer’s quiff and creepers were polished and primed to perfection (anyone who has met me would know at this point, I was seething with jealousy).
Performing hits from his own canon, including albums from Rockabilly Riot 2005, Setzer Goes Instru-MENTAL, and even his work with the Brian Setzer Orchestra, with a cover of Johnny Cash’s ‘Folsom City Blues’ thrown in for good measure, Setzer proved he’s not only a keen musician and guitarist but an incredible showman. With a performance and gusto fit for an arena three times the size, the Thebarton Theatre hung off every word and hip shake Seltzer shook our way.
My first rockabilly concert was a revelation. With a crowd of pompadour hairstyles, women in pleated skirts and high heels (and hairdos that most certainly needed more than a few hours in hot rollers), the crowd don’t just enjoy the music, they live and breathe it. They’re not your casual concert-goers, and Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot was right up Adelaide’s alley.
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