The Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle Part 1: Lonestar Roundup Weekend 2014

Posted by drew On April - 19 - 20143,662 views

drewjamie1The Lonestar Roundup this year fell on a very special weekend for me. It was my second wedding anniversary. My wife Jamie and I spent the tail end of our Honeymoon seeing Wanda Jackson play at the 2012 show. We opted out of the 2013 show, but this year marked our return to the realm of fast cars, loud music, and big hair. It was a return with a kick like a kangaroo.

After a relaxing morning filled with sugary ceral and Pulp Fiction on Netflix, we rolled into the Travis County Expo Center. Even from the parking lot, you could hear cars revving their engines and music blasting. Once in the vendor area, we were quickly greeted by severa

l friendly and familiar faces.

Much as I love the cars and the music, the vendors are almost always my favorite part of the show. I love seeing the things people make and the shared passion for this culture. One such gentlemen is the fellow behind Browncoat Art & Illstrutive Design. A pin-up photographer, painter, and D.J. (under the name D.J. Twinkle-Toes), his prints have a broad varity of subjects. Zaiftag pin-up gals, pop culture icons, and rockabilly stars past and present were all represented.

Picture by Angie Robles

Picture by Angie Robles

Another such booth was shared by the lovely ladies of Novela Jewelry and Bombshell Kitty. These local Austinites cranked out an assortment of cool and interesting hand made earrings, necklaces, and hair flowers. A personal favorite were the Christmas Ornaments based on classic punk rock album covers or the Universal Monsters.

After a brief stop over at the Murphos booth, we hit the car show. Possibly the largest showing of vintage hot rods and rat rods in America, it didn’t fail to impress. Saying it was packed doesn’t do it justice. It also allowed me to sneak a surprise anniversary gift to my wife, a silver ring placed a top of a shiny, gold hot rod.

Picture by Jamie Bahr

Picture by Jamie Bahr

Once we were done with the official stuff, the Austin night-life offered plenty of options. We chose to head over to the Gypsy Lounge to see Houston’s 13 Black Coffins and our good buddies from San Diego, the Hard Fall Hearts. The show was packed and both bands killed their sets of intense punkabilly. The aforementioned DJ Twinkle-Toes spun up a storm of classic rock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop. The show even ended with an conga line to “Shake Senora.”

The Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle often leads to the unexpected. Needing a place to crash, we let the Hard Fall Hearts boys take over our living room for the night. Ever the hostesrubydangers, my talented wife, made some of her famous “Chicken Fried Chicken” for everyone, even though it was 4 AM. Let me tell you, nothing leads to a good time like fried food and lack of sleep.

The next night it was back to Gyspy Lounge one more time, rubydangerbecause my Jamie’s band Danger*Cakes were closing out the weekend, teamed up with Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers. A slightly smaller group of die-hards hung around the bar, worn out by their own long weekends. Nonetheless, once the music started, people managed to swing, stroll, strut and boogie to some good Texas music.

hfh1My weekend personally spilled into a lazy Monday, hanging out in my apartment with the Hard Fall Hearts boys, my lovely wife, and Danger*Cakes guitarist Jeremie Fletcher. Pizza, chocolate chip cookies, and cheesy monster movies offered up a perfect ending to a long weekend and a good breather before my next Rock ‘n’ Roll adventure. This time, it would be a journey home.

Browncoat Art

https://m.facebook.com/BrowncoatArt

Bombshell Kitty Designs

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bombshellkitty

Novel Jewelry

https://www.facebook.com/NovelaBella

Hard Fall Hearts

https://www.facebook.com/hardfallhearts

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