Rockabilly rebelin’ against the elements!

What’s a cat to do when he looks out the window on a cold bleak Sunday morning watching grey skies roll in threatening to ruin his day before it even begins? Stay under the covers? Turn up the heater? No way man! Get outta bed, get ya cat clothes on, grab ya main squeeze and find the best joint that’s jumpin in town and anyone who’s had anything to do with Kingpin Kuztums know those guys know how to put on a swinging, rockin event that’ll get ya hot all the way through!

Yep, once again, Rob, Lam and the cool cat team of Kingpin Kuztums turned up the heat on a typical Melbourne winters day at another of ALH’s well laid out venues with not one band room but two rooms running simultaneously, each hosting a plethora of bands throughout the day guaranteeing to leave you split in two as you try to cover both rooms and all for free! Louis King and Liars Klub fired up first in the Function room followed by Atomic Hi-Tones and rounding out the day was Itchy Fingers while the Sports Bar hosted Stripped Black followed by The Straight Eights.

The Straight Eights!

Cool custom chopper!

If this wasn’t enough, the large entrance room hosted all your rockabilly fashion and merchandise stands including clothing and accessories, tunes on records and cds, mantelpiece memorabilia, barber shop and hair and make-up studio while those looking to get in touch with their spiritual state of mind could have a reading or telling. There was an attractive clown on hand for children’s face painting and colourful balloon animals while a magician wowed his audience with his sleight of hand magic! Hope no one is missing their watch!

The bars were kept busy all day as were the numerous eateries found throughout the Sandown Park Hotel venue allowing rockabilly diehards though to curious punters to satisfy their hunger via finger foods from bain maries through to a full sit down meal in their well appointed restaurant.

Gettin ya cat shoes movin!

Victorian Drag Boat club

We haven’t even ventured outside yet! This is what brought us here! Our wheels! You would expect on a mid-winter’s day with all four seasons represented including a shower of hail, many rockabilly rebels would leave their wheels tucked up at safe and dry at home in the shelter of their garage but I guess that’s what makes them rebels! “Stuff the weather, we’re going cruising and rockin’ and nothin’s gonna stop us!”

Horsepower Alley Heros

With special invites going out to the Horsepower Alley Heros bringing along a variety of drag cars and the Victorian Drag Boat club thanks to Michelle from Bright Design showcasing their highly visual and just as tough drag boats and neither group afraid to fire them up for a carpark warm up, it just added another element to the eclectic array of custom metal and fibreglass that could be found on show in the main carpark! Flanked by coffee and doughnut stands and trade stands, the vast blacktop soon filled up with all manner of cool custom classic and led sleds, old s’cool rods, street rods, Aussie and American classic and muscle cars with a smattering of European and English custom rides parked in style thanks to Goran and Nick’s creative work!

As the official photographer for the day, I had my work cut out for me as I made my way throughout the many rooms occupied by Rob’s rockabilly party while also having the envious task of working with two stunning pinup models, Dahlia Black and Katarina Sin as we worked together to bring you the atmosphere of these celebratory events of a by-gone but not forgotten era that still lives on thanks to unique individuals like Rob and Lam, the friendly team of Kingpin Kuztums, the rockabilly bands, the various traders and their unique wares and not to mention all who come dressed in the period style to partake in these fifties festivities!