'Billies of the Bizarre

Rockabilly is a genre known as much for its flamboyant, ‘50s-rooted imagery as it is for its music, so the juxtaposition of rockabilly music and an old-fashioned burlesque show seems like such a natural fit, the only surprise is that nobody thought of it sooner. Big John Bates and the...

By Mike R. Meyer

March 26, 2009

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Rockabilly is a genre known as much for its flamboyant, ‘50s-rooted imagery as it is for its music, so the juxtaposition of rockabilly music and an old-fashioned burlesque show seems like such a natural fit, the only surprise is that nobody thought of it sooner. Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz is a rockabilly trio from Vancouver joined onstage by burlesque dancers engaging is all sorts of fetishistic high jinks. On such songs as “Waltz of the Vampire Lezbos” and “Kitten with a Whip,” Bates plays reverb-drenched riffs on his trusty Gretsch hollow body, bassist sCare-oline plunks away on an acoustic upright and drummer J.T. Massacre keeps an up-tempo beat as the Voodoo Dollz dance around the stage in various states of undress. We don’t want to give too much of the show away, but let’s just say that pasties with flaming tassels may play a significant role. Be sure to wear your non-flammable pomade and poodle skirts to this show.
Mon., March 30, 7 p.m., 2009

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