LAS VEGAS – Ted Stevens and the Doo-Shots checked Viva Las Vegas off our band to-do list.
On Saturday, April 21, we played a well-received 45-minute set at the Bailiwick Pub inside The Orleans Hotel & Casino as part of the 21st annual Viva Las Vegas rockabilly weekend in Las Vegas, Nev.
Playing to a crowd that included a dozen or so friends and supporters from Florida, the afternoon show kicked off with “Hot Under the Collar.” The setlist consisted solely of original material written by Ted and included “Cursed Cadillac,” Cracked Dash,” “She’s Got All That Too and a Real Tattoo,” “Twice as Far,” “Exit Zero,” “16 Missed Calls,” “She’s Got a Bottle of Scotch …” and “Center Stage.”
As I sat there playing the drums, I felt deeply appreciative for the opportunity to play a gig in Las Vegas at the largest rockabilly festival in the United States – and appreciative that some of our friends were there to see it.
After the show, we made our way out to The Orleans Arena parking lot to check out the car show and the vendors while waiting for Jerry Lee Lewis to take to the large outdoor stage, followed by this year’s headliners, The Stray Cats.
Playing their first U.S. show in more than a decade, The Stray Cats played to a packed crowd and reminded everyone why they remain at the forefront of the rockabilly revival they helped start in the 1980s. Without The Stray Cats, Ted Stevens and the Doo-Shots might not exist, so it was really cool to see the band that inspired so many other rockabilly bands, including us.
This was my first trip to Las Vegas and my four-day stay afforded me the opportunity to check out the ultra-modern vibe on The Strip and the old-school sights, sounds and street festival atmosphere of Fremont Street in old Las Vegas.
One of the highlights of my trip was drinking a beer 106 floors above the city inside the circular, spaceship-looking Stratosphere Tower that provided a spectacular 360-degree view of Las Vegas at night.
They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but the fond memories we made there last week came back to Florida with us. And it’s good to be home.
