Fans of rockabilly, roots, nervous energy and chaos in general can rejoice because after a year off, the annual Rockabilly Battle Royale is back and ready to rumble.
Local musician Christian Little started the event built around fake bands when he noticed that rockabilly-type bands in the Tampa Bay area had similar setlists and probably knew a lot of the same songs. Little starts with a “roll call” to see who’s interested. Then musicians’ names go into four respective hats depending on the instrument they play. Little told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the fake band lineups are then literally picked by Little’s chickens.
The “fake bands” are set in stone a couple of month’s before the show when the members pick songs from one artist to put a rockabilly spin on. “We’ve had everything from Kiss to Dewey Cox,” Little said.
Skinny McGee & His Mayhem Makers—a Winter Haven band just reactivated from a 15 year hiatus—headlines as special guest.
Rockabilly Battle Royale: Skinny McGee & His Mayhem Makers. Friday, July 23, 7 p.m. $12. Crowbar, Ybor City. eventbrite.com
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