Viva Las Vegas Music Festival Will Put a Tiger In Your Tank.

Edible Skinny was cruzin' last month when we attended Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, the world's largest rockabilly event at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas over Easter weekend!

For those needing the skinny, rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating back to the early 1950s in the United States. As genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blues, leading to what is considered "classic" rock and roll. Viva Las Vegas, which celebrated its 20 anniversary this year, is the longest running music festival in Las Vegas (rockabilly or not).

The festival was a real blast with its four day festivities included VLV fans from around the globe and featured 85+ bands a huge classic car show, Tiki Pool Parties, Rockabilly Dancing, Burlesque Bingo, and the Miss Viva Las Vegas burlesque competitions.

From classic pompadour greasers to pinups coiffed to perfection, VLV attracts the most eye-catching, stylish, head-turning people you will ever see in one place. Its red hot rockabilly has grown from the first year's 1,200 people in attendance, to selling out in advance 10 years in a row, with over 9,000 attending the four-day festival and 18,000 for the Saturday Car Show. It is promoted by Tom Ingram, who has been actively involved in the Rockabilly scene for 40 years.

Made in the shade! On hand was the WW2 burlesque and vintage variety show Pin-Ups on Tour, which recently celebrated its two year anniversary and has toured to 40 states nationwide (and of which this writer is a member of), along with burlesque legends such as Dita Von Teese and Tempest Storm. This year Miss Von Teese was featured in Viva Las Vegas' burlesque showcase, an event that had 4,000 people waiting in line for tickets.

Fast cars are about was about as cool as it got with the Viva Las Vegas car show on Sat Apr 15th which featured 800 –1,000 vintage cars, (which must be period correct, and pre 1964). It was a sea of tatted up Sailor Jerry guys proudly displaying their classic cars with the bravado of James Dean. As they say... "Put a Tiger in Your Tank!"

This year the car show was musically headlined by Brenda Lee, who has been inducted into both the Rock n Roll and Country Music Halls of Fame. Miss Lee is known for her hits "I'm Sorry" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" which has been a US holiday Standard for over 50 years. Miss Lee won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and is the only female performer to chart songs in all genres: pop, blues, rock, gospel and country. Along with Brenda Lee, featured bands included Reverend Horton Heat, James Intveld, Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats & Los Straight Jackets.

Great ways to spend your bread! Along with the car show there was a variety of vending happening on Saturday. Brands of note were the ever expanding Avalon Meat Candy, a veteran owned Las Vegas based jerky company with the charming slogan of "Country First... Then Jerky!" Another great company featured at the event was the High Life Pomade Company, a high-end men's grooming product line that offers a range of purposes, holds, shines, and scents for the sophisticated greaser (so that Dudes can use as much products as the Dames attending VLV...) Another shining star was the clothing line Heart of Haute, specializing in vintage Inspired fashion from the 1950's and 60's such as ladies pinup dresses, rockabilly dresses, and Mod dresses. Heart of Haute's mission is to provide adorable, high quality products without the use of sweatshop labor (as their slogan says... "Made in the USA, baby.").

Glamour and glitz were up front and center, as this year's burlesque competition for the title of Miss Viva Las Vegas Burlesque Competition was won by Miss Frankie Fictitious. Inspired by old Hollywood glamor, Frankie Fictitious is a San Francisco burlesque performer who dances with the Fishnet Follies & Hubba Hubba Revue. The competition was sponsored by the lingerie company Secrets In Lace, the world's premier supplier of authentic 100% nylon stockings, retro chic lingerie, garter belts, girdles and bullet bras. Inspired by designs from the 1950's, Secrets In Lace has been creating and selling high quality nostalgic lingerie and stockings since 1984. They are the exclusive designer and manufacture of the Dita Von Teese Stocking Collection. Just the perfect invitation for some backseat bingo with your sweetie! ;-)

Right-O, Daddy-O.

Here's to life being delicious and glamour and glitz being up front and center!

Kat Thomas is the Editor in Chief of Edible Skinny, a site dedicated to making your life postcard worthy. She is also the CEO of the creative media company This Way Adventures. You can find more about both brands at http://www.thiswayadventures.com