By LUKE VOOGT
Rockabillies will descend on Geelong for day of old-school rides, hair and tunes at Rats, Tatts N’ PinUps next weekend.
Rockabilly bands and hot-rod owners have flocked to similar gigs in east Melbourne this year to belt out some tunes and show off their beauties.
Don Giovinazzo has played at several with his band Rosie and The Mighty Kings.
“This sort of event has never been held in Geelong before – it’s going to be massive,” he said.
“I love these events – you get to see cars you’ll never see again; it’s family friendly and it’s like a community – that’s what the Rockabilly scene is all about.”
Don played on and off for 20 years with his band (then The Mighty Kings).
A surprise 40th birthday present from his partner and an odd coincidence got him back into music three years ago.
“I was expecting a recliner, and I got a double bass,” he said.
Just a week later, he got a call from an old band mate to get The Kings back together.
The band became Rosie and The Mighty Kings eight months later when Don invited his friend Rosie Conforto up on stage.
Rosie, already a known singer, belted out a rockabilly cover of Amy Winehouse’s Valerie, much to the crowd’s delight.
“She put on her own twist on it everyone went crazy – she blew the crowd away,” he said.
“The light bulb went off. We had a chat and she was happy to jump on board.”
Don describes The Kings style as “rockin’, poppin’, pedal to the medal rockabilly”.
As well as their own tunes they play covers with a rockabilly twists, from Aerosmith to Elvis.
Rosie is powerful, yet sassy and sultry at the same time, he said.
“With a girl who can sing like she can – she can rock the stage”
“We can all sing but there are not many female front singers in the rockabilly scene in Australia.”
Don will also be closing the night playing double bass in Anthony Petrucci’s The Elvis Presley Show.
He’s been working with Anthony for a year and a half now, playing the hits of early and “movie” Elvis.
“I’ve watched a lot of Elvis movies – when (Anthony is) on stage he walks and talks the same,” he said.
“He’s very true to his art.”
Along with its rockabilly line-up, the event includes tattoo comps, art galleries, barbers, and uniquely, said Don, rides for little rockabillies.
“I’ve never seen a rockabilly event which caters for kids like this,” he said.
Starts at the Gateway Hotel at 2pm on 20 August. Gold coin entry.
