Chemainus will play host to the Vancouver Island Rockabilly Festival Saturday, July 27, at Waterwheel Park, commencing at 2 p.m.
The great rock ‘n roll music of the 1950s will be celebrated throughout the afternoon, with a line-up of five great bands.
Hank Angel and his Island Devils are the featured group. Angel’s band has performed at Tom Ingram’s Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender, the world’s largest rockabilly festival, as well as other major rockabilly events in the U.S. and Canada.
The Chemainus event will also feature Chevy Ray and the Fins, a very popular Nanaimo-based band. The group was featured in Chemainus a couple of years ago, and provided a truly memorable performance, both for the quality of musicianship, and for the outstanding entertainment value.
Another band performing will be Slim Sandy and his Hillbilly Boppers. This is an unusual group, using guitar, washtub bass and snare drum to create their memorable sound. Great vocal harmonies are featured, giving the band a true rockabilly feeling.
The Glen Foster Group has just released its latest single, Rockabilly Fever, with the official video of the song currently in its final production stages. This is a timely performance for the group, as the Chemainus audience will be among the first to enjoy this latest offering from the songwriting talent of Glen Foster.
Another band on the slate is Black Moon Valley, a talented foursome with an outstanding sound. The group’s female singer Heather Haseltine provides beautiful vocals to go along with the outstanding lead guitar work of the band.
An interesting feature of the event is a prize being awarded to the best-dressed couple in ’50s rockabilly costume.
