********************************************************************** Swing News, Tuesday 7/14/98, Issue #12 Send submissions to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send addition/deletion/address-change requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send all other e-mail to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Four consecutive nights of quality swing is what this weekend has in store, starting with The New Morty Show on Thursday, continuing with Friday's swing night at the Sugar Palm, and then with Rocket 88 on Saturday, finishing in grand style on Sunday with the NYC band, Jet Set Six at the Sugar Palm. I had the good fortune of seeing Jet Set Six last Sunday at Skipper's Smokehouse. Since it was a last-minute booking, the band played to a thin crowd of a couple dozen people. But they put on an outstanding show with their unique sound and highly danceable tunes. Several of us sweated the evening away dancing on the back deck for a couple of hours until the rain and lightning came down to wash the band away. So I hope to see you all out there Sunday, and Friday, and maybe Saturday and Thursday too ... Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS WEEK Thursday (July 16), The New Morty Show plays at The State Theatre in downtown St Pete, with the Swingin' Mooks opening. Doors open at 8pm and the bands start at 9pm. Admission is $8.00. The State Theater is at 687 Central Ave in downtown St Pete. Phone 895-3045. Smoking is allowed. Vince, in a prior review, writes that "New Morty is a swinging ensemble out of SF, featuring such mainstays of the SF Swing scene as Morty Orkin (leader and trumpet), Connie Champagne (vocals), and Vise Grip (vocals). All are well known on the west coast and have come together to bring you this rocking band." Friday (July 17) is swing night at the Sugar Palm, featuring the 42nd Street Big Band and a swing DJ during breaks. At 8pm, there's an advanced swing-dance workshop on "Fancy Turns and Spins"; otherwise, doors open at 9pm. Free beginner's lessons are offered at 9:30pm and 10pm. At 11pm is the dance contest, with winners advancing to the July 31 finals. Admission is $7 ($8 with the advanced workshop). The Sugar Palm Ballroom has a large wooden dance floor, is nonsmoking (with adjacent rooms provided for smokers), and is located at the corner of Palm Ave and 15th St in Ybor City. Phone 248-5549. Saturday (July 18), Rocket 88 plays at Club More in downtown Clearwater (703 Franklin St), in the warehouse. Admission is $8 and the show starts at 9pm. Smoking is allowed, but the windows will be open. Fair-size floorboard dance floor. Phone 466-6673. Also Saturday (July 18), the 42nd Street Big Band returns for a second night at the Sugar Palm. Details are the same as for Friday, except there will be no advanced workshop or dance contest. Sunday (July 19), Jet Set Six from NYC plays for an all-ages swing dance at the Sugar Palm Ballroom, starting at 7pm. Free beginner's lessons 7:30-8:30. Admission is $7. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND Fri Jul 24: The Sevilles (U92 Oldies Sock Hop) at Coliseum; 892-5202 Sat Jul 25: Abe Guard with "Music of Your Life" Orchestra at Coliseum 892-5202; Part of Summer Swing Series Wed Jul 29: Dan Electro and the Silvertones at Old Hyde Park Village Fri Aug 21: Rocket 88 at Largo Cultural Center; 587-6793 Fri Aug 21: Dan Electro and the Silvertones at Sugar Palm; 248-5549 Sat Aug 22: Dan Electro and the Silvertones at Sugar Palm; 248-5549 Sat Aug 29: Charly Raymond Orchestra at Coliseum; 892-5202 Part of Summer Swing Series Sat Sep 26: Abe Guard with "Music of Your Life" Orchestra at Coliseum 892-5202; Part of Summer Swing Series Dan Electro and the Silvertones will no longer be playing August 7 at the Heritage Holiday Inn due to a conflicting gig. It's not certain at this point whether the Heritage will still have swing that night. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ORLANDO Tue Jul 28: The Brian Setzer Orchestra at House of Blues; 407-934-2583 Fri Aug 7: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Pleasure Island; 407-824-4321 Sat Aug 8: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Pleasure Island; 407-824-4321 Doug Matthews writes: Spent the weekend in Orlando, so I have a few notes on the scene there... If you haven't heard, Sunset Strip on Orange Avenue is now Rat Pack's, and has gone 100% swing. Rocket 88 played Thursday-Saturday this past weekend [7/2-4], and I believe they plan to have live swing at least three nights a week, every week. Pretty cool place, decent- size dance floor, smoking allowed (but the ventilation is good). The BBVD show is on the West End stage at Pleasure Island, and yes, it gets VERY hot & humid. O-town temperatures have been averaging around 100 degrees lately, and it feels even hotter. RCR put on their typical quality show Sunday night [7/5], even though they were without their baritone player, and Dem Brooklyn Bums played in the jazz club. As noted before, don't plan on dancing at any show in the jazz club. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- REVIEW Sherrie Gill writes of Last Friday's Lindy Hop workshop at Sugar Palm: Hey, we had a large gathering of folks willing to give Lindy a try on Fri night at the Sugar Palm. First, we worked on getting used to the eight-count rhythm (that's a little different from the six-count in east-coast swing), and then we worked on the shape of the dance. Leaders and Followers have their seperate footwork, but it really does fit together. Add the unique flavor of the "Twist Twist" for the Followers and we all start looking pretty hip. Keep your eyes open for more classes in this dance. Note: Lee Holton teaches Lindy Hop on Saturdays at noon at Swing City Studio (7532 N Armenia Ave, between Waters and Sligh). Phone 935-7458. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSONS AND WORKSHOPS Tue at 7:00pm: Abdul Mohammed, Beginning/Intermediate, North Tampa, Rhapsody Ballroom, 12101 N 56th St (just N. of Fowler), $5, 985-6570. Beginners at 7:00; Intermediate at 8:00. Wed at 8:30pm: James & Arleene Norman, Beginning, St Pete, Right Step Dance Studio, 2319 9th St N, St Petersburg, $30 for 4 classes, 821-9420. This series of 4 lessons starts July 15. 1 hour. Thu at 7:00pm: James & Arleene Norman, Beginning. This series of 4 lessons starts Aug 20. Other details same as above. Thu at 8:00pm: James & Arleene Norman, Beginning Lindy Hop, This series of 4 lessons starts Aug 20. Prerequisite: some prior partner-dancing experience. The first of 6 lindy levels. Other details same as above. Thu at 8:00pm: Connie Gee, Beginning/Intermed, Ybor City, Sugar Palm, Corner of Palm Ave & 15th St, $8, 248-5549. 1 hour. Fri at 8:00pm: Connie Gee, Beginning/Intermed, Ybor City, Sugar Palm, Corner of Palm Ave & 15th St, $5, 248-5549. 1 hour. Sun, Aug 9th: Frank Ingo, Beginners 6:45-7:30pm, Intermediate/Advanced 7:30-9:30pm, South Tampa, 3601 S. Manhatten, $8 or $25 for 4 lessons, 835-5804. Beginners can practice or watch after their class; advanced dancers can practice at 6:45. Also Sep 13. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MISCELLANEOUS Doug Matthews writes: Anyone looking for great swing, rockabilly and vintage music HAS to check out Hepcat Records at www.hepcat.com. They have, by FAR the best collection of music I've seen, with on-line ordering and a mail-order catalog for those not hooked up to the web. Keep up the great work! The Swingin' Mooks write: Hear THE SWINGIN' MOOKS live on WMNF 88.5 FM on "The Cheryl Mogul Show", Thursday, 7/16 at 3:00pm. Julie Templin writes: There are two recent good movies related to swing dancing: "Swingers" Vince Vaughn: The swing club is a weekly hangout. "A League of their Own" Gina Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donell: They go to a swing club one night. Check out the outfits and the dancing. Lori Whittle writes: I got a call from Dan Electro tonight and he says to tell the newsletter that the band is playing the new Sarasota Selby Library opening gig on Aug 1 from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. The new library is in downtown Sarasota on 1st Street between Central and Pineapple. For those of you who are coming to the Sarasota Contra Dance that night, maybe you could come a little early and we could have a swing dancing party in the new library. The Sarasota Swing Society writes: Check out the newly updated web site for the Swing Dance Network of Florida: http://members.tripod.com/~SwingDanceNetwork/index.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Submissions are not only welcome, but required to keep this newsletter going. Send them to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The deadline for each Tuesday issue is Sunday at 2pm. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions or to select based on relevance. Be sure to call and confirm events before going! The SwinGang is a network of swing dancers and other swingsters, committed to promoting swing events in places with large, smoke-free or open-air dance areas; to encouraging great music & instruction; to building a united swing community; and to publishing this newsletter! E-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Send addition/deletion/address-change requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . **********************************************************************