********************************************************************** Swing News, Wednesday 3/3/99, Issue #31, (Next Issue, 3/30/99) Send submissions to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send addition/deletion/address-change requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send all other e-mail to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear all, February was an exciting month in the world of swing. Frankie Manning gave a one-of-a-kind Lindy workshop in Orlando. Swing bands from across the country came to town to play. And swing kids got into the action when Largo High sponsored a dance featuring Rocket 88; they were nice enough to invite the community, so many of us post-HS folks (making up about half the audience) enjoyed it as well. The huge gymnasium dance reminded me of a scene from a movie -- actually several movies blended into one. March looks to be a great month as well, with four new bands coming to town, as well as special events in Orlando and Sarasota. Also check out the info on Lindy camps across the country. Thanks go to Larry for sending this in. Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MARCH EVENTS This Friday (Mar 5), Rocket 88 takes the stage at Club More in Clearwater, with house band, The Pundits, opening. Flash Gordon of Club More writes: "This will be the CD Release Party for my band, The Pundits [who play a little bit of swing]. We will be releasing our new 17 song CD entitled, 'Take My Advice'. After The Pundits will be the most excellent swing band, Rocket 88 from Orlando. Doors open at 8:00pm, and The Pundits take the stage at 9:30pm. It's an $8 show, and Flash Gordon promises many great giveaways including t-shirts and drinks. Club More is in downtown Clearwater at 703 Franklin Street. For more info, call 727-466-6673 or visit www.greenbenches.com/club.htm ." Club More has a floorboard dancefloor of moderate size. Smoking's allowed, but the windows and doors can be opened. The Sugar Palm features the following bands/events in March: Fri Mar 5: The Camaros Sat Mar 6: The Camaros Thu Mar 11: Blue Flame Combo Fri Mar 12: Rocket 88 Sat Mar 13: Rocket 88 Fri Mar 19: Vargas Swing Sat Mar 20: Vargas Swing Fri Mar 26: Ron Sunshine & Full Swing Sat Mar 27: Ron Sunshine & Full Swing Sun Mar 28: All-Ages Sock Hop with the Blue Moon Boys Band Descriptions: The Camaros: "This NYC 7-piece is led by two smart gals with big pipes and great choreographed dance moves. Their 1998 disc, Evil, displays a bluesy Swing style that's our dancefloor fave." -- The Sugar Palm Blue Flame Combo: Three guys from Rocket 88 Rocket 88: 7-or-8-piece rockin' swing band from Orlando Vargas Swing: St. Louis 7-piece swing band and recording artists Ron Sunshine & Full Swing: "One of the biggest swing names and recording artists in NYC; jump-bluesy sound" -- The Sugar Palm Blue Moon Boys Very Rockabilly band from Indiana Admission & Hours: Thursdays: Ages 18+, Free before 9pm; $3 afterward, 8:00pm-2:30am Fri & Sat: Ages 18+, $8 for everyone (band nights), 8:00pm-2:30am Sundays: All Ages, $7, 6:00pm-10:00pm Lessons: Thursdays: Lindy Hop Beginners: 8-9pm, $5 East Coast Beginners: 8-9pm, free with admission Fridays: East Coast Beginners: 8-9pm, free with admission East Coast Intermediate: 9-10pm, free with admission Saturdays: Lindy Hop Beginners: 7-8pm, $5 Lindy Hop Intermediate: 8-9pm, $5 East Coast Beginners: 8-9pm, free with admission Sundays: East Coast Beginners: 6-7pm, free with admission Other Details: * DJ on nights with no bands and when bands are on break * Swing show-off most nights: any couple can sign up to take the floor all to themselves and dance their favorite song for the crowd * Nonsmoking ballroom, with adjacent rooms provided for smokers * Large wooden dance floor * Dress code enforced: "Shorts, sneakers, sports sandals, & baseball caps are not allowed. Sloppy jeans, t-shirts and tank tops are discouraged. Vintage dress is always welcome!" -- The Sugar Palm * For more info, call 813-248-5549 or visit www.SugarPalmClub.com * Directions: Corner of Palm Ave & 15th St in Ybor City. Take I-4 to Exit 1, go south about 2 blocks, turn right on Palm Ave, and go to 15th St. The Sugar Palm's on the left. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL AND BEYOND Fri Apr 2: Mighty Blue Kings and Rocket 88 at The Rubb; 813-247-6234 Sat Apr 3: Dan Electro & the Silvertones at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sun Apr 4: Love Dogs at Skipper's Smokehouse; 813-971-0666 Fri Apr 16: Denise Moore Orchestra & Bombed Out Cat at Coliseum; 727-892-5202 Fri Jun 4: Swingerhead at Coliseum; 727-892-5202 Vince writes: The Mighty Blue Kings are playing The Rubb April 2. They haven't been in town for almost a year and a half. Catch 'em while you can. [Ed: All ages show, 8pm-Midnight, $8 in advance or $10 day of; smoking allowed; MBK site http://www.epiccenter.com/EpicCenter/custom/975/ ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GULFPORT CASINO SWING NIGHT FEATURED The local Gulfport weekly newspaper, the Gulfport Gabber, featured the Casino swing night on the front page in its Feb 11 issue. "Wednesday is Swing Night ... and some of the best dancers in the Tampa Bay area come through the Casino doors." The article contains some history and interview, and also mentions the Swing News. The Gulfport Casino swing night is: * Every Wednesday, 8pm to midnight * All ages * Admission $4 * Free Beginner's Lesson 7-8pm; an intermediate dance move is taught during intermission * Smoke-free ballroom with huge dance floor * Door prizes * More info: E-mail James & Arleene Norman (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) * Directions: If you're coming from the north, take I-275 south to St Pete's 22nd Ave S exit. (From the south, take I-275 north to the 26th Ave S exit and find your way to 22nd Ave S.) Head west. Turn left onto Beach Blvd. (55th St will be on the right.) Head south until the street ends at the Gulfport Casino, located directly on the water. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ORLANDO This Monday, March 8, the Mirrorball Tour comes to the UCF campus for a free show. "The New Morty Show is going to hit the road for their third US tour beginning March 1 and running through April 3.... The gang will be joined on this tour by Alien Fashion Show and Blue Plate Special." -- www.NewMortyShow.com The following details are compiled from a variety of sources. Please call to verify: * 8pm start time * Swing Dance * University of Central Florida, Arena, Bldg 50, N Gemini Rd, Orlando * Call the Office of Student Activities (407-823-6471) for more info, ie, to find out how to get in if you're not a student Thanks to Vince for pointing out this show. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SARASOTA David Holmes writes: Come swing with Dan Electro and the Silvertones every Sunday from 5-9pm at 100 Degrees East located at Sarasota Main Plaza. Phone 941-366-EAST. [Ed: No dancefloor or smoking info was provided] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SWINGIN' MOOKS Flash Gordon writes: The Swingin' Mooks have added a vibe player that is awesome and another sax man, Tim Eddy, has been blowing some baritone on a few tunes, and Ronnie has mentioned adding a trombone. The Mooks play every Wednesday at Club More, so check out the Big Bad Swingin' Mook Daddies. Peace. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NYC LINDY, SWING ARTICLE, FASHION ADVICE, WEB SITES Traci Wheeler writes: "I'm staying in the theater district of Manhattan in April. Anybody know where to Lindy during the week? Respond to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ." "For those who attended the Orlando workshop, but still can't get enough Savoy style -- we've seen those sweep and shakes on the dance floor -- here's a tidbit I saw on a plane this week featuring Frankie and a female legend. 'Swing Fever' by Carter Adamson in Delta's Sky Magazine:" [Ed: The article's too long to post in it's entirety, but perhaps Traci will e-mail you a copy if you drop her a note. It talks a little bit about Frankie Manning, about Margaret Batiuchok, and gives some fashion advice and web links. Below are some highlights.] Margaret Batiuchok on dancing: "The most important thing is to be in the moment with your partner, drawing inspiration from the music and improvising on the basic step patterns." Vintage fashion advice for women: "Skirts/Dresses: Taffeta and rayon halter dresses with a full tulle skirt. Bright printed patterns: floral, music notes, little doggies. Add a little crinoline underneath for extra swingability. Blouses are form-fitting. Not too tight, or they'll think you wanna do the macarena. Shoes are ankle straps and heels, but no stilettos or one false step could lindy you into the emergency room. Bakelite bracelets, wrist-length evening gloves, button earrings, bobby-pinned cocktail hats." For men: "Zoot suits are where it's at. Bold stripes, big shoulders, high-waisted pegged pants with pleats and long, double- breasted jackets. Ties are wide and loud, feathered fedoras and two- tone wingtips -- the shinier the better. Watchchains to swing and pocket squares to mop. And for a touch of class, grab a carnation and stick it on your lapel. For hair, it's pompadours, pomade and pencil- thin mustaches." www.eswing.com : eSwing, huge database by Northern California Lindy Society; where to dance in all 50 states and various countries www.halcyon.com/lindyhop/WLHF/wlhfa : World Lindy Hop Federation Archives lindyhype.com : Swing Dance & Lindy Hop in Seattle and the World ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BEANTOWN LINDY HOP SUMMER CAMP 1999 Tony & Aurelie Tye write: We are excited to be sending out information for our third Beantown Lindy Hop Summer Camp. Last year's camp was enjoyed by dancers from around the US as well as Canada, England, France, and Sweden. The camp sold out in 1998 and has been expanded to two separate weeks. Once again, we feel we have a great line-up of instructors, bands and DJs. Class sizes will again be limited so please register early if you are planning to attend. Full details are available from our WEB site at: http://www.HopToTheBeat.com/ . * Two Separate Weeks, 6/20-6/26 and 6/27-7/3 * Wheaton College, Norton, MA * Special Guest: Frankie Manning * World Class Instructors: Ivan & Elisabet Berggren, David Dalmo & Asa Rickardsson, Ryan Francois & Jenny Thomas, Mikael Johansson & Maria Weber, Steven Mitchell & Anna Sandesjo, Kenneth & Helena Norbelie, Tony & Aurelie Tye * The Bands: The Love Dogs, Peter Davis & Lindy Hop Heaven, George Gee's Jump, Jive & Wailers * Featured DJ's: Bill Borgida, Keith Hughes, Forrest "Big Daddy" Frazier Join us this year for one or both fun-filled weeks of dancing, socializing, and entertainment. Be inspired as you increase your skills and joy of the dance. Days will be filled by classes with top-notch teachers from Europe and the US. The focus will be Lindy Hop, the original style of swing which developed in the late 1920s in the ballrooms of Harlem with the hot big band sounds of the times. That's not all! Lindy Hop tracks will include classes that focus on particular aspects of dancing such as technique, partnering, styling, musicality and presentation. Each week will also feature classes in Authentic Jazz, Shim Sham, Charleston, Aerials, Music Theory, and more. Evening activities will include two live music dances, DJ dances, special events and surprises, as well as late-night dancing. Class sizes will be limited allowing for personal attention and TLC. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LINDY WEEKEND IN HOUSTON Rowena Young writes: The Houston Swing Dance Society proudly presents: The Great Southwest Lindyfest!, featuring the Godfather of Swing, the incomparable, Frankie Manning, along with dancing sensations Ryan Francois & Jenny Thomas, the delightful and charming Dawn Hampton, aerialists extraordinaire Tom Koerner & Debra Sternberg from Washington DC, plus the energetic stylings and fun teaching of Keith Hughes & Viola Spencer from Seattle and Josie Say & Chachi from California & Chicago. Learn cool new moves, styling tips, playing with the music, super aerials. Beginners welcome. No partners required. Class sizes are limited and the workshop will be filling up fast, so register early. * Mar 19-21 * Melody Club Complex, 3027 Crossview, Houston TX * Friday night Swingfest with DJ Keith Hughes of Seattle 8pm-midnight * Big Band Saturday Night Swing Extravaganza with the Conrad Johnson Orchestra. Vintage attire and zoot suits welcome. * Sunday night "New Moves" practice session, 8pm-midnight * Intensive two-day workshop, Saturday and Sunday * Details: http://www.hsds.org or email hsds.usa.net or 713-662-3861 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Know any upcoming swing happenings or other news? Send them in to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The deadline for each issue, which generally comes out on a Tuesday, is the prior Sunday at 5pm. 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 . **********************************************************************