I’ve been remiss on posting reviews on DP lately. For starters, I’ve been busy having fun rather than writing about the fun I’ve been having. Today I downloaded pictures off my camera from: a trip to Kentucky to see Mammoth Cave and Nick Cave; Greg Germani benefit at the Star Bar with half a dozen bands; a cultural and historical tour of the West End neighborhood; GloATL at the Wodruff Arts Center; a show at 529 with ‘Till Someone Loses an Eye, and The Band that Fell to Earth, a Bowie tribute show; a big night of fun at the Star Bar with The Wogggles headlining; and finally, Drive Invasion’s latest incarnation at Turner Field. That doesn’t take into account a few things I don’t even have photos of, such as the Dream Cars exhibit at the High, and GloATL teaming up with Robert Spano at Goat Farm.
Second, I’ve been too busy writing other stuff, such as the grande finale of the Las Vegas Apocalypse series, as well as my first steampunk/retro-scifi novel (still in process.) Oh, and I sold a house, went camping for a week (unrelated), and have been working on some crafty projects too. Then there’s the nerding out RPG sessions, planning a trip to Panama, and, in between, working for a living. Sometimes I doubt I am as lazy as I claim to be.
Okay, on with the review. So. Drive Invasion – not at Starlight Drive In after 15 glorious years.
I showed up at 10AM, right when gates were supposed to open, to find several long-time Drive Invaders already tailgating. Within a few minutes, I had pork tacos and rum drinks ready. Surf music and sweat. Hot rods and moonshine. Almost perfect.
It’s a miracle this thing happened at all. Big thanks to James Bickert and Dusty Booze for persevering. Sometimes I doubt you are as lazy as you claim to be. If this happens again, and if it is at Turner Field, I have two requests:
1. Swap the location of the movie screen and main stage. Turner Field’s bit LED sign was distracting and a source of significant light pollution. I think it would have been better had the screen been where the stage was. I am not claiming expertise in this issue.
2. Condense the whole affair. There was a map in the program that showed the food and/or vendors around the edges of the parking area, rather than how things ended up spread all the way over to the stadium. It would’ve felt more crowded, and been a much shorter walk to food.
Two stages of live music kept things moving all day. First up, Mystery Men.
Ghost Rider Car Club on the “main” stage, which, as Ted pointed out, was three feet taller but otherwise pretty much the same.
The Brimstones.
I skipped a few bands, just to give my feet a rest, get out of the sun, socialize, or make the long trek to the vendor and food tents while gawking at classic cars and custom bikes along the way.
One of two aluminum-based machines I fell in love with over the weekend.
This hand-engraved bike was the other hunk of gorgeous aluminum.
Bigfoot.
I used to catch Rocket 350 every couple of weeks, it seemed like, back during the whole swing/rockabilly revival. I’d forgotten how fan-damn-tastic they were until this reunion.
The traditional afternoon thunderstorm rolled through, cooling things down but not slowing anything.
Dusty Booze & the Baby Haters
Gargangtua
Jimmy & the Teasers
The Biters capped off the live music portion of the day.
I enjoyed the first film, Party at Blood Beach. Or was it Beach Party at Horror Beach? Blood Bath at Horror Party? (Fine, I had to look it up: The Horror of Party Beach.) Whatever, it’s an Atomic-age mutant monster flick, all dark and moody interspersed with 30-year-olds posing as teenagers at beachfront dance parties. We got a few laughs out of it and I was glad it was the first feature because I’d seen Jaws a zillion times and after 14 hours at Turner Field, I wasn’t ready to sit through the film’s slow first hour. I packed up our site as the skinny dipper on screen was being eaten. I saw a few photos of the final film, another “blood” something, but by the time I came on I was long asleep.
Fingers crossed, I’ll get the chance to do it again. Minor Turner Field issues aside, is there anywhere in town where we can have the event and NOT have to roll out of there at some ungodly hour in some questionable mental and physical condition? I don’t care if it is a parking lot or a green space. The old prison farm comes to mind. Go all Woodstock and roll around in the mud a bit. Once you have to go to the effort of setting up port-o-Johns and a screen, the thing could be anywhere, right?
