Tomorrow through Monday, Cockabilly Records will hold its annual rockabilly festival at Cha Cha’s, featuring 20 bands over the four nights, plus burlesque dancers inside the fine establishment. Cover charge will be between $8 and $15 depending on the night.

Cha Cha’s, is a classic dive bar that is always in season, because it leaves all of its decorations for all the holidays up all year long. It’s on the boardwalk, near Stillwell Ave., the main Coney Island stop. I have found the beer expensive, the bar help friendly, and the bathrooms almost as bad as CBGB.

But it has great bands!

In case you are unfamiliar with rockabilly–it’s hillbilly rock n’ roll. It’s the first kind of music Elvis played.

Now they just play it a hundred miles an hour. If the lyrics are dirty or they sing about werewolves or other creatures from 1950s B movies, it’s called psychobilly.
The new arm–of this festival is the  burlesque and side show both at Cha Cha’s and at The Coney Island Circus Sideshow, sponsored by Burlesque at the Beach.

modern burlesque gals

Burlesque is a cute, old-timey stripper act, where more or less pretty, regular shaped women dance around in their underwear.

Sometimes the crowd likes to dress up like they are “cats and kittens”–bad boys and girls from the 1950s.

I would say for the possible costumery alone, this event is worth the cover charge. But Susquehannah Tool and Die are playing Saturday night 6-7!!! I have taken everyone from Metalheads to classical music lovers to see them. Everyone loves them. Because they are good. They play music straight from the 1940s with a twist.

Here they are playing “Don’t Try This At Home.”

One of the better acts on Friday will be Sasquatch and the Sickabillys.

Many of last year’s performers will also be playing this year. For more music, click here is last year’s last.fm Cha Cha’s rockabilly fest radio.

For the full schedule, visit Cha Cha’s website here.