Okay so I’ve shared a metric crap-ton (technical measurement) of photos of the Lonestar Roundup over the years here, on my Facebook, my Instagram, my Twitter, my Tumblr and any other social media site that I can log into. This year the show goes down on April 4-5 at the Travis County Fairgrounds on the Northeast side of Austin.
For the 2nd time I’ll be driving my Galaxie on the 1200 mile round trip to the show. The plan is to meet up with a big caravan of kool in Dallas on the Thursday morning and roll down together from there.
Here are some of what I saw last year.
From the Guidelines page on the official website, “Registration is open ONLY to 1963 and earlier traditionally-styled american hot rods, custom cars and traditionally-styled bikes. No Imports, No cars newer than 1963.”
That’s it folks, notice it that it didn’t say “rat rod fest.” Keep the “random crap welded on for no reason” and “you chopped your ride 5″ so I’m chopping mine 9 because I’m a badass” cars at home, bring kool cars or just come to check them out!
If you want to this blog in your email inbox each time the blog goes live, go on up to the top right hand corner of the website and enter your email address. The last day of each month I randomly pick 1 subscriber to win a prize package. This month’s prize is a kustom art piece from Chaotic Customs, a Royboy Knit Winter Hat & a shirt from Stray Kat Kustoms!
Thank you to the first 2 sponsors of my site, quite frankly the only 2 that I’ve asked to sponsor the site so far. If you’d like to help sponsor Royboy Productions and provide the koolest car show coverage to folks worldwide, click here to ask me about it.
So one day not too long ago I get invited on Facebook to an Open House at a shop I didn’t know in Wichita, KS. The open house was the same day as another event that I was attending a few blocks away so it’s a no brainer that I’m going to stop in if at all possible. Clutch Rod And Custom at 406 S. Market in Wichita, KS was the shop. I’m glad I stopped in. As I’m told, the shop is an old Mercury dealership, I’d love to see the spacious facility filled with bathtub Mercs! The front display room had a couple of cars in it and every available surface was covered in art by different kulture artists. The cars on display in the shop were top notch, I didn’t get much chance to talk to the folks at the shop as they were busy running the Open House, but I did get to spend some time with my good buddy Ben Dragdaddy (facebook) and his lovely wife and my fellow photographer and buddy Grant Cox. I expect you to go to their pages on FB and follow their feeds, you won’t be disappointed.
Here are some photos from the evening.
Thanks to Clutch Rod And Custom for the food, the music and some good times of hot rod/kustom fellowship with some old friends.
Coming up September 28th in Wichita, KS is the 6th annual Rumble (formerly the Rumble in Delano)! The show has a new venue this year, moving to the street where some of the first kustom kulture art shows in the area were held at the Go Away Garage.
This show has been a lot of fun to attend over the last few years, the date’s changed and now the venue but I have a feeling the show will continue to get better and better.
The show runs from 1pm to 8pm and will be at 508 S Commerce St. in Downtown Wichita, KS. There will be hot rods, kustoms, bikes and more on display. The Pin-up Pagent is open to ladies 18 and up and there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd, go here for more info. 4 bands will take the stage at various points in the event including Sucker, Callahan Band, TheTerminals & The Trip Daddy’s. To register your ride for the show go to this page on their site.
From time to time on here I’ll pick a record and review it, or like this one crow about it because I think you should go buy it, for the first “review” I’ve chosen The Jade Idol’s “No Control.”Â
I was first made aware of The Jade Idol through facebook. Videos began appearing every once in awhile, I had to check them out. What I found was raw, pure, unadulterated rock and roll. The more I heard the more I liked, so yes this review is a bit skewed, I am a fan.
The Jade Idol’s CD “No Control” was released March 19, 2012, just weeks before the Lonestar Roundup in Austin, TX. This plays in because the band is based out of Austin, guitars and vocals handled by Bob Bleed, with Mark Ford on drums. Bleed is one of the talented crew at Austin Speed Shop while Ford has a background in the recording studio. When I asked Bleed to give me a sentence that describes the record from his point of view he said, “I’m really proud of this album, recorded it in my bedroom!” proving that if the music works, it doesn’t matter where it was recorded.
I was able to download the songs from itunes just days before a trip to The Jade Idol’s home town of Austin for the Lonestar Roundup. 9 hours each way to jam out provided more than one listen of “No Control” It’s not a stretch to say that with each time through the tracks the record moved farther and farther up my list of favorites.
Final Thoughts In an age of over processed, sanitized, perfected studio creations passed off as music, The Jade Idol is refreshing. Much as the White Stripes brought lo-fi, simple, loud rock and roll back to the masses, The Jade Idol does so without sounding like a rip-off. The blues gave birth to rock and roll, The Jade Idol pays homage to both without sounding dated. When you strip away the layers of today’s popular music you find nothing supporting the base, just studio trickery and digital bandaids, but when you listen to The Jade Idol, you’re listening to the foundation, there is nothing to strip away. Long live rock and roll.