Friday morning saw me fill my suitcase with furs, shoes, frocks and pearls and head on up Tambourine Mountain to get myself settled and set up for the fantastic weekend ahead. After a few false starts (third times the charm) we were hurtling down the highway to a soundtrack of Go Cat Go and looking to the sky to judge the weather for the upcoming events.

As we made our way along the windy roads that curve through the beautiful rainforest of the Mountain we spotted plenty of rods and kustoms headed through town and parked out the front of The Mount Tambourine Motel which was to be our HQ for the weekend. The rooms were deceptively spacious with all the necessities and a big comfy bed (we knew we’d be needing that!) but best of all we had a lovely little balcony that opened out to some GORGEOUS views!

Ahhh the serenity

After a few sly Sailor Jerry’s it was time to get ready for the Rockabilly Ball. I chose this gorgeous vintage blue rayon and lace number kindly given to me by Tracey. It’s such a lovely colour,  it’s so wonderfully comfortable to wear and best of all it’s very modest on the bust which is excellent for me as I don’t have to spend the night worry about wardrobe malfunctions, especially when I’m dancing. As the temperature was quite cool on the mountain I teamed it with my leopard fur coat and a white and diamante hair flower and two tone black and white spat heels finished off the look.

Aren't Lorraine & Ramona just a vision!?

We arrived and there were a number of stalls set up for our shopping pleasure including a wonderful vintage collection from Kitty’s Vintage Kitsch and The Shop That Time Forgot. As tempting as it was, I didn’t buy a single thing, reminding myself of what I could buy in Vegas soon but there was a stunning lingerie set by Bonsai Kitten that really caught my eye. The Vonda Youngman Centre which was this year’s new venue and I have to say it was a hit. The building had been transformed and the wooden floors were perfect for dancing while the huge stage up front was resplendent with thick red velvet drapes and soft stage lighting. Perfect for showcasing the talented musicians, it was a stunning sight that really evoked a sense of nostalgia.

The Drey Rollan Band rockin it

First up was The Drey Rollan Band from NSW who were welcomed back to Garterbelts & Gasoline yet again this year. Rock ‘n’ Roll meets Roots with these young guns using a subtle blend of thunderous percussion, blues guitar and that old time slap bass sound. This dynamic line up take turns providing vocals giving their music an interesting edge.

Next up was Rocket To Memphis from Western Australia, also another Garterbelts favourite had the crowd stomping and hip shakin to their infectious voodoo jungle rhythm. Fronted by Betty Bombshell and backed by Razor Jack Memphis, Shotgun Pete and Voodoo Viv these daddies of the devil’s music take you on a wild ride of rockabilly, swamp and 60s garage verging on sinful but staying just on the right side of rockin, grinding bliss.

The always glamourous Chrissy Keepence presenting the fashion parade

Allowing the crowd a moment to catch their breath, Kitty’s Vintage Kitsch and The Shop That Time Forgot presented a stunning vintage fashion parade that celebrated pretty petites all the way through to va va voom curves and delighted the audience with everything from swimsuits and day dresses to furs and gowns. The vintage on show was absolutely stunning but again I reminded myself of Vegas and kept to my best behaviour…sighhh.

Queensland’s very own Pete Martini and The Freight Jumpers picked up the pace bringing Melbourne favourite Warren Earl to the stage with their honky tonk western swing. The dancers had the floor packed to the twanging sounds of these cowboys, particularly with my favourite addition to any line up – a lap steel. I just love that resonating slick slide sound.

Lock up your children, lock up your wife - Mars Attacks run for your life!!

Finally, the moment I was most curious for – time for special guests all the way from Austria/Switzerland Mars Attacks to take to the stage. These guys were smooth, well-dressed and certainly well-received by the crowd. Playing a mix of original material as well as covers of old favourites including some Go Cat Go (my favourite), these guys brought the night to a riotous close.

I think the sign of a great performer is to always leave the crowd wanting more and these guys certainly succeeded. Thankfully they were also headlining the next night so we left on a high, knowing we wouldn’t have to wait too long to see these guys again. It was a big night bit it was off to bed with an even bigger smile on my face to try and get some beauty sleep before we were up early the next day to catch the Soap Box Derby.

Stay tuned tomorrow for all the shenanigans of grown men racing homemade contraptions down a great big hill!