Mike Harrington
Dancing to 1950s-style rock ‘n roll will be the most prominent activity at Red Hot Vegas.
Monday, Oct. 9, 2023 | 2 a.m.
The 26th annual Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend once again took over the Orleans Casino & Hotel in April for another four days of music and dancing, car shows, pool parties and more. The retro festival has become so popular through the years — outgrowing its original host property at the Gold Coast — that attendees have been clamoring for an extra dose of fun.
That’s where Red Hot Vegas comes in, a new two-day mini-fest featuring plenty of rock ‘n roll, and rhythm and blues, nonstop DJ-anchored dance parties and “record hops,” burlesque performances and even a pool party on October 13 and 14. The new event is also at the Orleans and tickets and information are available at redhotvegas.com.
“It’s sort of an extension of Viva Las Vegas, just a smaller event for people halfway through the year,” said founder and promoter Tom Ingram. “There are plenty of people, especially those who are closer to Vegas, who would like to come out more often. We have tried different things before but we didn’t quite have it right, and I think what we’re doing now is something they will take to because it’s simple — you’re not having to take time off work for it. It’s a weekend away in Vegas with plenty of dancing.”
Dancing to classic rock ‘n roll tunes (likely while wearing poodle skirts and pompadours) has always been one of the biggest draws of Viva Las Vegas. But the larger event adds lots of live bands to the mix, bringing excitement and a comprehensive experience when added to the throwback record hop dance parties. Red Hot Vegas will focus on music played by DJs to keep costs down and vibes casual.
“We’ve got DJs through the night Friday and Saturday, all playing’50s music, then we have a pool party on Saturday, some burlesque events like Burlesque Bingo, and that’s it. There’s no car show and no live bands,” Ingram said. “This one’s purely about dancing. When we do our late-night record hops at Viva, they’re packed. We know there’s a demand for it.”
A former radio DJ in the U.K., Ingram founded the Hemsby Rock ‘n Roll Weekender in England before moving to the U.S. Dance clubs themed around the music of the 1950s thrived then and now, and the Las Vegas events are keeping the rockabilly culture alive and well for attendees who travel from all around the country and the world. Ingram expects Red Hot Vegas will attract mainly Californians, Arizonans and Nevadans, and hopefully a bit more of the local crowd.
“I think we might get more locals, it just depends,” he said. “It’s the half price of Viva Las Vegas ($95 general admission for the full weekend) so that’s attractive as well.”
Those familiar with Viva with be dancing and partying in many of the same spaces at the Orleans. One of the primary differences will be in the French Quarter ballroom, which will host the record hops instead of the vendors plaza at the larger festival.
