Bring on the Hot Rod Rock & Rumble!

Every August the Pikes Peak International Raceway puts on a multi day event called the Hot Rod Rock & Rumble, and it features a vintage car show, tons of rockabilly bands, endless drag racing of said vintage cars, about a zillion food trucks, and last but not least a pin up contest. It's my job to photograph the pin ups and their activities, culminating in the crowning of the new Miss Hot Rod Rock & Rumble on Saturday night, and it's hands down my favorite assignment of the year. Sadly, PPIR has recently announced that they are shutting down in the near future, so this may be the final Hot Rod Rock & Rumble although they've hinted that they hope to continue this event (and others) at another location at some point. So this is bittersweet for sure.

Today I dropped by the track to pick up my press credentials, and while I was there I grabbed this shot of a rare 1961 Galaxie Starliner. When I say Galaxie, I actually mean Ford. They only made this model for two years and I've never seen one before. Isn't it cool? There were lots of folks arriving with their vintage cars and trucks, about a million trailers and RVs queuing up to park for the weekend. This is going to be a great Rumble! More pictures to come I'm sure!

Greased Lightnin'!

We saw this classic downtown a few days ago and I had to stop for a photo since it reminded me of the "Greased Lightnin'" car from Grease. Of course that was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid! How could tween-aged Tamera resist John Travolta, after all? Ha! 

And now, for your listening (and viewing) pleasure...

Sunday Style!

Seen at the Gary Numan concert in Denver on April 2nd.

Sunday Style!

On Tuesday night we went to see Ringo Starr and His All Star Band, which was a ton of fun (and for me, a lifelong dream realized -- I have now seen two Beatles!). We had the best time and so did everyone else. A few fans even dressed the part, like these guys in Sgt. Pepper "uniforms." Note the Yellow Submarine shoes, too. Fun!

Viva Las Vegas 2026 (Part 1)

Pat and I had a rip roarin' good time at Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekend! This was our third time, and I think it was even more fun than the previous two. We did everything we could to take in as much music as we could while we were there, including the headliner at the car show, the amazing Dale Watson. He was awesome! It was a tightly packed crowd but some people still found a way to dance.

2025 State Fair (Part 2)

A few more snaps from the fair. We go every year, but this year we were especially motivated because Cheap Trick was playing. This band has been on my bucket list since I first heard the Dream Police in 1979. Somehow over all these years we've never seen them, even though they tour relentlessly. I love this band! We were so stoked to see them play, we even decided that it was worth getting Covid. They were awesome!

And now, for your listening  pleasure...

Sunday Style!

My friend Jenn and I went to see Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass two or three weeks ago at the Pikes Peak Center. Jenn decided to wear something shagadelic for the occasion, since most of Mr. Alpert's hits happened in the 1960s. Check out this groovy skirt! She got a ton of compliments on it.

Middle Ages

I was downtown for a hot minute this afternoon to get a key made at Henley's, a local locksmith. Across the street, a live band was playing behind the Wild Goose Meeting House. The musicians and the crowd were very young, which led me to conclude that they were probably college students -- I'm going to go out on a limb and guess Colorado College. When I parked my car, they were in the middle of performing a Rolling Stones song (I think it was Start Me Up), then they went into a rendition of Don't Know Why by Norah Jones. What a strange segue! These very young people were playing music that appeals more to middle aged folk (or older, even). I get the Rolling Stones song, it's rock and roll no matter how you slice it and it ain't ever gonna get old. But that Norah Jones song? It's straight up soft jazz, really. Utterly soothing. Don't get me wrong, I love that song and the whole album is fantastic, but it isn't exactly dance music (behold the people gamely attempting to dance to it -- it's just not possible).

As I was driving home, I kept wondering why on earth these 20 year old musicians would be in into slightly snooze-y Norah Jones stuff, and I realized that they were playing songs that reminded them of their childhood! Their parents must have had that Norah Jones album, which came out in about 2003 if I remember correctly, and of course the Rolling Stones appeal to many generations; no doubt the parents of these kids listened to the Stones, too. So there you go. Weird mix but it makes sense when you look at it from that angle.

Another One Rides the Bus

Colorado Springs doesn't have a fantastic public transportation network like Denver does. This is more of a driving city, and I confess the last time I took the bus was in college. That's a long time ago! There are always ideas and plans to improve our public transportation, and I think it's very important that we do, especially with what gas and insurance are costing these days.

And now, for your listening pleasure...

(God I love Weird Al Yankovic!)

Cowboy Strummer

I was waiting on a client downtown the other day when this gent showed up with his guitar, parked himself on a table in Acacia Park, and started strumming.

Revisiting the Watermelon House

Christmas day was gorgeous and sunny, so Pat and I decided to take a drive. It's been quite a while since we've sought out the Watermelon House, which is located on a country road between Colorado Springs and Pueblo. We don't know who it belongs to, if they live in it or use it for storage or a studio of some sort, or whose fun idea it was to make a house that looks like a watermelon in the first place. It's all just a quirky and delightful mystery! We were tickled to find it decorated in the Christmas spirit. Very festive!

On a related side note, many years ago Pat directed me in a music video homage to Tom Waits featuring the song "Hang on St. Christopher," and the Watermelon House comes in at the end. It was all just for fun. I'm the main character, playing the part of a homeless man. Pat makes a cameo as a mean police officer, my brother Chuck is a bad guy who punches me out and steals my wallet, and our beloved (now dearly departed) cat Pancho makes a brief appearance in the campfire scene, filmed in our backyard. I'll add the video at the bottom of this post. If nothing else it's entertaining!

And now, for your viewing and listening pleasure...

Christmas Busker

I failed to get a decent picture of this guy, but I really enjoyed his music! He was stationed on the corner of Tejon and Bijou and he was playing Christmas carols. Even though I famously dislike Christmas music, I do like when it's played like this. He sounded wonderful.

Clair de Lune

Captured yesterday in the Garden of the Gods, the moon ascending in the east. Simply breathtaking. I wish I'd had a better lens with me. It was a beautiful (but cold) day out there, and hardly anyone about.

And now, for your listening pleasure:

February 2020 Theme Day: Streetscape

It's February! The first of the month is Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers, and February's theme is streetscape. I took this photo today from the corner of Tejon and Platte. That's a pretty bitchin' Camaro, by the way! I think it's a 1970 model year. The car behind it is no slouch, either. I saw a few beautiful oldies out there today because the weather was gorgeous, tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday and we'll all be hunkered down watching the game, and on Monday it's supposed to be frigid and snowing. Gotta take the classic out for a spin while you can!

CDP bloggers worldwide have been posting streetscape photos all day -- click HERE to see them. Enjoy!

Bonus shot: check out what the Camaro driver did when he noticed me taking his picture. Of course I had to reciprocate in kind.

And now, for your listening pleasure:

The Age of Aquarius-ish

Here's another section of the long mural in the parking lot of the Fine Arts Center. It's signed and dated "Emanuel '86". I assume this artist painted the whole lot of them, which must have taken forever. This particular section sure has an early 1970s vibe! Doesn't it look "Jesus Christ, Superstar"/"Age of Aquarius" to you? Not exactly my favorite trend in art or music, that's for sure. 😁 By the way I don't remember this wall ever not having been covered by murals, and I've lived here since 1979. I guess I wasn't paying attention pre-1986!

Back to the Old House

A couple of months ago, Pat came across an online auction of odds and ends belonging to English rock guitarist Billy Duffy, among them a postcard and a letter written to him by Morrissey around 1978 or so. Many people don't realize that Billy Duffy and Morrissey were in a band together when they were quite young, before either of them was famous. Anyway, the interesting part about these missives is that Morrissey wrote them in Arvada, a suburb of Denver, when he was visiting his sister. I have no idea what Morrissey's sister was doing in Arvada, Colorado in 1978 (how random!), but since Pat and I were in Denver yesterday, we decided to seek out her house. The address can plainly be seen on the envelope of the letter (HERE), so it wasn't very difficult to locate. It turned out to be almost comically ordinary. We had a good laugh trying to imagine a brooding young Morrissey hanging out there. A woman stepped outside the door while I was trying to get a picture. I wonder if it was Morrissey's sister, still living there more than 40 years on. I suppose not.

Even though Morrissey has been behaving like a twat these last couple of years, I still love the Smiths and all the music he wrote and recorded with them. It's possible to be a fan of the music and not of the person anymore, at least that's what I've arrived at when it comes to something that's played such an important role in my life.

And now, for your listening pleasure...

Viva Las Vegas or Bust! (Part 9)

A few more snaps from Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend. The photo above, taken at the car show, is hands down my favorite image from the whole trip. I love everything about it. Below is a surf band called The Volcanics -- you should check them out, they're great! And if you're wondering what Pat and I wore for car show day, scroll to the bottom. I made the yellow dress, and Pat's wearing a vintage aloha shirt that I bought for him a couple of years ago. Doesn't he look cool?

I'll show you lots of awesome vintage cars tomorrow, so make sure and come back for that!

It was extremely windy on car show day, so much so that I had to give up on using my parasol -- it's a good thing I put on about a gallon of sunblock. The wind took its toll eventually; I had such an extreme allergy attack, my left eye started weeping until it practically swelled shut. I was miserable. We had to leave just before Reverend Horton Heat took the stage. Bummer! But after some allergy meds, Advil and a nap, I was back in business and we were able to see Horton Heat play a couple of songs much later that night at the Guitar Geek showcase.

Virtual Reality

Do you like my perfect dining room? Just kidding, it's not real, it's IKEA. Today I did some family portraits in Denver, and on the way home I stopped there to buy a small piece of furniture that I needed for my sewing room. I used to love IKEA, I think chiefly because we didn't have one anywhere near here. Any time I was in a city that had an IKEA (Phoenix, L.A., etc), I'd make it a point to go and gawk like a tourist at a museum, then buy some cleverly designed item with an unpronounceable name for myself or my brother. A few years ago we finally got an IKEA in south Denver, only about a 45 minute drive from here, traffic permitting. And I think it's safe to say that the novelty has officially worn off for me. Now it's more of a love-hate relationship. Ha! These days I look at going to IKEA as something of a chore, to be dispensed with as quickly as possible. I can trace this back to the time I actually got lost in there and couldn't find the exit. The place is GIGANTIC. Really, you can see it from outer space. I decided that they must purposely design the layout of the store to be as confusing as possible, so you're trapped, wandering around aimlessly, all the while seeing more and more stuff that you can't live without. The final straw was when we were renovating our bathroom a couple of years ago, and I needed two simple things: a matching cup and soap dispenser. Alas, it took three (agonizing) trips to IKEA to accomplish the purchase of these inconsequential accessories. Now when I'm there I scurry through the bathroom décor section as if it's contaminated with radiation. I want no part of it, I tell you!

I also think that there's something slightly sinister about all the little vignettes at IKEA, like the one in the photo above. They're too perfect. You almost feel like a two dimensional cardboard family lives there, complete with a pair of small children with tousled blond mops, and they only come out when everyone goes home for the night.

There is one thing I like about IKEA, lest you think I'm only here to gripe today. I like the cafeteria with its bland, overly salty food. Is it bad that I like IKEA food? I make no apologies! Here's a picture of my lunch!

And now, for your listening pleasure...

Piano Warehouse

I love red! This is such a cool old building. I should really go and check out all the pianos inside sometime. I took lessons for eight years. Do you play?

The Alexander House

I had a big Colorado Springs History Nerd moment recently, when I was lucky enough to see the inside of a home I've loved from afar for many years, the Alexander House at 1830 Wood Avenue. I have always wanted to see the inside of this 1906 Tudor! I've even fantasized about buying it if I ever won the Lotto. Sometimes my job hands me the coolest opportunities, and this was one of them. I have a bride whose mother is close friends with the newest owner of this home, and since they will all be getting ready at the Alexander House on the morning of the wedding, we decided to have a powwow there last week. How exciting! I didn't take any pictures of the interior, to protect the owner's privacy, but I can tell you that it has an extremely rare Choralcelo pipe organ, a ballroom/music room, a solarium, and downstairs there are "gentleman's quarters" -- an old school man cave, billiards table and all. Holy mackerel! It's so beautiful inside! And it's over 12,000 square feet! A few details on the history:

• It was designed by Thomas MacLaren and built in 1906 for railroad magnate Thomas Curtin.
• It changed hands in 1914 to Berne Hopkins, who added the ballroom/music room for his wife, who was an opera singer, in 1918. The room has wonderful acoustics, not surprisingly, as it was custom designed to enhance the aforementioned Choralcelo.
• In 1925 the home was acquired by E.W. Sinsheimer, and in 1930 it was purchased by the Alexanders.

The Alexanders had a movie making company that produced mainly advertising films -- you know, like the ads you see when you go to the movies, before the feature film starts. Those ads were a big deal in decades past, and they made the Alexanders a fortune. They also had an airplane manufacturing company here in the Springs, if you can believe that! If you've lived here for long enough, the name is familiar to you. The last I remember of Alexander Film, they were operating in a much smaller and more modern capacity and occupying a groovy, mid-modern, flying saucer-esque building on about Palmer Park and Academy. I believe they closed their doors for good in around 2011 or 2012, sadly.

At any rate, the Alexander House endures and is most definitely a local gem. The owner proudly showed me around. Almost all of the beautiful old details are intact, including the woodwork, molding, light fixtures and Van Briggle tiles. One bathroom downstairs hadn't been operational in decades and was basically just used as storage; the new owners found a cool old sink tucked away in the recesses of the basement and brought that bathroom back to life. The rather grand bathroom adjacent to the master suite hadn't been functional since the pipes froze in the 1950s! Again, the new homeowners repaired and replaced -- you should see it now! The entire kitchen was redone in the last year, but it's very tastefully appointed to blend in with the gracious old mansion's existing architecture. The front porch is wide and shady, and there are a couple of beautiful sitting rooms, parlors, and a grand staircase (of course!). Such a wonderful old home to wander around and explore! The grounds are lovely, too. I can't wait for this wedding. I appreciate having such a beautiful and historic backdrop to use for the getting ready photos!