Fans of rock ’n’ roll, rockabilly, classic cars, hot rods, and the nostalgia and fashions of the 50s and 60s will converge on the southern Gold Coast and Tweed from 30 May to 9 June for Cooly Rocks On.
For 11 action-packed days, the border towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads will be fuelled with party atmosphere. Pre-1970 cars, nightly cruises, music, dancing and family fun are all trademarks of this annual, much-loved festival.
An amped-up crowd of 100,000 people is expected to attend Cooly Rocks On 2014.
This year, more than 50 rock ’n’ roll and rockabilly bands, alongside a lineup of special guest international artists, will rock the crowd at outdoor concerts, beachside marquee events and performances at local clubs and venues throughout the border towns.
During the Grand Finale weekend – June 7 and 8 – the two main streets are closed to traffic for one massive street party. Six outdoor stages, music and dancing are the order of the day and when you can dance no more, fans can wander through retro markets. Almost every pub and club in the Cooly Rocks On precinct will be a venue for live music and dancing.
Joining the star-studded entertainment lineup for 2014 will be American rock ’n’ roll ‘royalty’, Slim Jim Phantom, the legendary drummer from the Stray Cats. Along with his former Stray Cats band members, Slim Jim spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 80s.
His one-night-only show on Saturday June 7 is expected to be a spectacular highlight of Cooly Rocks On for die-hard rockabilly fans, many of whom travel from all over Australia and the world for the music and entertainment on offer at Cooly Rocks On.
Swedish rockabilly supergroup Jack Baymoore and The Bandits will also travel to Australia to perform at Cooly Rocks On. The band’s traditional 50s rockabilly, rock ’n’ roll and hillbilly bop have launched them onto the stages of some of the greatest rock ’n’ roll events in the world, including Viva Las Vegas, Rockabilly Rave and Hemsby Rock ’n’ Roll Weekender in England.
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