Vegas Day 2: Viva Las Vegas!

Today is the day! Viva Las Vegas! A celebration of rockabilly and 1950's culture!

The 1950's today are remembered as a time of conformism and political paranoia. This is true but not a completely accurate description. My thesis covers juvenile delinquents and youth culture in the 1950's. Researching this time period reveals how great of a gap there is between how we remember the 1950's and what actually happened. The reason for this schism has much to do with the popular culture of the time. When we think of the 1950's we think about the television shows that portrayed wholesome family values as in "Father Knows Best" or "Leave It To Beaver." They give the impression that the decade was static and bland.

However, we see a different picture in films such as "Blackboard Jungle", "High School Confidential." They reveal the maturing car culture, the juvenile rebellion, and growing teen independence of the 1950's that scared adults and authority figures. At Viva, the 1950's are remembered, celebrated but not imitated. Instead, it focuses of the aspects of youth culture that epitomize the decade,

I found Elvis. He is indeed alive
 and performing weddings in Las Vegas.

Held annually at the Orleans Hotel and Casino off the Strip, the Saturday car show part of Viva Las Vegas was a collection of vendors, live music, car show, pin up contest, and other interesting events (including Elvis performing weddings and an active barbershop inside an airstreamer). The live music was a variety of rockabilly and swing bands that set the mood for the event. This was the music of the 1950's but with a modern twist. The bands were a little louder, little more distorted, and maybe even a little more explicit. Almost all attendees were dressed in 1940's/50's attire. Everywhere I looked there were parasols, victory rolls, and crinoline. The men were equally dressed. Some even went beyond the usual jeans and t-shirt. I spotted a couple zoot suits, the famous suits worn by African American and Mexican American youth during WWII.

My best attempt at being a pin up. 

The car show included cars the first half of the twentieth century with the majority being from the post war era. Beautifully restored and painted, these cars were a delight to see. These cars came from all across the country and are clearly well taken care of. Looking at them, you are reminded about the evolution of cars and how our perspectives on cars (and what a car means) have changed. It's easy to forget that mandatory car seat belts are less than 50 years old. Cars, for most modern day Americans, are less about style and fashion and more about energy efficiency, convenience, and transportation. However, the car must still be understood as a influencing factor in shaping modern America. Without the 1950's car culture, we would not have drive in theaters, drive thru/fast food restaurants, or motels (motor hotels). These are now aspects of culture that are distinctively American.

The sun and heat finally got the best of us and we left the event, but it was such a fun experience. I will almost certainly be back next year.