Hootenanny
rocks Cal State Fullerton
By Joe Licavoli
Special to the Summer On-line Forty-Niner
 The
rockabilly and punk fest, the Hootenanny
festival returned Saturday and Sunday with
a change in venue, leaving its home at Hidden
Valley Ranch in Irvine and broadening its
horizons at the larger venue of Cal State
Fullerton.
Amid a sea of multi colored umbrellas and
tattooed men and women, the two-day festival
brought together many different music genera’s,
old-fashioned custom cars, as well as an
appearance by Little Richard and the return
of the Stray Cats.
The legendary rockabilly band, The Stray
Cats, fronted by Brian Setzer (of late 1990s
neo-swing heavyweights The Brian Setzer
Orchestra), came together for Saturday’s
show after a ten-year absence. The Stray
Cats played to the crowds delight whipping
out 1980s radio hits, “Rock This Town,”
“Stray Cat Strut” and “(She’s) Sexy and
17.”
Setzer, stand-up bass player, Lee Rocker
and drummer Slim Jim Phantom were great
on stage and looked like they had never
taken a break. The bands tight and energetic
set made the reunion a positive and memorable
event.
Before the Stray Cats rocked the town of
Fullerton, The Cadillac Tramps warmed up
the crowd with a rowdy and rambunctious
set. Front man Gabby [its just Gabby, no
last name is needed for the outrageous singer]
made the crowd go crazy with his amazing
charisma.
It seemed that one day was not enough for
Gabby because he was back on Sunday playing
with a bunch of his buddies in Manic Hispanic.
The band played an array of punk rock cover
songs, including one of my favorites, Rancid’s
“Ruby Soho.”
Lee Rocker, who also played the day before,
took the stage for Sunday’s show. Rocker
played a set chock-full of rockabilly tunes
that got the crowd up and dancing. Some
of the more punk rock attendees did not
seem interested in Rockers stripped down
brand of rock, but for those who were there
to see some great rockabilly, Rocker did
not disappoint.
San Diego’s Rocket From the Crypt put an
upbeat splash into the Hootenanny, with
its infectious brand of punk rock with horns.
Few punk bands have attempted to have horns,
yet Rocket From the Crypt have been rocking
and rolling for over ten years now and by
the great crowd reception from the bands
set, this idea is working well.
Then a living legend took the stage, Little
Richard taught the crowd at Cal State Fullerton
a lesson in rock and roll. Hauling in a
piano for his set, Little Richard blasted
through many of his hits on a including,
“Good Golly Miss Molly” and “Whole Lotta
Shakin’ Goin’ On.”
Little Richard was so excited and involved
in playing, that he went over his hour set
time. A few people in the crowd in front
of the stage where Social Distortion was
to play were chanting for Little Richard
to get off stage; I could not believe it.
I think Social Distortion is an amazing
band, but Little Richard was one of the
founders of Rock and Roll. It was a sad
thing to see at such an eclectic rock festival
as the Hootenanny.
Eventually Social Distortion took the stage
and played a fantastic set. Legendary in
its own right, Social Distortion chose to
play some cover songs and more rare Social
D songs rather then the bands radio hits
like “Ball and Chain” and “Story of my Life.”
The band played a few songs from its 1990
self-titled release, including, the boisterous
“Sick Boys” and “Ring of Fire.”
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