I'm highly surprised no one has ever put rockabilly and burlesque together before.
Playing on the fascination of the 50's style, Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz of Vancouver took pin-up style burlesque girls and incorporated them into the band.
The way it all fits together is completely natural to the point that I can't fathom why there aren't two gorgeous  bombshells to go along with every show featuring a double-bass. Seeing Bates play at Dave's Aqua Lounge on Saturday (4/4) has made me expect a lot more from rockabilly shows now.
The amazing part was that the band didn't use this as an excuse to be boring. Bates himself showed off quite a bit, including bringing three shots of Jaeger to the stage while he was in the middle of a guitar solo. That's impressive.
The whole night was a feel-good event to the point that everyone there was coated glistening with sweat from dancing the whole night through. When they closed out the night with a rockabilly version of Tainted Love, there wasn't a single person in Dave's Aqua Lounge standing still.
Throw in a pin-up contest, a slew of derby girls, and a killer opening local act (the Cadillac Bombers) and you have a night not to miss.
If by any chance you'd like to see them, make sure to check them out this Tuesday (4/7) at the Pastimes Pub in Sarasota. Trust me when I say that the night will be worth the drive.
I'm just looking forward to hear more of Bates and his Voodoo Dollz and I'm hoping the wait isn't too long before they come to Tampa Bay again.

--Story/photos by Leigh Armstrong, Times Staff Writer

After the jump, check out some more photos of of the Bates and his girls getting wild...