Velvet goldmine
Get your glad rags on, kids, because The Velvet Set are hosting another sassy, swingin' night at 34B - and Graham Coupland, the man behind the night and in front of the band, was happy to answer the probings of Andrew P Street
Graham Coupland, organiser and front man aversees the rabid, singin' hordes
How did the last event go? The last show was practically sold out and went off! There was a great turnout and a really good mix of music lovers and dancers alike. Thankfully there was just enough dancefloor space for the lindy hoppers, although 34B isn't the world's largest dance hall.
Does a swing/rockabilly community exist in Sydney, or do people only come out when there's a night like this to celebrate? There's quite a large rockabilly community in Sydney with bands such as the Casino Rumblers and Zombie Ghost Train at the fore. Swing, to a large extent, is where rockabilly began so a lot of that crowd will happily crossover and come to a Velvet Set show even though the majority of our repertoire is traditional 1930s, 40s and 50s - Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, etc. A lot of the girls in the burlesque scene also come to our shows and from time to time we have them perform with us too, which really spices things up.
The Sydney swing dancing community is also growing exponentially after migrating from Melbourne three or four years ago. These days both Swing Patrol and Swing Time run dance classes every night of the week all over Sydney and shows like ours give their dancers the opportunity to come and practice their moves. Swing dancers also seem to be a damn sociable bunch; there's definitely a strong community vibe amongst them all.
There's also quite a large community who not only love the look but live it. For them it's an opportunity to have a night out in the scene they cherish. The fashions from the 1940s and 50s were also amazing and so stylish so our audiences always look incredible. For others it's just a great opportunity to dress to the nines - and we know how much Sydneysiders love to dress up.
What sort of people come along? We get everyone from professional swing dancers to first timers and old timers in their 70s who've been swing dancing for 50 years! There are a lot of regulars at our shows and it's great that they keep coming back and supporting the band so strongly. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to have a dance, a drink and a great time.
Can anyone just wander in and have a good night, or is it best directed at people who are already familiar with all things swingin'? Absolutely anyone can come! As much as the night is for swing dancing, it's first and foremost a gig so anyone who loves live music should come and enjoy the show.
I don't actually dance myself but love swing music immensely. The roots of rock'n'roll can be traced back to swing and its influences can still be heard across so many genres
What happens during these shows? Generally our shows are just a great fun night out with plenty of amazing dancing and tomfoolery but every now and then things go a bit crazy - screaming, guitarist-obsessed female fans, dancers slipping through holes in the floor, power failures and collapsing stages. The Velvet Set has ten members so it's always a squeeze on stage, especially at 34B!
How important is the live band element to the night? It's everything! There are plenty of swing dancing nights around Sydney but few have a dynamic live band. The energy and performance of the band brings something special to the night and it's quite a theatrical show rather than just four hours of a DJ spinning tunes on a laptop PC.
The Velvet Set bring the swing to 34B on Sat 10 May. Interested in learning to swing dance? Check out www.swingtimeaustralia.com and syd.swingpatrol.com.au to find classes near you