The Wild Weekend Origins
Started back in 1998 in London.
Before that we were running one nighters:
GORILLA-G0-GO which became a monthly club THE FRAT SHACK and ran for over 10 years in London.
We also co-organised the LAS VEGAS GRIND with the Viva Las Vegas crew. There were only two LAS VEGAS GRINDS and they have now become legendary.
Here are posters from all our shows plus some flyers from the original clubs. We have a bunch of very loyal followers who have come to everything we’ve done.
We love you all.. and seeya at the next one, wherever or whenever that will be!
Babz & Josh
We had a lot of fun selecting bands and organising all these and even more fun during them!
Most noteable & fave bands that have played Wild Weekends:
QUESTION MARK & THE MYSTERIANS usa
THE 5,6,7,8’S japan
THEE HEADCOATS & HEADCOATEES uk
JACKIE & THE CEDRICS japan
THE ATLANTICS australia
THE MONKS usa
We moved to Australia and opened our own Tiki bars and venues, so there is a break between Wild Weekends between 2005 and 2019. We were still running events almost every weekend at our own venues and making movies… plus having a couple of kids!
THE LAS VEGAS GRIND
1999 & 2000
We were incredibly fortunate to be asked to organise these legendary weekenders. The crew at Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly festival saw our first Wild Weekend and we collaborated on these awesome shows.
Being in Las Vegas we were able to book some of the original 50s/60s bands that we were so influenced by and in awe of…
THE TRASHMEN
THE FABULOUS WAILERS
ANDRE WILLIAMS
THE REMAINS
THE STANDELLS
We had been playing records by all these bands at our shows for years and never thought we would ever have the chance to meet them and see them play live. It was an absolute honour!
Plus being able to bring over the best European & Japanese bands on the scene at the time to an appreciative crowd
THE FRAT SHACK
THE FRAT SHACK was our monthly club in London circa 1988 - 1998.
The venue moved around but the essence was always the same: nutty theme, crazy decor, trash band, oddball performance, vinyl djs playing 45s of whacked out obscure gems from the 50s & 60s…. and caged GoGo Dancers, both male & female and everything inbetween!
Noteable bands who played Frat Shacks:
THE MUMMIES
THEE HEADCOATES
DICK DALE (King of the surf guitar)
THEE MIGHTY CAESARS
THE KAISERS
THE FLAMING STARS
UG & THE CAVEMEN
Hand drawn flyer art by Josh was our signature plus this was waaaay before computers!
A dream came true for us when we created and built our own venues … in Australia.
Up until then we had always shipped in our own decor into other venues to create the insane technicolor visuals we required for our events.
To have our very own permanently decked out venues means we can design everything… including the cocktails!
Below are links to the Tiki Bars that we have built and still run now.
