Americana 2007

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Issue: 24 £4.95

Xl1200C Vs Dyna Low Rider

With incessant rain, there was only one topic of conversation being asked in advance of every show through the summer of 2007, no matter how well-established, and the umpteenth Americana would be as vulnerable as any other: would the weather affect the attendance. Would it put off those regulars who returned year after year for this four day spectacular?

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Event: Americana International

AMERICANA INTERNATIONAL NEWARK, ENGLAND. 6-9TH JULY 2007

There was only one way to fi nd out, and more in hope than expectation – using the need to carry magazines as an excuse to cop out and use the car – we struck out for Nottinghamshire, where we were greeted with torrential rain in Nottingham itself, and then blue skies beyond. Better than that, arriving on site to see no shortage of people were milling around.

In the advertising literature, Americana is billed as being “Europes #1 American Lifestyle Event”, and it is perhaps that status as the premier event in a relatively sparse calendar that meant people would probably have turned out in the snow. It was to be my fi rst experience, however, of a celebration of all things American and I was unprepared for just what to expect, and I found the spectacle

quite awe-inspiring as we crossed the site, blown away by the visual stimulation.

What struck me immediately, bizarrely and almost unwitthingly, was that the site seemed to be laid out in a grid format, similar to those of American towns with their city blocks, which was of course just the way the road system in the Newark County Showground had been laid out, but it did fuel my imagination. Were we in America, Milton Keynes or Newark? Is that a concrete cow I see over yonder, or is it the bucking bronco stall?

We had opted to take bundles of magazines for our stand (trestle table) in the main hall on the site which is where the custom bike show would be situated, more to the point, the main hall was the custom bike show. More on that later.

Our fi rst port of call was the camping area in search of our friends from the Bike Show organising team, comprising key members of Rainy City HDC and a deputation from Bridgwater HOG, who organize and judge the custom bike show that takes over the modern George Stephenson Exhibition Hall. After one wrong turning and a complete second circuit of the site, we eventually found their camp established in one of the grassed cattle pens where livestock is kept during the county shows. The camping facilities were excellent, with many areas to choose from, all of which are well kept, clean and close to the toilets and shower blocks. Oh, by the way, we actually managed to erect our tent between the two of us without too much of a problem. No, wait, there was a problem, it came in the guise of Barry who insisted on laughing at us erecting it – it did make me wonder if he actually knew how to put one up himself having arrived in his ancient motorhome.

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Event: Americana International

Wandering back towards the custom show hall, we retraced our journey through the stalls, rows of classic American cars and trucks, past the ‘Dodgems’, stopping off for a welcoming brew at the Victory Motorcycle stand en-route (it was next to the hall) and then into the hall to see what was happening with the custom bike show.

Inside the hall were a few bike-related stalls and a tattooist, and a few bikes were starting to assemble but as the main custom event did not take place until Saturday, it wasn’t bustling yet and no-one was overly concerned by the lack of entrants.

The size of a small aircraft hanger with huge roller-shutter doors at either end, the hall served as the main public thoroughfare between the entrance by the second stage and main auditorium and food court until the doors were closed at around 11pm so that the traders could get some sleep and bikes secured. I was impressed by the sensible attitude of the bike riders who were parking their rides up in the hall for people to come and look at – a good example of a self-governing community, albeit it a transitory community.

Outside the hall, a site map is a good thing to have until you get your bearings, because the show covers quite a vast area: it must be close to half of the main 84 acre triangular showground area, with the other half given over the camping.

Going in search of food, we went over to the main arena, which was largely given over to Country and Western, which really isn’t as

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predictable as it might sound. I did a few double-takes in order to get my head around the plethora of images we were met with. On the one side of me were cowboys kitted out with guns, spurs and Duster coats, Mariachis and the odd war-bonneted redskin, while on the other were rockers sporting quiffs and rockabillies in dungarees!

Looking over at the stage area there was a sea of deck-chairs occupied by folk in cowboy hats and picnicking party goers – it was like being at some ‘classics in the park’ party! While I’m not especially a Country and Western music fan, I was genuinely fascinated by the very chilled-out atmosphere and the quality of the music erupting from the very large main stage, and have been informed since that there were some highly celebrated acts headlining here, from both the USA and UK. The main arena

was surrounded by the majority of the site’s food stands offering a wide selection to suit all tastes, and stalls selling all manner of stuff, from cowboy hats to native Indian jewellery and Betty Boop memorabilia: all things American.

When the bands weren’t playing, there was a Country Music Radio Station supplying sounds and entertainment, and it wasn’t just limited to the evenings with entertainment almost round the clock for those who sought it. Well, not quite around the clock: all of the outside stages packed up for the night around 11.30pm, which is when people would either turn in or go off in search of the live music on offer on any one of the four indoor stages.

And country music wasn’t the only sound to be heard: the second outdoor stage played host to the likes of T-Rextasy and The Hamsters as well as numerous other rock and roll, swing, hillbilly and blues bands of a universally exceptional quality. While deckchairs still played their part in the audience, this stage attracted a much livelier, younger crowd than the C&W faithful, and tended to be the one that we gravitated to. And I have to make mention of the insane Master of Ceremonies – the appropriately-named Loony Chris Heath, resplendent in his black bowler and kaftan, or else appearing in full desert sheik garb – who kept the audience bemused and dare I say captivated (?) with his ramblings – and who, by the time he came to sing with his band, on the Sunday, was hoarse from all his prattlings. Bless.

Drawing on the rock and roll side of festivities, complimenting an indoor country stage, there were two halls with bands dedicated to keeping folk tapping their feet … they were very intimate gigs when we visited. There might’ve been bopping and jiving going on too, except that they were too intimate, and their popularity meant that they were full to bursting point. The quality of bands was once again very impressive and you could pick and choose who you wanted to watch, and where, if you’d had the foresight to pick up a program on the way in.

It was an incredible extravaganza of music celebrating and catering for so many different tastes, and I certainly hadn’t experienced anything like it before.

I began to realise how unique this event really is in today’s mass of festivals and music events to choose from, and I can only congratulate the organisers for their inventiveness in creating such an experience. It’s not an especially cheap event for the whole five days, but looking at what you get for the money – up to £70 for four days of live entertainment, but less if you attend as an exhibitor – it is worth every penny.

It could be that you attend only to watch the music on offer, for the custom bike show, to see the sheer number of American cars and trucks, for the carnival like atmosphere or that you have a strange passion for ‘fifth wheels’ and motorhomes – American ones of course.

Realistically, it doesn’t matter a damn what your reasoning is for joining in, just the fact that you are there means that you will have a great time. There is something to amuse kids of all sizes and ages, from the bouncy castle and the dodgems through to a surreal car chase around the showground at a death-defying 10mph. I nearly wet myself laughing at the two American police cars chasing each other with sirens whirring and lights flashing: it was just like the real thing, but in very, very slow motion. There is a strict rule that people adhere to or they are instantly frog marched to the nearest exit with no room or time for excuses; the speed limit is 10mph.

Years ago I remember falling in love with a poster that a friend had on his wall, it was a montage of grills from American classic cars, I spent

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Event: Americana International

ages looking for that poster in shops, but never did fi nd one. I don’t need that poster anymore as Americana is verging on overload with demonstrations of fantastically overthe-top grills resting in aggressive pride on the front of cars and trucks: they’re defi nitely works of art, undervalued to a broader, modern society.

I found it a huge privilege to be able to view so many classic cars and trucks on display that weren’t wrapped up in cotton wool in some automobile museum, but were there and being driven, being admired by young and old alike, being polished and loved and being the subject of many a conversation and impassioned “I want one of those and one of those and that and that and …” Fantastic!!

Classic cars from the 40’s to the 60’s, muscle cars from the 60’s to the 80’s, Hotrods and Ratrods, Big Foot 4x4’s and Winnebagos, about the only thing that was missing was the all-American Addams Family’s Duesenberg.

Retracing our steps to Saturday and the custom bike show, the bikes slowly but surely began to arrive and line up in the custom hall. Ranging from stock Harleys, to S&S-powered customs, Buells, Kawasakis in the guise of Indian Chiefs (don’t ask, I didn’t!) to the award winning XYZ Victory engined creation of Roger Allmond, now owned by Gary – there was near to a hundred bikes parked up and posing for a winners trophy. The Bike Show team swung into action like a well-oiled machine, marshalling and documenting what turned out to be a real good show – attested to by the reaction of a general public obviously enjoying every minute of it. The main show and prize-giving took place on the Saturday while we all went back again on the Sunday for the AmV-sponsored ‘peoples choice’, the success of which can be measured by the number of times that voting slips needed to be replenished, even if there was some confusion in some quarters about it being held.

I must make mention here of Stevie and his one Man(dolin) show, with his unprecedented passion and endless energy in providing his wonderful music and song in the custom bike show hall. Hopefully next year we will see him on one of the main stages, where he truly deserves to be: up there with the rest of the main bands. You’ll see and hear him at many bike rallies throughout the year, but you can also catch him on his website at www.stevie.me.uk, where you can support him through the purchase of his CD’s. Not only can he sing

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Bike Show results: BEST HARLEY DAVIDSON CLASS WINNERS: Best Sportster Jane Jones,Essex Best Dyna G eoff Brown, Gt Yarmouth Best Softail Tony Buckingham, Cambridgshire Best V Rod Ted Whelan, Marple Best Dressed Rob Hilary & Oliver the dog Best Classic HD Paul Wilkins, Essex BEST ALL MAKES: Best custom Martin Dickinson, Lincoln Best Trike Susan Allan, Chesterfield

Best Custom Cruiser Louise Bradley, Oldham Best British Classic Ray Whale, Tamworth BEST IN SHOW: Winner Runner-Up

Simon Hodgson, Sheffield, 07796 851073 Rob, Hilary & Oliver the dog

PEOPLES CHOICE: Winner Darren Fawthrop Runner Up Russ Allan 2nd Runner Up Rob, Hilary & Oliver the dog

and play like a natural genius, he is a really nice bloke too.

An honourable mention too for a food stand that wasn’t in the C&W quarter: the Funnel Cake stand, where you will be surprised to hear they made and sold Funnel Cakes. A cross between a dough nut, a waffle and a pastry, it get its name from being poured from a funnel into hot oil, and when cooked can be topped with caster sugar or all manner of other goodies. It was my birthday and Andy had forgotten to get me the obligatory cake … so, I treated myself.

Twice. Big mistake, I didn’t get beyond the caster sugar version on either occasion but they were delicious! You can visit them at Funnelcakes.co.uk.

Philosophically speaking, Americana is a great demonstration of the broad tolerance that communities of people can have for each other, and over the few days we were there, many of the faces in the crowds of thousands became familiar to us. The most remarkable observation for a fi rst time visitor, and an extremely positive one, was that even at 2.30am after a long day on their feet and a night of fun and partying, drunk revellers apologised to each other if they lost their balance and bumped into each other.

Family groups and couples alike are catered for, and it’s a rally where it is safe for people of all ages to be – which is a must in this day and age, though seldom realised in so large and so diverse a group. And having only been there for three days this time, we missed so much of what was going on that I’m angling for the whole four days next year, and going on the bikes. The show offers so much by way of free entertainment that you can afford to make it into a mini holiday.

Oh, by the way, the weather turned out to be beautiful sunny days, much as summer should be.

Cheers, Americana for such a blast of a weekend! Best Birthday present I could’ve had.

Words: Amanda Wright Pics: Andy Hornsby

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