That Swing You Do!

Phil Lavoie

There's a scene that's been growing over the last decade, and that scene is the re-emergence of swing music. The music, the dance, the feeling, has been building slowly since 1989. So, where did it start and where is it going? Just why has it become such a popular way to spend an evening with cigars, martinis and big hats? Another good question is: What happened to the original swing movement?

It all began back in the 1930's...whoops. Actually, the rediscovery of swing was happening in the late 80's. In L.A., there was a kind of "boredom" creeping into the minds of "punkers, rockers...and counterculture freaks"; they were no longer satisfied with what was going on with their hardcore, yet, mundane lifestyles. Then along came swing. V. Vale, author of Swing: The Retro Renaissance, called it a "cultural rebellion in its most subversive form." Or, as Matt Ashare from the Boston Phoenix puts it: "...swing represents a fun loving, dressed-up backlash against the dressed- down angst and rage of alternative rock"; it's a new alternative to alternative. The pioneers, so to speak, of this "conservative revolution" were some "ex-punkers" from L.A. who put together a high-energy swing band called Royal Crown Revue. These guys started playing the scene, sporting the pinstripe suits and pretty soon swing bands started popping up all over the place. The West Coast exploded with swing from bands like RCR, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Brian Setzer and His Orchestra (Brian Setzer, former lead of the Stray Cats). It took a while, but now the swing thing goes from coast to coast and up into Canada.

Speaking of Canada, we Canadians are holding our own when it comes to the renaissance of swing. Great bands are rising up to the demand for swing, as it was, only better because it's new. Across the country you can find awesome swing bands touring in a town near you. There's the Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra from Halifax; Big Rude Jake likes to get the joint hopping; and Collin James grew out of his little boys band of the eighties, busting up the charts with his Little Big Band. These only name a few of the "bigger" names out there on the scene.

The swing revival wasn't quite an overnight sensation; it took almost a decade for the craze to reach Nanaimo. It all began here (as far as this essayist is concerned) when the Queens, a local establishment and a great venue for live music, started to host The Men From Planet Swing as a regular Sunday swing night in November 1998. One huge appeal was the free dance lessons that preceded the band. That way, people could dance and feel like they knew a thing or two.

Some may wonder if this is only a passing trend, or a fad, but that doesn't seem to be the case. One reason why swing is so popular is that the Gen-X folks, as well as those born on the cusp of 1980, are relearning how much fun it is to do a couple's dance. Until now, the only way to experience such a dance was to learn how to two-step and dig country music. Swing music has a great, energetic beat that is really fun to dance to; the mosh pits have been traded in for the jitterbug. Even the clothing is coming back in style. The old zoot suit your grandfather wore no longer needs be collecting dust or feeding moths in the bottom of some storage trunk. Many shops are now catering to the swing movement by offering zoot suits to people who like to look sharp. This baggy apparel was actually banned during World War II and was considered to be a "waste of material." But Susan Levine, of Rudy's Vintage Clothing in downtown Seattle, couldn't agree any less with that restriction: "Men look sexy in them. They're outrageous and cartoonish."

The revival of swing is great, but what happened to the big bands in the first place? The answer: they were too big. That was why The Men from Planet Swing no longer play at the Queens. Back in the hay day, a good big band could have up to 16 or more musicians; that makes it hard to make a living by doing what you love. Today, it just isn't feasible to have such a large band, financially speaking. There are always exceptions to the rule, though; Brian Setzer's Orchestra is a 16-piece band. But they, most likely, have financial backing from record deals. What might end up happening is that swing fans will have to dish out exorbitant amounts of cash to see their favourite bands and dance to live music.

There are high hopes that swing will stick around for a while. The way people are taking an interest in it gives the impression that it won't be a passing fad. When folks go out and take lessons and get into the scene by dressing up, it makes one believe that a lot of effort is being put into the style. That kind of commitment puts pressure on bars and lounges to accommodate the crowds who want to swing. One such place it the Press Room in Nanaimo; they gave in to pressure once the Queens stopped having a swing night. Now, you can swing in town on Wednesday evenings. Otherwise, you'd have to go to Victoria and that would be the end of swing in Nanaimo, except for the occasional event at the community complex.

For now, the swing thing is alive and well and isn't about to go gently into that dark night. The bands are here with great new music; the cats and kitties are into it. All we need is a hopping locale and some comfy shoes.

References:

(c) 1999 Philip Lavoie