Is it a motorcycle event with music, or a music event with motorcycles?
The Bigdawg and Paul Show, along with the Orlando Radio Legend Mick Dolan, headed towards Leesburg, Florida this last weekend (April 26th, 27th, and 28th) for their 17 Annual Bikefest. This is a 3 to 4 day (depending on when you start partying_ motorcycle event that is held in the historic downtown Leesburg area of about 10 city blocks. Most of the streets located near town hall are closed to only music, motorcycles, and vendors. The vendors provide damn near anything and everything you’re going to need when it comes to looking, dressing and acting like a biker!
Seven stages scattered about town for music and bikini contest mostly sponsored by the local Harley Davidson dealership and Budweiser. The Bigdawg and Paul Show and Mick Dolan set up camp backstage at the Budweiser USA Stage, a HUGE NEW VENUE dedicated to our Armed Forces. It was a tented venue with chairs, tables and air conditioning, but still open to the outside.
If you were looking for music, all the stages had you covered with various genres, the old saying “something for everyone” did apply at Leesburg.
We stayed pretty close to The Budweiser USA Stage which had festival favorites Joe Santana and Kingfish, along with the popular Papa Wheelee both Friday and Saturday. The late Saturday afternoon lineup featured great blues from Leesburg’s own Bobby Blackmon Band and those that know me know I didn’t go far during this part of the show. While all the bands were great, being an Illinois guy that digs the sounds of Chicago Blues, GREAT BLUES is something I’ll sit and listen to all night long and I was not disappointed. If you have a chance to catch Bobby Blackmon around central Florida do yourself a favor and check them out. He’s also on iTunes if you want to check out his music there.
The late Saturday night band was Florida favorites Greg Billings Band out of Tampa Florida. They’ve been in the music business since about 1980 something and have a pretty decent following across the state of Florida. I spoke backstage with bass player Tom (King) Cardenas who’s been with the band since the very beginning and he noted that the crowd was very amped and ready for a great party. Greg Billings band really brought it playing a collection of all their songs and threw in a couple of killer cover version of some great classic rock songs.
The Budweiser USA Stage featured Hooters Girls serving up cold drinks as the venue bartenders plus this year Ms. Budweiser Hot Body Contest – in which Hot Hooters Girls competed-Friday at 5:30pm for a chance to win. Not sure if HOT was the right word here! As most of the girls hung out inside the Ice Trailer prior to going on stage..LOL!! Most definitely Beautiful Hooters Girls does apply.
Along with our usual hosting duties, The Bigdawg and Paul Show closed out both Friday and Saturday Nights from Midnight to 2AM with dance music that brought out several of the non-biker locals to the Budweiser USA Stage so like I said before “really something for everyone”
The whole Leesburg Bikefest starts all over again next year on April 25th -27th 2014.
So maybe you can come out to the party and then help me answer “Is it a motorcycle event with music, or a music event with motorcycles”?
Keep It Between The Ditches!
Bigdawg