Wanda Jackson: Queen of Rockabilly

What can you say about a 5 foot nothing lady pushing 70 that has Elvis's promise ring, is a cult figure to hip rockers and Japanese teenagers, and can still belt out the tunes like nobody's business? That maybe, just maybe she should succeed in her campaign to make it to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.

El Chaperone coughed up the $30/ea (egads...) to see Wanda Jackson at the Cadillac Lounge on Queen W. Great fun. Wanda is a fire-cracker. A no B.S, big-haired, big-voiced, Born Again bombshell. Introduced by her manager/husband of 45 years, the mostly under 35 crowd was enthusiastic and adoring. She recognizes that this neo-rockabilly subculture has rescued her career, and unabashedly showers affection on the kids. Only odd thing was that her eyebrows never moved. Botox? lift? Oh whatever. She was still a hoot and I'd see her again. Though maybe not for $30....

Treasure of the evening was the opening act/Wanda backup band the Toronto-London based The Rizdales. What sweet music. And vocalist/fiddler Tara Dunphy was glowingly beautiful in her last gig before the baby arrives.

From there, we spilled into the streets and wandered into Nuit Blanche....