Celebrating Another Year

ETA Slide Show

A heartfelt thank you to the many, many ETAs who have been featured on SIDEBURNS Magazine since 2017. The slide show features some of those wonderful ETAs in photos by Lori-Anne Crewe. Both Lori-Anne and I look forward to covering many more shows in the future. Best regards, Carolyn.

ETA Fans and Friends

Thank you to all who follow, like, and share what I post on SIDEBURNS Magazine’s website and Facebook page. It has been such a joy getting to know you at shows and festivals or through your comments and messages over the past three years. Every word I write in SIDEBURNS: Ultimate ETA Fan Magazine is for you, the “ultimate ETA fans”.

As we begin our fourth year, I look forward to posting more interviews in Spotlight ON, more ETA bios in Focus ON and some interesting guests in Introducing; and when shows, competitions and festivals are up and running, I will once again write recaps. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a look back in the following photos. I hope you find your image in one or more of the photos, or perhaps recognize some of the friendly faces. If by chance I missed you, I will do my best to snap you next time we meet. Cheers! Love to you all, Carolyn MacArthur, editor and owner of SIDEBURNS Magazine.

Marcus, George, and Dean Z

Happy Birthday, Marcus Edell!

Best wishes from everyone at SIDEBURNS Magazine!

On September 1st whilst wishing our friend George Sicker, singer and guitarist with the Peterborough band, the Rev-Tones, a happy birthday, I inadvertently linked the California band, the RevTones in George’s post. With good humour, drummer and manager of the RevTones, Marcus Edell, informed me of the error. He also mentioned that his birthday was coming up—September 3rd:

The RevTones uh wrong RevTones. My birthday is in two days however. lol

Carolyn MacArthur LOL What a difference a little hyphen makes! Correction has been made. Happy early birthday ♍ Cheers!

George Sicker (in reply to The RevTones ) We thought we were being so original with the name... Y’all are a long way away from us! Great tunes though! Keep Rockin’ bud! 

Two Virgos thousands of miles apart and both in a band with almost identical names! What are the odds that they would come together in a post for SIDEBURNS: The Ultimate ETA Fan Magazine!

As the editor of an ETA fan magazine, I always like to find a connection to the Elvis Tribute Artist world in what I post for SB Mag followers; and in my research for today’s post, I discovered videos that connect birthday boy, Marcus Edell, to one of our favourite ETAs, Dean Z. Both Marcus and Dean do stellar drum solos of the 1960’s classic song “Wipeout”. For added enjoyment I have included videos of George Sicker (whom I first met at ETA Thane Dunn’s show—another ETA connection) and his band the Rev-Tones (with a hyphen :), as well as a video of the Venutres’ version of “Wipeout”, and a video of the band the Surfaris who recorded the original classic “Wipeout” in 1963. Cheers! C.M.

More about The RevTones

The RevTones, from the San Francisco Bay Area, are a rockabilly trio who play “red-hot original songs and great rockabilly songs from the 50's onward”. They have produced two CDs under their own label and are in the process of producing a third CD. On their Facebook page, they list The Chop Tops, Stray Cats, Reverend Horton Heat, The Clash,Rush, Alice Cooper , and Cheap Trick as groups they like.

The RevTones were formed in September 2006 when Marcus Edell placed an ad on Craigslist looking to jam or start a Rockabilly style band. The first person to respond to that ad was Randy Schmidt. They hit it off right away and quickly placed an ad for an upright bassist. Band members include:

Marcus Edell (Drums/Percussion/Hot Rodder)
Randall Schmidt (Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist)
Roxane Chicoine- (Bass) Current and previously (2006-2008)
Ex members- Rob Shaw (Bass/Sexiness) 2008-2010/2011-2017; Alan Parks (Bass) 2010-2011

The RevTones recorded their first tracks in March and September of 2007 and released “The RevTones” in May, 2008, and “19 Miles” in November, 2012. The band started performing live in May of 2007. The RevTones have risen as one of the top bands in the Rockabilly genre and perform all over the West Coast of the United States.

The Rev-Tones with George Sicker on Vocals

Original Version of “Wipeout” by the Surfaris

Important Announcement

RE: The Colborne Love Me Tender Festival

Wisconsin ETA, Garry Wesley, poses with his Ontario manager, Nigel Husing, at Garry’s East Plains United Church in 2019.

Nothing in life is ever concrete.  Much joy and celebration can easily turn to sadness and disappointment in the matter of days--even hours.  Just two days ago, I had the honour of announcing what was going to be a wonderful festival, and now I must announce its cancellation.

The Colborne Love Me Tender Festival will not be held next July, 2021, as planned.  After a hospital visit this morning, Nigel Husing, organizer of the first ever Elvis festival in Colborne, ON, has been advised by his specialist that the stress of putting on a festival on such a grand scale is too much for him at this time. 

Nigel has been wonderful to work with these past few months.  His integrity was apparent in every conversation we had; and his enthusiasm about each ETA video and photo created great excitement during the planning.  No one is feeling the loss of the festival more than Nigel.  It was his lifelong dream to organize “a weekend of love and friendship with a group of people gathered together by their love of Elvis’s music and their great memories of the King of Rock ‘N’ Rock”. 

On behalf of all ETAs, friends and fans, I wish you a return to good health in the months to come, Nigel.  We send our thoughts and prayers to you.  Please take care, Carolyn.