Scootering Serena Says…
It’s August, I’m in Abingdon, it must be that ODD time of the year again! Greeted at the gate by Andrew Stacey sporting a fetching pair of rainbow crochet shorts confirmed that I had most definitely arrived at my destination. The Gate Keeper later changed into a pair of disco hot pants complete with a sequinned boob tube, and by Saturday afternoon had morphed into Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. Oddballs Rally has become renowned for ‘anything goes’ and dressing up is positively encouraged and most definitely embraced.This year’s rally theme was Wild West with no shortage of cowboy hats, saloon gals, squaws and sheriffs.
Friday night was Studio 54 with bumping, grinding disco tunes spun by Oddballs DJs Chris Abrams and Kevin Beynon. There were DJs galore all weekend, including Wilko and Levi in the Northern Soul Room. A total of eight bands graced the stage this weekend, including No Lip, Jack the Lad, Dakka Skanks, King Hammond and The Rude Boy Mafia. Oddballs favourite ‘resident band’ The Corsairs took the marque by storm on Friday night, with two band members suitably dressed for the wheels. wheelsw Oddballs Rally actively offers a cheery c welcome to scooterists, bikers, camper vans and car owners (not everyone's cuppa tea I know – but it genuinely works), embracing a funpacked weekend with an enthusiastic approach for partying, raising cash for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Clic Sargent (childhood Cancer). Fellow campers raised more money by encouraging head shaving, offering walkabout shots (of the liquid kind – not pistols), pics on scoots and a grand finale beard shave for Vince Wooloff himself, which alone raised £325 for the coffers! Bouncers worked FOC and stallholders donated to the charity cause.
Weekend fun and games took place in the arena, conveniently situated by the open bar (yeh) with one lucky winner being the recipient of the Raffle Vespa Scooter, customised and painted by Gatch. Without a doubt, the crowd-puller was the Stinky Fish Challenge. I didn’t get close enough to check out the contents of the fermented herring, but I could smell it! Well done to the plucky six who took part, with bonus points and a trophy to the winner, Spencer Dyke.
Next year’s date for Oddballs 6 is August 7-9. 2020. Confirmed bands, Demented Are Go, King Kurt, Band Called Malice, 2 Tone All Skas, Filthy Spectacula, No Lip, Shakin DTS and, of course….The Corsairs. What a line-up!