• At the majority of UK Rock n Roll, 50s and vintage events, you'll be able to pick a place to sit, and then leave your drinks and bags there all night without worry.
  
  Classes and Record Hops will be attended by a cross section of people of various ages who're there for the music and dancing. Some may be dressed in 40s, 50s or vintage fashion too!
  Normal good manners and etiquette are exercised by everyone... usually, and you can ask people to dance, or be asked by others. It's not scary, no-one is likely to ask you unless they've seen you dancing already... and no-one will mind if you don't accept!
  
  All this is explained on the Etiquette page.
  
  If you're not sure what to do, wait to see what everyone else does first, or ask.
  
  

• Video courtesy of theswingsisters

• Some people develop an affinity to particular musical genres, styling their dancing and clothes to match the period, while others find themselves being drawn towards cars, or even lifestyle choices.
  You'll often see people with similar interests grouping together, like the car enthusiasts, dancers, fashionistas and of course those who love to watch and listen from the bar!
  
  It's a whole world of overlapping cultures, so start your journey, enjoy the scenery and indulge as much as you want in whatever you want :)
  
  The Rhythm Riot video shows a good cross-section of the scene in action at a large annual UK weekend event.

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• There are many sub-genres of the Music, some with their own Sub-Culture and fashion.
  Most events and classes will play a selection of sub-genres and you'll soon notice the variations, which are often dependent on the type of event or the DJs who are playing. At popular small and local events you'll recognise some of the songs already and quickly get to know many of the standard Jivers that are regularly played.
  
  If you love the music, you'll probably find yourself going to more diverse events and dancing to songs you've never heard before. This can be very refreshing, and some of the larger events often select DJs who can make this happen. If you like what you hear, ask the DJs what the songs are, or use Shazam or SoundHound etc. on your phone so you can play them at home and practice dancing!
  Most types of music have an associated fashion so expect to see dress styles for Rock n Roll, Rockabilly, Hillbilly, Western Swing, Swing Jive, Jump Blues and more stepping onto the dance floor when particular songs are played. 
  

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  The original 40s, 50s and 60s music was released on vinyl and attracts record collectors and DJs alike. All the big events have record stalls (which also sell CDs) and there's a market for rare originals so expect to hear people chatting about their own collections as they flick through boxes.

Live Bands

• Bands are plentiful on the scene. From Rock n Roll tributes playing covers of original chart hits, to authentic bands delivering serious Rockabilly, it's all here - and thanks to the internet you can usually take a look at what you're in for before deciding to travel to an event with bands you're not familiar with. Whether they're playing or not, musicians frequently attend events and support other bands.
  
  What happens on the dancefloor while a band is on stage can vary greatly and may affect your event planning.
  Events that have an emphasis on dancing will usually see the majority of the dancefloor filled with dancers, with a few people standing in front of the stage to watch the band. Other Events that have more of a bias towards the bands and show can end up with a greatly reduced dancing area as the dancefloor fills up with people who're watching.
  
  Unfortunately this sometimes results in spilled drinks, glasses and bottles left on the dancefloor when the band finishes; a nightmare for the serious dancers.
  The drinkers, on the other hand, don't care if the floor's slippy or sticky. They'll dance anyway :)
  

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• The serious dancers tend to position themselves close to the dancefloor to save time when a song they like is played; most 1940s, 50s and 60s jiving tunes are only 2 to 2½ minutes long so you don't have much time to get dancing! Whereas some people will wait for a song to 'get going' before they decide to get up, the keenest dancers will be on the floor almost immediately.

  
  By staying near the floor, it's easier to find other dancers too. Walking off to ask someone to dance and then walking back to the floor with them takes time, the song can be half over by the time you get back!
  If you love to dance, stay near the floor.
  

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  Serious dancers can often be spotted when they bring their drinks back from the bar. Even if there's a shortcut across an empty dancefloor, they'll choose to walk all the way round it instead, respecting the dance area and avoiding any drinks spillages that could make the floor slippery or sticky.

• Once you start going to events, you'll get an idea how old and new styles meld together and how you want to look. You'll see different fashions at most events ranging from comfortable clothes and shoes through the jeans and T-shirts of the casual Rockabilly to the perfection of the Teddy Boy.
  
  The best dressed people are usually very happy to tell you where they got their outfits, some events have clothing on sale and there are many online retailers to choose from. Taking a look around the Internet will give you lots of ideas, and probably take you a lot further down the rabbit hole than you expected :)
  
  Try not to buy too much too soon since your choice of 'look' may change as you grow into the music and culture, or be affected later by other factors like keeping cool on the dancefloor.
  You'll soon start to find the balance between fashion and dancing; amazing outfits can sometimes be unsuitable for dancing as can some shoes, although it's not uncommon to arrive in one pair of shoes and change into another before stepping onto the dancefloor. 
  
  Hats and hair can also effect how much you can do on the dancefloor. Small hats can work, but try and keep everything close to your head. A head wrap or scarf works well for women while quiffs, pompadours and flat tops work well for the fellas, however there are many exceptions. Take a look at the Dress section for a 'What to Wear' starters guide.
  
  

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  Warning - Don't go to an event wearing an outfit from a fancy dress shop: it's not cool.
  
  
  

• Since girls and cars were the subjects of so many songs in the 1950s, it's no surprise that Pin-up culture and fashion are still associated with Rock n Roll and Rockabilly. You'll see the artwork on posters, tattoos, clothing and memorabilia and it's a popular 'look' at events - Pin-up competitions are sometimes also held.
  There's more information on Wikipedia.

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• They're in the 50s movies and an important part of Rock n Roll and Rockabilly history, so there's nothing quite like rolling up to an event in an original vehicle. Enthusiasts continue to keep the Scene alive by restoring and maintaining the original classics, and there's also a thriving Custom culture. You'll find car shows through the year as well as racing and rallies at the bigger events.

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• Clothes and cars are only the start for some who love to go the whole hog and decorate their houses to reflect a particular time in history. At larger events, you'll usually find a selection of stalls selling ornaments, accessories and home comforts from a variety of periods in time.

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• They're currently fashionable and a lot of people on the Scene have them. In fact, a lot of people on the Scene have had a lot of them for a long time!
  Tattoos are not necessary though and you shouldn't feel that you're under-dressed without them, or feel intimidated by anyone with a lot of them; the old school Rock n Roll and Rockabilly crowd are just normal people :)

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