In 1962, Elvis visited Century 21 Seattle World’s Fair and made a film,
“It Happened at the World’s Fair”.
Fast-forward, 2012 is the 50th anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair.
To commemorate this event, Elvis will be returning to the Seattle Center for the 15th annual “Seattle Invitationals”, the search for Seattle best amateur Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA)
The event is at Experience Music Project (EMP) at the Seattle Center on Saturday, January 14th. Doors at 7:30pm, show at 8pm
What better place than West Seattle to host the 1st Annual El-Fest? Join us as we present Elvis Karaoke – come sing like the king! Elvis movies! Elvis music! And Elvis drink and food specials! Come honor the King of Rock and Roll and release your inner King!
On The King’s birthday, Saturday, January 8th 2011, this beloved Seattle institution the Seattle Invitationals(formerly the “Elvis Invitationals”) returns to Seattle and will once again beckon impersonators from near and far to represent just what “The King” really means to them! There is only one place in Seattle each year where you can see thirty different impersonators in full hip-gyrating, fried Chicken-eating and swooning action… You’ll probably even see his wife Priscilla, manager Colonel Tom Parker and even Red West, The King’s alleged best friend in the crowd or on stage…
it’s all at the 14th annual 2011 Seattle Invitationals
Each Amateur performer in attendance will tackle one of The King’s many personas: the innocent and magnetic country boy, the hip-swinging rockabilly superstar, The G.I. Guy, Hollywood playboy, the devout gospel singer, or the diamond-studded, gold-sun glassed Vegas crooner. Each amateur impersonator will get one chance to show what he (or she) is made of – a single shot to perform a song, in costume, backed by the fabulous Kentucky Rain band!
(Robert Washington)
Also performing… will be Robert Washington, acclaimed ETA (Elvis Tribute Artist) who won the “Images of Elvis” competition in Memphis, plus Barbara Ireland, Billy Joe Huels of The Dusty 45s, and emcee extroardinaire, Evening Magazine’sJim Dever. There will also be live music from Kentucky Rain Band and The Graceland Five, plus special guestAndy Sodt from Lushy!. Judges include Sweet Pea,Barbara Ireland, Billy Joe Huels, and the Vern Fonk Guy, Robert Thelke, plus appearances by Elvis Author, Gillian Gaar, and Elvis costume designerK.D. Schill. …And there will be no shortage of surprises!
Top Pot Donuts has created a special treat “King Rings”, a delicious maple cream donut with caramelized bacon, which will be available that weekend at Top Pot Donuts.
Bakon Vodka has created a fabulous “Elvis Cocktail” for the event with some of The King’s favorite flavor combinations, including peanut butter, chocolate, banana and BACON!
Mama’s Mexican Kitchen will be featuring Robert Washington that weekend. Dine in the fabulous Elvis Room anytime to be surrounded by Elvis love!
And the Burning Hearts Burlesque girls will be grinding to the dulcet sounds of Elvis and selling fried Peanut Butter-and-Banana sandwiches (with and without bacon!)
The event is taking place Saturday, January 8th 2011 on what would be The King’s 76th Birthday! The event is held at Club Motor at 1950 1st Avenue South in the Sodo area of Seattle. Advance tickets (advised) are available at Brown Paper Tickets.
Here’s the current King 5 Evening Magazine report on this fun event…
Note: You can see all the videos I captured at last year’s great show posted on this SeattleTwist webpage .…just in case you needed some inspiration to show up for the fun this Saturday! Please join us for the party again this year! - jodavid
Amazing line-up of Northwest musicians from a variety if genres! They’ll give it their all, singing their favorite Elvis songs backed by the Roy Kay Combo and friends!!
$10 cover, Guests include:
Chris Ballew, Martin Feveyear, Leon Berman, Andrew McKeag, Billy Joe Huels, Casey MacGill, Knut Bell, Barbara Ireland, Marshall Scott Warner, Angelatini, Tony Laborie, James Sasser, Nick Streeter, Adam Bratman, Billy Dwayne, Kelly Van Camp & more!
Special burlesque performance by Miss Kitty Baby!!
Part of the proceeds benefit the DESC, who serves disabled and vulnerable homeless adults in Seattle –a VERY worthy cause!
Note: Below is a recap video of the 2010 Elvis Tribute show from Jan. 9, 2010 that I put together.
You can see all the videos I captured at this great show posted on this SeattleTwist webpage… http://seattletwist.com/elvis-tribute-show-2010-recap-videos/
…just in case you needed some inspiration to show up for the fun this Friday! - jodavid
If you wait for the weather to be warm and sunny in Seattle, you might miss a lot of fun stuff. So come on down today to the Fremont Fair, ignore the weather, and have a bite to eat, listen to some music and make sure to visit the Seattle art cars in the Burke parking lot.
You can even visit The King at the Elvis Mobile. Look for the Art Cars in the upper parking lot of the Burke Building on 35th.
Come to the Fremont Fair, see the Mighty Elvis Mobile and hear Gillian G. Gaar read from her latest book Return of the King: Elvis Presley’s Great Comeback.
Gillian will make an appearance on Saturday, June 19th at 2pm at the Fremont Fair in the upper parking lot of the Burke Building on N. 35th between Phinney and Evanston.
If you would like to see her in a more traditional environment, she will also be reading at the Elliott Bay Book Company, Sunday June 20th at 4pm.
Return Of The King tells the story of a tumultuous period in the life
of Elvis Presley. By 1967, The King Of Rock & Roll was all but washed-up, thanks to a string of bland movie roles and lackluster records. But within a year he had roused himself, loosened the creative shackles imposed by his grasping manager, “Colonel” Tom Parker, and reconnected with the rock audience through a riveting TV special. There followed a glorious but all too brief artistic flowering, in which he
made some of his most enduring records, including “Suspicious Minds” and “In The Ghetto.” This meticulously researched and elegantly written book, based on a string of new interviews with colleagues, friends, fans, and observers of The King, sheds new light on the events of Elvis’s great comeback.
Seattle’s legendary book store the Elliott Bay Book Company has now
relocated to the Capitol Hill neighborhood at 1521 10th Ave.
(www.elliottbaybook.com). The reading is set for June 20, at 4 pm, and
will be followed by a Q&A and book signing.
Gillian G. Gaar is the author of She’s A Rebel: The History Of Women In
Rock & Roll; Green Day: Rebels With A Cause; Nirvana: In Utero; and The
Rough Guide To Nirvana. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies
and publications. She lives in Seattle.
The Sixth Annual Elvis Tribute show at Conor Byrne on Jan. 9th, 2010 was a fun night of music and revelry showcasing a lineup of stellar musicians. Here’s a taste of the entertainment below, and click on the ALL VIDEOS link to see full videos of all performances. - jodavid
I’m sharing with you a slideshow of photos I’ve taken of Marlow with Elvis impersonators, or Tribute Artists, as they prefer to be called. It’s called, Elvis Is Everywhere!!! It speaks for itself.
hip shakin’ and gyratin’ King of Rock and Roll at the Seattle Invitationals??? Well, if yer looking for more, spend Saturday Jan 9 at Conor Byrne at the 6th annual Tribute to Elvis…
It’s that time once again when the name of The King is trumpeted from the highest mountain top in expectation of the return of the Elvis Invitationals, Seattle’s own Amateur Elvis Tribute Artist Contest!
This year we have the distinct pleasure of hosting the contest on the The King’s birthday on Friday, January 8th, 2010.
The show will be at Club Motor located in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood at 1950 1st Avenue South.
Tickets are available in advance at Brown Paper Tickets, and last year we sold out, so be sure to get yours now!
There is only one place in Seattle each year where you can see thirty different Elvis’s in full hip-gyrating, fried Chicken-eating and swooning action… You’ll probably even see his wife Priscilla, manager Colonel Tom Parker and even Red West, Elvis’s alleged best friend in the crowd or on stage… it’s all at the Elvis Invitationals !
Each Amateur Elvis in attendance will tackle one of his many personas: the innocent and magnetic country boy, the hip-swinging rockabilly superstar, Army Elvis, the Hollywood playboy, the devout gospel singer, or the diamond-studded, gold-sun glassed Vegas crooner. Each amateur impersonator will get one chance to show what he (or she) is made of – a single shot to perform a song, in costume, backed by the fabulous Kentucky Rain band!
A panel of celebrity judges and an audience clap-o-meter decide on who will be crowned The King of the Elvis Invitationals…
And you can be a part of it all! If you are an amateur Elvis, please contact Peter Verbrugge, 206-517-4826 at elvisinvitationals@gmail.com or Email Peter Verbrugge here.