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With their feet firmly planted in the raucous N’awleans party band sound, The Radiators have spent almost thirty years taking their unique style of music to a whole new level and a whole new generation. Defying description as a jam band or a cover band, an oldies band or a blues band, they are a class unto themselves. And so are their fans.
With a fanbase originally deriving from Tulane University in New Orleans and the usual suspects native to NOLA, the band has its own promotional machine. When a group of fans hasn’t heard the band in a while, they promote their owns shows. Ever since the lead was taken by an anonymous Mardi Gras Krewe in New Orleans, groups have sprung up nationwide, hosting and promoting private shows and calling themselves Krewes. In Minneapolis, it’s DADS, in San Francisco, it’s the Fearless Krewe, in Chicago it’s Kilgore, in Colorado it’s High Altitude, and in Florida, it’s Monkey Krewe.
And now Monkey Krewe is getting ready to host their fourth annual run of Radiator’s shows, January 16 and 17, 2004. Borrowing from decades of Mardi Gras Krewe history and tradition—from coronation ceremonies to Krewe throws—Monkey Krewe goes overboard on planning and preparation. They have a website (www.monkeykrewe.com), t-shirts, email lists, permanent members from across the country and an annual theme that gets more over the top every year. Everything a professional promoter would spend serious money on the Monkey Krewe does on a volunteer basis. Krewe members design the art, decorate the venue, man the band’s green room, build the web pages, sell and promote the tickets, all for no profit. Every penny goes into the event.
This year’s Monkey Ball Weekend is based on Singer Island, where the Krewe has sold out an entire hotel and blocks of rooms in two adjacent hotels. The Canopy Palms Resort has worked with the Krewe to present local bands during the day. Medicine Hat and Crazy Fingers will both appear at the hotel’s pool. Local promoter Mystical Mermaids (www.mysticalmermaids.com) has retained the services of Radiator’s keyboardist Ed “Zeke” Volker for a private show on Thursday night of the weekend chock-full of music. The Radiator’s shows--Friday night's Monkey Krewe Review and Saturday night's Monkeyball--will be held at the Kelsey Club, which will be closed for the weekend for the private party.
This year, the Krewe has upped the ante by adding Mike Skinkus, a well-known percussionist from New Orleans, for all three nights. The success of previous years’ Monkey Balls has forced local promoters to recognize the Radiators, and their bookings in Florida have since grown over 300%. Truly, the Rads and their fans are an incredible example of grass roots determination.
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