“Stray Cat Strut” starts with a hum, then a thrum, then a throb.
Lee Rocker, founding member of the iconic 1980s rockabilly band Stray Cats, launched onto the stage at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center with one of his most recognizable numbers. Immediately, the vibration from his double bass grabbed hold somewhere deep inside my soul.
My Apple watch buzzed with a warning. Caution, this is a loud environment.
Indeed, it was. But it was the kind of loud that you feel as well as hear. The kind that starts your toes a’tappin’ and your hips a’swayin’.
Rocker calls rockabilly “true American music,” dating back to the mid-1950s. Rocker and two of his high school friends got their start in the late 1970s, using his dad’s garage for practice.
They released their first album in 1981. The 1982 release of the compilation album “Built For Speed” spent 26 weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard charts, right behind a little ditty called “Thriller.”
AT Saturday’s performance, Rocker took time at various points to discuss the influences on his music, highlighted with video clips from across the years. Photos of the teenager with the jet-black poodle pompadour contrasted with shots of a modern-day Rocker, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the Stray Cats.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it felt natural for Rocker to tour the country with his wife in an Airstream trailer. He wrote several songs during that time, including an endearing tribute to his wife, “The Last Offline Lovers.”
He also performed a groovy throwback song written a few years ago for a Stray Cats reunion record, “When Nothing’s Going Right (Go Left),” as well as classics from his time as both a member of the Stray Cats and as a solo performer, along with a couple of covers. 
The Stray Cats’ inspiring rendition of Arlo Guthrie’s “The City of New Orleans” brought roars from the crowd as the familiar first few bars played. A video screen behind the band showcased black-and-white images of times gone by: traveling down the railroad tracks, checking in on those whose labor built America, visiting vehicle assembly lines and, as the screen slowly shifted into color, lifting into space on a rocket ship.
Rocker’s energetic performance and the talented crew that accompanied him — Buzz Campell with a glitter-pink guitar and banjo, Larry Mitchell on drums and Phil Parlapiano on piano, accordion and acoustic guitar — captivated the crowd.
At one point, Rocker lifted his double bass to his waist and swayed with the tender care of a lover. And yet, somehow at the end of the night he still had enough energy to lift the gigantic instrument above his head as if it were just another appendage. At various points he would spin it like a dancing partner or slap it ’til it’s dizzy.
The finale, of course, really rocked the joint. The screen filled with images of the band and Rocker over the years as they delighted the crowd with “Rock This Town,” a song designated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.”
The crowd jumped to its feet in approval and demanded an encore. Rocker and cohorts complied with “Rockabilly Boogie.”
The original Stray Cats run ended after just a few short years, but the band has reunited several times. They released a 40th anniversary record titled “40” in 2018 and will launch another tour this summer.
“THAT was amazing,” Jamie Han of McCune said after the show.
He and his brother, Jeffrey, traveled from McCune to Las Vegas in 2018 to see the Stray Cats reunion concert. Jamie’s vinyl collection includes original pressings of 1980s Stray Cats records.
When they heard a radio advertisement that Lee Rocker would be in Iola, just an hour’s drive away, they loaded up the family to see the show. The crew consisted of Jamie, Jeffrey, brother Jared and his wife Jennifer, mother Janice and Jamie’s girlfriend, Abby Churning of Parsons. They ate dinner at Sam & Louie’s before finding their seats at the Bowlus.
“I’m impressed at how much more intimate it was” compared to the show in Vegas, Jamie said.
“You get to be part of the music more. And they took a little bit of liberties with some of the songs. They got to stretch their legs a little more.”
It was the first time the Han family attended a show at the Bowlus.
“I’m still surprised they got a bigger name like Lee Rocker. The Stray Cats have a worldwide following.”
WHAT WILL it take to get you to see a show at the Bowlus?
It’s a serious question.
This is the first time the Register has reviewed a Bowlus show, though it’s something we do for high school and college plays. It’s a way to support local youth, education and the arts (and they’re fun to write).
Dan Kays, director of the Bowlus, asked us to review this show in hopes that if people know what they’re missing, maybe they won’t miss the next one.
Attendance for the Bowlus’ seasonal shows has remained low since the pandemic.
Saturday’s show sold just under 300 tickets, which was better than any of last year’s music series performances but less than half of the Bowlus’ capacity. Kays noted the show competed against a K-State/KU football game.
“Then with inflation and the economy and the holidays coming up, having a few extra dollars is not as easy as it was before COVID. But we’re still a great value,” Kays said, noting other area venues charge around $45 for a similar show. Tickets for Saturday’s show ranged between $17 and $27.
As the Han family proves, the center’s marketing efforts are effective at getting the word out and attracting fans from around the region. Others drove from Topeka and even as far away as Texas.
So what will it take for you to come to a show?
I get it.
Rocker’s show is only the third I’ve chosen to attend for my own personal entertainment (yes, I covered it for work but I was already going). I was 8 when “Stray Cat Strut” hit the charts; it was my first-ever favorite song and set the tone for the type of music I like, so I had to go ‘cause “I got cat class and I got cat style.” (My understanding of the lyrics hits a little different as an adult.)
The Han family drove an hour to see the show. I live within walking distance, and I usually choose to spend my evenings on my couch, binge-watching a true crime show on Netflix.
I invited several friends to see Rocker with me. Everyone declined. Some had to work. Some sought their weekend entertainment in Kansas City. Some went to see area musicians perform where they could eat, drink and dance.
Jamie Han gushed about how much he enjoyed the show and the venue. Then he said, “I’m disappointed it wasn’t full.”
Me too. Funny how it doesn’t bother you until you see it.
What happens if we don’t make the effort? What kind of message does that send to visitors like the Han family? What does it say to world-class performers like Lee Rocker?
I know what you’re probably thinking: “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
I PLAN to attend next week’s rescheduled Speaker Series show with author Erik Larson on Nov. 28. I’ve read some of his books and they are riveting.
Then on Dec. 16, don’t miss rising star Michelle Foster with her six-piece band in “What Christmas Means to Me.”
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