Elvis’ annual birthday bash is fit for a king

Elvis was everywhere in 2002, enjoying a miraculous return to the top of the charts with an album of ancient hits, a full quarter-century after his death in 1977. That didn’t translate into an overflow crowd at the annual Elvis Birthday Bash at the House of Blues on Wednesday. These musicians and fans would have been there anyway.

Rockabilly die-hard Levi Dexter arrived with pristine pompadour and swinging hips, playing “Let’s Have a Party” and “A Little Less Conversation” (minus the techno beats of last year’s hit remix of the song), with Bill Bateman of the Blasters behind him on drums.

Co-hosted by organizer Art Fein and comic actor Fred Willard, the show presented dozens of local players deeply influenced by the example of Elvis, each limited to one or two songs of diverse styles and interpretations. Music historian Ian Whitcomb strummed a ukulele and sang “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” in the style of a ‘20s balladeer, and veteran singer Marcy Levy belted a torrid “One Night.” As couples spun on the dance floor, Billy Vera rocked through “Heartbreak Hotel,” turning his hipster rasp into a deep, Elvis-like rumble.

He also recalled the moment he first heard about Presley’s death: Vera was playing a session at RCA Studios in New York, and he suddenly heard nothing but Presley songs coming from various mastering stations at the label. “They were already getting ready to sell a lot of Elvis records,” Vera said, as the house band laughed and nodded knowingly.

Billy Tulsa & the Psycho Crawdads arrived with cowboy hats and hard, twangy rock, while Barry Holdship played things mostly straight, even adopting a slight sneer as he sang. There was also the occasional original song, such as the Rowdy Rednecks’ “Don’t Talk Bad About the King.”