Paradise Road Show
I had no previous intentions of going to the second Paradise Road Show – to be honest, I had only a passing awareness of the first one. I was just riding back from seeing LA’s legendary Flesheaters at Pappy’s, and had time to kill in Palm Springs before heading back to Washington. While eating breakfast I scoured social media for something to do in my final hours in the area before stumbling on the fact that Paradise Road Show was occurring that day at Palm Springs’ Ace Hotel and Swim Club.
The show, founded by Lana MacNaughton, Adri Law, and Chase Stopnik in 2016, aims to reinvent the modern day classic American car and motorcycle show for a new generation. Whether they have met their goal as of yet is up to great debate I am certain.
Anyone with a passing familiarity of Ace Hotel and Swim Club knows that it has been at the center of the hipsterification of Palm Springs over the past decade. The former Howard Johnson motor-motel is near perfect for an event of this nature with the long rows of rooms lining a central pool and cabana.
There is an air of exclusivity to Paradise Road Show; it is a reflection of the LA and Inland Empire youth culture’s view of motorcycle and cruise culture. Many of the amazing bikes are well known from coverage in magazines like Dice and Show Class, as well as on Instagram and the growing number of the new crop of bike films that feel at times like skate promos.
Paradise Road Show is small, and because of its size, it is great for strolling through while crunched for time – or investing in both days to make lasting relationships with its relatively few participants compared to larger events. There is a uniqueness and focus that can only be achieved by limiting the scope and size of an event of this nature; and in that regard Paradise Road Show is unique unto itself.
Lined row by row with a who’s who of show bikes, mostly chopped Harleys and a few Triumphs, there was little representation from the off-road world. While this event was geared toward street culture, the area is steeped in off-road history from hill climbs, to trials, and endurance races.
Nestled in the center, in the cabana, was a number of vintage resellers, used motorcycle gear, DJs, bands, records, and even Reb Kennedy’s Wild Records set up shop. As is the case of many events that offer a modern take of a classic idea, there is a spectrum of expression to take in. Think of it on one end of the spectrum being the Coachellafication of motorcycle culture, on the other end it is a celebration of the culture through the lens of a new generation of enthusiasts. The power in an event of this nature is the middle ground, a celebration of the past; while acknowledging the current desires of the cultures younger adherents.
The highlight of the show was held just off the beaten path, tucked away in the road between the Ace and the Motel 6, where more of the local old-timers had their cars. Sharing stories of busting down dirt roads in the hills and growing up in the high desert, beat the many photo-op bikes inside the Swim Clubs grounds. For many of the old-timers, whether they came from Desert Hot Springs, Joshua Tree, or even Victorville, it was a relaxing afternoon swapping lies and telling tall tales.
The show was decidedly family and pet friendly, and the number of families, children, and dogs strolling through the lines of bikes and cars gave the event a cool, causal, feel that is missing in a lot of the bigger-more-hyped shows. While Paradise Road Show went a long way in creating its own vibe; it didn’t feel so much as a reinvention, but a modern celebration of the classic American motorcycle and car show.
