The Palm Springs Music and Scooter Weekender. Photo courtesy of Soulside Productions.
Sun is shining, the weather is sweet, so stop your running around and head to Palm Springs for the Second Annual Palm Springs Music and Scooter Weekender this Friday, February 14, through Sunday, February 16, 2025.
The event will bring together elements of the British-based 1060’s Mod and “rude boy” subculture, featuring three days of curated music brought by over a dozen DJ’s from all over the country, and overseas, and spinning original 45 RPM records of rare R&B, soul, mod, ska, and vintage reggae, a scooter rally, and a Sunday afternoon pool party at the mid-century Tiki-themed hotel, the Caliente Tropics, in Palm Springs.
Music Executive, Marv Mack, of Soulside Productions, collects ’60s soul and Jamaican soul that’s very rare. He has been DJ’g and promoting rare music events that feature northern soul, rare motown soul, ska, vintage reggae, stax, and early ’60s skinhead reggae enthusiasts for over 20 years in the Long Beach and Los Angeles areas, and in Las Vegas.
Caliente Tropics, Palm Springs, California. Photo by Monique A LeBleu.
Known for club events in Long Beach such Club Soulside, Trojan Lounge, Ska Wave, Soul Invasion Weekender, and more, Mack brought an expanded version of these clubs–paired up with a classic Scooter Ride–to Palm Springs for Modernism Week last year, and has expanded this year’s event as a weekend of three full days and a new pool party.
“I really wanted to this year have something where people could chill out, listen to music by the pool, and maybe dance a little bit if they wanted to,” said Mack. “So that’s why I picked this awesome hotel.”
Complete with swaying palm trees, a classic A-framed entrance, and Polynesian motifs throughout, the eye-catching host hotel, Caliente Tropics, brings a step back in time and overseas holiday-away flavor. A convenient, tasty attachment to the hotel is The Reef and Sancho’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina–both being refreshingly accessible from the hotel’s poolside and lounging space.
Also fitting to the event–a large, single-room space with a wall-to-wall, unhindered picture window street view–the Impala Bar and Grill also sports a massive video screen wall that can’t be missed from the street.
“I wanted to make it a great community where if people are going to Modernism Week, they have a place–a home to dance and celebrate and have fun later on that night–that’s really related to the subculture and to tie in people that are enthusiasts into anything ’60s or ’50s,” said Mack.
Marv Mack. Photo courtesy of Soulside Productions.
The Scooter Ride sponsored by the Lambretta Club USA & Vespa Club of America, meets Saturday at 11:00 AM at Palm Springs Motorsports, where participants and their scooters will begin their 100 mile ride throughtout Palm Springs.
Each evening, and at the Sunday pool party, curated music selectors spinning at the event spaces will be DJs Joe Barthlow of Eugene, Oregon, Greg Tormo of Palm Springs, Otto von Stroheim of Tiki Oasis (San Diego/Arizona), Lee Joseph of Palm Springs, Bob Deck of Palm Springs, Mila Ruiz of California, Virginia Ann of California, Sarah Jane of the UK, David Bywell of California & UK, DJ Ladybug of California, Michael Chrietzberg of Seattle, Michael Burns of California, Rachelle Piper of the UK, and Mack.
“My mission is to bring music and culture together and stuff that I’m passionate about–and that other people are passionate about–and at the same time put them in the same room for three days, dancing, sweating, having fun to the music that they love.” — Marv Mack.
WEEKENDER DETAILS
- Friday through Sunday, February 14-16, 2025, DJ event at the Impala Bar — 8 PM (each night)
- Saturday, February 15, 2025, Scooter Ride — 11 AM starting at Palm Springs Motorsports
- Sunday, February 16, 2025, Pool Party 1 PM – 5 PM at Caliente Tropics (please register at the host hotel to attend the party)
LOCATIONS:
Impala Bar & Grill: 333 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262
$10 Eventbrite (+fee) or $20 door, individual tickets for each night, and 3-day Weekender passes are available as well.
Full Bar/Full Menu
Caliente Tropics Motel: 411 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92264-2549
Rooms may still be available at Caliente Tropics– 760-327-1391. Discount room rates may have expired, but mention “SoulSide Productions” should any discounted rooms from $179 to $189 still be available.
Palm Springs Motorsports: 72750 Dinah Shore Drive, Unit 107, Palm Springs, CA 92211
Saturday, February 15th
Scooter Ride – 11 AM
Palm Springs Motorsports
Complimentary Breakfast
For tickets and additional information visit Soulside Productions.
The Second Annual Palm Springs Music and Scooter Weekender. Illustration courtesy of Soulside Productions.
