One time a while back he had a free show in a mall parking lot before the whole thing got re-developed. It only seems like he uses the heavies guage strings and a 2ml pick the way he hammers his Strat. He's always a good showman, very humble and greatful and w/ his son you can tell he's really setting a good example for him while pushing hum a bit to continue his efforts in music. He really has/had a great history w/ Leo and helped build Fender amps into the rock solid amps they became. I'm sure you know the history but it's good reading for others that may not. Here's something I copied from Markely that's not too long. He just had an operation and hospital stay last month (cancer related?) and was supposed to continue his tour in Japan.

He's eager to continue when he recovers.
"Dick Dale, known as the “King of Surf Guitar” since the early Sixties, has experienced a huge resurgence in popularity since his aggressive guitar playing was featured in the hit film “Pulp Fiction”. Now playing concerts for thousands of fans around the world, Dick claims that Dean Markley Blue Steel Electric strings are the only strings capable of standing up to his shredding style of playing.
He is the godfather, creator, master, and god of surf and power rock and roll. And if it wasn’t for Dick Dale, Leo Fender may never have such a good amp. Dick Dale invented surf music in the 50’s, just in time for Leo Fender to bestow upon him his latest creation: the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar and Fender Amp. Dick had such an obsession with playing so loud that he went through 49 of these Fender Amps before Leo created something better.
When asked why he played so loud he said, “I want to create the sound of Gene Krupa the famous jazz drummer that created the sounds of the native dancers in the jungles along with the roar of mother nature’s creature’s and the roar of the ocean.”
Equipped with his upside-down, backwards Fender Strat, he continued to break rules, ear drums, and every amp Leo gave him. This lead to Leo creating a bigger, more powerful amp and this was what Dick used to rock the music world. Dick Dale has done it all, and he has a Life Time Achievement Award to prove it."