Artists save downtown! A first hand account of the Wing Wahs fire - by N.L. Belardes
Well I guess I did leave downtown just in time, because after I prosed it up with my fingers on the keyboard at home there was some freaky happenings down at Rileys that stopped all the music. I thought at that time the only problem in Bakersfield was my USB port not allowing me to download pics. I found out in a first hand email note from Leslie Reyes, followed by reading JR's account to discover what went down with a fire at Wing Wahs, and a potentially deadly situation saved by the good artists of the downtown scene:
A note from Leslie titled, "Crazy Fires and Shit!"
Hey Nick,
So after you left Riley's, the second band, The Binges, were playing. People dancing and all that stuff. Our friend Chris, runs inside and tells of this fire, the building next to us is smoking out the roof. Immediatley we call the fire department. Within minutes they are there. We had to stop the band, and tell everyone to clear the building. Luckily eveyone was able to get out safely. All the bands, including us were able to get our gear outside, and unburned. So that's always a plus. It probably sounds bigger than it was already, but by tomorrow everyone will have been there talking about how crazy it was and how the brothers, sisters, cousins, baby niece said...but needless to say all is okay for some. I doubt Wing Wahs is going to be open for awhile, and hopefully all the bands,(that practice above there) gear is okay. But other than that at least no one was hurt that I know of. They are investigating what started the fire, maybe it was a fryer @ Wing Was, who knows. As far as I could tell Rileys was okay. So needless to say, it surely got crazy after you left. The only thing I wish I'd really hear, but probaly won't, is that, thank goodness for the nightlife downtown on a Sunday. Which consist of Riley's Tavern and The Alley Cat. If our businesses had been closed, who would have been downtown to call the fire dept.? Wow, supporting your local and out of town music scene is truely starting to be saving Bakersfield...
A note from Leslie titled, "Crazy Fires and Shit!"
Hey Nick,
So after you left Riley's, the second band, The Binges, were playing. People dancing and all that stuff. Our friend Chris, runs inside and tells of this fire, the building next to us is smoking out the roof. Immediatley we call the fire department. Within minutes they are there. We had to stop the band, and tell everyone to clear the building. Luckily eveyone was able to get out safely. All the bands, including us were able to get our gear outside, and unburned. So that's always a plus. It probably sounds bigger than it was already, but by tomorrow everyone will have been there talking about how crazy it was and how the brothers, sisters, cousins, baby niece said...but needless to say all is okay for some. I doubt Wing Wahs is going to be open for awhile, and hopefully all the bands,(that practice above there) gear is okay. But other than that at least no one was hurt that I know of. They are investigating what started the fire, maybe it was a fryer @ Wing Was, who knows. As far as I could tell Rileys was okay. So needless to say, it surely got crazy after you left. The only thing I wish I'd really hear, but probaly won't, is that, thank goodness for the nightlife downtown on a Sunday. Which consist of Riley's Tavern and The Alley Cat. If our businesses had been closed, who would have been downtown to call the fire dept.? Wow, supporting your local and out of town music scene is truely starting to be saving Bakersfield...
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Monday, March 28, 2005.
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