Thursday Night War: March 10th - By N.L. Belardes
I arrived at last night’s Thursday Night War at around 7:30pm. The first band, Empty Handed was long gone. None to worry, I hope to catch up to them soon and see what they’re all about. In the meantime there was still a lot of great music to listen to, and musicians to talk to about the local Bakersfield music scene. The security force was out in their yellow T-shirts, and I felt that the kids all attending would be safe and well looked after. Marky Pope, head thug was in a jovial mood and kind as always, while alert to the need for a safe show. Upon arriving I saw Guppy from the Filthies with his kid, Ian. Ian is a cool kid, well mannered, and as friendly and outgoing as his drummer pop. Anyway, he’s got the punk look down; he also doesn't know it, but I place him in a group I call ‘Next Generation Punks’. If you haven’t noticed, every week when I write on the Battle of the Bands I make sure to show a picture of these next generation punk kids, because it’s not all about the old timers. We need to respect the kids and realize they are each band’s potential outlet to a huge population of rebellious music lovers at high schools and junior highs, and are not so different from our own rebellious selves of yesteryear. Cool hair, Ian! We all look forward to seeing you tearing up a band one of these days…
Speaking of the Filthies, in between line-ups Kenny Filthy was in the house stringing the potty jokes as only he can do. He was sure having fun telling ‘secrets’ of black-suits, egg whites, and mysterious GoGurt moments to some of the Next Generation Punks. Tell a secret to a next generation punk and they’re all ears I’m telling you. And more… Kenny’s tongue twister, “A bit of tad of peanut butter bummer beer” ( I can never remember-go to the audio post) rock stories had a full crowd surrounding his antics. Still recovering from Enrique’s maraca-driven prose on the Filthies Cherry Bar blast to the masses, Kenny was in full rock star form. Who else but Mr. Motormount would drive up to the Thursday Night War in a bad ass limo? This is Bakersfield music at its rock star best and I haven’t even described any of the music yet. Send a filthy donation...
reverend kenny seeking your donation
need filthy shirt donation - gus? reverend?
If you haven’t heard about Ridicule, then you haven’t been attending shows in downtown Bakersfield. Frontman Jason is mellow, incredible, a teddy bear and gruff soldier among downtown musicians. For one, he blasts the idea of the stereotype. And that’s because he’s one of the meanest looking dudes you will ever see, coupled with being one of the nicest of folks you may ever run across. He always takes the time to carefully discuss punk music and band support for others in the music scene. Hell I was in a conversation with Leslie Reyes, THE PERSON who started the whole Sunday night ‘no cover charge’ music scene at Rileys, and she said, “This kind of camaraderie between bands hasn’t been seen in Bakersfield in maybe ten years.” How’s that for backing Jason’s strength in character as a firm supporter of camaraderie and fairness? Oh man, more on Leslie: She’s part of what I’m going to term right now ‘the Oleander Street Collective’, a group of artists all located and creating in close proximity in central Bakersfield along with the Empty Space Theatre. More on that in another article…
Jason and the rest of his Ridicule bandmates are some of the most supportive and competitive guys I have ever met. A competitive spirit is necessary in the music business, but then so is a congenial one. And that’s all I’ve seen in the music scene so far at least among bands. We all know there are some dicks in the local music scene; and sometimes we all have to be dicks to get our points across, but as for the bands, the camaraderie is there, and Ridicule fronts the wave of support that I have seen. Although I caught wind of politics and some drama regarding last night, stop and take a look at the need for camaraderie. I really look at Thursday Night Wars as social gatherings and not battles at all. In the end, every band wins out and must continue to forge ahead on their own to reap success, which includes hard work in these areas: great music; marketing strategies; organized and standard press kits; networking and establishing credibility in reviews, interviews, gigs and such.
This was my first time hearing Ridicule play. Right off, they’re only a little more hardcore punk than the rock-punk band, the Filthies. They’re driving riffs and fast off-tempo beats are still just as rocking and catchy. While the Filthies are fast and furious with pop-oriented punk-style songs, Ridicule’s dramatic guitar solos are what takes their punk into the pop realm, which is good, because that means it appeals to a wide audience too. “A New Past Time” is one song that is both catchy, hardcore-punk pop, with tempo changes moving between fast and slow that diagram lyrically and musically man’s move to rebel against the powers that be.
Ridicule’s straight-forward harder sounding punk has a stylish funk-pop influence attributed to bass player Chris with a sound that compliments both guitar players punk hardcore riffs. Their lyrics are rebellious and harmonious—and are true punk songs that have sure appeal to young next generation punks, and the young-at-heart fans like myself. With lines like “Make it on MTV and I’ll be fine…” how can a band’s hard-working dreams be wrong? Their show was great with a fun punk hoedown song thrown into the mix that after I talked with some of the younger crowd was the absolute funnest song of the night; and as Ridicule showed, that while in the midst of sweaty competition, and while toiling in some unnecessary but unavoidable after-show politics, they can still have a good time.
As you know, Karmahitlist had to bow out. In their place was hard-rocking three-piece band, Mordor who played songs off their metal cd Shock Therapy. A self-proclaimed band that mixes favorite mainstream metal sounds such as Pantera, Ozzy, and Metallica, these guys showed their musical talents to a raucous crowd who definitely had a taste for metal. Taking pictures in front of the stage I met one of their fans who tossed me a demo. Shock Therapy is thoroughly hard rocking all the way through. It’s hard to believe these guys can milk such a sound from only being a three-piece outfit. I guess there could be a milli-vanilli at this level, but I doubt it, I’m just going to have to believe the guys of Mordor are a really tight group with great rhythm, lyrics, guitar work and drums that are right on. I think the chicks dug their frontman Ray Rouse III, who probably would have made Enrique growl a few times. Unfortunately I got caught in a conversation so didn’t round up Mordor for one of my signature group snapshots. But don’t let that turn you off from a powerful band who has the metal sound strangled by the throat. Now if we can just get them to package that for the rest of the recording industry to see. Get it out there guys…
The final band of the evening, Throatshot was not competing; they just played like they were in the throes of a knock-down ultimate fight of the ages. These guys are intense, and they mean business. I met them all after the show and explained a little of myself. You know, the usual: “I’m this psycho writer dude stalking bands and trying to get in as a number one groupie. Really I’m doing this in every band Bakersfield has to offer: Metal, Punk, Country, Dream Pop, Screamo, Post Apocalypse, Latin Samba, and Celtic Saga … do you guys mind?” All kidding aside, Throatshot is a group of talented musicians who play a unique style of Industrial hardcore that rivals the sounds of Korn’s angry and hynotic funk-industrial metal sounds. Now, with that said I would never say they sound like anybody, because on their website they are very clear that Throatshot sounds like Throatshot, and no one else. I like that kind of confident edge. (And I don’t want to get my ass kicked if I were to even joke and say they DO sound like Britney Spears...just kidding guys)
I found myself deep into their song Parafamilia. Reminds me of my own strange Bakersfield family of freaks, but with a sardonic edge that only these guys can pull off. It’s a dark brooding song with echoing music samples woven in amongst an industrial guitar-bass mesh. There’s a big sound to this band that drives from slow to a droning industrial growl; vocals carry such songs through dark whispers transformed instantly to angry yelling of lines like “I’m never going to go back home!” Other songs I noticed had tempo changes and bridges criss-crossing with melodic layers fueled by both guitars and keyboards.
I love the line from Throatshot’s myspace website, “Deep out of the streets of Buck Owens, California, where there are gods among insects…” More interesting is their website that has a dark art appeal to it and a link to Melodrose whose frontman Shane taunted the band during the show just to get everyone fired up.
shane from melodrose talks smack to throatshot, but it's all love
The evening ended with Kenny Filthy, that motormount punk legend propped against his limo, deep in another conversation. Around him the night was a dark growl of cars zooming through the parking lot. Another Thursday Night War had unfolded and come to an end, more memories etched in the Bakersfield scene and in the minds of those bratty next generation punks. Who knows, in the end, those punk kids just may find a way to rebel more than their parent ever did. But then, we didn’t have PlayStation holding us down… see you next week on St. Patrick’s Day, when the Filthies will be headlining…
Speaking of the Filthies, in between line-ups Kenny Filthy was in the house stringing the potty jokes as only he can do. He was sure having fun telling ‘secrets’ of black-suits, egg whites, and mysterious GoGurt moments to some of the Next Generation Punks. Tell a secret to a next generation punk and they’re all ears I’m telling you. And more… Kenny’s tongue twister, “A bit of tad of peanut butter bummer beer” ( I can never remember-go to the audio post) rock stories had a full crowd surrounding his antics. Still recovering from Enrique’s maraca-driven prose on the Filthies Cherry Bar blast to the masses, Kenny was in full rock star form. Who else but Mr. Motormount would drive up to the Thursday Night War in a bad ass limo? This is Bakersfield music at its rock star best and I haven’t even described any of the music yet. Send a filthy donation...
reverend kenny seeking your donation
need filthy shirt donation - gus? reverend?
If you haven’t heard about Ridicule, then you haven’t been attending shows in downtown Bakersfield. Frontman Jason is mellow, incredible, a teddy bear and gruff soldier among downtown musicians. For one, he blasts the idea of the stereotype. And that’s because he’s one of the meanest looking dudes you will ever see, coupled with being one of the nicest of folks you may ever run across. He always takes the time to carefully discuss punk music and band support for others in the music scene. Hell I was in a conversation with Leslie Reyes, THE PERSON who started the whole Sunday night ‘no cover charge’ music scene at Rileys, and she said, “This kind of camaraderie between bands hasn’t been seen in Bakersfield in maybe ten years.” How’s that for backing Jason’s strength in character as a firm supporter of camaraderie and fairness? Oh man, more on Leslie: She’s part of what I’m going to term right now ‘the Oleander Street Collective’, a group of artists all located and creating in close proximity in central Bakersfield along with the Empty Space Theatre. More on that in another article…
Jason and the rest of his Ridicule bandmates are some of the most supportive and competitive guys I have ever met. A competitive spirit is necessary in the music business, but then so is a congenial one. And that’s all I’ve seen in the music scene so far at least among bands. We all know there are some dicks in the local music scene; and sometimes we all have to be dicks to get our points across, but as for the bands, the camaraderie is there, and Ridicule fronts the wave of support that I have seen. Although I caught wind of politics and some drama regarding last night, stop and take a look at the need for camaraderie. I really look at Thursday Night Wars as social gatherings and not battles at all. In the end, every band wins out and must continue to forge ahead on their own to reap success, which includes hard work in these areas: great music; marketing strategies; organized and standard press kits; networking and establishing credibility in reviews, interviews, gigs and such.
This was my first time hearing Ridicule play. Right off, they’re only a little more hardcore punk than the rock-punk band, the Filthies. They’re driving riffs and fast off-tempo beats are still just as rocking and catchy. While the Filthies are fast and furious with pop-oriented punk-style songs, Ridicule’s dramatic guitar solos are what takes their punk into the pop realm, which is good, because that means it appeals to a wide audience too. “A New Past Time” is one song that is both catchy, hardcore-punk pop, with tempo changes moving between fast and slow that diagram lyrically and musically man’s move to rebel against the powers that be.
Ridicule’s straight-forward harder sounding punk has a stylish funk-pop influence attributed to bass player Chris with a sound that compliments both guitar players punk hardcore riffs. Their lyrics are rebellious and harmonious—and are true punk songs that have sure appeal to young next generation punks, and the young-at-heart fans like myself. With lines like “Make it on MTV and I’ll be fine…” how can a band’s hard-working dreams be wrong? Their show was great with a fun punk hoedown song thrown into the mix that after I talked with some of the younger crowd was the absolute funnest song of the night; and as Ridicule showed, that while in the midst of sweaty competition, and while toiling in some unnecessary but unavoidable after-show politics, they can still have a good time.
As you know, Karmahitlist had to bow out. In their place was hard-rocking three-piece band, Mordor who played songs off their metal cd Shock Therapy. A self-proclaimed band that mixes favorite mainstream metal sounds such as Pantera, Ozzy, and Metallica, these guys showed their musical talents to a raucous crowd who definitely had a taste for metal. Taking pictures in front of the stage I met one of their fans who tossed me a demo. Shock Therapy is thoroughly hard rocking all the way through. It’s hard to believe these guys can milk such a sound from only being a three-piece outfit. I guess there could be a milli-vanilli at this level, but I doubt it, I’m just going to have to believe the guys of Mordor are a really tight group with great rhythm, lyrics, guitar work and drums that are right on. I think the chicks dug their frontman Ray Rouse III, who probably would have made Enrique growl a few times. Unfortunately I got caught in a conversation so didn’t round up Mordor for one of my signature group snapshots. But don’t let that turn you off from a powerful band who has the metal sound strangled by the throat. Now if we can just get them to package that for the rest of the recording industry to see. Get it out there guys…
The final band of the evening, Throatshot was not competing; they just played like they were in the throes of a knock-down ultimate fight of the ages. These guys are intense, and they mean business. I met them all after the show and explained a little of myself. You know, the usual: “I’m this psycho writer dude stalking bands and trying to get in as a number one groupie. Really I’m doing this in every band Bakersfield has to offer: Metal, Punk, Country, Dream Pop, Screamo, Post Apocalypse, Latin Samba, and Celtic Saga … do you guys mind?” All kidding aside, Throatshot is a group of talented musicians who play a unique style of Industrial hardcore that rivals the sounds of Korn’s angry and hynotic funk-industrial metal sounds. Now, with that said I would never say they sound like anybody, because on their website they are very clear that Throatshot sounds like Throatshot, and no one else. I like that kind of confident edge. (And I don’t want to get my ass kicked if I were to even joke and say they DO sound like Britney Spears...just kidding guys)
I found myself deep into their song Parafamilia. Reminds me of my own strange Bakersfield family of freaks, but with a sardonic edge that only these guys can pull off. It’s a dark brooding song with echoing music samples woven in amongst an industrial guitar-bass mesh. There’s a big sound to this band that drives from slow to a droning industrial growl; vocals carry such songs through dark whispers transformed instantly to angry yelling of lines like “I’m never going to go back home!” Other songs I noticed had tempo changes and bridges criss-crossing with melodic layers fueled by both guitars and keyboards.
I love the line from Throatshot’s myspace website, “Deep out of the streets of Buck Owens, California, where there are gods among insects…” More interesting is their website that has a dark art appeal to it and a link to Melodrose whose frontman Shane taunted the band during the show just to get everyone fired up.
shane from melodrose talks smack to throatshot, but it's all love
The evening ended with Kenny Filthy, that motormount punk legend propped against his limo, deep in another conversation. Around him the night was a dark growl of cars zooming through the parking lot. Another Thursday Night War had unfolded and come to an end, more memories etched in the Bakersfield scene and in the minds of those bratty next generation punks. Who knows, in the end, those punk kids just may find a way to rebel more than their parent ever did. But then, we didn’t have PlayStation holding us down… see you next week on St. Patrick’s Day, when the Filthies will be headlining…
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Friday, March 11, 2005.
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