Thursday Night War: A Writer Lost in the Crowd - by N.L. Belardes
After last Thursday night, the Battle of the Bands will be transitioning to the next round of the play-offs; all positioning for a shot at playing Freakfest to thousands of freaky concert-goers in a California-style Woodstock. “There’s nothing else like it in the country,” said Chris Fleming of CK Entertainment as I talked to him last night between band battles.
“Not even Coachella?” I said.
“No. They don’t have all the cool things Freakfest has going on…”
The local music scene is revving up, Freakfest is just around the corner, and local bands, well some are heavy into the competition while others just have fun playing to a crowd, even if it is only for a few songs. For a moment I thought Give Impulse was going to give into their fiery competitive spirit. Their drummer—his name is Wig—dark, spiked hair and looks like he can ratatat his sticks off your forehead just because he feels like it, seemed about to mosh the entire crowd, the security guards, the KRAB radio van, and so on. “What? That’s it? We don’t get to play any more songs? I’m never playing here again!” he yelled. But then suddenly Give Impulse was allowed one more song and it was all smiles. Hey, when I’m playing hockey and the game is close and my line isn’t out smashing heads, then I get edgy too. You gotta love rock and roll passion.
An angry Wig before getting happy again
Give Impulse, now these guys are into their music, their loud pump-up-the-crowd alternative metal tunes, and their style. They have the look, the attitude, and even told me where they would take a band snapshot. That was a first. Ha! I thought I was the photographer! Maybe I should have told them what songs to play… I’m gonna see if these guys will do a metal cover called Oompa Loompa (you know the song). But I’m kidding. You gotta love these guys. I just played the dumb photographer dude, snapped pics, and wish these guys the best. I’ll be seeing them around and cheering them to take their sound and their devoted following to the next level.
I was just reading that Give Impulse has a new bassist. Is this true? Is there a story I don’t know about? Or is the story their music itself, dark, screaming, and played to a swathing crowd of young punks out in the starry Bakersfield night; everyone moshing and bobbing, hands raised and into the moment’s impulse…
Ex-Videodrone/Cradle of Thorns Frontman for Arrival of Fawn wheeled out equipment after their show and said, “This music scene needs to change.” Maybe he’s being a visionary. I’ve only been around the music scene again for a few months. These musicians have been playing for years.
Either way, I couldn’t agree more, there does need to be a change. And that’s because I hear all the stories on the street. The music scene isn’t so complicated that you can’t figure out some of the intricacies. You quickly realize that Indie bands need a voice in the media, need great venues to play, and bodies to rally around them. I didn’t say much as he passed by other than, “Maybe you should read my article on Jerry’s.” That was my way of letting him know I agreed. You all know the first one I wrote on The Rock and Roll Farm, followed up by the Gigantic Gets Intimidated and The Boycott pieces.
Although I couldn’t stick around to take a signature N.L. Belardes band snapshot of Arrival of Fawn, I understand that some bands are too busy, or don’t understand what I’m all about—that I do want to help promote local bands, that I am just an artist who needs support too, who believes he can help lift up a scene that according to most bands I talk to, needs lifting up.
It’s just community work. Not that the local music scene is a soup kitchen, but we should all volunteer somewhere, for something, and help fight some battle. Don’t get me wrong, I got the positive feeling that Arrival of Fawn is looking for the Bakersfield music scene to explode. And it will. I just think there’s a certain amount of frustration that comes with the whole idea of a Battle of the Bands. Even though the idea is positive: to win a trip to Freakfest to play to thousands.
And don’t forget bands need to be supported while competing, and that means crossover fans. What am I getting at? For the first time at one of the battles I heard negative fan comments. I know it goes on. I just don’t usually hear it so openly. Though all bands have been kind to me, and I’ve shown support for every band out there (even bands who don’t respond to me for writing them up) fans need to show decency enough to have mutual respect for all participants. These bands aren’t being gauged by a clap-o-meter, so it’s Ok to cheer for other bands. It’s Ok to show such respect. It wouldn’t hurt the scene by building camaraderie. Winning bands are decided upon by fans placing tickets in ballot boxes, not by which fans can snub which band. You should all know by now that I’m a fighter, I speak out for what’s fair, without compromising the music scene and its integrity…
The simple theory, mostly proven is that bands want to play their music. They want an equal share out among the sea of Bakersfield bands: equal play time, equal opportunities, equal beer flow, equal reception in a benevolent music scene spirit...
Another Year played before Give Impulse. As Marky Pope said, “These guys have great change-ups.” For beginning rockers, give them credit. Half their band are new at what they’re doing, and they still pulled off a great beach band vibe: Sublime, funky, a bit ska, a bit slow-rhythm-fun-in-the-sun sounds—not what Bakersfield battles are used to. I give these guys credit for performing when the crowd obviously didn’t lean their way. This isn’t a band that shoots loud screaming music at you like sheer guitar bass drum ripping terror—a musical metal and industrial sound that many high-adrenaline kids are into these days. Another Year had some very enjoyable tunes that some of the crowd knew all of the words to. They have their audience and will find them. Every serious band finds their audience; that’s the dynamics of musical styles and genres isn’t it?
In the dark East side, near the roaming creeps, along barrio punk streets and an old Kentucky Street theatre there lies a hidden studio. Inside, four punks jam to thoughts of rock stardom in a city that has them perform on a guest night in Battle of the Bands. Just as much as they hide out in the siren-filled East side streets, these young punks are driven to come out, so reach into their souls and fire up their music, even if just for a few songs. Tight, clean, straight up fast-paced rock, Seven to the Right may not be Bakersfield’s sound (Metal, industrial, hardcore, punk), but they are a rocking hip band who plays extremely well together, and, as far as I can tell, has a following. They’ve been playing around town for a few years, and have lots of hits on their myspace site. They’ve been networking somewhere that’s for sure; but has it been here in the screaming Bakersfield city of rock metal and punk roots? Maybe. Seven to the Right has a slight modern day mainstream punk edge that carries their rock sounds. If that’s not enough, here’s a group of some of the friendliest down-to-earth musicians I have ever met (although it’s tough to say anyone could ever be nicer than that teddy bear monster punk rocker of the century, Jason of Ridicule). Now I’d like to see both those bands play together. C’mon? Whadda you say? At an all ages show…
Anyway, I just spun Seven to the Right’s 11-song cd and was very pleased with its edgy melodic rock sounds. The first two songs really captured me. Dammit if they didn’t leave me a list of song titles. I do know the second track is titled, Wait a Little, and is a great song of impatience and town-leaving youth… haven’t we all said that? This song has a tempo bridge tempo shift that just rocks your head off. Get it and listen. They’re a little harder sounding on the cd than live, but let me tell you, these guys have a fun and passionate vibe—hard with enough distortion in their guitars to take their funky fast-bass into a crescendo of guitar riffs that only build, drop, and then tear into you. I like that. Very tight, man.
There’s more. Finally let me tell you there’s a bassist to rival the energy of Matt Wall from the Dalloways and that crazy drummer from Liars and Thieves, Nick/Tyler. What? You haven’t seen those most fashionable Brit Pop Dreampop star junkies of Bakersfield/Fresno, the Dalloways? The one band with the Napoleon Dynamite connection? Dear goodness, go listen to them. Anyway, Seven to the Right’s Ryan Bright and Matt Wall have as much personality and passion in their bass-ripping as Kenny Motor Mount has in his best potty jokes.
-----------------------
Shane of Melodrose calling my mother for a ride home...
As the night ended I tried to talk to Arrival of Fawn. Ty, their lead singer stood and signed some autographs. Passing me I gave him my elevator pitch to who I was. I wasn’t sure if he was listening.
“So who are you?” he said, passing as I tried to get him to stop and talk to me.
“I’m a writer. I’ve got this book…”
“Oh. So am I. I’m just a writer in a band. That’s who I am, a writer; a writer placed in a band…”
And then off he went, ethereal, into the night pushing equipment, like he pushed his songs lyrically, carrying the machinery of his band while I finally drifted out into the lot, smiling at another evening afloat in the Bakersfield Alt rock music scene.
“Not even Coachella?” I said.
“No. They don’t have all the cool things Freakfest has going on…”
The local music scene is revving up, Freakfest is just around the corner, and local bands, well some are heavy into the competition while others just have fun playing to a crowd, even if it is only for a few songs. For a moment I thought Give Impulse was going to give into their fiery competitive spirit. Their drummer—his name is Wig—dark, spiked hair and looks like he can ratatat his sticks off your forehead just because he feels like it, seemed about to mosh the entire crowd, the security guards, the KRAB radio van, and so on. “What? That’s it? We don’t get to play any more songs? I’m never playing here again!” he yelled. But then suddenly Give Impulse was allowed one more song and it was all smiles. Hey, when I’m playing hockey and the game is close and my line isn’t out smashing heads, then I get edgy too. You gotta love rock and roll passion.
An angry Wig before getting happy again
Give Impulse, now these guys are into their music, their loud pump-up-the-crowd alternative metal tunes, and their style. They have the look, the attitude, and even told me where they would take a band snapshot. That was a first. Ha! I thought I was the photographer! Maybe I should have told them what songs to play… I’m gonna see if these guys will do a metal cover called Oompa Loompa (you know the song). But I’m kidding. You gotta love these guys. I just played the dumb photographer dude, snapped pics, and wish these guys the best. I’ll be seeing them around and cheering them to take their sound and their devoted following to the next level.
I was just reading that Give Impulse has a new bassist. Is this true? Is there a story I don’t know about? Or is the story their music itself, dark, screaming, and played to a swathing crowd of young punks out in the starry Bakersfield night; everyone moshing and bobbing, hands raised and into the moment’s impulse…
Ex-Videodrone/Cradle of Thorns Frontman for Arrival of Fawn wheeled out equipment after their show and said, “This music scene needs to change.” Maybe he’s being a visionary. I’ve only been around the music scene again for a few months. These musicians have been playing for years.
Either way, I couldn’t agree more, there does need to be a change. And that’s because I hear all the stories on the street. The music scene isn’t so complicated that you can’t figure out some of the intricacies. You quickly realize that Indie bands need a voice in the media, need great venues to play, and bodies to rally around them. I didn’t say much as he passed by other than, “Maybe you should read my article on Jerry’s.” That was my way of letting him know I agreed. You all know the first one I wrote on The Rock and Roll Farm, followed up by the Gigantic Gets Intimidated and The Boycott pieces.
Although I couldn’t stick around to take a signature N.L. Belardes band snapshot of Arrival of Fawn, I understand that some bands are too busy, or don’t understand what I’m all about—that I do want to help promote local bands, that I am just an artist who needs support too, who believes he can help lift up a scene that according to most bands I talk to, needs lifting up.
It’s just community work. Not that the local music scene is a soup kitchen, but we should all volunteer somewhere, for something, and help fight some battle. Don’t get me wrong, I got the positive feeling that Arrival of Fawn is looking for the Bakersfield music scene to explode. And it will. I just think there’s a certain amount of frustration that comes with the whole idea of a Battle of the Bands. Even though the idea is positive: to win a trip to Freakfest to play to thousands.
And don’t forget bands need to be supported while competing, and that means crossover fans. What am I getting at? For the first time at one of the battles I heard negative fan comments. I know it goes on. I just don’t usually hear it so openly. Though all bands have been kind to me, and I’ve shown support for every band out there (even bands who don’t respond to me for writing them up) fans need to show decency enough to have mutual respect for all participants. These bands aren’t being gauged by a clap-o-meter, so it’s Ok to cheer for other bands. It’s Ok to show such respect. It wouldn’t hurt the scene by building camaraderie. Winning bands are decided upon by fans placing tickets in ballot boxes, not by which fans can snub which band. You should all know by now that I’m a fighter, I speak out for what’s fair, without compromising the music scene and its integrity…
The simple theory, mostly proven is that bands want to play their music. They want an equal share out among the sea of Bakersfield bands: equal play time, equal opportunities, equal beer flow, equal reception in a benevolent music scene spirit...
Another Year played before Give Impulse. As Marky Pope said, “These guys have great change-ups.” For beginning rockers, give them credit. Half their band are new at what they’re doing, and they still pulled off a great beach band vibe: Sublime, funky, a bit ska, a bit slow-rhythm-fun-in-the-sun sounds—not what Bakersfield battles are used to. I give these guys credit for performing when the crowd obviously didn’t lean their way. This isn’t a band that shoots loud screaming music at you like sheer guitar bass drum ripping terror—a musical metal and industrial sound that many high-adrenaline kids are into these days. Another Year had some very enjoyable tunes that some of the crowd knew all of the words to. They have their audience and will find them. Every serious band finds their audience; that’s the dynamics of musical styles and genres isn’t it?
In the dark East side, near the roaming creeps, along barrio punk streets and an old Kentucky Street theatre there lies a hidden studio. Inside, four punks jam to thoughts of rock stardom in a city that has them perform on a guest night in Battle of the Bands. Just as much as they hide out in the siren-filled East side streets, these young punks are driven to come out, so reach into their souls and fire up their music, even if just for a few songs. Tight, clean, straight up fast-paced rock, Seven to the Right may not be Bakersfield’s sound (Metal, industrial, hardcore, punk), but they are a rocking hip band who plays extremely well together, and, as far as I can tell, has a following. They’ve been playing around town for a few years, and have lots of hits on their myspace site. They’ve been networking somewhere that’s for sure; but has it been here in the screaming Bakersfield city of rock metal and punk roots? Maybe. Seven to the Right has a slight modern day mainstream punk edge that carries their rock sounds. If that’s not enough, here’s a group of some of the friendliest down-to-earth musicians I have ever met (although it’s tough to say anyone could ever be nicer than that teddy bear monster punk rocker of the century, Jason of Ridicule). Now I’d like to see both those bands play together. C’mon? Whadda you say? At an all ages show…
Anyway, I just spun Seven to the Right’s 11-song cd and was very pleased with its edgy melodic rock sounds. The first two songs really captured me. Dammit if they didn’t leave me a list of song titles. I do know the second track is titled, Wait a Little, and is a great song of impatience and town-leaving youth… haven’t we all said that? This song has a tempo bridge tempo shift that just rocks your head off. Get it and listen. They’re a little harder sounding on the cd than live, but let me tell you, these guys have a fun and passionate vibe—hard with enough distortion in their guitars to take their funky fast-bass into a crescendo of guitar riffs that only build, drop, and then tear into you. I like that. Very tight, man.
There’s more. Finally let me tell you there’s a bassist to rival the energy of Matt Wall from the Dalloways and that crazy drummer from Liars and Thieves, Nick/Tyler. What? You haven’t seen those most fashionable Brit Pop Dreampop star junkies of Bakersfield/Fresno, the Dalloways? The one band with the Napoleon Dynamite connection? Dear goodness, go listen to them. Anyway, Seven to the Right’s Ryan Bright and Matt Wall have as much personality and passion in their bass-ripping as Kenny Motor Mount has in his best potty jokes.
-----------------------
Shane of Melodrose calling my mother for a ride home...
As the night ended I tried to talk to Arrival of Fawn. Ty, their lead singer stood and signed some autographs. Passing me I gave him my elevator pitch to who I was. I wasn’t sure if he was listening.
“So who are you?” he said, passing as I tried to get him to stop and talk to me.
“I’m a writer. I’ve got this book…”
“Oh. So am I. I’m just a writer in a band. That’s who I am, a writer; a writer placed in a band…”
And then off he went, ethereal, into the night pushing equipment, like he pushed his songs lyrically, carrying the machinery of his band while I finally drifted out into the lot, smiling at another evening afloat in the Bakersfield Alt rock music scene.
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Saturday, March 26, 2005.
You can leave your response.
leave a response