Drama in the music scene... What will happen to the Pizza-a-go-go shows? - By N.L. Belardes

Just one phone call, sir...

Two felony counts of burglery.

$17,500 bail.

In all seriousness, the question of Jerry's Pizza shows is in the air. Will another promoter step in? Will bands still look at Jerry's Pizza as the Mecca of Bakersfield Alt Music? I never did. All the hullabaloo about the business being clean? Was it ever?What will happen? Can good come of this? I don't think local Bakersfield bands will be affected. There are many venues bands can play and I'm not even sure if the Boycott is still in effect...

Recently I watched a KooKooNauts DVD that began with footage taken at Jerry's Pizza. A fight broke out in front of the stage, punkers smashed each other in fisticuffs over what? Nothing. The fight was broken up and the assailants each hugged one another. It was a brutal display of music and negative crowd energy. I watched the video with representatives from several bands in the room. I have to give the KooKooNauts credit. They kept playing. There was even someone in a gorilla suit monkeying around... My point is... do parents know what happens underground at Jerry's Pizza? Some do, and they take care of their kids. But what about the parents who don't know? The promoter himself is behind bars. There has been recent murder tied to Jerry's kids. And the night people saw the ambulance and fire engines outside...

Do your kids lurk in the black shadows, hidden in the stale underground of the Pizza-a-go-go, that dastardly Rock and Roll Farm?

Why?

Other communities refer to such a dismal punk haven as a cesspool swallowing up the Southern Valley music image.

Are we responsible to clean up the image of downtown music now that it has been tainted even further?

It's the people, you and I who are ultimately responsible...

Maybe.

This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on Tuesday, June 21, 2005. You can leave your response.