A letter from the Pizza-a-go-go - By N.L. Belardes
Friday night I left Soulajar during a break in their set. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy their funky jazzy bass lines, Brian Boozer’s drumbeats and their guitarist’s rocking solos. I had dark streets to explore both in downtown Bakersfield and in the Oleander Arts Collective.
After all that has been going on with Jerry’s Pizza and the question on the streets of what will happen, I wondered: will they get a show promoter who supports an entire scene, and not just Jerry’s Pizza where many great bands from local and afar have played in its cavernous depths of punkdom through the years?
And so I wandered down 19th Street and peered into Jerry’s windows like I was a ghost myself. There was the grey-haired pizza guy with the big beard milling about inside. Chairs were on top of tables, and a few cyberpunks lurked on the street…
Darkness covered the pizza joint. I wonder if what I perceived as darkness would soon be lifted, uncovering a new age for the Pizza-a-go-go…
I sent Jerry an email that included an inquiry about where “Jerry's Pizza is headed in the near future with any possible changes to its pay-to-play format.” I wonder if I should just go ahead and declare an ending to the boycott that I don’t hear people talking about anymore. It should be over. Now there should be unity in the scene…
Jerry responded very kindly,
Thank you very much for emailing me. In response to your question of why Nate Berg is not doing shows for Jerry's Pizza anymore, my message on the website is self-explanatory. When Nate was doing a good job he was with us. Now he is not. Several people have already come to us with ideas, and we are brain-storming to find the new direction that we will be taking promotion of live music. I would surely be my pleasure to meet with you in person and chat for awhile.
Sincerely,
-Jerry
P.S. I often check your website and it's cool!
I soon headed to Downtown Records and picked up a copy of Niche. I saw my article on Liars and Thieves inside. It was only a buck and Jake said, “All the money goes to the person who put it together.” That would be Marah Jackson. I asked him if anyone else was doing a magazine like Niche and Jake said, “No.” And of course I wonder, “Why not?”
I had heard about the local Reggae Station, ‘Roots Radio’ K-RHM, Rhythm FM that’s on 103.5. Jake then told me more about it. He said it’s a cool station, doesn't have a lot of range, but that it is licensed. I haven’t heard it yet, but I plan on giving it a listen… Did you know Jake has had his hand in five pirate radio stations over the years?
After all that has been going on with Jerry’s Pizza and the question on the streets of what will happen, I wondered: will they get a show promoter who supports an entire scene, and not just Jerry’s Pizza where many great bands from local and afar have played in its cavernous depths of punkdom through the years?
And so I wandered down 19th Street and peered into Jerry’s windows like I was a ghost myself. There was the grey-haired pizza guy with the big beard milling about inside. Chairs were on top of tables, and a few cyberpunks lurked on the street…
Darkness covered the pizza joint. I wonder if what I perceived as darkness would soon be lifted, uncovering a new age for the Pizza-a-go-go…
I sent Jerry an email that included an inquiry about where “Jerry's Pizza is headed in the near future with any possible changes to its pay-to-play format.” I wonder if I should just go ahead and declare an ending to the boycott that I don’t hear people talking about anymore. It should be over. Now there should be unity in the scene…
Jerry responded very kindly,
Thank you very much for emailing me. In response to your question of why Nate Berg is not doing shows for Jerry's Pizza anymore, my message on the website is self-explanatory. When Nate was doing a good job he was with us. Now he is not. Several people have already come to us with ideas, and we are brain-storming to find the new direction that we will be taking promotion of live music. I would surely be my pleasure to meet with you in person and chat for awhile.
Sincerely,
-Jerry
P.S. I often check your website and it's cool!
I soon headed to Downtown Records and picked up a copy of Niche. I saw my article on Liars and Thieves inside. It was only a buck and Jake said, “All the money goes to the person who put it together.” That would be Marah Jackson. I asked him if anyone else was doing a magazine like Niche and Jake said, “No.” And of course I wonder, “Why not?”
I had heard about the local Reggae Station, ‘Roots Radio’ K-RHM, Rhythm FM that’s on 103.5. Jake then told me more about it. He said it’s a cool station, doesn't have a lot of range, but that it is licensed. I haven’t heard it yet, but I plan on giving it a listen… Did you know Jake has had his hand in five pirate radio stations over the years?
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Sunday, June 26, 2005.
You can leave your response.
leave a response