It was a great night for Karmahitlist and Mento Buru at the Fish Fry - By N.L. Belardes
There was acoustic karma and two buru bands at Fishlips Friday night in the growing Bakersfield downtown scene.
I showed up a little early and wandered over to the pool tables only to hear some interesting talk about Throatshot having finished up a CD.
You know, let me just clear something right up. Some of you may think their name is pornographic. Unless they tell me otherwise I think of their name has more to do with a quick and violent punch to the throat. There’s a lot of pain and angst to their techno-tragic fisticuff sounds. And I got to hear the new sounds straight out of the studio oven…
When I arrived at Fishlips I had walked right into a conversation between Seantastic of Karmahitlist talking it up with two of Throatshot’s band members, Rohan and Stumpy. While Sean and the rest of Karmahitlist picked their set for the night, Keyboardist Rohan took me out to his truck to listen to an incredible techno-hardcore screaming CD just finished up the day before. This was one of those rare moments. Rohan showed the same kind of excitement I would have the day after finishing up a novel. The last page is typed, the energy releases, and everyone in my path feels the adrenaline…
“Oh its like a hardcore Skinny Puppy,” he said as we crossed 18th Street. We walked over to his truck and he jumped in. “This isn’t mastered yet and you’re listening on the shittiest stereo of all time.” So what? What did I care if this wasn’t studio quality sound… I was just as giddy. And I love old Skinny Puppy. Call me easily amused, but I know the importance of being able to get a sneak peek on a major work of art. There’s the uncertainty, the newness, the expectations that others will feel a similar sense of artistic thrill carefully captured, in this case, over at Fatt Traxx recording studio.
There were many layers to the sound, all of it loud, angry, and of an earth-shattering intensity. No, these guys are not Korn revisited. The only music they have in common with Korn is both being from Bakersfield and in the post-hardcore/Industrial music category. But that’s like saying I’m just like Steinbeck because I also write literary novels about California. That’s a joke. Steinbeck was Steinbeck and Belardes is Belardes. Throatshot is it’s own blend of post-hardcore sounds and I can’t wait to review their new CD…
I came back into Fishlips just as Karmahitlist was about to go onstage. Sean had given me a quick hug and handshake earlier. I let him know I was there to support the artistry, the show, the downtown scene that is in dire need of a resurgence.
The building was packed as Karmahitlist began an electrified set. Oh yeah, they weren’t going to electrify Montgomery World Plaza after all. But they did Fishlips, and Sean was right up to his Iggy-Jagger swagger as promised. He spun and moved, shuffled his feet and leapt off an amp. He held out his hands and beckoned the rock and roll gods not to hear him sing about misbegotten Marine days and even cursed the weather. “I’m so hot and tired. How come I can make it through boot camp but this wears me out?!” This was Karmahitlist at its finest. Jim’s guitar-playing movements were as electrifying as their big new sound. Their new bass player, Tim has a grooving stance that perfectly fits the band and boy did he groove.
They finished their set and then on came Mento Buru, Karmahitlist’s Cesareo at drums. Oh yeah, Cesareo is drummer. He is the man. He wailed away to legendary Ska-fantabulous ska-kersfield sounds while the rest of the band got the audience so pumped they couldn’t stop dancing. Keep rolling those r-r-r-r-r-r-r’s sax man, Matt! R-r-r-r-reggae-yaya~!
If that wasn’t enough of a party for the people still pouring in, soon came Karmahitlist unplugged. “I love this microphone!” Sean said to me after sitting and serenading the crowd. Acoustic Karmahitlist was the most intimate, intense rock and roll show you could ever ask for. And this is a Bakersfield band doing the crooning. Except for a few assholes in the crowd who got mad because some of us were standing. Don’t people know what rock and roll is anymore?? Ay! Anyway, Seantastic laid down the tunes while the girls in the audience laid out the groans, moans and swoons.
After that I was off for home while Mento Buru was just getting into its party mode. What an incredible night of Bakersfield music as people were still pouring into Fishlips as I made my weary way home… Thank goodness the downtown scene has Fishlips to rock the house…
I showed up a little early and wandered over to the pool tables only to hear some interesting talk about Throatshot having finished up a CD.
You know, let me just clear something right up. Some of you may think their name is pornographic. Unless they tell me otherwise I think of their name has more to do with a quick and violent punch to the throat. There’s a lot of pain and angst to their techno-tragic fisticuff sounds. And I got to hear the new sounds straight out of the studio oven…
When I arrived at Fishlips I had walked right into a conversation between Seantastic of Karmahitlist talking it up with two of Throatshot’s band members, Rohan and Stumpy. While Sean and the rest of Karmahitlist picked their set for the night, Keyboardist Rohan took me out to his truck to listen to an incredible techno-hardcore screaming CD just finished up the day before. This was one of those rare moments. Rohan showed the same kind of excitement I would have the day after finishing up a novel. The last page is typed, the energy releases, and everyone in my path feels the adrenaline…
“Oh its like a hardcore Skinny Puppy,” he said as we crossed 18th Street. We walked over to his truck and he jumped in. “This isn’t mastered yet and you’re listening on the shittiest stereo of all time.” So what? What did I care if this wasn’t studio quality sound… I was just as giddy. And I love old Skinny Puppy. Call me easily amused, but I know the importance of being able to get a sneak peek on a major work of art. There’s the uncertainty, the newness, the expectations that others will feel a similar sense of artistic thrill carefully captured, in this case, over at Fatt Traxx recording studio.
There were many layers to the sound, all of it loud, angry, and of an earth-shattering intensity. No, these guys are not Korn revisited. The only music they have in common with Korn is both being from Bakersfield and in the post-hardcore/Industrial music category. But that’s like saying I’m just like Steinbeck because I also write literary novels about California. That’s a joke. Steinbeck was Steinbeck and Belardes is Belardes. Throatshot is it’s own blend of post-hardcore sounds and I can’t wait to review their new CD…
I came back into Fishlips just as Karmahitlist was about to go onstage. Sean had given me a quick hug and handshake earlier. I let him know I was there to support the artistry, the show, the downtown scene that is in dire need of a resurgence.
The building was packed as Karmahitlist began an electrified set. Oh yeah, they weren’t going to electrify Montgomery World Plaza after all. But they did Fishlips, and Sean was right up to his Iggy-Jagger swagger as promised. He spun and moved, shuffled his feet and leapt off an amp. He held out his hands and beckoned the rock and roll gods not to hear him sing about misbegotten Marine days and even cursed the weather. “I’m so hot and tired. How come I can make it through boot camp but this wears me out?!” This was Karmahitlist at its finest. Jim’s guitar-playing movements were as electrifying as their big new sound. Their new bass player, Tim has a grooving stance that perfectly fits the band and boy did he groove.
They finished their set and then on came Mento Buru, Karmahitlist’s Cesareo at drums. Oh yeah, Cesareo is drummer. He is the man. He wailed away to legendary Ska-fantabulous ska-kersfield sounds while the rest of the band got the audience so pumped they couldn’t stop dancing. Keep rolling those r-r-r-r-r-r-r’s sax man, Matt! R-r-r-r-reggae-yaya~!
If that wasn’t enough of a party for the people still pouring in, soon came Karmahitlist unplugged. “I love this microphone!” Sean said to me after sitting and serenading the crowd. Acoustic Karmahitlist was the most intimate, intense rock and roll show you could ever ask for. And this is a Bakersfield band doing the crooning. Except for a few assholes in the crowd who got mad because some of us were standing. Don’t people know what rock and roll is anymore?? Ay! Anyway, Seantastic laid down the tunes while the girls in the audience laid out the groans, moans and swoons.
After that I was off for home while Mento Buru was just getting into its party mode. What an incredible night of Bakersfield music as people were still pouring into Fishlips as I made my weary way home… Thank goodness the downtown scene has Fishlips to rock the house…
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Sunday, July 10, 2005.
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