The conversations on the couch; is the music scene gaining momentum? - by N.L. Belardes

There I was, sitting at the Syndicate Coffeehouse, staring into the eyes of this Berkeley Grad, spilling my tea all over myself. What’s the deal with this lid? These plastic no-spill lids are causing me a headache. I take a drink, the tea sloshes out. Maybe I was just too into the chai. Maybe I was thinking too hard. I'm a thinker. The wheels never stop. If I knew anything about shoes I would tell you what kind of brown shoes she wore; but since I traded in my shoe fetish years ago for a discount love affair with liking personalities and great lips, it’s just not the same. But that’s all beside the point. My spicy chai tea was burning a hole in my sleeve and pants. None to worry folks, I held my own and had a great and secret conversation about the music scene, where it can go, and what kind of exposure bands could get if a few changes were made around this one horse town. And you know what? I think she was listening...

Now wouldn’t you all like to know what was said on those dark Syndicate leather couches? Was I just holding her hand and whispering sweet nothings? “Baby, the scene, the musack, the punks, the screamos, the Brit Pop Funk Masters... hear me roar...”

Don’t you know you are my community service? Like I said a few articles ago, this great music scene is no soup kitchen: it’s a living breathing entity of multiple genres of music: Punk, Brit Pop, Screamo, Industrial, Post industrial, Metal, Post grunge, Jazz, fusion, country, rock, blues and more. And I'm here to uplift. Where is it all headed? Who will notice? And most importantly, will the good people of Bakersfield, its outlying communities, and even the Fresno area, care? Yes! Well that was the look I was getting anyway... that this woman cared...

The most vibrant scene I have ever witnessed in my years here in Bakersfield is right here, right now. I keep telling you there’s something exploding here... in just two months time the build-up has strengthened... the music scene is heard, loud and clear... the smoke from Wing Wahs stings our eyes, but something is happening... we cast it aside and pull together and all scream, "We can get through the fire and build this up bigger than ever..."

Thursday Night War: Will Gigantic Support this Show?

Gigantic is moving to the Montgomery World Plaza, but you have to ask, will the good Indie folks of the Bakersfield music scene help cross-pollinate the Battle of the Bands tonight? This plaza is going to be their new home, you would think all their great people would help support the music scene within. This is your call, in case you forgot my call from the other day... And that goes for anyone reading this. If you don't support the Rock and Roll Farm, then show some solidarity tonight for a venue that just may be the next big Bakersfield music scene Mecca.

Casting call and author's first art community rejection - by N.L. Belardes

I have been wanting to branch out into theatre, and not really do reviews, but to narrate the experience of a dress rehearsal and a show by describing the chaos, the energy, the adrenaline, the excitement of pulling the big show together in a whirlwind of direction. I had a difficult discussion with a director yesterday. He was curt; he didn't give me a chance to explain myself. I told him I did music reviews but maybe I should have said I was writing a novel... I heard about such excitement about a show opening soon, so I wanted to talk about it. Hell, this isn't Broadway. You'd think that a director in Bakersfield would give me the time of day, study my narrative abilities, and say, "Yes, come and watch the chaos turn into magic! Forever etch into literary marble your great and noble novelist take on theatre in Bakersfield!" I certainly hope the rest of the theatre community is more open than this stuffy director...

In the meantime, Kern Radio listed a casting call in Bakersfield for Big Brother 6 for all you wanna be stars:

CASTING CALL COMES TO BAKERSFIELD: An open casting call for the popular T-V reality show "Big Brother 6" will be held in Bakersfield on Saturday. The event begins at 10 a-m at Nissan of Bakersfield on Pacheco Road in the Bakersfield Automall. Those who wish to audition should have a completed application, two recent photos, along with driver's license.

Two New Band Blogs and the Fresno-Bakersfield Scene - by N.L. Belardes

Two new blogs have made a grand entrance onto the N.L. Belardes Band Blogs. Three Chord Whore, those dark angels of post grunge angst have been kind enough to bless us with their narrative wisdom. If you haven’t heard their music or met these cool ladies, you need to. When’s the next show? I wanna know! Having mixed it up in the scene for quite a while, they’re ready to rant and rave at you a little bit, so check back with them regularly. I know I will. They've already posted a lot of great material!

I’d also like to introduce the band blog from Fresno’s 40WattHype. Emcee and production master Aaron Wall has thrown down the gauntlet along with the Fresno/Bakersfield Brit Pop band The Dalloways to bridge the music scene between Bakersfield and Fresno. 40WattHype’s neo hip-hop style and great lyrical message is a must for all you hip-hop fans. Come on Jake of Downtown Records, I know you and Ronald of Underground Records have big connections to the hip-hop kids in the scene. So get the word out.

If you don’t think bridging the gap between the Fresno and Bakersfield music scene is a good idea, well think again. The Filthies will be playing with the Dalloways on April 15th at Club Fred in Fresno, just to get the word out to Fresno that Bakersfield is alive and well in music. Why not? Club Fred and the Starline are the two hippest venues in all of Fresno. If you haven’t been, you need to. I was at the Starline watching 40WattHype tear it up, and let me tell you, that place packs them in over in Tower Centre. It’s the next best in killer downtown scenes that this valley has to offer.

Did you know that the Dalloways cd Penalty Crusade was mastered by a producer who then went on to master an Eminem cd? I mean, this was right after he put the last Brit Poppy lick to the flick switch. Crud I can’t remember his name. See, the Dalloways are so good that my original cd was taken by some dude in the music industry that wanted to check them out. What was I supposed to do, say, "No, you can’t have my cd?" Whoah… dude... Penalty Crusade has some great guitar work, masterful lyrics and sports some of the best all-around musical talent in any band. Just ask Kenny Mount of ye olde Brian Jones was Murdered. He once told me, “That Brit Pop... it isn’t easy to play...” Which of course he followed up with potty jokes...

Wing Wahs and Gigantic disappear, Andy loses sound, and Jake's online - by N.L. Belardes

Wing Wahs is boarded up. I looked in the windows a few minutes ago and saw vague shapes of tables in the smoke covered darkness. Just a few days ago Jake of Downtown Records ran outside to see fire engines surround Wing Wahs like a bunch of covered wagons, all in a circle, with Injuns having shot fiery arrows past them into the Wing Wahs kitchen. Jake saw smoke pouring out, then went into the Alley Cat Alley to see more smoke billowing from the roof. When he came back around firemen were breaking the windows to get inside, causing more smoke to dump over the downtown scene…

Gigantic is moving. That’s five customers in a year according to Jake at Downtown Records. No tenant will stay over there. And that’s two stores down and out from fiery knock-out punches. Gigantic is still reeling from the baseball bat threats and the complaints to their landlord which burned the downtown Indie music scene, but not to a crisp. Those Gigantic dudes seem determined. They’re supposedly moving out of their downtown locale in a few days. Yet I wonder: is this the Tutenkhamen curse of the store next to Jake’s? He’s been around for three and a half years. Not bad. I hate to say it, but you have to ask if it is bad business when a downtown store like Gigantic just ups and leaves?

Maybe not. Even though no one at Gigantic writes to me for defending them from the ball bat of poor consciousness, I still think they made the right decision. Maybe they won’t get the downtown traffic, but I believe they had loyal clientele who are going to hang out at Montgomery World Plaza. It will be an interesting Latino/counterculture crossroads. It’s not like Dagny’s stays open late anyway. It’s not like you can get Chinese Food at Wing Wahs anymore. Besides, all those Gigantic folk will now have Carl’s Jr., Vincent’s Pizza, John’s Burgers, Josephs, Rosemary’s and more, all within walking distance. Maybe there’s an F Street scene about to happen, about to explode to compliment the ball bat Rock and Roll Farm and the totally happening Sunday night Rileys Indie fest.

Another downtown business that’s gone, (has been for several months) is Andy Noise records. Remember back in the 80s? Paul Anderson ran it and I used to hang there when I was a high school punk looking for the latest from the Church, Waterboys, New Order and the Pogues. Years later, Paul relocated Andy Noise to the Haberfelde. Then he sold out to Ronald of Underground Records before Jake could even think about pouncing on it. Jake subsequently opened his own shop, a wise decision he admits. Andy Noise went online and then opened the Andy Noise love shack on Eye Street because he needed a business address. I think he just couldn’t leave the scene. Now nobody I know has any idea where Andy Noise has gone to. Funny for a guy with a business name like that to leave without a sound.

One last note. Downtown Records is selling online now. So click here, or go talk to Jake.

The Hips, 'She's Comin' Up' - by N.L. Belardes

The driving bass; the wheels are spinning. Guitars catch an edge and a voice sings in a short phrase of song. The car steers a corner and the driving bass and rhythm crash along. Three men pour from the car in the darkness, guns drawn, and smash into the scene with guns blazing. The night is a howl of screams and flashes. The music forces itself back into its wheel-spinning drive and takes you to the next level, more sounds, more screams, more pain. The gunfire ends, the quietness is filled with song, with the click of steel and the crunch of bullet casings underfoot. A bass carries you, and guitars rip along the silence and builds with the clangs of symbols until the guitars themselves become a melodic and distorted scream, wailing into the darkness. Car doors close. Faces are hidden. The car speeds away.

That’s me writing in 3:47 seconds to my favorite song by the Hips, titled, She’s Coming Up. It’s on their ten song cd that’s part live, part studio punk song thrash anthem to the dirty side of music creativity. Go listen.

Thursday Night War, a favor, a fellowship - by N.L. Belardes

If I haven't mentioned it, Shane of Melodrose needs to give me a demo. My mom keeps giving him rides home, so fair is fair. Have I mentioned that Melodrose is playing first this Thursday night? As a favor to me ( This is my first official favor to all Bakersfield bands who I have been supporting free of charge with free writing, FREE pics, FREE promos, FREE FREE FREE music scene hype) let's all show up at 7 pm to show that we can cross-pollinate and support each other, that the Thursday Night War is really part of a big build-up to a crescendo of a music scene that needs everyone's support, especially at the Montgomery World Plaza. That means you too Gigantic. Who stood up for you when the baseball bat was swinging through the music scene consciousness? If you all want me to keep working for you, then once in a while, please listen to my dumb favors. You don't want me to be a mama's boy, run to the corner and suck my thumb and ignore all of you wonderful artists, do you? I swear if all you good folks don't show up to this good show, yes, forget that it's a competition, this good show, then I am runnin' home to mama and closing shop. I swear! I pinky swear myself and say three hail Burgs...

Californian finally writes piece on Wing Wahs fire - by N.L. Belardes

In case you never look at the news links on my blog page, I surf the valley news every morning and link up to the valley's hottest, craziest, and most poignant stories. In today's news, the Californian finally wrote a story about the Wing Wahs fire, although they made no mention of the valley music scene as the heartbeat that kept a portion of historic downtown Bakersfield from being completely gutted. YOU should write letters to the editor. Now! You can go to the sound off page and have your voice heard by typing a quick message. Be direct. Be kind. No cursing. Write something coherent and lovely. I'm going to. And don't forget to read my daily news.

Here's what I wrote for the Sound Off:
The Wing Wahs story was broke online by blog writers. The Californian left out that if it weren't for a thriving Sunday night music scene in downtown Bakersfield, and artists seeing smoke, the fire could have been much worse. You can read more info here.

A death in Kenny Mount's family, and a tribute - by N.L. Belardes

These times are always so tragic, so unexpected. Like when my father was taken away on a Nevadan highway, and recently, my mentor, Don Ackland also taken away in Nevada. Kenny pays tribute. Our condolences.

A little about Studio 99 - by N.L. Belardes

Ryan Bright of Seven to the Right gave me the lowdown today on Studio 99. Have you been there? I haven't. But after reading what Ryan has to say after his band played there Saturday night, I think I might have to go chill in the darkness and contemplate some prose. Read more:

We played that show at studio 99. I dunno if you've seen the place but its quite decent. Looks like a non-descript warehouse in an industrial neighborhood off of buck owens blvd on a dark street. but Its got so much potential; the inside is an awesome musicans party pad, and out back is a ton of old tables, chairs, couches and spools set up for hundreds of really cool chill spots, or one giant party spot. its very cool. Also another good thing, only three bands played giving us the oportunity for a 50 minute set. it was a ton of fun, with a ton of bass solos. you know how it goes. Oh and beer, beer is always good.
Ryan Bright

Some history of Seven to the Right - by N.L. Belardes

Have you heard the band Seven to the right? You can check them out in my latest Thursday Night War article... go read it. Now read a letter from bassist, Ryan Bright, who tells some of the band's interesting history and punk roots:

...Thank you for giving me the props with the bass solos and such. heh, and I like the bridge in 'Wait a little while' as well, that super speed up it has then to slips comfortably into a groove. it is nice, but let me tell you the future, my friend. We're a 4 piece right now when we play shows but we're a 5 piece waiting to explode at the studio. Well now i'm going to rant on about my history, so i hope you have a good 10 minutes. See, I was in this fast punk band named Pilot Light. Super fast NOFX style melodic newschool punk, and we broke up cause the lead singer/guitar player left us, it kinda broke my heart but whatever. But I kept the same drummer, cause I know i've grown together with his style we've intertwined our talents and are like a symbiotic unit. But, at the same time Pilot Light broke up I heard this wonderful music by this guy Jason Blunt, he's been a friend for years but I didn't take him seriously till I heard his song Rooftops and Pleasure to burn. Oh my goodness, I knew from the instant I heard it that it was the music I drempt of when I was younger. I knew I had to play bass for the rest of my life with this man. And thats what I do. ...so that left me torn, With Milestone which then turned into seven to the right. and Jason with The Age of Louis. Well years go by, members of the age start to ... fall out of society due to some... problems. and so Jason and I are left with these great songs and heads full of Future songs that knock my socks off. So Jason courted my band, and we are now adding Jason and his songs to our band. Making us a 5 piece, with two lead singers, three guitar players. bass and drums. just wait. all I can say is, when it all comes together, you'll hear what I heard when I knew I had found my future... thats why I play bass... to communicate thoughts that cannot be described in words. Such as the beauty of
blades of grass, and such. no words can explain how atoms bond and interact... just sounds and movements...
Ryan

Create...

Won't you? Just create...

Novelist launches creepy Lords research - by N.L. Belardes

Hi everyone...

Will you be able to sleep at night?

Artists save downtown! A first hand account of the Wing Wahs fire - by N.L. Belardes

Well I guess I did leave downtown just in time, because after I prosed it up with my fingers on the keyboard at home there was some freaky happenings down at Rileys that stopped all the music. I thought at that time the only problem in Bakersfield was my USB port not allowing me to download pics. I found out in a first hand email note from Leslie Reyes, followed by reading JR's account to discover what went down with a fire at Wing Wahs, and a potentially deadly situation saved by the good artists of the downtown scene:

A note from Leslie titled, "Crazy Fires and Shit!"

Hey Nick,
So after you left Riley's, the second band, The Binges, were playing. People dancing and all that stuff. Our friend Chris, runs inside and tells of this fire, the building next to us is smoking out the roof. Immediatley we call the fire department. Within minutes they are there. We had to stop the band, and tell everyone to clear the building. Luckily eveyone was able to get out safely. All the bands, including us were able to get our gear outside, and unburned. So that's always a plus. It probably sounds bigger than it was already, but by tomorrow everyone will have been there talking about how crazy it was and how the brothers, sisters, cousins, baby niece said...but needless to say all is okay for some. I doubt Wing Wahs is going to be open for awhile, and hopefully all the bands,(that practice above there) gear is okay. But other than that at least no one was hurt that I know of. They are investigating what started the fire, maybe it was a fryer @ Wing Was, who knows. As far as I could tell Rileys was okay. So needless to say, it surely got crazy after you left. The only thing I wish I'd really hear, but probaly won't, is that, thank goodness for the nightlife downtown on a Sunday. Which consist of Riley's Tavern and The Alley Cat. If our businesses had been closed, who would have been downtown to call the fire dept.? Wow, supporting your local and out of town music scene is truely starting to be saving Bakersfield...

Broken Record Gospel a few minutes ago at Riley's inspires spontaneous prosody from novelist - by N.L. Belardes

Broken Record Gospel are all still hanging out downtown in the music scene at Riley's tonight and I’m in the mood to do a quick post. Ben and Colin and drummer—what, this guy has to have a name—he plays hard and fast to the experimental sounds of Ben’s mastery over keyboards, bass and vocals, mixed down to the hips—cause yes, the girls and guys were dancing to Colin’s melodic guitar work and duo-vocal work; yet I can’t remember this drummer’s name. Let me go totally spontaneous prose on you again: Broken Record Gospel singers in their hipster music experiment tore through the Bakersfield gleam to shine a few Sunday night songs in their melodic mood swing for me and all the boddhisatvas (all goddesses who desperately need worship), and a few of us boy counterculture archetypes, all for the music jams... Speaking of Colin, he just told me about their gig recently in Santa Barbara… “And the owner said the next time they would buy us dinner, give us some cash… and it’s so exciting to play in a college town where people just love a great music scene.” Cut it out Colin, you’re making me want to move to the coast again… and I still haven’t had a barbecue with you guys (Hint).

Here’s the Broken Record Gospel set list, still hot in my ears from having listened to them motivate my prose just a few minutes ago. Hell, I could make it back downtown to listen to the next band…

She cries
The cipher
Hold on to let go
Born to die
The Little Prince (Ok, this isn’t the name of this song. Ben didn’t have one. But it was inspired by the book)
Dress rehearsal
All that you love

Some pics from last night. Sorry, none of the big fire...

The War Days Movie Trailer World Premiere!

N.L. Belardes presents the exclusive online movie trailer premiere for the student short film, The War Days. Click on the download under 'Some projects and events' so the movie opens in its own window... or simply cut and paste this url to your browser:

http://nlbelardes.com/The War Days Teaser Trailer.mov

The Empty Space - The Day of the Dead? - by N.L. Belardes

You haven't heard there's going to be an art show over at The Empty Space parking lot on APRIL 16th? Why not? There's going to be strange little skeleton creatures made by N.L. Belardes and special editions of the student film, The War Days.

Here's a special spooky photo collage made by yours truly over at the Empty Space Theatre. It's not my hand, I used a stand in...




Yes, my friends you can own me!

A FILTHY night of cops, thrashing, and punk - by N.L. Belardes

Friday night, March 25th is a day that will go down in Bakersfield punk rock infamy. Three punk bands packed the house down at Kosmos: Empty Handed and 40 to 1, with the final band of the night being the Filthies. All bands tore up the house, which isn’t always the case when you’re seeing multiple bands play.


Matildakay, the Filthies and a Next Generation Punk

When I arrived Kosmos was already packed. The tables were crowded; the bar was full; there was hardly room to get a drink and then slink along the dark wall to see the bands. I finally made my way to a spot behind a table to watch Empty Handed from Tehachapi tear into a rockin’ set. Although they classify themselves in a punk category, there were certainly traces of metal and just plain hard rock in these guys from the Southern Sierras. They started off the night rocking hard and didn’t let up until their beers were gone.





Originally all I heard was their song on the KRABland bands cd, Trigger-happy lullaby, a driving song with knifing riffs and a grinding chorus mixed with tempo change-ups that are really quite impressive. Vocalist Jess has a voice as raw as a Bakersfield fist-fight and comes right at you, pounding away through the rhythms of their hard rocking music. Check out these guys if you get a chance. Their latest song, The Attraction is a fast-moving love ballad that is a testament of their tight-ripping guitar work. Apparently they’re playing all over the US and even did a tour of the Roxy. If you like good fast rough music, go see them.



40 to 1 played some fast-breaking punk songs. I wish they played more. They seemed to enjoy bantering quite a bit between songs. It’s Ok, their fans were into it. And when they played, man were they into a mainstream punk groove that’s popular these days. Their lead singer commanded the stage with his antics and played a hard punk set to their devoted crowd. That’s one thing I have noticed about Bakersfield bands. They all have their own particular followings. Even the exceptions to the rule have a devoted clientele. I have to admit it does take a toll to be out on the streets several nights a week to catch a glimpse of so many exciting bands. Before last night I had never even heard of 40 to 1, but they’re a band worth listening to. A demo guys? Myspace? I tried a few variations of their band name on myspace but only came up with hip-hop.



And then came the Filthies. Gus, on a war path to get some phone number was especially driven as he jumped at least four times onto the speaker to rip his guitar and watch as Temperd front man moshed it up in the crowd. This temperd guy—he even put me in a brief headlock. I saw stars, or rock stars, or was it Van Gogh Starry Nights as my head spun from his rock-like grip. He must shatter two mics a night with that power. None to worry. I used my hockey skills to break loose along the boards and skate up to the front row, where he followed me after thrashing a next generation punk a bit. Finally security had to shanghai him. But who could blame him? The Filthies were playing and he needed to release! I saw him singing along as fists were flying. It was that rockin’.








Kenny Filthy poured his heart into each song and even paid tribute to Guses family in an ode to his leftist member (real Commies, those guys). It wasn’t quite as good as his audio ode to me, slamming me like the bitch I am for not going to watch Kenny as he peeked through bushes to watch a guy eat pizza while another guy nibbled on his ear. Oh, you didn’t hear? Well listen to the Filthies audio blog from March 24th where he talks up two great shows: the Double Down Saloon and The Montgomery World Plaza Irish Day clog-stompin’ Filthies tribute to red-headed Americana and ShamROCKPUNK shakes. No fries with that.





Just after the show, cops began infiltrating Kosmos. Had beer somehow made it into the hands of minors? I don’t know. I was busy making a big get-a-way with Guppy and his next generation punk. We tore through Bakersfield streets and today all are living to rejoice in a great night of thrashing and punk…

In a liner note. I can’t wait to see War Days. I hear the Filthies crowd favorite, Embalm You is going to be laid down as THE track to the finale battle scene where war heroes die, and Viet Cong shatter like fireworks. Dig it.

The War Days - Student Short Film now in the editing room - by N.L. Belardes

On the set of War Days… a student short film about a failed
mission in the valleys and hills of Vietnam…



Featuring music by: The Filthies, Broken Record Gospel,
The Dalloways, and Liars and Thieves… other participating
bands to be announced… if you’re an interested band,
please send an email to nl@nlbelardes.com so you can
get your music to the youth of this Bakersfield…
teaser trailer coming soon! Don’t miss it!


Support your local filmmakers!
Buy the DVD and Movie Music soon!
All proceeds to go to
Next Generation PUNK kids

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.

Quick Post - Short Notice - Directions to HIPS tonight

From D. Montoya:

DIRECTIONS:

go NORTH on hwy 99
EXIT 65 (porterville hwy)
drive up porterville for a mile or two and look for
LERDO HWY. TURN LEFT onto LERDO HWY.
once on lerdo hwy its a short drive and on the right side you will come
to a CAMP HAMILTON sign. Turn right onto the dirt road and follow it along
the fence. You will come to a marker on the fence and that tells you when to turn
up the hill away from the fence. Go through the gates and you are at CAMP
HAMILTON (AKA THE CAMP). Look for the flagpole.

playin: 7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm
D.O.D. (they played the last Blood Brothers Show!)
The Mall (Bay Area)
The Mothballs (Bay Area)
Militant Children's Hour (Bay Area)
The Calico Sunset
Hips
B[-]xes

$3 donation requested (or whatever) = give the band gas $$ and get the
brand new Hips CDR (10 songs!!)

also the Gigantic show scheduled for tomorrow (Friday March 25) is
gonna be at Montgomery World Plaza 7-11pm. playin: Asobi Seksu (NY), Parker &
Lily (NY), Locomotive To The Groin! (if you havent seen this local band yet,
please do, they're amazing!), The Calico Sunset (on velvet blue music),
Dante Esperanza (local psychedlic, from what i've been told), Lost
Ocean.

Empty Space Presents: The Rebel Craft Show

Don't miss out on the biggest art show this area has seen since Christo covered the local mountains with giant yellow umbrella diapers... Have you taken out a table? I'm going to be there selling Day of the Dead Statues and more, and I may have a special guest selling copies of the locally made student film: The War Days, starring, Seth Cervantes, Sean Alaniz, Jordan Belardes, Landen Belardes, Matthew Prieto, and Anthony Prieto. Movie music features tunes by the Filthies, the Dalloways, Broken Record Gospel, and Liars and Thieves. If you have music you think would sound good on their special 'War Days Movie Music CD' then send me an email...

The 'drinking venues' and the Bakersfield 'music scene'... - by N.L. Belardes

So what’s the word on the street today? Yesterday evening I saw AJ of Gigantic walking down 19th Street with some dude in a hurry. Were they headed to make plans of some kind? Were they plotting where to hang their discount belt rack at Montgomery World Plaza? What about this ethereal Jerry’s Pizza crony? I haven’t seen his broken-window van circling the streets, though word on the street is he’s like a vulture, ready to suck the bloody carcass of all age venues, even down to their last business dollar. Will Gigantic shows go on at Montgomery World Plaza as predicted? Will Jerry’s Pizza hover in its nexus as the Rock and Roll Farm and eventually leave good folks alone? Today’s questions are unanswered…

I was in a conversation the other day and had a wake up call. Little did I know such bad politics among downtown businesses had occurred on a consistent basis in the past. These venues try to control the drinking masses like they’re luring them through cattle-proded hillsides. “Come to my venue! No, come to mine! Come and drink here!” And to hear that such businesses in the past, competing for that drinking cattle have called the cops on each other: “They’re over capacity! They’re serving drinks to minors! They’re this! They’re that! Kill the music scene. Kill! Kill! Kill!”

I just don’t think it’s about a ‘scene’ from the business end of things. And that’s because a business just wants to make money—so goes the theory anyway. Read the Wealth of Nations, the Invisible Hand of Capitalism, discover the muckraking history of Bakersfield’s own past: the old speakeasies hidden downtown and in the wild wild west KKK hills where Sherriffs and Politicians made a bitter dollar, and if you stood in their way, they would literally tar and feather you. Yes, it did happen. Just maybe for some venues it’s all about the booze. Jimmy of Kosmos said so himself just yesterday. He’s still open to the idea of an all age type of show, but it’s the booze sales where he makes his hard-earned cash. “What am I gonna serve, Pepsi all night?” he said. Can’t blame the guy for wanting to make money. Hell, his food is good, I hope he starts packing the house at lunchtime. But you know, the Goose Controversy left a bad taste in folk’s mouths. So it’s going to take a little while for good patrons to tell themselves that Kosmos is all right. And it is. It has the potential to rival Jerry’s when it comes to a music venue. But then, so does MWP, and so does Gigantic, and on its way to some extent is the Gate, and Narducci’s. And there are and will be more.

So goes the word on the street. But then, I hear so few of them…

Get ready...

Uh-oh...

Whiskey Galore to have one last show, then hiatus to record new CD - by N.L. Belardes

Here's a note from Kevin Briley of Whiskey Galore who are calling it quits for a while to record a new CD. You can check them out at the Scottish Games at Stramler Park on April 2nd. That's one day after Kevin pulls a bag of tricks on you all on April Fools:

hi all- we are playing the Bakersfield Games on 4/2/05. This will,
sadly, be the last show for awhile. I'm moving to fresno for the
summer to finish law studies. We do have good news though! We are
going to spend the fall finishing the new album! Even if i move
away, we are going to put out the 3rd album next year. We're not
promising anything, but our goal is to put out the album with a
bakersfield cd release show or 2 and then head to las vegas to tour
the album next march, 2006. We have a new line of t-shirts out just
now for you to enjoy. I don't wanna give too much of the new album
away, but it will contain, "back home in derry," "black velvet
band," "atholl highlanders," and "7 drunken nights," for sure...

Hope to see you all at the games, if not, we'll be back playing the
pubs of central california and nevada in the fall.

whiskeygaloremusic.com

-the band

Lunch with Captain Kenny Filthy Pants - By N.L. Belardes

In the wee hours of the morning, long after Kenny Filthy stalked outside my living room window, scratching at the door, whispering like a vampire, begging for a dollar in trade for his pink flamingo walker I discovered my identity... there I was in bliss--a karma moment, enlightened through slumber, the Gautama Siddharta had spoken, so bubbly and giddy in dreamland; no, not a dream fantasy rock and roll god moment, but... Oh I'm just playing with all your heads. Here's the scoop:

A quick note to the underground on the underground...

Had a crazy lunch with a fedora wearin' Kenny 'Motor' Mount. This Dandy Warholic supahstar was in the groove of potty talk. We jived about The Filthies at Kosmos next weekend, we gossiped about Enrique Fuentes latest makeover tips, we played paper-scissors-rock for the bill (I purposely lost), and then we talked Lords of Bakersfield, marketing strategies, music scene shenanigans, and favorite foods. Ask Captain Kenny Filthy Pants (Enrique made that up) about his favorite Chinese food dives. He'll tell you what he likes. But be careful. You might have to have lunch with him and push him in his leopard print Vegas Limo wheelchair...

SEE THEM TONIGHT!!!! Have you freaks heard of THE HIPS? - by N.L. Belardes

I don't know about you but there are so many bands in this town that I need to clone myself (not to mentioned take 15 years off these old bones to have half the energy of these bands). At the same time, there's been a mad scramble. Of course, we know why this week there aren't enough venues for bands like THE HIPS. What with Gigantic being thrown a cheap shot knock out punch via Million Dollar Baby bad boy Jerry's Pizza (Go watch the movie--at the end there's the cheap shot knock out punch of all time) None to worry, Clint Eastwood's gonna rescue us all. In the meantime, here's a band that needs you to support them while caught up in this Gigantic fiasco.

Welcome the HIPS...

Tuesday, March 22 at 2501 patty ct. at 7pm sharp.

swan island (portland)
the afterlife (LA)
a cut to the face...with jets
tuggy
+ 1 TBA


thursday march 24th @ The camp
(off lerdo highway, email hipsmusic@hotmail.com for
directions)

militant children's hour (oakland)
thee mothballs (oakland)
D.O.D (SF)
The Mall (SF)
Hips
+1 TBA

Desolate...

15 minutes ago: downtown records and gigantic on a
Sunday evening... the streets
are bare in downtown Bakersfield again...

Who you gonna call?

The Boycott: Downtown takes a stand against Jerry’s Pizza Intimidation - by N.L. Belardes

What’s happening to the downtown scene? Jerry’s Pizza’s poor planning at divide and conquer seems to be showing itself. You can’t just swing bats in people’s faces, call the cops on good folks, complain to landlords with unsubstantiated accusations and so forth. The Indie folks are more than determined to face Jerry’s Pizza intimidation head on. My sources are telling me they’re set to take a stand against the Gangs of Bakersfield style business acumen being thrown at them. You would think this was a movie being shot on the lower something side of some big town. And that’s because it’s playing out like one. You tell me who would play who in the film version? I don’t think it’s going to be a Deniro film. Some businesses now have to play duck and cover. Not everyone wants to have a bat wielded in their face, and not everyone is willing to put their business on the line because after all, these businesses don’t own the buildings, they lease the space, which gives power to landlords and their politics of controlling what goes on in the local Bakersfield music scene.

I hear there’s a boycott going on. Bands and folks are simple no longer going to Jerry’s. As for how many bands and how many people this involves, I don’t know. I did see quite a few kids milling about Jerry’s Pizza last night.



There’s also word that Numbskull Records, Jerry’s Pizza’s biggest supplier of bands has pulled out. Whether that is true or not or will stand the test of time, we will all have to wait and see if people are truly sticking together to fight this intimidation that has forced out Gigantic Clothing.

And you have to ask yourself who might be next? Could it be Downtown Records and their beginner bands and hip hop nights? There’s already bad blood downtown because of the night a Downtown Joe’s guest blasted one of the clothing store’s guests in a frenetic free-for-all. And what about Downtown Joes? Are they a threat to Jerry’s Pizza? Likely not. Bars like Downtown Joes and Rileys are untouchable to the intimidation factor; it seems only all age venues can be forced to leave or not host shows at all. What this really does kill is the Indie scene, a scene that Jerry’s Pizza ignored anyway. So where’s the logic?

You have to wonder if all the kids hanging out at Jerry’s Pizza even know what is going on? Are they aware of the intimidation style politics being waved in front of Gigantic, Underground Records, and in various bands’ faces? I hear that even the skinheads protecting Jerry’s personnel won’t back them up when just up the street near Gigantic and Downtown Records. Nate Burg and Jerry’s Pizza’s divide and conquer policy just may divide themselves. But then, that would be fine. Jerry’s Pizza has the right to continue to operate in decadent fashion, as long as it doesn’t impose its will on other businesses. More to come…

Black Jerks Invade Haberfelde, and in Hardcore Punk Style, Mock Intimidators

If you haven’t seen the Black Jerks, then you probably took too long of a smoke break before their brief roman candle-esque punk thrashing set. It’s fast and it’ll take your head off there’s so much energy in such a short span of time.



I stood too close as the set began. Why do I know this? I had to dive out of the way because the lead singer kept body slamming me like I was some kind of orphaned mosh child. None to worry. I jumped behind the band—they were in full defiance and had their backs to the punk crowd anyway. This was better for some quick pics of their anger. And let me tell you these guys were pissed off as there was a sure buzz on the street last night with what went down because of Jerry’s Pizza’s intimidation over the cool cats of Gigantic. At one point during the show every punk in the crowd screamed mockingly, “Hail Nate Burg! Hail Nate Burg!” It was as if this wasn’t a punk concert at all. It was more like an underground festival of rebellious arts performed at a Parisian café during the Nazi occupation of World War Two. You know what the Parisians used to say even when the Nazi’s were in their midst don’t you? “Germans? What Germans?” If that didn’t piss off the bad guys.





The show itself was on the tiled entryway just outside of Angelina’s café, which is also just outside of Going Underground Records. That was my first trip inside. I met store owner Ronald (drummer for the Black Jerks) his girlfriend (she always knows how little cash is in my bank account. Beg her to tell you how broke I am. I dare you.)





I also met Matthew Riot (Black Jerks guitarist) inside the record store. This dude is way cool and is partly responsible for me getting ‘flaky’ accusations as well as the number one rating on ratemyprofessor.com, a chilepepper! Gotta love this guy. Go see the Black Jerks. If anything, they will fire you up!

The Filthies Play the Double Down Saloon in Vegas

Poor Kenny. St. Patrick's Day he seemed so alive, like he was really having a good time throwing skateboards, talking potty, singing Irish horn-tooting zing zing songs... And then the phone call last night... Kenny down and out. He just lost his limo in a card game and was about to wash dishes at Sam's Town after getting in trouble for climbing the fake Southwestern facade to wrestle the animatronic coyote in front of his daughters. "I just wanted to wrastle those red blazing eyes from that dang dog's head," he said. He fell off that and twisted his kneecap, and then while pushing himself in a crazy flamingo pink walker, even gambled away his last golfing hat to a leopardskin-wearing cat lady. Meow!

Thank goodness to Betsy that was all after a great show at the Double Down Saloon where Kenny said, "There was this band from San Diego called the Hillstreet Stranglers; and we fell in love with them and told them, 'dude, we love you!' And then, when we played, and they fell in love with us and said, 'dude we love you too!' But then, there was this other band called the Black Jetts, and they were like, 'Hey', like you know, all Hollywood rock star like with their leathery pants and shaggy hair... Well it was a great show, a ton of people, and the folks at the Double Down are so nice. We just love them."

Better luck next time in Vegas, Kenny!

Whiskey Galore at the Fitz in Downtown Vegas: St. Patty Party - by N.L. Belardes

Did you know that State Line, Nevada (Primm) is 26 miles from Las Vegas? That's one marathon race to you and me, which is about the same amount of energy, plus an encore or three, that Kevin Briley and his band Whiskey Galore put into their show St. Patrick's Day night at the Fitzgerald's Casino. If you don't know, the Fitz is located in downtown Las Vegas. That's the eye of the storm in Las Vegas history. Near the recreation of the Old Mormon Ft. where streams ran along Indian trails and the Mormon trails, it was once called Block 16. That was just around the time trains passed through. That was the Old West. Back in those days if a certain Sherriff Sam saw you fighting (He was as big as Marky Pope, if not bigger) he would literally take you and the other guy and smash your heads together and then make you kiss and make up. Of course when Sam was drunk he'd wander the old block past the Golden Nugget, past the old Golden Gate (the oldest casion downtown) and shoot out lamp lights...Nowadays old Fremont Street is home to about 13 casinos, thousands of nightgoers and the Fremont Street Experience over a jammed promenade.

So here's what Kevin had to say:


vegas rocked! At the end of our last show on 3/17 we were asked to
stay over and perform again on 3/18... Exhausting. We did three sets
on 3/17 and two sets on 3/18 at the fitz. I"m pretty sure we'll be
back next year. The lungs were wrecked still, but are now on the
mend. Jeff got a great picture of me near passed out with exhaustion
at the end of the show... I"ll send it to you when i get it. The
first night we had extra security guards cause there were SO many
people watching. After the end of each set we said goodnight, but
the crowd just howled out for more. We did a few encores and called
it quits. Some guys in the front row wanted more. I asked if they
could get the band a round of beers and we'd do it. When i said one
more, they said 3!! So i said if you can handle three, why not four?
The beers arrived and we played 5 more. I collapsed, end of night.

Night two went pretty much the same way.

I pride myself on making each show just a little different. For this
show, mike sang a song called "paddy murphy's wake." We actually did
this at the noriega hotel on 3/15, but that was the only other time i
had heard it from mike. We did a reel called, "the dusty millar"
that we hadn't done before. I can't remember the real set lists
because we just called out whatever we felt like. I remember that we
did many, many versions of "hag at the churn." Other tunes that we
did that i know for sure are: (in no particular order)

pig
parting glass
wild rover
gypsy
maggie in the woods-sliabh luachra
wild rover
black velvet
mason's
thunder
atholl
cork hill
molly and the cops
county down
pumpkin
health
5 drunken nights
donnybrook/jack walsh/ donnybrook
cead/jigs
lark
brain boru
paddy murphy's wake
dusty millar
hag at the churn
derry
galican/grumpy
drunken sailor

that all she wrote!
kevin

Thursday Night War: St. Patrick's Day Style

Swerving around a light pole In the March darkness, a van raced through the Montgomery World Plaza parking lot and tore onto 28th Street. “Hold on, we’re gonna go fast,” came a voice from the front seat as the van rounded a corner. Sitting in the back of the van, my adrenaline raced. I had already almost fallen over as we careened onto F Street. I slid across a rubber floor mat while the van straightened, then chugged its way toward Chester Avenue.

Inside, the van was dark and ominous—faces reflected street lamps, downtown buildings and bright shop signs. There were no seats, and the air within strangely reminded me of the death that often fills such space. I imagined a gurney strapped and locked into the van’s metal floor, with the quiet dead resting in eternal slumber on top of that. If you don't know by now, this was the mortuary van owned by Kenny 'Motor' Mount. I was on a phone with a girl in Chicago. She said, “How does someone forget something like a bass?” I didn’t know. I hadn’t even asked that question yet. I was too busy trying not to get smashed into the van door as we sped along. I just tagged along for the adventure. The last band on stage at Montgomery World Plaza was winding down. The final band should have been set to go. But now two of its members and a strange novelist were taken away from the scene onto Bakersfield’s dim lit streets…



Exithead, the first band of the night promised me a demo. During the course of the evening such thoughts were forgotten, lost in a sea of great music and adventurous Thursday Night War antics. Not to worry, the night was filled with so much goings on that not everyone can ever remember a writer passing through the evening like a ghost himself. Who is this band, Exithead? I didn’t spend much time talking to these guys from Kernville, but I did listen to their thrash metal style that blasted their song Boiling Point as if these guys were on a metal mission supreme. What a fresh angry sound to hear in Bakersfield; to know these guys are up in the mountainous lands of Kernville tearing it up, creating, being angry rebels in a conservative river community. They must be a great outlet for the community to come listen to, hang out, have some brews on the lonely Kern mountain weekends. Put a stage up by the river, guys and blast your hard sounds to the whole mountain! You can’t ask more from a group of guys having so much fun with their metal genre.





I’m assuming this was Kenny Filthy’s comment on these five thrashers’ myspace site the night of the 17th. Who else could it have been? “What’s up fella's? Are you ready for tonight? Hell yes......Sorry to hear about you being English, : ) it's not your fault......looking forward to seeing you guy's live. Kenny.” I look forward to more Exithead and appreciate bass player Paul’s follow-up email thanking me for attending the show.

I had never heard of This Plain Morning until they took the stage St. Patrick’s Day. These guys have as much energy as any band I’ve seen in this town. Another mystery band to me. Just who are they and where are they going? Another demo slipped through my fingers. I am getting quite a nice collection of local music and wish I had these guys songs to spin on the cd player. Give it up for This Plain Morning. They have a lot of energy and I saw the bass player hanging out at Gigantic the next night. These guys are seriously fun musicians, in the scene, and having as good a time as any band out there hitting the local circuit.







I heard through the grapevine about Gramercy Riff and how good they are. But I had to hear for myself their raucous style and intricate layers of hard-guitar edges before I became a believer. Blend their fist-flying fast-riff sounds with some screaming vocals and genuinely nice guys and you might have an idea of the character of Gramercy Riff. I have to admit that when I first heard them start playing I thought, “Oh no, here comes another screamo band wanting to shake up the mosh pit.” After hearing the energy and hard metal/post-metal sounds of the first two bands I admit wanted a change of pace. Call me an old softy. Now don’t you all kick me down by thinking I didn’t like the first two bands, because they rocked, and they gave 150% of their souls to us concertgoers.





It’s Gramercy Riff’s tempo changes that hooked me. Their songs take you from emotionally angry adrenaline-engine highs down into melodic brooding valleys of sound. It’s those tempos and rhythms that crystallize a song’s lyrics and ambience—the melodies of such slow moments allow listeners to breathe, to escape, to find themselves at a deeper level within the song. From there, song intensity rolls onto a hard edge and Gramercy does it with passion, building songs back to an angry plateau that captured me as they kept with their template of song structure. Hats off to Gramercy Riff for being the competing band that captured me the most. I look forward to listening more to their sounds as well as the high-energy antics of Exithead and This Plain Morning.





Just off Chester Avenue and 18th Street the van came to a quick stop. The adventure, half way through, now seemed to freeze in time. The Filthies, due to be on stage were split up and blocks apart from each other and their fans. Kelley told me he had been at work and didn’t doublecheck if his bass had been packed. I hate when I show up to the hockey rink and I’m one glove or skate shy and it’s fifteen minutes until game time. Kelley soon disappeared downstairs to the Filthy Lair. He seemed gone an eternity.


Sporting a cool tattoo and listening to tunes


Pick my flowers

Outside stood Mark Chavez, former frontman for Adema, as well as Sharon and Gary of B2 Studios. Kenny, the driver of his silver bullet werewolf killa van now stood outside deep in conversation. “Take a picture, N.L.!” he yelled. Little did I know Kenny was a superstar photo addict with a hidden star map in his glove compartment. “I’ve had pictures with Coolio, with Kramer from Seinfeld… and now Mark!” Here was Kenny, a kid in a cotton candy photo shoot. Soon afterwards Kelley finally returned, so we jumped into the van and were off…





Returning to Montgomery World Plaza was more of the same dark streets and fast turns. Back inside, I bumped into Gerhard Enns and Nico Rhodes of the Dalloways. What? Had they become closet Filthies fans too? “Hard to resist, aren’t they?” I said. I hear there’s a rumor of Brit Pop meeting Rock Punk on April 15th. Is this true? Dalloways and the Filthies? Say no more. I’m there.


Nico Rhodes and Gerhard Enns of the Dalloways



Oh, and a few next generation punks were hanging around...


St. Patrick gets ready to scare the snakes from Ireland's shores.

The Filthies hit the stage to classic rock punk song stardom. Kenny, a bit out of breath from all the fast driving to catch a runaway bass was sharp as always, hitting the chords, the notes, the tempo changes, the dastardly cool lyrics of impending road smashing ends and love lost in a way only a punk like him could have ever lost it. And by that I mean he’s been around the punk block more than a few times. While the band tore into a tight set, I was reminded why these guys are the hottest act in town. No one plays punk like the Filthies, and no one quite has their cohesiveness, energy and expertise. With that said I do have to say that Empty Handed and Ridicule are both up and coming and holding their own on the punk scene. All three bands have wide appeal to punk and mainstream audiences who like their punk flavored with a bit of today’s soulfoul rock edges. They’re all a slightly different variation of punk sounds. And none of them are to be missed.



Kenny played a St. Patty’s Day tune on some Irish flute he’d picked up at Thistle N Rose a few days ago. Unfortunately Gus didn’t bring his accordion; but that didn’t mean we didn’t have a great St. Patty’s Day time of it. Kenny’s Irish tune was a foot-stompin’ song followed by several Outer Limits T-shirts and Skateboards thrown into the audience.



The night’s adventure ended with the Filthies in a potty-talk session with a few of my friends that had faces blushing. This was a classic night, with bands playing all over town while the Thursday Night War left many with an excited after-party feel that will go down as a classic night in Bakersfield alt music history… oh, and thanks for the ride in the van; I still see dead people, Kenny…

Gigantic Vintage Gets Intimidated By Jerry's Pizza Thug - By N.L. Belardes

I was wondering why I saw Alex of Gigantic at the Montgomery World Plaza last night at the Thursday Night War. I knew there was supposed to be a kickin’ show down at the BIG clothing store downtown. So why wasn’t Alex mingling with his polka buddies? Ok—they weren’t polka buddies but a bunch of great Indie bands. And though I am making light for the moment, there are some serious issues going on in the downtown Bakersfield music scene that everyone knows about but no one will speak about, until now…

There is a music explosion waiting to happen in Bakersfield. It’s building up. It’s gaining momentum. The forces are at work in the ethereal fog of band and music venue uncertainty; but it’s working in a positive manner. The explosion will peak; it will happen. And thank god, but I predict it’s not going to explode from Jerry’s Pizza. I think Alex of Gigantic knows what I’m talking about. He’s apparently a visionary who sees the scene for what it is—gaining momentum at a furious pace. Let me just say this: why would any city want a great music scene to explode from a venue like Jerry’s, one that is as dirty as any underground cesspool there ever was? Jerry’s is no Whiskey-A-Go-Go and I think any talent scout would be hard-pressed to put up with such a venue to watch any potentially great band. What a laughing stock Bakersfield would be to the nation were some band to rise from the dark pizza-stained underground ashes of Jerry’s bowels. I can just hear Johnny Carson’s ghost giggle as it poofs away, “I was right after all, such streets are worthy of joke-making!”

I was at work the other day when this guy said, “I’ll never go back to Jerry’s again. I saw too many cockroaches scatter from the tables. It was disgusting.” And that was at lunchtime. Who knows what bugs creep from Jerry’s during the midnight hour when the pizza has been left on the cellar floors for hours on end. Maybe because the pizza is the crusty floor down in its blackened trash-strewn cellar. The way things are going these days, one of those scattering bugs might have been this slime ball I keep hearing about who’s been shafting local bands, out-of-towners and downtown businesses left and right. What kind of camaraderie is this? I have ignored such de-banding and given props to the bands and venues who have a unified vision. I know the true eyesore and stain on the city; and I know Jerry’s Pizza’s strategy. It’s called divide and conquer. Unfortunately for Jerry’s, this time they’re going to fail.

Maybe it’s time good folks reach out to the media and say, “Hey, there’s this hellish pizza joint where your kids hang out at night that smells like a sewer. Shut it down.” Who will say that? You? Me? Alex? Well I’m saying it right now…

There’s more. Here’s what I just read on the Gigantic website:

all shows @ gigantic vintage will either be canceled or moved to another venue, most likely the montgomery ward plaza on F st.

why? well because mr. NATE BURG of jerry's pizza felt that we were competition to his shows and decided to contact our landlord and make a bunch of complaints against us (probably total lies about bad stuff that wasn't even happening) in order to stop the shows. we know this is true because we heard that he went around bragging about it. he has been trying to get our shows closed down for about a month now because he feels it threatens jerry's pizza shows.

so you can all thank nate burg for having one less thing to do in bakersfield until we can get the shows moved and what not! we'll keep you updated, and thank you all for supporting gigantic vintage.

Well how disgusting is that? I immediately went down to Gigantic this evening and heard more of the story. Apparently this Nate Burg character recently threatened the good folks of Gigantic with a baseball bat. Now if that isn’t bad business topped with a psychotic attitude problem. Maybe Dwight Yoakum would just say “this is the streets of Bakersfield for you”; but I say different. I’d like to see this guy try to do that to Marky Pope, security thug extraordinaire for CK Entertainment. I’m well aware of the old Tule Fog stories about the theft of the mascot and Marky’s own prowess with a Louisville Slugger. Ask him that story sometime. We hockey players, fans of the Condors (a team that doesn’t take intimidation from anyone, and a very clean venue I might add) play the same brand ourselves. Try to intimidate us and we’ll play twice as hard, and beat you by three goals.

The point here is intimidation. It doesn’t work. It fuels desire. It fuels passion. Didn’t England attempt to intimidate the colonies? Didn’t Hitler try to intimidate Europe and then America? What about the result of intimidation caused by America on some Middle Eastern country. You know that oil-filled country. There are people fighting back there too. And our good soldiers die in part because of our government’s all-too-inflated intimidation factor. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a patriot. But I’m also one that doesn’t stand for intimidation of any kind. I’m the first to be in a hockey fight and take a swing at a guy twice my size for a cheap shot. But then, that’s on the rink. And it’s all handshakes after the game. But then, we’re not talking about a game, are we? I’d like to see Nate Burg and Alex of Gigantic shake hands after this mess. Not a likely ending to the story.

Tonight, I believe is a sign of the demise of Jerry’s Pizza. Tonight is the night that the city heard the writer speak for the musicians and business owners of intimidated streetsville. Didn’t I say in my ‘Rock and Roll Farm’ article that it would take a new generation of rebellious punks to rebel against the punks? Yes, well Alex and Gigantic aren’t giving up. These guys are just rebellious and avant garde enough to pull away from the downtown scene to attract the kids who need Gigantic to thrive, who need the Indie music scene to stay alive, and who aren’t afraid to help the scene explode, not in a downtown where it’s supposedly all happening, but in a city and valley and in homes; that’s where the music explosion is about to happen...

Filthies Officially name N.L. Belardes family member, 'Hansel'

Big thanks to the big shout out from potty-mouth Kenny Filthy who took the time to name a very special member of my family. I'm very fond of the name Hansel, always have been. Don't forget to come to the show tonight to see some special St. Patty's Day flag flyin' fun with the Filthies, Gramercy Riff, and more!!

The N.L. Belardes Online Gallery - Meet Nur Polat

As an artist myself, I have a fondness for not only music, but literature, history, painting, sculpture and photography. I am proud that my first featured artist (other than the local musicians I have been talking about for the past few months) is Nur Polat. Nur isn't a local but a great artist and friend who hails from Istanbul, Turkey. There, she is a photographer/artist whose work is known throughout art circles, in the community cafe's, college exhibition circuit, and in her own gallery, 'Cocoon'. At Cocoon she features other artist's works as well as runs classes in photography, ceramics,