20
The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, January 27, 2011
Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com
Index Annual rabbit show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Laura Lollar Wolfe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 BHS Drumathon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Arts Alive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Jeff Dunham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Fundraising events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Levan Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30-31
Practice, practice, practice Rock Steady Studios to meet bands’ basic need BY MATT MUNOZ Bakotopia.com editor mmunoz@bakersfield.com
L
ocal bands will finally have a place to woodshed their noise into music with the upcoming opening of Rock Steady Studios. Brought to life by partners Chris Sanchez and Myvan Huynh, the self-financed business was created to fill a void felt by Bakersfield musicians — a feeling Sanchez is all too familiar with. “I’ve been playing in bands for years around town, and the problem we always had was finding a place to rehearse,” he said. Sanchez’s frustration dates to his 1990s high school punk band, The Rumor, whose rehearsals had a reputation for keeping neighbors awake. “We always practiced at my friend’s garage, and even lined the walls with mattresses to sound-proof the place. The cops would still show up and tell us to turn it down every time.” Sanchez, who plays guitar and sings, eventually moved on to a different band, but the hassles and expense of rehearsal followed him. “We were paying almost $450 a month for an empty room, and things just didn’t work out. I think we were paying the building’s rent more than our own because it was way too expensive,” he said.
‘If you can’t find a job, you can make one, right?’ So Sanchez, a 2010 CSUB grad with a degree in public administration, came up with a resolution both to his constant quest for rehearsal space and a brand-new struggle that cropped up since graduation: finding work in today’s tough job market. “Chris was so busy looking for a job, but no one was hiring,” said Huynh, an accountant and 2008 CSUB graduate. “His only real work experience was in music, playing in bands. I suggested he try something out related to that.” Huynh’s suggestion sparked an immediate reaction from Sanchez. “The rehearsal studio idea was the first thing that popped into my head,” he said. “I didn’t have any structured plan, but if you can’t find a job, you can make one, right?” His preparation and research consisted of visiting various established Southern California rehearsal spots and taking notes. “You walk into some of these places and there are just rows of doors leading to different practice rooms. Bakersfield could totally use something like this,” he said. Brainstorming together, the friends decided a joint venture could potentially make things work, with some financial
FELIX ADAMO / THE CALIFORNIAN
Chris Sanchez and partner Myvan Huynh try out one of the new rehearsal rooms at their new business, Rock Steady Studios.
“We’re hoping to have a melting pot of metal heads hanging with country dudes, and reggae musicians. This place is for everybody.” — Chris Sanchez, co-owner of Rock Steady Studios
guidance by Huynh. Each kicked in $5,000 of their own money. “The trust was there between us, and even though I was working already, I was confident about this,” said Huynh. “It was all or nothing as far as we were concerned. This was our money and we didn’t want to deal with bankers.” Their initial search led them downtown, where they felt Rock Steady Studios would get the most traffic. “The rent was too high downtown, and there’s always some noise level and parking concerns from the landlords. Bands need space outside to load and unload gear,” Sanchez said. Their next stop was the southwest, home to countless lonely business plazas with suites to fill. There they found what they
consider an ideal location and reasonable rent. The partners moved in the first week of January, and with help from family in the construction business, they put in drywall, light fixtures and sound-proofing. “When we first came in, there was nothing but an office and a set of stairs here,” said Huynh. “We built most of this ourselves, but contracted things we needed help with.”
‘Plug ’n’ play best way to go’ Making the most of the available 2,000 square feet, which also includes an upstairs area, the studio offers five rooms to choose from. Varying in size, from small enough to fit one full drum kit to a fully staged set-up, each is personalized with names like “Schecter Room” and “Gibson Room,” after popular instrument brands. Inside each chamber, walls are adorned with posters of rock legends to help create the vibe. All rooms will boast PA systems, complete with microphones and cables, making it BYOI — bring your own instrument. “Plug ’n’ play is the best way to go,” said Sanchez. Pricing will depend on the needs of the artist, starting with a base rate of $20 to $25 an hour, according Sanchez and Huynh. The plan is to offer a variety of options to make things easy, rather than haggling over
Rock Steady Studios 5630 District Blvd, Suite 107; 3645490 or 619-565-7168 or r.s.studios@hotmail.com
rates. “We will work with all the bands on this, because we know how crazy some schedules can be. We’ll make it accessible at just about any hour, as long as we’re contacted early enough. I compare it to eating at In-NOut, where you have three options you can change a little,” Sanchez smiled. Alcohol and smoking are prohibited. “We want parents to feel safe if their kids are here. Smoking is allowed outside, and we will have security cameras on the premises at all times,” said Huynh. In addition to the rehearsal spaces, the Rock Steady lounge waiting area is where bands can network and make connections while watching music videos on the bigscreen TV. The partners have already been fielding calls from interested bands. Sanchez envisions a socially rockin’ steady environment. “We’re hoping to have a melting pot of metal heads hanging with country dudes, and reggae musicians. This place is for everybody.”