Eye Street / 8-23-12

20

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 23, 2012

Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com

Index Band of Heathens .................................... 22 25th annual Rubber Ducky Races .......... 23 Arts Alive .................................................. 24 “Oliver!” review ...................................... 25 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz.............. 26 Indoor Garage Sale .................................. 27 Jessica Boles............................................ 28 Calendar .............................................. 32-33

“It’s like taking a step back in time, and you’ve been invited. Come see history unfold.”

— Ira Walker, member of Zen Road Pilots

Band reunion is magical First new record in 25 years comes easy for veteran musicians

BY MATT MUNOZ Californian staff writer mmunoz@bakersfield.com

P

laying the music he loves with the men he was destined to play with — that’s how Monty Byrom of Zen Road Pilots describes the musical partnership he’s reformed with longtime friends and former bandmates Ira Walker and Tom “Fee” Falletti.

Their new self-titled album and tour is the product of mended ways and a rediscovered brotherhood. It’s a close bond that is bringing these vintage souls to Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace on Saturday for a show you won’t soon forget.

The reunion is certainly special for drummer Falletti.

“It’s like Christmas for me, because I’m getting a second chance at something in my life. When we were kids, we blew it. We knew it. We were too full of ourselves and just being silly. Now that we’re grown and everybody’s sober, it’s been a lot of fun.”

The trio first aimed for success with bandmate Danny Chauncey as Billy Satellite. The band, which started with a major label debut at the height of the MTV era, had an edge over most of the competition in the early ’80s.

After rising to the top of the Bay Area rock scene, they seemed poised for stardom with national tours, music videos and the backing of Hollywood elite. But after a shakeup at Capitol Records prevented the release of their follow-up album, the group abruptly parted ways amid bad business deals and indulging in rock star vices.

Apart, the musicians found continued success: Lead vocalist and guitarist Monty Byrom began penning hit songs for pop rocker Eddie Money, before forming country soul act Big House, and collaborating with the Buckaroos. Meanwhile, guitarist Chauncey joined 38 Special, bassist Ira Walker performed with various artists — including blues guitarist Keb’ Mo — and Falletti stayed busy as a sideman for Gregg Allman, among others.

But even with all their solo endeavors, Byrom, Walker and Falletti admit the thrill of those early years has never truly been recaptured until now, almost 25 years after they went their separate ways.

Reunited and reformed as Zen Road Pilots, the threesome picks up where they left off with a brand-new CD and a show Saturday.

“It took us all this time to figure out what makes us feel good when it comes to music,”

ALBUM REVIEW

PHOTO BY PAT JOHNSON

Zen Road Pilots — from left, Ira Walker, Monty Byrom and Tom Falletti — will perform Saturday at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace.

Zen Road Pilots When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd.

Admission: $16 to $24 Information: 328-7560 or buckowens.com

said Walker, 57, during a telephone interview from his home in Red Bluff. “It’s above and beyond talent. It’s like the best deja vu I’ve ever had.”

Falletti, 55, who still lives in Alameda where Billy Satellite originated, said rejoining his bandmates is comparable to hanging with long-lost brothers.

“It’s remarkable, it’s incredible. I’m

absolutely stunned. We’re all home and we wanna stay home.”

Although both point to Byrom as the driving force behind the reunion, they also cite a pivotal moment sparked by the desire to aid a fellow musician.

During a 2010 benefit for guitarist Nick del Drago, a friend and cohort from years back, Byrom, Walker and Falletti were asked to participate in what many thought would be a one-off Billy Satellite reunion. Soon the trio found themselves at Slim’s in San Francisco facing the music.

For Byrom, 54, it was like stepping off a cliff.

“We had no soundcheck or rehearsal. We just stepped on stage and we dealt it,” he said.

There in the crowd was the Billy Satellite’s Please see PILOTS / 30

Although the members of Zen Road Pilots have grown and evolved on a personal level, their sound definitely has its throwback moments, including an energetic ode to the summer of love. It’s a perfect soundtrack for the men who found their start in the City by the Bay. For Tom Falletti, the homage was an obvious choice and their most natural option.

“So many things today sound so alike. We made a record that sounds like it should have been in cut in ’67 to ’68. It has a vintage sound, but very current.

Probably the record I’m most proud of.”

From the opening track of “I Don’t Need Nobody,” you can feel the spirit that’s been reawakened in the band. Monty Byrom sings with a fine-tuned clarity. His years on the road have given him the skill and maturity of a veteran singer, but his love for Zen Road Pilots and the opportunity they represent is evident in his delivery. His tracks are complimented by Ira Walker’s vocals, adding a lower and richer experience to the overall feel of the project, especially on Hendrix-inspired, “Broken Mirror.”

It’s an album mixed with soulful, gritty Detroit offerings, ala Bob Seger, while capturing the essence of original Bay Area legend John Fogerty. The men embody late ’60s rock, but redefine the genre with the knowledge and experience learned on the long road between sitting top of the heap and flying under the radar.

21

Thursday, August 23, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

We scream for ice cream — and troops!

Radio host brings home his favorite frozen treat

BY ANNA BURLESON Californian staff writer aburleson@bakersfield.com

M

uertos Kitchen & Lounge — with its red brick, wood and leather accents, vibin’ music and oh-so-cool Wall Street Alley address — puts patrons in the mood for a party-starting sangria (which just so happens to be the new restaurant’s signature drink).

But ice cream? Shawna HaddadByers didn’t open a joint like this to serve dairy delights. Doesn’t matter.

She’s holding an ice cream social there from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

And it’s for a good cause.

“I don’t get in people’s face unless it’s to raise money for the troops. Then I’ll ask for anything,” she said, pushing some stray hairs back into the no-nonsense ponytail from whence they came.

Haddad-Byers — no stranger to downtown nightlife as the former owner of the dearly departed Fishlips Bar and Grill — is hosting the event, dubbed Scoops for the Troops, with local radio host, contributing Californian columnist and semi-celebrity Scott Cox. She talks as if she were planning a party with her annoying little brother.

“Scott’s got this love for blues music and guitars and America,” she said. “And the ice cream.”

The “ice cream” in question is not just any ice cream. It’s Blue Bell, and it’s available in only 22 states; California isn't one of them. So Cox, whose love of the product has been established (and re-established) in the pages of The Californian, is personally paying to FedEx 5 gallons of it on dry ice to Bakersfield.

“I don’t know what it is, but it’s just the best ice cream that there is,” said Cox, in a rare loss for words. “I think it’s essentially frozen butter.

Whatever the worst thing is you can eat, that’s probably what it is. Just butter and sugar.”

Cox travels to Texas every year and makes a point to live off the stuff while he’s there. Once, he even resorted to some stunt driving at the expense of his wife when he spotted a roadside cafe advertising it.

“I grabbed the steering wheel and ran us off the road and into the parking lot,” he said proudly.

That's dedication.

Helping the troops But Cox’s other dedication — to helping the troops — is pretty deep as well. He and Haddad-Byers have raised about $300,000 for the troops

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE BELL ICE CREAM

Blue Bell ice cream is available in only 22 states — California isn’t one of them — but getting it is certainly worth the trip.

Scoops for the Troops When: 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday Where: Muertos Kitchen and Lounge, 1514 Wall St. Cost: $50 for ice cream tasting Information: 324-2557

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT COX

This scoop is from a Blue Bell ice cream kiosk in the lobby of the Marriott at College Station, Texas.

since 2007.

Their biggest fundraiser has been an annual concert dubbed Scottstock, originally centered around Cox's birthday that grew to be something much more extravagant.

“We have a lot of fun auctioning off guitars and watching Bakersfield’s finest drink, twist and shout,” Haddad-Byers said.

But the closure of Fishlips in December and the delayed opening of Muertos made Scottstock impossible this year.

“There are still people stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I hate to think that somebody’s not going to get a package and it’s my fault," Cox said.

So a $50 donation is requested from Scoops for the Troops attendees. The money will go toward Operation Interdependence, a group that supports soldiers overseas by sending care packages containing necessities that are hard to come by in the desert: deodorant,

toothpaste, magazines and letters from home.

“Just think of how hot it is now; it’s 105 degrees,” Haddad-Byers said. “Well, think of it being 115 with no supplies with a frickin’ gun and backpack on.”

A guitar signed by Merle Haggard will be raffled off. In previous years, Haddad-Byers and Cox have gone to extreme lengths to raise money.

Last year, a Metallica guitar was spotted at a road-side swap in the middle of nowhere and purchased for the raffle.

“It requires a little bit of espionage,” Haddad-Byers said.

But back to the important stuff: the ice cream. The flavors are summer strawberry pie, pistachio almond, southern blackberry cobbler, orange vanilla swirl, rocky road, vanilla, chocolate-covered strawberries, coconut fudge, birthday cake, tin roof and peach vanilla.

It took some coaxing, but Cox reluctantly revealed that the hiding place for the frozen goodness in the days leading up to the event is not a bank vault, but the freezer at Muertos.

“I want to hire armed guards,” he said, half-joking. “I’m telling you, I’ve got a problem.”

Coming in Eye What does Pete Tittl think of Muertos Kitchen & Lounge? Find out Sunday.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE BELL ICE CREAM

Any way you stack it, Blue Bell ice cream is a treat.

22

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 23, 2012

Eye Street

Heathens winning over faithful fans

BY MATT MUNOZ

Band of Heathens

Californian staff writer mmunoz@bakersfield.com

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday Where: Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd.

Admission: Free (call for reservations) Information: 328-7560 or buckowens.com

T

his band may have the word “heathens” in its name, but the fervor the Austin-based quintet inspires in its legion of fans seems pretty close to a religious experience.

Heralded as both musical saviors and jam-band royalty, Band of Heathens have been winning over listeners since forming five years ago as a side project to quench creative thirsts. After all, following one’s creative muse is just part of life in Austin, a fabled promised land for musicians — a reputation that is grossly exaggerated, according to Heathens guitarist and vocalist Gordy Quist.

“Austin is not an industry town where everybody’s hunting for a record deal or waiting for someone to show up and scoop them out of the mire and make them a star,” said Quist during a phone interview with The Californian to promote the band’s show Wednesday at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace.

“I don’t see a whole lot of artists around here waiting for that. It’s more about, ‘Hey, let’s put a really good band together and go out and play as much as many nights a week as we possibly can, and make the live show really great.’ That culture has really shaped how we make music with my group.”

The Heathens — Quist, gui-

tarist Ed Jurdi, drummer John Chipman, bassist Seth Whitney and keyboard player Trevor Nealon — have crafted a unique style of genuinely American music drawn from blues, folk, country, gospel and jazz. It doesn’t hurt that the band has a refreshingly funky swagger.

“First and foremost, we approach music with the song being the centerpiece. We like songs. We want there to be a strong foundation that you could just pick up an acoustic guitar and play the song, and have it stand on its own. I think that’s one of our more important goals in approaching each album — making sure we have songs that we’re proud of.”

Their latest release, “The Double Down — Live in Denver,” showcases what longtime fans have always known: Band of Heathens are best experienced onstage, untethered from the confines of a recording studio. A two-disc DVD concert and CD set, it captures the band in the

moment and presented without the impurities of the countless live bootlegs that have circulated since the band’s inception.

“It’s not about regurgitating the studio album for us,” Quist said.

“It’s about going down a different avenue every time. Being able to stretch out and improvise onstage, bringing those jazz and blues elements into it with the mentality that each guitar solo is a moment and an opportunity to say something that may be different from night to night. This collection was originally going to be one disc, but we liked it so much we decided on two.”

The Heathens’ solid three-part vocal harmonies recall the tradition of their obvious influences, namely The Band and the Eagles.

All are capable of taking the lead or pulling together in a seamlessly soulful triad, a brotherly style that is the result of years of perfecting their chemistry.

“I think that’s part of any band’s natural progression if they’re serious about what they do. When we first started out, we would take up a residency at a local club and just play non-stop.

We’ve never really tried to make music for everyone, and not everyone is gonna dig what we do.

We’re doing what excites us, and we’ve been fortunate that other people have enjoyed it as well.”

This will be the band’s third visit to Bakersfield, and one of a number of stops the Heathens

PHOTO COURTESY OF CONQUEROO

Band of Heathens performs Wednesday night at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace.

will hit through the remainder of summer into the fall.

“Bakersfield has a feel similar to Texas in some ways, especially in the overlapping history of oil and music,” Quist said. “We’ve always enjoyed performing there.

I went through a period where I listened to a lot of Merle Haggard and, of course, Buck Owens. You have to recognize how they helped shape the sound of American music. Their era and the emotion they poured into every song was real. Bands like the Grateful Dead also tapped into that type of mentality.”

In the improvisational spirit of the Dead, the Heathens also refrain from following set lists,

preferring to let the moment carry them once the lights dim.

“We start the song, and when it ends, someone else picks the next in a rotation, although we do, on occasion, experiment with set lists to decide on solos.”

Quist added that fans are in for a treat this tour, as the band is currently recording all live concerts and making them available the very night of the show on USB drives.

“We started trying it out about five or six months ago. We listen to the recordings the next day on our way to the next show. Our fans seem to dig it, so it’s been cool, especially since it pushes us to change things up.”

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Thursday, August 23, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

Race contestants hope to have the lucky duck Rubber Ducky Races bring out some serious competitors

Join us Saturday August 25, 2012 5pm-9pm Building Healthy Communities South Kern Arts and Culture Fair

BY ASHLEY FISCHER Contributing writer

F

or most people, watching 100 rubber ducks charging down the Kern River would be a fairly lighthearted way to spend an afternoon.

But for 91-year-old Frances Manbeck (also lovingly known as “Grouch”), Kernville’s annual Rubber Ducky Races are pretty darn serious.

Not afraid of being perceived as a bit of an odd duck, each year Manbeck really gets into the spirit of things, wearing orange pants and a yellow shirt (to match the ducks, of course), as well as a custommade baseball cap, with rubber ducks affixed on all sides.

“I have my walker with my seat, and I just sit there all day. People may think I’m crazy, but I’m having fun. Don’t get me wrong, though, I also like to win. Winning definitely adds to my enjoyment.”

According to Marsha Smith, secretary of the Kern River Valley Exchange Club, which hosts the event, Manbeck is just one of many dedicated locals who has been bewitched by these rubbery waterfowl over the past 25 years.

“This is by far our largest fundraiser of the year,” she said. “We have a lot of locals who are pretty dedicated. ‘Serious fun’ is what they call it.”

For those of you unfamiliar with the world of champion rubber duck racing, the mechanics of it are pretty straightforward: 100 weighted, regulation-sized ducks (Smith had to special order them from Australia) are dropped from a bridge into the river.

They then float along toward the finish line until they’re captured by the readied nets of a group of volunteer high school students.

The first-, second- and third-place prizes of $75, $50 and $25 are awarded, and then the next batch of eager competitors is released into the water. This continues for each of the 10 heats until 30 first-place winners are selected to participate in the “Main Event” race, which boasts the largest prize of the day: $1,000.

There are also a handful of specialty races, such as the “Celebrity Duck” race, which features ducks bearing the likenesses of everyone from Marilyn Monroe to President Barack Obama.

These cost more to buy into than the regular heat races ($100 per duck as opposed to $25), but there are also fewer participants, so your duck has a greater chance of coming out on top.

Whatever the odds, Manbeck always participates in every event of the day, and, like any seasoned gambler (which she is), she attempts to tip the odds in her favor by entering multiple ducks in each race.

In the past, she said she enjoyed quite a winning streak. “People would look up at the board and say, ‘Oh no, not Grouch again,’” but recently, it seems her luck has run out.

Last year, she went home with a measly

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For more information please call: (661)845-2724

A couple of rubber ducks navigate some rocks during the annual race.

25th annual Rubber Ducky Races When: Kids games at 10 a.m., lunch served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., races at 1 p.m.

Saturday Where: Riverside Park, Kernville Cost: $25 for single duck or $100 for family of five ducks (also includes two meal tickets) Note: Entrants receive a ticket that corresponds to duck(s) entered in the race. You do not get to keep any ducks except for the “Celebrity Ducks” race ($100 per ticket).

Information: 760-379-7785 or 760-379-3667, ext. 15

$25 in winnings, and, in spite of participating for the last 15 odd years or so (the exact date of when she started eludes her), Manbeck has never won the $1,000 grand prize.

Of course, not everybody is there to compete.

Fortunately, on the day of the races, Riverside Park is brimming with alternative activities; most of them catered toward those still young enough care more about simply playing with a rubber duck as opposed to racing one for money.

Starting at 10 a.m., there will be games, face painting, snow cones, hot dogs, a waterslide, a rubber duck pond and drawings for all sorts of duck-related prizes.

“We try to keep this whole event very family friendly,” said Smith. “It’s perfect for anybody who wants to come out and have a good day in the park with their kids.”

Manbeck, however, prefers to go solo.

After enjoying the deep-pit barbecue lunch of salsa, beans and salad (served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), she situates herself somewhere close to the scoreboard and just sits and watches the ducks go by.

“Aside from winning, there really isn’t a favorite part for me,” she said. “I enjoy all of it. The ducks come down the river, they wobble, they bobble, and you hope yours is in the front of the pack. It’s just something this old lady likes to do.”

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24

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 23, 2012

Eye Street Camille Gavin CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

CSUB grad on the sports track have a broad repertoire. Their first rehearsal of the 2012-2013 season is on Sept. 5.

“During the Christmas season and again in spring, we perform several concerts at different venues around our town,” said Audrey Barger, spokeswoman for the group. “We are appreciated by our audiences, and we certainly enjoy each others' camaraderie (from) September through May.” Right now, the Goldenaires is seeking new members. Barger said anyone interested should attend the rehearsal on Sept. 5 at the Church of the Brethren’s meeting hall.

“No auditions are required, although you need to be able to read sheet music,” she said. “We especially need tenors, but all voices are welcome.”

Dues are $10 a month, which pays for services of the director, Philip Witmer, and live piano accompaniment for weekly rehearsals and all performances.

Job at ESPN keeps 26-year-old occupied

C

al State Bakersfield communications graduate Celia Kelly started her third year at ESPN on June 28. And things seem to be going extremely well for her.

“I got promoted from production assistant to content associate three weeks ago; the next step is associate producer,” she said in a phone conversation last week from her home in Bristol, Conn.

Kelly, 26, was looking forward to her upcoming assignments.

“I will be in Cincinnati next Sunday to do interviews with five or six Bengals players for various vignettes that will run throughout the course of the season,” she said. “Also, I'll be in Philly next Thursday doing the same thing.”

The segments are not part of a pregame broadcast, she said, as the show she works on doesn’t start until Sept. 9.

In her current position, the former sports editor of The Runner, CSUB’s newspaper, develops and produces content for National Football League shows. Formerly her main passion was basketball.

That preference has changed because of the sports channel’s focus.

“Football is ESPN’s baby and my area is the NFL, so I worked hard to learn about football as fast as I could,” she said. “I love the creative process — I get to story-tell with video.”

So far, serving as a member of the remote crew that broadcast this year’s Super Bowl in Indianapolis has been the highlight of her experience.

“The toughest part of the job is the hours,” she said. “It took 22 weeks working 80 hours a week — and only four days a week — building sets and doing other things to get ready for the Super Bowl. I was exhausted physically and mentally.”

Nevertheless, Kelly seems to be at ease working with athletes and other sports figures who are notable both for their physical size and celebrity.

“I work with Chris ‘Boomer’ Berman every day and he’s a big guy with

Levan Institute art classes

PHOTO COURTESY OF CELIA KELLY

In her current position at ESPN, Celia Kelly develops and produces content for National Football League shows.

this big booming voice — that’s why we call him Boomer,” she said. “So no, I’m not intimidated.”

During her student days as a communications major at CSUB, Kelly also learned about editing and developing an on-air presence as an intern at KBAK-TV. She gives a lot of credit to her professors and the TV personnel for showing her the ropes.

“I had a lot of people to lean on,” she said. “Judith Pratt, Elizabeth Johnson and John Emig at CSUB and Greg Kerr and John Franchi at KBAK.” Her parents, who live in Bakersfield, also have been a strong source of support for Kelly whose initial “red-eye” flight to the East Coast in 2010 was her first time away from home.

“My dad even came out the

Camille Gavin’s “Arts Alive” column appears on Thursday. Write to her via e-mail at gavinarts@aol.com

first winter I was here,” she said.

“He stayed with me so I wouldn’t have to spend Christmas alone.”

Except for the snow, Kelly enjoys living in Bristol, which is only a few hours from New York City. She goes there often when she has a free weekend and spends time with a friend from her days at CSUB. “When I go I stay with Ellen Piris Ogwaro — she’s married now and lives in the Bronx,” she said. “She was a political science major and works for A Better Chance, a nonprofit organization.”

Goldenaires If you like to sing four-part harmony, I suggest you consider joining the Goldenaires, a choral group that’s been around for more than 25 years.

I’ve enjoyed their performances on many occasions. The group of 35 or so members — most are retirees — are well-trained and

Two popular art classes offered by the Levan Lifelong Learning Institute begin in a few weeks.

Both have been well-attended in the past, so registering early is probably a good idea.

The first, Native American Basketweaving, begins on Sept. 11.

The instructor, Dian Olmstead has been teaching the craft for 18 years.

I asked her how much previous experience a prospective student needs to have and she replied, “Absolutely none. If you can hold a needle in your hand, you can do it.”

The course fee of $25 does not include materials, which can be purchased from the instructor or gathered from other sources.

Olmstead’s is an evening class and is held on the Bakersfield College campus.

On the other hand, Al Naso’s Short Course on Drawing meets in the afternoon at the Weill Institute in downtown Bakersfield. It begins on Sept. 18.

Naso, who taught art at BC for 32 years before retiring in 2000, said his class will benefit beginners as well as more advanced artists.

“I’m not promising that you’ll draw like Michelangelo by the time we’re finished,” he said.

“But it will be a great experience.”

Students need to bring a sketch pad and other materials listed on the course schedule to the first meeting because the instruction begins immediately.

“We’re going to jump into it right away,” he said.

Naso said his approach is dif-

GO & DO Goldenaires choral group When: 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 5 Where: Church of the Brethren, Palm and A streets Membership: $10 per month Information: 397-7748

Native American Basketmaking When: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 11 to 25 Where: Bakersfield College, H-103, 1801 Panorama Drive Fee: $25 for three sessions Information: 395-4431

Short Course on Drawing When: 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 18 to Oct. 2 Where: Weill Institute, 2100 Chester Ave. Fee: $70 for six sessions Information: 395-4431

ferent from usual drawing classes.

“I work with the natural rhythms of the (student’s) body,” he said. “We do all sorts of things — drawing with your eyes closed, drawing with your wrong hand. “ All Levan Institute courses are designed for those aged 55 and older but are open to any adult over 18.

For more detailed information about either class, go to bakersfieldcollege.edu/levaninstitute.

Music in the schools Music teachers in the Bakersfield City School District are in the midst of their annual nineday road trip to the district’s 31 schools.

Their tour began on Tuesday and will end on Aug. 31. The troupe puts on a 30-minute assembly at each school as a way of introducing musical instruments to students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades.

Their purpose, says Michael Stone, coordinator of the visual and performing arts department, is to drum up enthusiasm for being part of a school orchestra.

Apparently it works. Since the Music in the Schools Program began in 2004, he said, there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of students playing a musical instrument.

For more information about the program, parents should contact the school their child attends.

25

Thursday, August 23, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street Review

Fun, glorious fun with Stars’ take on ‘Oliver!’

BY CAMILLE GAVIN

‘Oliver’

Contributing writer

I

saw last Sunday’s matinee of “Oliver!” and from the opening scene I sensed it was going to be a winner.

It begins, not onstage, but at the rear doors of Stars Theatre where a well-trained chorus of children dressed in ragged clothing trudges down the aisle singing “Food, Glorious Food” as they continue onto the stage.

And we quickly learn they can dance as well as they sing. The same goes for the adult ensemble. I’m guessing their expertise is the result of lots of practice sessions. Such perfection doesn’t occur overnight.

Full credit goes to 10-year-old Anthony Bacon as Oliver the orphan boy, a character created long ago by Charles Dickens. The lad has a pleasant voice, sings on key, has an expressive face and even speaks with a believable Cockney accent.

Most of the cast does all right with the accent but more concise diction on the part of some would help to make their lines, especially the jokes, more understandable for the audience.

Given its sordid theme — aban-

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday; runs through Sept. 8 Where: Stars Dinner Theatre, 1931 Chester Ave. Admission: $22 to $57 Information: 325-6100

doned children forced to find a way to survive on the streets of mid-19th century London — it’s surprising that it’s such a happy musical. Much of that happiness is provided by the delightful music and lyrics of Lionel Bart, well-performed by a six-piece orchestra led by Char Gaines.

One especially memorable scene in that respect featured Brent Rochon. As Fagin, the sly pickpocket, he danced about the stage in a half-crouched position as he sang “Reviewing the Situation,” a tune that was enhanced by violinist Nick Navarro’s accompaniment as well as the mood-changing lighting designed

by Gabe Urena.

Mickey Farley is in his element as Mr. Bumble, the “beadle” or warden of the orphanage where

we first see Oliver. Farley has a way of making cruelty look jolly.

He’s also delightfully lecherous in his scenes with Julie Gaines as the Widow Corney.

Bethany Rowlee is outstanding, as always. She moves from sulky and sultry as Nancy Sykes, to caring and nurturing as Oliver’s rescuer. And she is magnetic in her rendition of the haunting ballad, “As Long as He Needs Me.” Ken Burdick has a strong presence and commands attention as the evil Bill Sykes. His deep voice adds color to the second act reprise of “It’s a Fine Life.” Eliana Quiroz is a sprightly Artful Dodger, especially in her dancing scenes. A freshman at East High, this is her first time on the Stars stage and I expect we’ll see more of her in the future.

Brian Sivesind, the director, keeps the show moving at a fast pace — it runs about two hours — something of an accomplishment given the many scene changes. Most of the changes involve moving heavy props such as long tables and benches. But the changes were made with only a few mishaps. The backdrop, a gray stone wall with an outer stairway leading to an upper

PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER W. BECKMAN

Nancy (Bethany Rowlee) and Bet (Gabryelle Dominey) entertain Fagin's gang with the song “It’s a Fine Life” in “Oliver!”

level, serves well throughout.

I also like the way Sivesind made the audience feel as if they were part of the production by extending the action onto the floor of the theater and into the aisles, such as the charming “Who Will Buy” scene featuring Oliver and a chorus of flower sell-

ers called the Street Criers.

The musical ends, or seems to, as the lights dim and Fagin creeps stealthily off the stage and the curtains close. Yet it suddenly comes to life again with a rousing finale by the entire cast of about 30 performers. As I said, it’s a happy show.

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26

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 23, 2012

Eye Street The Lowdown with Matt Munoz

Santana has music in his DNA Son of guitar legend brings act to B Ryder’s Saturday

W

hen your father is one of the most iconic guitarists in the history of rock ’n’ roll, there are almost certain expectations from the musical public.

In the case of Salvador Santana, son of Latin rock icon Carlos Santana, it’s a reality he’s become accustomed to addressing every time he steps onstage.

But while the 29-year-old keyboardist and vocalist carries the spirit of his family’s legacy in his music, don’t expect a tribute to famous father’s illustrious career when he appears with his band Saturday at B Ryder’s.

“I’m the type of person that’s more honored and grateful for the lineage and the history that comes with representing this last name and the lineage, on both sides of my family,” said Salvador Santana during a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles.

“Both of my grandfathers were also musicians,” he said, referring to maternal grandfather Saunders King, a blues pioneer, and paternal grandfather Jose Santana, celebrated violinist and mariachi bandleader. “Both my mother and father have always said that whatever I choose to do with my life, that I never forget who I am and where I come from, and give it my all. And I never forgot that, and it’s allowed me to stay humble in most situations and enjoy it. It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey and how you get there.”

Currently touring in support of his latest single, “Into The Light,” both of Santana’s previous full-length releases showcase an artist whose California hip-hop, funk and rock roots are sonically visible.

“When I was growing up, having the honor and opportunity to grow up in the San Francisco Bay area, it’s so multicultural and so diverse out there, especially musically and in the arts. I really was kind of influ-

PHOTO BY ENTROPIC STUDIO

The Salvador Santana band will perform Saturday at B Ryder’s.

enced by my surroundings. The debut record ‘SSB’ is very festive, hip-hop and very Bay Area. My second record, ‘Keyboard City,’ working with producer Money Mark of the Beastie Boys, was all about exchanging ideas. Now with ‘Into The Light,’ it has that conscious hip-hop sound. You can listen and nod your head or take the time and listen to the lyrics.”

Santana says his decision to hit the promotional trail with a single rather than another full-length CD is a strategy he’s formulated after a few years observing the listening habits of today’s overly techsavvy music fan.

“Right now, even though I’m 29 and considered part of the youth, I still got some old school in me where I’m the type of person where I can listen to an entire album if it’s good. I would prefer that, but I understand that the majority of the listeners don’t have quite the same type of attention span we collectively used to have. However that has evolved, it is what is. I keep my ear to the street.”

The lyrically conscious vibe of “Into The Light” is accentuated by the accompanying music video that also features vocalist and keyboardist Alex Nester. Comparable to the Black Eyed Peas’ “Where is the Love?,” the song is full of hope and urgency, but sans any Fergie-licious sweetness.

Matt Munoz is editor of Bakotopia.com, a sister website of The Californian that devotes itself to promoting Bakersfield’s art scene. Matt’s column appears every Thursday in Eye Street.

“I want it to showcase what’s happening currently: the wars in the Middle East and around the world, juxtaposed, but also displaying the similarities and the parallels of the wars happening in the streets in the main cities in America. Yes, as a human race we’ve been on this planet for a long time, but look how far we’ve come and look how much further we have to go. It’s come off very dark and emotional, but the message is really — in a world full of darkness, let’s focus on the light.”

Joining Santana and Nester onstage will be guitarist Jared Meeker, drummer Blake Collie and Itai Shapira on bass.

“I try to incorporate the past, present and future with our live shows. If somebody can’t get into the funk number we open with, then maybe they’ll gravitate towards the ballads. We don’t leave anyone out.”

And just how well-versed is he on the rich musical history of his father and uncle guitarist Jorge Santana, who also had success in the ’70s with the band Malo? It’s a question he’s almost embarrassingly apprehensive to answer.

“Because of all the hard-core Santana and Malo fans out there, I feel like I don’t have to take the time to study all that stuff, even though I should just in case I’m on an episode of ‘Pawn Stars’ or something and, ‘Oh, let me call Santana’s son, he would know something about this.’”

Saturday’s showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. Ages 18 and over admitted. Also appearing Mento Buru and the Natural Movement. B Ryder’s is located at 7401 White Lane. For more information, call 397-7304.

Outside Lands wins again Punctuating the sweltering Central Valley heat with a trip to a cooler climate is a necessary part of living in Bakersfield. If you are a foodie or music lover, it can be tough finding the right escape to fit the lifestyle. Next year, while your neighbors head to Pismo Beach with trailers in tow, pack your hoodies and boots and head north. San Francisco offers a three-day experience in Golden Gate Park the second weekend of every August that continues putting all other California festivals to shame.

The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, held this year from Aug. 10 to 12, is a feast for the senses. From chart-topping headlining acts to craft beers and gourmet food trucks the 65,000-attendee party in

MATT MUNOZ / THE CALIFORNIAN

Stevie Wonder performs at the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco on Aug. 12. See more photos at Bakotopia.com.

the park has something for everyone. This year’s event featured a trio of rock legends taking their turn closing out the show from the main stage each night. Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Metallica and the great Stevie Wonder wowed the crowd while stars like Jack White, Foo Fighters and Norah Jones entertained hordes of wildly enthusiastic attendees during earlier sets.

Drinks flowed from two separate gardens with Winelands featuring dozens of California vintages and Beerlands offering the same diversity for fans of the brews.

This year organizers took their fetish for gourmet food trucks a step further adding an area called Outside Lambs to the robust lineup of eateries on wheels. Among vendors offering garlic chimichurri French fries and falafel “snow cones,” diners could pick from a menu of dishes featuring organic lamb as a main ingredient. Putine with lamb gravy, gyros and a curried lamb stew with garbanzo beans, and a touch of coconut milk, warmed the bellies of festival-goers donning scarves and sweaters to ward off the misty chill of the Bay Area.

Outside Lands is an event for those committed to having a good time. So find a hotel or apartment for rent near the Civic Please see LOWDOWN / 27

27

Thursday, August 23, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

Come for shopping fun Woman’s Club hosting indoor garage sale

BY STEFANI DIAS Californian assistant lifestyles editor sdias@bakersfield.com

F

or those folks who scour the newspaper and local websites for the best yard sales every weekend, look no further. The Woman’s Club of Bakersfield has you covered this Saturday with its Indoor Garage Sale.

Deniece Jones, chairwoman of the club’s ways and means committee, cites the event’s biggest selling point: a literally cool setting.

“One thing I’m going for is the air conditioning. I’m hoping being inside that people will stay longer. In the heat, people are in and out. The guy across the street had one (sale) outside, but people stayed briefly.”

Another way to entice people to browse a bit longer at the event, which kicks off at 8 a.m., is hourly prize drawings.

“We’ll have a drawing every hour.

When people come in, they’ll put their name on a ticket. We’ll draw every hour for a prize from one of the vendors.”

That’s right. Along with the expected contents of a yard sale (which we’ll get to in a moment), the event will also host a variety of vendors. Items up for sale include yard art, Avon and Pampered Chef products, suitcases, Tshirts, scouring pads, blankets that fold like a pillow and designer baskets.

“There’s a lady doing baskets. She puts things in them, whatever you want. I asked for a barbecue one as a gift, so she put in salsa and more.”

Jewelry will be sold from five vendors, ranging from polished stones and silver to beaded pieces. Club member Sandy Senior will offer Christmas jewelry as well as ornaments.

The garage sale For the garage sale portion of the event, hard-working club members gathered a large selection of items, with contributions continuing to pour in Wednesday.

LOWDOWN: CONTINUED FROM 26

Center in downtown San Francisco, get your tickets for the park shuttle in advance and bundle up. Outside Lands is not for the faint of heart or light of stomach. But it is a guaranteed good time. Check out photos from the event at bakotopia.com.

Matt’s picks Grand opening of The Hub, 401 Sumner St., all day Saturday. 8734977.

Bakersfield’s champion of all things healthy and artistic, Amber Beeson has once again organized quite the

“We’ve had a good turnout from our ladies. It’s like Christmas in here.”

Although Jones was speaking of the abundance of items, she could have also been referring to the content, which includes leftovers from the club’s most-popular annual event.

We have “a lot of new stuff for Christmas from the Festival of Trees,” she said.

As Jones and her committee of eight are busy finalizing this weekend’s event, other club members are working on the decorated-tree fundraiser on Nov. 17. (Jones said tickets are going fast for the event, which usually sells out well in advance, so she recommends calling now for tickets.)

Christmas items aren’t all that’s filling the tables set up in the middle of the Woman’s Club. Prices range from 10 cents on up for picture frames, posters and other odds and ends and starts at $2 for clothing, shoes and purses.

Of the collection, Jones said she was initially surprised by the dearth of apparel.

“We don’t have a lot of clothes, but most of us are older and we don’t want knickknacks anymore. That’s why I think I’m getting a large donation of those.”

The sale also includes tablecloths and bedding, ranging from comforters to pillows and sheet sets.

Those looking to fill their home would be wise to take a look at a pair

of leather chairs, which are priced at $50 each.

“They’re comfortable. I fell asleep in one the other day,” Jones said of the furniture that could use a light cleaning.

Pots and pans are also out among the tables along with a pressure cooker, juicer, coffee pot and other appliances. But for more delicate kitchenware, head to the tea room, which holds more delicate items.

“We have dishes, glasses, all kinds of dishware, ornaments, a lot of mugs and glass. Breakable stuff.”

Shopping is hard work, so take a break anytime during the day for a snack from the VFW, setting up shop in the club’s garden room. Jones had not confirmed the menu as of Wednesday afternoon, but said at other events, the group had sold doughnuts in the morning and chili and hot dogs later.

The cost of admission is $1, which Jones felt was a nominal but reasonable fee.

“I go to the yard sales in L.A. and they charge $10 to get in, so I thought a dollar is not that much.”

Along with admission, Jones is aiming for a good pull from the event.

“My goal is $1,000 for yard sale. For the tables $600. I’ve never done this before. I don’t know if I’m over estimated, but we have a lot of merchandise.”

Proceeds will go to fund the scholarships and charitable donations the club provides every year.

Along with the Festival of Trees and Festival of Baskets (in April), the club will also fundraise with bunco nights.

Starting in September, the club will opens its doors for games on the second Wednesday of the month. It’s $10 to play, with half going to the club and the other half going to the prize pool for three nightly winners (most buncos, most wins and most losses).

Jones is hard at work for the club, even though her job doesn’t officially start until next month. Like all club officials, she will hold the position for a year. And in her case, not a moment more.

“You hold it a year. I don’t think I could do it for two. I’d be divorced.

Right now, I’m here (at the club) all the time.”

cool event to celebrate the official grand opening of The Hub. Operating as both a farmers market and venue for the arts, it’s a colorfully eclectic addition to Old Town Kern with a lot of potential. Doors open at 9 a.m. for patrons to shop for organically grown produce, before live music kicks off at noon with The Bird Channel, Terra Alive, Garage Island and more, followed by a screening of ’70s comedic B movie “Attack of The Killer Tomatoes.”

Admission is free during live bands, $10 after 6 p.m. Special “killer” spaghetti dinner is included with

admission price. Alcohol will also be served for those 21 and over with ID. The film will start promptly at 9 p.m.

The Mothership DJ Night at Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 10 p.m. Saturday. $5. 322-8900.

This popular monthly gathering of vinyl junkies and Serato heads, which returns to the underground intimacy of Sandrini’s downtown, is always a blast. In addition to resident house DJs Sabretooth and others, there’s also a special performance by Los Angeles world beat diva Tita Lima, along with SoulPeople’s Cid Hernandez. Phresh.

Woman’s Club of Bakersfield Indoor Garage Sale When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday Where: Woman’s Club, 2030 18th St. Admission: $1 Information: 325-7889

Other upcoming club events Bunco, 6 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month (starting in September) at the club. $10.

Festival of Trees, Nov. 17, Rabobank Convention Center. Call 325-7889 for tickets.

28

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 23, 2012

Eye Street

ROD THORNBURG / SPECIAL TO THE CALIFORNIAN

Jessica Boles, center, played Roxie Hart in the CSUB production of “Chicago” in 2011.

Now an intern at PCPA, Boles is focused more on work behind the scenes.

Ex-CSUB student dives into theater Jessica Boles interning at PCPA in Santa Maria

BY CAMILLE GAVIN Contributing writer

E

ven for ardent theatergoers, explaining the term “dramaturge” can be difficult. Just pronouncing the word isn’t too easy either. Does the final syllable rhyme with “burg” or “urge?”

But it’s all perfectly clear to Jessica Boles, an award-winning Cal State Bakersfield graduate who’s now living in Santa Maria where she’s an intern at Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts.

“It’s a cool combination of literature, history and the active art of theater,” she said.

“Some people call it a theater consultant.”

By the way, she prefers the “burg” version, that is, ending the word with a hard “g” sound.

For the next nine months, Boles, 23, will be working under Patricia Troxel, the dramaturge for PCPA. A professional conservatory theater, it is based at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria.

The young graduate’s first assignment is a Shakespeare play scheduled to open Feb. 21 at the Severson Theatre, located on the college’s campus.

“I’m already working on the script for ‘The Tempest,’” she said in a recent phone conversation. “It’s like a giant puzzle.”

A puzzle she should be well-prepared to tackle, given the preparation she’s undergone in the last several years, according to Michael Flachmann, a CSUB English professor who also serves as the dramaturge at the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

“Jess has been in my honors classes all four years and she’s been in two of my Shakespeare classes,” Flachmann said.

“She also did research for me at the Utah Festival and two years ago she helped me with ‘Blood Royal,’ a three-part play I wrote on ‘Henry VI,’ that was produced in

Mesa, Ariz.”

For her senior project last fall Boles did the dramaturgy for the CSUB theater department’s production of “A Lesson Before Dying.” The play is set in the deep South in the 1940s. She researched racial issues of that time as well the nature of the various cultures living in the town where the action takes place.

She also explored the influence of various church denominations, music played on the radio, including that of blues singersongwriter Cousin Joe, and even clothing commonly worn in the 1940s. All of this knowledge she passed along to the cast as reference material and as a way of helping them develop their individual characters.

While recognizing the importance of the role played by a dramaturge, Boles recognizes the need to work hand in hand with the director of a production.

“The director is the captain of the ship,” she said. “My job is serving the director’s vision.”

Further evidence of Boles’ scholarship can be seen in the awards she received at CSUB’s June graduation ceremonies. She was named outstanding graduate in theater and English as well as the School of Arts and Humanities.

Her interest in theater began as a student at Stockdale High School and continued at the university where she majored in English and theater. In addition to her dramaturgy studies, she’s had major roles in at least two shows. She played Rosalind in the Shakespeare comedy “Much Ado About Nothing,” and Roxie in the musical “Chicago.”

At present, however, she’s less interested in being onstage and more interested in the research and educational side of theater. Following her internship, she plans to go to graduate school and is considering several options.

“The internship is kind of perfect for me right now,” she said. “Ultimately, I’d love to do what Dr. Flachmann does — be a dramaturge in a regional theater.”

29

Thursday, August 23, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

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30

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 23, 2012

Eye Street

Gloriana raises banner of young country artists

“Fill Up Our Donation Bank�

DRIVE-THRU DONATION DAY

TUESDAY , 18TH SEPTEMBER 5 - 6:30 PM AM

22nd & M St. Parking Lot Across The Street From KGET Channel 17 TV

Watch Channel 17 TV to see who is in the kennel and needs your help to get bailed out.

On-Site: Pet Adoptions Microchip Clinic

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Call in a Credit Card Donation to 323-8353 ext 2

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$5.99

Limit 3 per customer with coupon

BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI Contributing writer

M

usical trio Gloriana, one of the more recent entrants into the field of young crossover country music groups, stops in at the Crystal Palace on Aug. 30.

Tom and Mike Gossin and Rachel Reinert, the current members of Gloriana, are on tour promoting their second album, “A Thousand Miles Left Behind,� which features current hit singles “Wanna Take You Home� and “(Kissed You) Good Night,� both of which were released earlier this year.

Gloriana got its start in 2008 after the original band, which included now-departed member Cheyenne Kimball, met in Nashville and started writing and rehearsing songs to start their own group. Kimball, who had already achieved some measure of fame as a solo artist, was the most successful of the three at that time, while the Gossin brothers were literally homeless musicians trying to “make it� in Nashville.

Through Reinert and Kimball, the group connected with producer Matt Serlectic, who recruited well-established songwriters to help the struggling group create a viable act and a playlist of songs.

Debuting in 2009, the group’s first singles, “Wild at Heart,� “How Far Do You Wanna Go?� and “The World is Ours Tonight,� all made the Billboard Country Top 40, with two of the singles going gold. Their quick success led to Gloriana opening for Taylor Swift’s “Fearless� Tour in 2010.

With their tattoos, urban street style and sometimes earthy lyrics (and videos), Gloriana is on the edgier side of the young country boom, which includes contemporaries Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, Swift, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts and others.

Aided by a strong vocal blend, and with Tom Gossin taking the lead vocals, the two-guys-two-gals, acoustic guitar-based group had been able to build a loyal following, but has

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLORIANA

Gloriana performs on Aug. 30 at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace.

received criticism for not being able to distinguish themselves from many of their musical peers.

The group was forced to reorganize in July of 2011, when Kimball surprised everyone, including her bandmates, with a Twitter announcement that she was leaving the group. No reason was given for her departure, and the remaining band members kept their comments brief and positive, while promising their fans they would continue.

Restructuring their harmonies for a trio instead of a quartet, the Gossins and Reinert also had a more active role in writing the music for their new album, which has opened so far to mixed reviews. “A Thousand Miles Left Behind� has nevertheless been a hit with fans, debuting at No. 2 on the country charts. (It is currently No. 7.)

The trio describe “A Thousand Miles Left Behind� as a more personal effort, reflecting the struggles they have undergone in building their careers.

Songs such as “Carolina Rose,� “Where My Heart Belongs,� and “Turn My World Around,� none of which have yet been released as singles, are getting the most praise for their sincerity and performances.

Opening for Gloriana is another member of the young country set, Tyler Hilton, who has gotten as much attention for his acting as for his singing. Hilton is known for his recurring role as Chris Keller on “One Tree Hill,� and has starred in the Gloriana video “(Kissed You) Good Night.�

hours in 12 days.�

The men capitalized on their time in the studio, making music with a speed and agility that comes with decades of pent-up emotion.

Walker views this second chance as a gift and recognizes the dedication Byrom has to his former bandmates, and the possibility of their rebirth. “Monty can go and get a gig with anybody he wants if he puts his mind to it, but to know that those are diamonds in the sand that you’re stepping on, and that you can put them down and pick them up is an incredible feeling.�

Walker challenges music lovers in Bakersfield to take the trip to the Crystal Palace and witness their return firsthand. He promises an experience that will bridge generations and the years the band spent looking for the path that would eventually lead them home. “It’s like taking a step back in time, and you’ve been invited. Come see history unfold.�

On Saturday, the band will sell copies of their new album, which is also available for download at iTunes.

The group’s official website is zenroadpilots.com.

Gloriana With guest Tyler Hilton When: 7 p.m. Aug. 30 Where: Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd.

Admission: $19.50 to 27.50.

Available at Crystal Palace box office and at Vallitix (add $3.50 service fee for Vallitix).

Information: 322-5200 or vallitix.com

RHODIUM PLATING

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Leading JEWELER

PILOTS: CONTINUED FROM 20

former band manager Marty Cohn, who sought Byrom out after the show. “He said, ‘You’ve got a little tread left in your tires, you should do this again,’� Byrom said.

The suggestion from Cohn, who passed away a year later, was not taken lightly, and soon the trio found themselves in a studio making what would be their first album in nearly a quarter-century.

Falletti was shocked by the ease of their creativity. “We hadn’t cut a record in 25 years.

This record was done in under 40

31

Thursday, August 23, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

Country legend’s last days depicted Film about Hank Williams opens locally on Friday THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN

A

lthough his son was making headlines this week, it is Hank Williams Sr. who’s looming larger than life this weekend. The fictionalized tale of the country music legend’s fateful final days is chronicled in “The Last Ride,” which opens Friday at Reading Cinemas.

Actor Henry Thomas (probably best known for his role as Elliott in “E.T.”) plays the musical pioneer down on his luck. After a meteoric rise in the country music scene, Williams self-destructed with drugs, alcohol and his mercurial nature, wrecking his personal and professional relationships.

In 1952, the performer booked New Year’s shows in West Virginia and Ohio, hiring a young man to drive him from Montgomery, Ala. Jesse James plays Silas, an Alabama mechanic and high school dropout who agrees to drive “Mr. Wells,” as Williams identifies himself.

‘The Last Ride’ Cast: Henry Thomas, Jesse James, Kaley Cuoco Running time: 102 minutes Rated: PG-13 Showing: Opens Friday at Reading Cinemas, 2000 Wible Road

The film follows the pair through some adventures — a barfight and run-in with the law — but is more a character study of two men at opposite ends of their lives.

Of course, Williams never makes it to his shows, dying on New Year’s Day in 1953 at the age of 29. But the film, depicting Williams at his most vulnerable, hints at the legend he will become.

Williams’ daughter, Jett, who has four songs on the soundtrack, praised the film, saying on the website thelastridefilm.com: “Sometimes life and the efforts of others truly take you by surprise. I know those involved in ‘The Last Ride’ certainly did, and neither they, nor I, were prepared for

PHOTO BY MELODY GAITHER

Hank Williams (Henry Thomas), right, talks with a street musician, played by Lawrence Hamilton, in a scene from “The Last Ride,” a film depicting the final days of the country legend that opens Friday at Reading Cinemas.

it.

“The project, as I see it, was designed to go to the bone marrow of a haunted, misunderstood and abused genius. And by golly, it does.

“I may have been skeptical at first, but I am an ardent supporter of this project and the end result. It is provocative; it is not dark, but it is heavy. And if you remove

Hank Williams entirely from the equation, the movie is still a winner in capturing and distilling the interactions of a 29-year-old man dying from the emotional and artistic overload only he feels, as he moves to an afterlife superstardom he would have never understood and youngster who became a man, without a clue as to the vortex he was in.”

32

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, August 23, 2012

Eye Street Go & Do Today Concerts by The Fountain, Bakersfield rockabilly with Fatt Katt and the Von Zippers, 7 to 9 p.m., The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave. Bingo, warm ups start at 5 p.m., with early birds at 6 p.m., regular games at 6:30 p.m., Volunteer Center of Kern County, 2801 F St. From $20 buy-in to “the works.”

395-9787.

Guitar Class, taught by John Gomez, for individuals or a group, Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St. Call 327-7507 for class details.

Taft Certified Farmers Market, 5 to 8 p.m., 5th St. Plaza, Taft. 7652165.

Saturday 25th annual Rubber Ducky Races, entertainment, drawings, music and food, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Riverside Park, 10 Kern River Drive, Kernville. Free for spectators; $25 per race or 5 races for $100. Email marshas@kvsun.com or 760-3797785.

America’s Greatest Show starring Bob Eubanks, play with your card for a chance to get on show, for a chance to win up to $250,000: 4 and 8 p.m., Eagle Mountain Casino, 681 South Tule Reservation Road, Porterville. Visit eaglemtncasino.com or 800-9033353.

BHS Driller Bash 3, celebrating the ’70s, dinner, dancing, 6 to 11:30 p.m., Coconut Joe’s, 4158 California Avenue. $40 per person.

Visit facebook/BHSDrillerBash or 333-1001.

Cat adoptions, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointments, Petco, 8220 Rosedale Highway. $65 includes spay/neuter, vaccines and leukemia testing. 327-4706.

Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Brimhall Square, 9500 Brimhall Road; and 8 a.m. to noon, next to Golden State Mall, 3201 F St. Free Electronic Waste Recycling Event, bring all unwanted electronic waste, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Alianza Recycling and Recovery LLC, 2301 Gibson St. 873-4011.

Kern Audubon Field Trip, to Sycamore Canyon in Bear Valley Springs, meet 6:45 a.m., Park ‘n’ Ride, Stockdale Highway between Real Road and Highway 99. Bring water, snacks and binoculars. kernaudubonsociety.org or 304-6816.

Kids Free Day, CALM, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. 872-2256.

Polo Community Park Grand Opening, with music from Members Only, 4 p.m., Polo Community Park, 11801 Noriega Road. Free.

Star Party with Kern Astronomical Society, 8 to 10 p.m., The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave. 487-2519.

Twilight at CALM, bring a picnic dinner and dine with the animals, 5:30 to 8 p.m., CALM, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. $9 adults; $7 seniors; children under 3 are

free; CALM members are free. calmzoo.org or 872-2256.

Woman’s Club of Bakersfield Indoor Garage Sale, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Woman’s Club, 2030 18th Street. $1. 325-7889.

Zen Road Pilots, 7 p.m., Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd. $19 to $25. vallitix.com or 322-5200.

Sunday Carnales Unidos Car Club Show, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kern County Fairgrounds, Carnival Lot, 1142 S. P St. $10 admission; children under 10 are free with paid adult. 340-1207.

DSLR Beginner Photo Class, with Kevin Toohey, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hart Park. $89. Visit LearnYourCamera.com.

Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kaiser Permanente, 8800 Ming Ave. 877-524-7373.

Scoops for the Troops, for Operation Interdependence, 2 to 5 p.m., Muertos Kitchen and Lounge, 1514 Wall St. $50. 324-2557.

THEATER “The Real Housewives of Oildale,” 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday, Gaslight Melodrama Theatre & Music Hall, 12748 Jomani Drive. $12 to $23.

587-3377.

Improv Comedy Show, with Center For Improv Advancement, 8 p.m. Thursdays, JC's Place, 1901 Chester Ave. $5. 322-8209.

“God of Carnage,” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. $15 general; $10 students/seniors. 327-PLAY. “Oliver,” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday, Stars Dinner Theatre, 1931 Chester Ave. $22-$57. 325-6100.

ART Get “Inktense” Watercolor Class, with Norma Neil, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St. 869-2320.

Jim Bates, featured artist for the month of August, Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St. 869-2320.

Toni Lott, featured artist for the month of August, Dagny’s Coffee Co., 1600 20th St. 634-0806.

Art Classes, in drawing, watercolor, oils, color theory, for beginners and advanced, Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St. 869-2320.

Art for Healing program, classes that alleviate stress, resulting from illness, or grief. All classes are free but some suggest a donation and are held at Mercy Hospital, Truxtun Campus, Truxtun and A St. mercybaakersfield.org/art or to register, 632-5357.

Stained Glass Classes, six-week class, 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays,

Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St. 327-7507.

The Art Shop Club, 9 a.m. to noon each Thursday, Friday and Saturday, The Art Shop, 1221 20th St. All mediums. 322-0544, 5897463 or 496-5153.

MUSIC Acoustic Kern River Brewing Company, 13415 Sierra Highway, Kernville, 760-376-2337; Slideways with Tom Corbett, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday.

Alternative rock B. Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; Phenomenauts and Prima Donna, 9 p.m. Friday. $5.

Blues Pacino's Spaghetti Factory, Club Pacino's, 1100 W. Tehachapi Blvd., Tehachapi, 8229400; The Mighty Cash Cats, tribute to Johnny Cash, 9 p.m.

Saturday.

Classic rock Banacek’s Lounge, 4601 State Road, 387-9224; Usual Suspects, 9 p.m. Saturday.

T-Bones Steakhouse, 8020 District Blvd., 398-1300; The Usual Suspects, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday; Bad Boyz, 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Comedy Elevation Lounge, 818 Real Road, 325-6864; Improv Tuesday - Live comedy with DJ after party, 9 p.m.

Tuesdays.

Country Ethel’s Old Corral Cafe, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway, 873-7613; Token Okies, 7 to 11 p.m. Friday; Honky Tonk Truckers, 3 to 7 p.m.

Sunday.

Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; Vince Galindo, 9 p.m.

Wednesdays.

Dancing Beginner Belly Dance Lessons, 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Mondays, Centre Stage Studio, 1710 Chester Ave. 323-5215. $45 regular session; $65 combo session. bakersfieldbellydance.biz.

Folklorico Classes, advance dancers/performing group 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays; and beginners, all ages, 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays, Fruitvale-Norris Park, 6221 Norris Road. $22 per month for beginners; $25 per month for advance dancers. 833-8790.

Greenacres Community Center, 2014 Calloway Dr., offers ballroom dance, East Coast swing (jitterbug) and Argentine Tango dance classes; $35, $45 for non-members. 322-5765 or 201-2105.

Joaquin Squares, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Rasmussen Center, 115 E. Roberts Lane. $5. 324-1390, 325-3086 or 399-3658.

Mavericks Singles, ballroom and

country dancing with music by Jerry Hobbs, 7 p.m. Friday, Kern City Town Hall, 1003 Pebble Beach Drive. $7 member; $9 guest. 8319241. Dancing.

Pairs and Spares Dance, with Country George and Ed Shelton, 7 p.m. Friday, Rasmussen Senior Center, 115 E. Roberts Lane. $7; $9 nonmembers. 399-3575.

DJ Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane, 325-2139; DJ Brian, 7 to 11 p.m. Tuesday.

DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court. 323-7111; live in the mix: old school, ’80s and ’90s music, 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. every Saturday.

Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane, 834-1611; with DJ Chill in the Mixx, 5 p.m. every Friday until 2 a.m. Saturday.

Rockstarz Party Bar, 7737 Meany Ave., Suite B5, 589-6749; DJ James, 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Free.

The Bull Shed Bar & Grill, at Hotel Rosedale, 2400 Camino Del Rio Court, 327-0681; with Meg, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Jazz Cafe Med, 4809 Stockdale Highway., 834-4433; Richie Perez, 7:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays.

Golden West Casino, 1001 S. Union Ave., 324-6936; Richie Perez, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday.

Free.

Imbibe Wine & Spirits Merchant, 4140 Truxtun Ave., 633WINE; live music & wine bar with featuring local artist and Jazz Connection, along with 24 wines, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

King Tut, 10606 Hageman Road; live instrumental and vocal jazz, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each Friday and Saturday. Free.

Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane, 834-1611; Bakersfield Jazz Workshop, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. every Wednesday.

Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 2701 Ming Ave., 832-5011; Jazz Invasion, 9 to 10 p.m. every Saturday.

Steak and Grape, 4420 Coffee Road, 588-9463; 7 to 10 p.m.

Thursday through Saturday. Free.

The Nile, Jazz Music, 6 p.m. every Sunday. Cost $10 at 1721 19th St. 364-2620.

Karaoke Banacek’s Lounge, 4601 State Road, 387-9224; 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Fridays.

Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane, 325-2139; 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursdays and Sundays.

Big Daddy Pizza, 6417 Ming Ave., 396-7499; 7 to 10 p.m. every Tuesday; 8 to 11 p.m. every Friday.

Cataldo’s Pizzeria, 4200 New Stine Road, 397-5000; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

Cataldo’s Pizzeria, 6111 Niles St., 363-7200; 6:15 to 10:15 p.m. Tuesdays.

Chateau Lounge, 2100 S. Chester Ave., 835-1550; 9 p.m. every Saturday.

City Slickers, 1001 W. Tehachapi Blvd., 822-4939; 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Corona’s Cantina, 9817 S. Union Ave., 345-8463; 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays.

Don Perico Restaurant, 2660 Oswell St., Suite 133, 871-2001; 7 to 11 p.m. Thursdays.

DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court; 8 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays.

Elevation Lounge, 818 Real Road, 325-6864; 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Ethel’s Old Corral, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway, 873-7613; 6 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday.

Iron Horse Saloon, 1821 S. Chester Ave., 831-1315; 7 to 11 p.m.

Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Julie’s The Branding Iron Saloon, 1807 N. Chester Ave., 6 to 10 p.m. every Friday.

Le Corusse Rouge, 4647 White Lane, 834-1611; A to Z Karaoke, 8 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays. karaoke.

Lone Oak Inn, 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at 10612 Rosedale Hwy. 589-0412.

Magoo’s Pizza, 1129 Olive Drive, 399-7800; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Maria Bonita Mexican Restaurant, 10701 Highway 178, 3663261, 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays. All ages.

McMurphy’s Irish Pub & Sports Bar, 14 Monterey St., 869-1451; 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesdays.

Pizzeria, 4200 Gosford Road, 3971111; 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays.

Pour House, 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 4041 Fruitvale Ave. 589-9300.

Pyrenees Cafe, 601 Sumner, 3230053; 8 p.m. to midnight Saturdays.

Replay Sports Lounge & Grill, 4500 Buck Owens Blvd., 3243300; 8 p.m. every Wednesday.

Rocket Shop Cafe, 2000 S. Union Ave., 832-4800; 8:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday.

Rockstarz Party Bar, 7737 Meany Ave., Suite B5, 589-6749; 8 p.m.

Mondays through Wednesdays.

Rocky’s Pizza & Arcade, 2858 Niles St., 873-1900; 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Round Table Pizza, 2060 White Lane, 836-2700; 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Round Table Pizza, 2620 Buck Owens Blvd., 327-9651; The Junction with host Mac Clanahan, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

Round Table Pizza, 4200 Gosford Road, 397-1111; 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

33

Thursday, August 23, 2012 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street Rusty’s Pizza, 5430 Olive Drive, 392-1482; 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday.

Sports & Spirits, 6633 Ming Ave., 3987077; 9 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays.

Syndicate Lounge, 1818 Eye St., 327-0070; with Alisa Spencer, 9 p.m. every Wednesday.

T-Bones Steakhouse, 8020 District Blvd., 398-1300; 7:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays.

Tejon Club, 6 to 10 p.m. every Saturday at 117 El Tejon Ave. 392-1747.

The Bull Shed Bar & Grill, at Hotel Rosedale, 2400 Camino Del Rio Court, 3270681; 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Junction Lounge, 2620 Buck Owens Blvd., 327-9651; 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

The Old River Monte Carlo, 9750 Taft Highway, 837-0250; 8:30 p.m. every Thursday.

The Playhouse, 2915 Taft Highway; 3973599; 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays.

The Prime Cut, 9500 Brimhall Road, 8311413; hosted by Ed Loverr, 9 p.m. to midnight Friday.

The Prime Cut, 9 p.m. every Friday at 9500 Brimhall Road. 831-1413.

The Regent, 2814 Niles St., 871-4140; 8:30 p.m. every other Friday.

The Wrecking Yard, 9817 S. Union Ave., 827-9192; 7 to 10 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Wright Place, 2695-G Mount Vernon Ave., 872-8831, 8 p.m. every Thursday.

Tomi’s Cowgirl Cafe, 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, 1440 Weedpatch Highway. 363-5102.

Trouts & The Blackboard Stages, 805 N. Chester Ave., 399-6700; 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Vinny’s Bar & Grill, 2700 S. Union Ave., 496-2502, 7 p.m. Thursdays. 21 and over.

Latin/Salsa B. Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; The Salvador Santana Band, featuring son of guitar legend Carlos Santana, Mento Buru and The Natural Movement, 8 p.m. Saturday. $10.

DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court, 6331949; various levels, 3 to 9 p.m. every Sunday. $5 per person, per lesson.

Tam O’Shanter, 2345 Alta Vista, 324-6774; Elements, 8:30 p.m. Friday; The RockAMole, 8:30 p.m. Saturday. $5 each night.

Mariachi Camino Real Restaurant, 6 to 9 p.m. every Sunday at 3500 Truxtun Ave. 8520493.

Music showcase The Prime Cut, 9500 Brimhall Road, 8311413; featuring local artists, 7 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday.

Oldies KC Steakhouse, 2515 F St., 322-9910; Jimmy Gaines, Bobby O and Mike Halls, 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

CALIFORNIAN RADIO Join Assistant Eye Street Editor Stefani Dias and reporter Matt Munoz as they discuss what local entertainment to enjoy this weekend. Listen in for your chance to win tickets to Zen Road Pilots at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace or Salvador Santana Band at B Ryder’s.

Call to win or just join the discussion by calling 842-KERN. “Californian Radio” airs from 9 to 10 a.m. weekdays on KERN-AM 1180.

On the Rocks, 1517 18th St., 327-7625; musicians, spoken word, poets, comedians, 8 p.m. every Wednesday, On the Rocks, 1517 18th St. Free.

Rap B. Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; Thora, I*Suppose and Anthro Beat , 8 p.m. Thursday. $10.

Rock Rockstarz Party Bar, 7737 Meany Ave., Suite B5, 589-6749; live bands, 9 p.m. every Thursday.

Trivia night Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane, 325-2139; 7 p.m. Tuesdays.

Chuy’s, 2500 New Stine Road, 833-3469; 7 p.m. every Tuesday.

On the Rocks, 1517 18th St., 327-7625; 8 to 10 p.m. Monday.

Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 322-8900; Trivia Night with Dave Rezac, 10 p.m. Tuesdays.

Variety Crest Bar & Grill, inside Bakersfield RV Resort, 5025 Wible Road, 833-9998; Jim Robinson, 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 9000 Ming Ave., 664-1400; Mike Montano, 9 p.m. Saturday.

UPCOMING EVENTS Monday 8/27 Senior Discovery Days, for seniors 60 and older receive 50 percent off admission, 10 percent discount in the gift store, CALM, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. 872-2256.

Tuesday 8/28 Bakersfield Blaze vs. Visalia Rawhide, 7:15 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, Sam Lynn Ballpark, 4009 Chester Ave. $7-$12. bakersfieldblaze.com or 716-HITS. Farmers Market, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at James Street and Central Avenue, Shafter.

Oildale Farmers Market, 3 to 6 p.m., now through August, northeast corner of N. Chester Ave. and Norris Road, Oildale.

Sierra Club Conditioning Hikes, three to five miles, 7 p.m., meet at corner of Highways 178 and 184. 872-2432 or 873-8107.

Wednesday 8/29

Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 2701 Ming Ave., 832-5011; Al Garcia & the Rhythm Kings, 8 to 11 p.m. every Thursday.

Band of Heathens, 7 p.m., Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd. Free.

328-7560.

Indie Night Wednesdays, see the movie “Peace, Love & Misunderstanding,” 7 p.m., Maya Cinemas, 1000 California Ave. $6.

636-0484.

Open Mic

Thursday 8/30

Fiddlers Crossing, 206 East F St., Tehachapi, 823-9994; 7 p.m. Wednesdays. $5.

“Oliver!” 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Stars Dinner Theatre, 1931 Chester Ave. $22-$57. 325-6100

Old school

Coming Saturday

08.25.12 Inside The Californian

Bakersfield’s premier city magazine is delivered on the last Saturday of every month.

Inside this issue: Dream homes We found five Bakersfield houses that you’ll wish you could call home.

Solar power Find out how the technology works, the future of solar power and if purchasing solar panels is right for your home.

Spectacular gardens Transform your yard into a

beautiful garden with the help from local nursery experts.

Floors and countertops Ready to give your house a small updated look? Start with changing out your floor or countertops.

How to profiles Learn how to choose the right homebuilder, pick an interior decorator or rebuild your roof among other helpful profiles.