Eye Street Entertainment / 12-29-11

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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 29, 2011

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

Index 2011’s breakthrough artists .................... 17 Scott Cox’s best-of .................................. 18 Meet a Prince............................................ 19 Polar Bear Plunge .................................... 20 Antique Show and Sale ............................ 21 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz.............. 23 Bob & Tom Comedy All-Stars.................. 26 Calendar .............................................. 28-29

Jennifer Self CALIFORNIAN LIFESTYLES EDITOR

What moved and grooved us Loss, yes, but plenty to celebrate this year

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onsidering how thoroughly subjective one’s entertainment likes and dislikes are — music vs. theater vs. film vs. visual art and high-brow vs. middle brow vs. no brow — it’s tricky to isolate the moments that moved us most as consumers of culture in Bakersfield this year.

While my colleagues on the newsier side of the room make sense of the year by tallying the crime figures, rounding up the reams of economic reports and revisiting the various political antics, I am looking at a year’s worth of clippings on concerts, festivals and art openings — which were a big deal to some and a snooze-apalooza to others.

A big Saturday night for a lot of people I know is a trip to the Bakersfield Speedway topped off by a longneck at Trout’s. For others, it’s a glass of wine at Imbibe and a symphony concert. In other words, it’s all very personal.

Take my most entertaining experience of 2011: My husband and I took our 10-year-old daughter to the Pixies concert in November. It was a great show (the best of the year, according to my colleague Matt Munoz, who knows these things), but it wasn’t the music or even the playful spontaneity of the legendarily stormy band. What made the night special was that it was my daughter’s first concert, which counts as a Major Life Moment to her parents, who understand the magical alchemy that happens when you put hundreds of people together in one place to share the singular experience of live music. The near-rapture of the fans, the lights, the smells — the sheer rock ’n’ roll of it all — create an energy that’s hard to explain and impossible to replicate in any other setting. My daughter got a T-shirt ($30!) to remember the evening by, but I don’t need one.

The memory of the look on her face that night will be with me forever.

So if your

Greatest Night Ever, 2011 Edition was just as personal, I get it. But let’s face it: The most memorable cultural moments are usually communal. With that in mind, my (highly subjective) list of events and trends that stood out this year:

The one that got away Every city needs an establishment or two that puts live music first, and we have a few: Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, Trout’s and B Ryder’s come to mind. But even in that esteemed company, Fishlips, which closed earlier this month, was special. Not because the bar was universally loved (it wasn’t); not because every show was a success (for every Dave Alvin there was a band of wrestling midgets); and certainly not for those bathrooms with the unfortunate lighting and vintage plumbing. No, Fishlips will be remembered for being fearless.

There was no slavish devotion to any particular genre, they weren’t afraid to book interesting but unproven performers, and they felt a duty to feature local musicians, who returned that loyalty in spades. The joint, replete with sassy bar personnel, gave off a kind of messy, by-the-seat-of-our pants vibe that, in the end, probably did them in. But when you walk into a place that has (sadly, make that had) murals of Ray Charles and Merle Haggard on the walls, you know music lovers, not accountants, are running things. Here’s hoping that a new savior of live music comes forward or that the other bars in town will pick up the slack. If not, there’s an entire tier of cool-butnot-big-enough-for-the-Fox performers who will no longer come to Bakersfield, not to mention a void for local musicians. And that would be a shame.

The food Oscar goes to ...

We pretend it doesn’t bother

CASEY CHRISTIE / THE CALIFORNIAN

Actor Charles Napier autographed copies of his memoir, “Square Jaw and Big Heart,” at Russo’s Books in March. The actor, beloved by many in his adopted hometown, died in October.

us, but all the digs about Bakersfield being the cultural armpit of the world get a little old. Which is why it felt like sweet validation in March when the James Beard Foundation — a culinary organization that honors the finest restaurants in the country — bestowed an award on the Noriega Hotel, believed to be the oldest restaurant in town. Getting a Beard Award is like winning an Oscar.

Though the judges loved the hearty, tasty food, the award really was more an acknowledgement of the wonderful Basque culture and traditions that help make our city distinctive. And in another great sign that local restaurants are on a roll, raise your glass to Kern River Brewing in Kernville, which won the equivalent of Olympic gold in the craft brewing world for its Citra Double India Pale Ale. Please see 22

HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN

Kathy Sierra with the band Golden Bough played at the Kern Scottish Society’s Celtic Music Festival at the CSUB amphitheater in 2009. Awareness and appreciation for all things Celtic that has been building for years in Bakersfield reached a crescendo in 2011.

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

The artists of the year are ...

Both rookies and vets broke through in 2011 THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN

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hen it comes to producing art, passion is its own reward. Literally. As in, often there’s little, if any, money in it. Which is all the more reason why the staff of Eye Street is unveiling a new feature, called People of the Year, to show our appreciation for the dedicated artists in our county who play music, perform in theater, put on art shows and pursue any number of other creative outlets — often with no compensation — while we watch in awe and clap in appreciation.

We used no fancy metric or other complicated mathematical formula to determine who made the list. These are people we’ve featured over the course of the year who impressed us with their talent and passion, and who seemed to break through in a big way.

Who were your favorites? Click on the this story on Bakersfield.com and share your choices in the comment section.

Entertainer of the year Sasha Mallory had an amazing year dancing her way into the finals of the television competition “So You Think You Can Dance,” making her our pick for Entertainer of the Year. What’s exceptional about Mallory is that dancers have so few opportunities to break out, but the 23-yearold managed to win fans all over the country and rally her hometown.

Mallory’s journey started in April in Los Angeles, where she auditioned with her sister, Natalia, who eventually was eliminated before the Fox reality show aired.

“Bako, Bako, I love me some Bako,” said Mallory, who had just returned from a tour dancing with “American Idol” finalist Adam Lambert.

Mallory’s fierce athleticism and powerful dance moves made her a favorite every week. She landed in the bottom three only once, in July, before finishing as runnerup and securing a spot on the national “So You Think You Can Dance Live” tour, which recently made a stop in Bakersfield.

“It’s a big feat to be where she’s

HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN

Chuck Seaton performs an original piece during the Songwriters Showcase at Prime Cut. PHOTO COURTESY OF MAUREEN RECALDE

Maureen Recalde of Tehachapi is one of three national finalists in the Voice of McDonald’s singing competition.

at. I don’t think the city really knows that Sasha’s representing Bakersfield. I just wanted everyone to know,” said Mallory’s proud mother, Dawn, during a July interview. “Everything else is like icing on the cake. Sasha’s wonderful in whatever she does.”

Superstitious, Mallory assiduously avoided the Internet during her run on the show.

“I was just so thankful. It could have gone either way and I would have had the same feelings because of how much I learned and the friendships and memories I made — so many connections, too.”

With the show behind her and the tour winding down, Mallory is looking forward to the next phase of her life, which includes working with a talent agent and taking acting classes in Los Angeles.

— Matt Munoz

Music Maureen Recalde Singer Maureen Recalde is Tehachapi’s golden (arches) girl.

The charismatic 22-year-old is one of three national finalists in the Voice of McDonald’s singing competition, chosen from more than 800 singers who submitted music videos in the competition, which was open to all employees of the chain. The singer stole the thunder from contestants in bigger cities with her video performance of Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional,” which showed off her golden voice and charm.

Now, she and 15 other winners from the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe and APMEA

(Asia/Pacific/Middle East) will compete for the global title in April during the McDonald’s Worldwide Owner/Operators Convention in Orlando.

— Matt Munoz

Chuck Seaton Few local musicians stay as busy as guitarist Chuck Seaton.

After wrapping up a successful year-and-a-half run of his popular Songwriter’s Showcase at The Prime Cut, he remains active in a variety of bands, including local rhythm and blues outfit Foster Campbell and Friends, which recently jammed on a cruise to Mexico and opened for B.B. King.

But perhaps Seaton’s biggest score came in November, when he got the call to fill in for Buckaroo guitarist Terry Christofferson, who is taking some time off to deal with health issues. Seaton will be back at it with the Buckaroos at the Crystal Palace when the band’s performance schedule resumes in February.

— Matt Munoz

Danny Wayne Bakersfield rapper Danny Wayne was heard in the latest Tyler Perry film, “Madea’s Big Happy Family.” Released in April, Wayne’s performance of “Thru the Roof” can be heard during a riotous scene in the film when the character of Madea, played by Perry, visits the Maury Povich show. Wayne has the proud distinction of being the only rapper to ever be chosen to participate on a Tyler Perry film soundtrack.

Wayne’s music was also featured in Perry’s film “For Colored Girls.”

— Matt Munoz

Nyceria Local hard rock quartet Nyceria released a haunting music video

JEFF SINER / CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

Sasha Mallory, left, and Jess LeProtto perform during the “So You Think You Can Dance Tour 2011” on Sept. 21 in Charlotte, N.C.

this year, much to the surprise of fans and viewers. Filmed and directed by Ricardo Moreno of Silver Culture Pictures in Los Angeles, the video for the band’s song “Scathe” is a slickly produced music short that resembles anything you see on MTV or Fuse. Produced by Hollywood studio wiz Luigie Gonzalez, the video also featured the singer’s younger brother in a lead role.

The result is a dark and twisted headbanger with a catchy melody to complement its visuals.

tion. Ultimately, Haney was chosen.

“It was (BSO conductor John Farrer’s) decision,” Brooks said.

“But it was unanimous.”

“Even the ones who were under consideration kind of figured she was the one,” Brooks said.

“I am very fond of Julia; we all love her,” Brooks said.

The assistant concertmaster is the second in command of an orchestra, and must be prepared to take over if the concertmaster cannot perform. The concertmaster serves as the principal violinist for the orchestra, tunes the orchestra before a rehearsal or performance, and, with the assistant, has a great deal of influence in how the orchestra sounds.

“John used to say to me and Jean, ‘You sound like one violin,’” Brooks said. “It’s probably harder for him trying to match that.”

— Susan Scaffidi

— Matt Munoz

Theater

Julia Haney Bakersfield Symphony assistant concertmaster Julia Haney has had some big shoes to fill. This season, Haney was named the permanent successor to Jean Dodson, who occupied the assistant’s chair for 48 years.

Haney earned the seat after a lengthy audition process during the 2010-11 season. Haney, along with other candidates for the position, played next to concertmaster Rebecca Brooks for a concert, a kind of on-the-job audi-

Brian Sivesind If you haven’t seen Brian Sivesind around town this year, then you haven’t been enjoying local theater. The actor and director has been involved at the Spotlight Theatre, directing a Radiohead-infused “Hamlet” in March; Bakersfield Community Theatre, delivering a powerful performance as Father Flynn in “Doubt: A Parable” in October; and The Empty Space, designing the lights for “Stage Door” and directing a Please see 24

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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 29, 2011

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Scott Cox CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

verall 2011 was a pretty weird year. My favorite grocery closed, followed by my favorite bar/music venue. My friend Charlie Napier passed away, as did my daughter’s fish, Parallax. (I attended Charlie’s service, but wasn’t invited to the fish’s).

But rather than focus on the negatives, I thought I’d think back on the year in entertainment. There were a few highlights: Hollywood gave us “Moneyball” and “Cedar Rapids,” “Thor” and “Captain America,” and the totally underrated “Paul.” Keep in mind that all that movie goodness was balanced out by “The Green Hornet,” which may well be the worst movie I’ve ever seen. Overall, it was a pretty weak year at the movies. It should be noted that I really want to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie, but every time I ask my wife to go, she says she’s busy. And yet she finds time to watch “Chopped” about 200 times a week.

Speaking of television, there were a few notable bright spots this year.

“Boardwalk Empire” just kept getting better and better. That show is amazingly well-done. “Weeds” was great, but the season seemed like it lasted about 20 minutes. “Dexter” may have lost a step, but it still kept my interest, right through to the season finale. I watched with great interest the pilot for HBO’s “Luck,” because it was written by David Milch, who wrote “Deadwood.” I can’t say that I was that impressed, but it’s still early. My favorite new show (new to me, anyway) was “Workaholics.” It’s one of those shows that my friends kept after me to watch, and they were right. It’s clever, irreverent and, most importantly, it’s funny. The year’s best TV show? Easy. “Archer” remained the most well-written, most laugh-outloud funny thing on TV in years. It’s coming back in January, and I can’t wait. If you haven’t seen it, get it on DVD. If you get it on DVD and don’t like it, send it to me.

I might go to the movies a couple of times a month, and I can easily skip a day or two of TV, but music? That’s an everyday kind of thing for me. And fortunately, 2011 was an excellent year for it. My top three records of the year, in no particular order, as they’re so unbelievably good that I just

MELINDA SUE GORDON / COLUMBIA PICTURES

Brad Pitt, left, and Jonah Hill star in “Moneyball,” which Scott Cox considers to be one of the movie highlights of the year.

couldn’t do it: Steve Earle, “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive.” This guy has made genius-caliber records for so long that I expect each one to be great, and this one still amazed me.

Carrie Rodriguez and Ben Kyle, “We Still Love Our Country.” This record is just about perfect. These two can sing. And write. And play. And this record reminds anyone who hears it why country music used to be great, and gives us hope that someday it will be again.

Hayes Carll, “KMAG Yoyo (& other American stories).” When Hayes made “Trouble in Mind” in 2008, I thought it might be too good, that it was some kind of fluke. Nobody is that good. Well, I have never been so happy to be wrong. “KMAG Yoyo” is every bit as good, if not better. This skinny Texan writes crazy-good songs, then plays and records them perfectly — beautiful musicianship that is never overproduced. Now I’m worried that Nashville is going to snatch this guy up and ruin his songs like they do everything else. Until then, we have a world-class talent to enjoy, and no record collection is complete without his latest.

Also well worth a listen are: Gillian Welch’s “The Harrow & The Harvest,” Tom Waits’ “Bad As Me,” The Black Keys’ “El Camino,” My Morning Jacket’s “Circuital,” Drive-By Truckers’ “Go Go Boots,” Lucinda Williams’ “Blessed,” Eric Church’s “Chief,” Buddy Miller’s “Majestic Silver Strings,” Robert Plant’s “Band Of Joy,” Alison Krauss’ “Paper Airplane,” Gregg Allman’s “Low Country Blues,” Emmylou Harris’ “Hard Bargain,” Cody Canada and The Departed’s “This Is Indian Land,” John Hiatt’s “Dirty Jeans & Mudslide Hymns,”

Tedeschi Trucks Band’s “Revelator,” Dave Alvin’s “Eleven Eleven,” Joe Ely’s “Satisfied At Last,” and The Band of Heathens’ “Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster’s Son.” I guess the other entertainment component by which a year is measured must be live performances. And 2011 did not disappoint. Cody Canada and The Departed rocked the Crystal Palace, as did The Band of Heathens. I loved those shows because so many people who hadn’t heard them before were exposed to these two fantastic bands. Fishlips served up a brilliant selection of artists, but I think my favorite was the great Dave Alvin, who lost a couple of longtime friends and bandmates this year, which seemed to give him added depth, if that’s possible. Then we had the big farewell show this month with Mento Buru, Grant Langston & The Supermodels, Paul Chesne, Dub Seeds and more. That was a night I’ll never forget. Another megashow was Joe Bonamassa’s phenomenal set at the Fox Theater earlier this month. People walked out of there just floored by this kid’s talent.

Seeing live shows is a huge deal to me, and a few of the high points happened in a single week. In a quick swing through Texas, I saw Ryan Bingham, Cody Canada, Stoney Larue, The Trishas, Jason Boland and Ray Wylie Hubbard, all topped off by Bakersfield’s own Monty Byrom, who tore it up at the legendary Gruene Hall. Mix in James McMurtry at the Continental Club in Austin, a few Shiner Bock beers and more than a few pints of Blue Bell ice cream, and that was a week for the record books.

Which, as I look back on it, 2011 pretty much was, too. I can’t wait to see what 2012 has in store.

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street Camille Gavin CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

The Prince of the melodrama But filmmaking first love of Gaslight’s creative guru

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hether it’s film or live theater, Michael Prince thrives on creativity — his own as well as that of

others.

“I love telling stories and I love that endorphin rush you get when you’re working with creative people,” says Prince, who is embarking on his seventh year as the artistic director of the Gaslight Melodrama Theatre & Music Hall, and has, over a 15year period, produced five films.

Largely self-taught — and obviously of an independent nature — Prince, 34, has had almost no formal education in either genre, although he did graduate from Highland High School in 1995 with honors in dramatic arts.

“I tried college for a while after I graduated from Highland but it just didn’t work out for me,” he said during a phone interview. “Too many rules.”

In 1996, Prince formed his own company, Lennonfilm Productions, with the idea of producing feature, short and documentary films.

“I’ve always been fascinated with the magic of movies,” he said. ”I was lucky to have some family members in the business so I got to be on the Sony lot where (my relative) worked in the sound department. And my uncle worked for Warner Brothers as an edi-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL PRINCE

Michael Prince is currently “shopping around” a script for a television pilot, “The Show Must Go On,” a partly autobiographical story about a family that owns a theater in a small town.

tor.”

That same year Prince earned a “producer certificate” for attending a workshop at the Hollywood Film Institute where he studied the various aspects of making movies, including writing, directing, producing, editing and motion photography.

“It was a wonderful experience,” he said.

“I got to learn the nuts and bolts of filmmaking.”

His first effort, a coming-of-age comedy titled “The Fourth Wall,” was shown in 2000 in New York City at the Independent Film Market. Within the next three years he completed four other films, including “The First Supper,” a short 35mm film that was selected as a finalist in the Kern Film Festival in 2002.

During this time Prince was working in various capacities at the Haven Counseling Center, where his mother, Karen Cooley, is executive director. He also “re-met”— and married — Jennifer Thornton, whom he had known when both were students at Highland. And he continued writing screenplays and pursuing opportunities for movie-making.

“In 2005 I was about to start raising funds for another film when the melodrama opened,” he said. “Then I put all my efforts into that.”

Currently, he’s “shopping around” a script for a television pilot, “The Show Must Go On,” a partly autobiographical story about a family that owns a theater in a small town. Gaslight produced a slightly different stage version of the show last summer. Also, he periodically sends out other screenplays he’s written.

“I enter screenwriting competitions — it gets your work known and it’s the best option for getting it into the hands of the people who do these things,” he said, adding with a sigh, “Basically, it’s kind of a crap shoot.”

Meanwhile, he devotes most of his time to writing, directing, acting in and designing sets for the melodrama’s productions.

The theater, which seats 140, has gained a

THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN

There are so many hyphenated labels to describe Steve Martin (actor-comediannovelist-wild-n-crazy-guy, etc.) that the punctuation police are always on high alert any time the superstar is mentioned.

Well, add another form of entertainment to the man's impressive resume: Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville has booked Steve Martin, the bluegrass performer for a concert Feb. 11. Tickets, which range from $35 to $45, are available at the casino's website, eaglemtncasino.com or at the gift shop (800-903-3353). Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8.

More about the show from an Eagle Mountain media release: Martin will be showcasing his second full-length bluegrass album, "Rare Bird Alert," and will be joined by the quintet Steep Canyon Rangers.The album also

includes guest stars like the Dixie Chicks and Paul McCartney.

“It’s very hard to believe,” Martin said of having the former Beatle perform on his album. “I was a kid when I first heard Paul McCartney, and if you told me one day that he’d be singing one of my tunes, I’m still flabbergasted.”

McCartney gives voice to a track called “Best Love,” which Martin describes as “a love song, but it has a little humor in it.”

The Dixie Chicks perform a “very emotional, heartbreaking song called ‘You,’” Martin said, adding that the trio agreed to sing the tune before they’d even heard it.

“I was kind of disappointed because I really wanted them to hear the song first and like it,” he said. “But they did like it and they did a great job.”

Martin, who plays banjo, wrote the album while touring with the Rangers last year.

Please see 27

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Camille Gavin’s “Arts Alive” column appears on Thursday.

Write to her via e-mail at gavinarts@aol.com

Steve Martin on banjo — and, no, that’s not a joke

loyal following over the years. Prince said the last two shows have sold out completely and the theater has about 200 season ticket holders.

Gaslight Melodrama and Music Hall along with the Linda Larma & Daughters Academe of Dance is a family business, incorporated under the name of Dancing Moose Enterprise. Larma is the president; her daughters Jennifer Prince and Kimberly Slikker, as well as Michael Prince, serve as vice presidents; and Arnie Carlos, Larma’s husband and the sisters’ father, is treasurer.

As artistic director, Michael is chiefly responsible for selection of scripts as well as casting the shows. Chris Cawthon is technical director — he occasionally acts too — and Warren Dobson, who writes most of the vaudeville revues, is musical director.

“The biggest challenge is coming up with new ideas to keep it fresh,” Prince said. “We don’t want to make it bigger but better. What we’ve learned is that the audience likes to be involved and they like stories set in or around Bakersfield.”

For example, the first show of the New Year, opening on Jan. 20, will be “Showdown in Shafter.”

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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 29, 2011

Eye Street

Take an icy leap into the new year McMurtrey hosting Polar Bear Plunge

BY ASHLEY FISCHER Contributing writer

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ith Christmas behind us, it’s time to think about those somewhat sobering New Year’s resolutions (like laying off the onion dip at your next fam-

ily gathering).But when it’s finally time to wash away 2011 (and that lingering hangover), you can dive right in to 2012 by taking the Polar Bear Plunge at McMurtrey Aquatic Center.

Though Bakersfield certainly is nippy this time of year, our Polar Bear Plunges are balmy dips compared to the chilly conditions in other parts of the

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country, where people cut through ice 18 inches thick so that they can jump into the frigid waters below. Not so many years ago, Dianne Hoover, director of the Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department, was one of those slightly nuttysounding people when she took her first Polar Bear Plunge in Cleveland, Ohio.

Hoover enjoyed her bracing splash into the freezing waters so much that she decided to bring this New Year’s tradition to Bakersfield.

“After participating in the Polar Bear Plunge in Cleveland, I thought, ‘It’s an international tradition to have a Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day — so let’s do it here.’”

Since Bakersfield doesn’t typically experience the subzero temperatures necessary to naturally create the icy bodies of water for the “polar” part of the plunge, Hoover assigned the staff at McMurtrey the task of figuring out how to get the comparatively warm waters of the unheated activity pool cold enough so Kern County plungers could experience the fully frigid effect.

Now, each year the aquatic center teams up

FELIX ADAMO / THE CALIFORNIAN

Keri Naffziger finds out why it’s called the Polar Bear Plunge on Jan. 1, 2011.

with Jack Frost Ice, which hauls in a truck filled with large blocks of ice to help bring the water’s temperature down to a chilly 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once preparations are

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complete, those willing to get in touch with their inner Arctic animal are invited to slide or dive in one by one, and then swim the entire length of the pool. Since we are, after all, only human, each swimmer is greeted with plenty of warm towels and hot chocolate when they emerge.

While taking a swim in (nearly) freezing water might not be everybody’s idea of a good time — “My family all thinks I’m kind of a nut,” laughed Hoover — the veteran plunger called the sensation invigorating and refreshing, in spite of the initial shock to the system.

This “insanity” badge, however, is one that most plungers wear with pride, and receiving those incredulous reactions from friends and family is all part of the fun. Just ask Gene Procell and his daughter Jeanine.

The father/daughter duo have made the Polar Bear Plunge part of their way of ringing in the new year for the past four years.

“My parents think I’m absolutely nuts,” Procell said. “And my other daughters have absolutely no interest in doing it. But they and my wife all come out, and they hold the blankets out for us when

Polar Bear Plunge When: 11 a.m. Sunday Where: McMurtrey Aquatic Center, 1325 Q St. Cost: $5 to plunge, $20 for a sweatshirt Age limit: Must be 7 years or older to participate Information: 852-7430

we get out of the pool, and they enjoy watching the spectacle of it all. It’s fun and it’s crazy, and it’s something we can do as a family.”

Procell and his daughter are both such dedicated polar bears, that in spite of the fact that they’ll be out of town visiting family for the holidays, they found the nearest place they could take their annual plunge: in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

But for those of you here in Bakersfield looking for a fresh, decidedly un-fattening tradition to add to your holiday roster, McMurtrey will keep the water cold for you.

“For many people,” Hoover said, “this is a way for them to say goodbye to that old, nasty year, and kick off the new year in a way that’s fresh and fun.”

21

Thursday, December 29, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

Vintage gets new look at antique show Treasures of the past are on display this weekend

BY MIRANDA WHITWORTH Contributing writer

F

or some it's a gold mine, for others a trip down memory lane. But for anyone who enjoys a peek into the past, this weekend is the perfect chance to see the treasures and sundries of decades gone by.

Bakersfield will attract dealers and collectors from across the country to the Kern County Fairgrounds this weekend for the Antique Show and Sale, an annual bonanza of treasures that gives attendees a chance to score deals on vintage items not seen in our fair city every day.

Promoter Mary Bryan has been in the business for nearly 40 years and says she's proud to bring the show to Kern County.

“I can't think of a single dealer from Bakersfield that's going to have a booth. The vendors are from across the United States, and I like that. They bring such a variety to the town that you just don't get to see.”

Bryan has spent decades promoting shows and running booths at antique and collectible sales across the country, but age has slowed her down. She limits herself to promoting one big show a year, and it's here in Kern County.

Antique Show and Sale When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday Where: Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 S. P St. Admission: $5 Information: 559-638-2639

“I kept Bakersfield for some reason. The people here are very friendly and I have met a lot of great people here. Bakersfield has always been my favorite.”

Bryan has witnessed a lot of changes over the years in the collectibles business. With the popularity of television shows like “American Pickers” and “Pawn Stars,” there has been a renewed interest in vintage items and rarities. Prices have gone up and collecting has been put back in the spotlight. But, according to Bryan, you can't believe everything you see on TV. “The shows have made everyone an authority; people think they know everything. But you have to remember, you can learn something new every day. There is always something to learn in the antique business.”

A major trend Bryan has noticed is the higher prices vendors are charging for jewelry, in large part because of steep increases in the cost of precious metals.

“I have been selling Native American jewelry for about eight years now and I have seen such a rise in price. Things that I could get for $25 a few years ago I can't touch now for less than $125.”

While silver may not be a bargain buy, Bryan said there are advantages in Kern County for people willing to get out and look for deals.

“When you go to bigger cities like San Francisco, dealers can get a lot more money for their stuff.

You can ask higher prices in those areas. Shopping in places like Bakersfield is much more affordable. Prices really depend on where you go and what people can pay.”

If shopping for the old and unique in Bakersfield comes with a lower price tag, does that mean the quality will be low as well?

“There will be a lot of great stuff. We have a dealer coming in that specializes in bronzes, paper goods, a woman that sells sewing items and then there is a great dealer that will have the vintage jewelry. These days the costume stuff is going for the same prices as some of the new fine jewelry.”

But when it comes to collecting, Bryan advised that folks should take part in the hobby for passion, not just cash. She got started by collecting Depressionera glass as a reprieve from her day-to-day routine of raising four children and, in the end, made a

FELIX ADAMO / THE CALIFORNIAN

Charolette O’Kane, center, and her daughters, Hannah O’Kane, left, and Taryn King browse jewelry at the Antique Show and Sale at the Kern County Fairgrounds in January.

little money on the side. But it what stoked her passion was the colored glass, the patterns and stories behind the decades-old kitchen ware. She still gets mad when recalling a conversation she had with a man who left Oklahoma to come to Bakersfield to start a better life. Once he packed everything he had room for, he realized he'd have to leave behind his Depression glass.

“He told me he took it all out back behind the outhouse and broke it all into pieces! Who does that, isn't that a selfish thing to do? Instead of giving it away he took that amazing stuff and broke it up. What kind of a person

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thinks of that?”

But Bryan said the man probably had no idea at the time that his run-of-the-mill dishes would be worth something later, and there's a lesson in there for would-be collectors.

“Collecting can be affordable and it can start off affordable. If you can just have the foresight to save something and then it becomes hot, you're doing OK.” But the appeal of a show like the one this weekend is in the search, Bryan said.

“Every shop has a sleeper piece. There is a bargain in every store. You just need to know what you are looking at.”

22

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 29, 2011

Eye Street tic director of the Spotlight Theatre, turning the reins over to Jarrod Clowes and Alex Neal. And there was a sizable shakeup in management at the city-owned Rabobank complex after a dismal year of concerts there. Speaking of which ...

CONTINUED FROM 17

Tough guy with heart Actor Charles Napier wasn’t born in Kern County but you’d never know it from the outpouring of emotion upon his death in October at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. The Kentucky native considered Bakersfield home, spending the last 25-plus years of his life here, raising a family, forming deep and lasting friendships and becoming a true member of the community, not just the movie star on the hill. His granite jaw and intimidating stare often got him cast as the heavy in films like “Rambo: First Blood II” and “The Silence of the Lambs,” but in real life, you couldn’t meet a friendlier guy. He was especially proud of his work in the Oscar-winning film “Philadelphia.” But in an interview in March, the actor said his greatest achievement was raising his three children.

Bakersfield also will miss Lenore Smith, the graceful dance instructor who taught throngs of fledgling local dancers their first steps, along with many valuable life lessons like the importance of teamwork and being reliable. Also leaving behind an important legacy was Del Connell, a legend in the world of comics who retired to Tehachapi after his long career with Walt Disney and other companies ended.

Out-Foxing its rivals

JACLYN BOROWSKI / THE CALIFORNIAN

Instructor Lenore Smith on June 6 at the Bakersfield dance studio where she worked for decades.

A Gaelic old time When the topic of heritage comes up in Bakersfield, the major cultural groups we typically focus on are Mexican-Americans, African-Americans, Basque/Italian immigrants and Okies. Add another group to the list: Celtic Americans (or Celtic-American wannabes). The fascination with that part of the world and its people — those rogues with the brogues — is nothing new.

But the awareness and appreciation for all things Celtic that has been building for years in Bakersfield reached a crescendo in 2011. Take for example the Celtic Music Festival, which, in only its third year, has developed a reputation

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for attracting internationally known groups (not to mention the many local Celtic acts that play there).

When you add the relatively new festival to the longstanding Scottish Games and Robert Burns dinner, organized by the Kern County Scottish Society, you’ve got a trend, friend.

And just to ensure the Emerald Isle wasn’t forgotten, the Irish Heritage Club opened earlier this year.

Change is good, right?

Several Kern County arts/cultural organizations welcomed new leaders in 2011, which means change — and not just to the letterhead and business cards.

These folks have the power to influence some of the most beloved and longstanding members of our cultural landscape, most notably the Kern County Museum, which has a new director and leadership structure after the Kern County Superintendent of Schools opted to relinquish control of the countyowned facility. The committee charged with finding a new director ultimately hired Randall Hayes of the New Mexico Museum of Space History but, soon after, The Californian brought to light concerns about how he ran the New Mexico facility. With a true local treasure on the line, we’ll have to wait and see how Hayes will lead the county museum.

Also in the change department: The Arts Council of Kern welcomed a new leader, Mike Millar, after the departure of longtime director Jeanette Richardson Parks. Nancy Marvin, so instrumental behind the scenes at the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, retired this year.

Hal Friedman left as artis-

With the exception of one or two concerts (Carlos Santana and, well ... OK, just Carlos Santana), the Rabobank didn’t make much noise this year in the concert biz. But just look at the caliber and diversity of talent presented by the Fox Theater, the arena’s smaller downtown neighbor to the northwest: B.B. King, Sheryl Crow, My Chemical Romance, Ice Cube, the Pixies, the Monkees, Styx and Merle Haggard (twice).

Danny Lipco, who handles booking at the Fox, is clearly doing something right.

Let’s hope the Rabobank is paying attention.

Cultural backwater?

Perish the thought Sometimes it seems our two institutions of higher learning, CSUB and BC, are in a competition to bring ever-more impressive thinkers, writers and intellectuals to Bakersfield. But if means the parade of speakers continues, let them compete. CSUB hosted award-winning author Mona Simpson and memoirist Wes Moore, whose fascinating contrast of his fate with that of another man who shares his name was the subject of a successful community reading project.

Meanwhile, BC presented, among other notable speakers, Los Angeles Times columnist and author Steve Lopez and New York jazz poet Jayne Cortez. Much of the credit for landing these outstanding guests goes to Cal State’s Kegley Institute, which celebrated 25 years in 2011, and the Norman Levan Center for the Humanities at BC. Both groups and several other campus organizations work to attract thought-provoking and stimulating speakers to our area.

Favorite haunts What are the chances that Bakersfield would be home to not one but two world-class Halloween haunts? That indeed was the case this year (and perhaps for the last time). Both attractions — Talladega Frights and The Chamber Haunt — have been recog-

FELIX ADAMO / THE CALIFORNIAN

Peter Tork shreds on his Stratocaster at the Fox Theater in July as part of the “An Evening with The Monkees — The 45th Anniversary Tour” with fellow Monkees Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz.

nized as innovators in the industry of fright, and every year the organizers of both just get more ambitious.

Talladega, which started humbly in a northwest Bakersfield yard, has become a traditional stop for families and goreobsessed teens at its sprawling location on Rosedale Highway. The owners are always coming up with new ways to scare the be-jeezus out of us and traveling all over the country to crib ideas from other attractions. Meanwhile, The Chamber, which has been around longer, appears to be done in Bakersfield. The owner wants to try his luck in Los Angeles (though he teases that a different, more fantasy-oriented production might be headed our way).

Who needs Bakersfield ...

When you have Tehachapi, which seems to be serving notice on its neighbor that there’s a new cultural capital of Kern.

Theater, music, festivals and museums are thriving in the mountain community, which seems determined to become a haven for the arts. Tehachapi: It’s not just apples anymore.

Not to be outdone is Shafter, which held the first

of what is intended to be an annual arts festival in February.

And they started big: a visual arts show, a special movie screening, an original play, a light show provided by a parade of tractors! You know a town has arrived when as much energy is spent on image and culture as growth and business.

Amen.

Milling around Mill Creek OK, so the Downtown Business and Property Owners Association didn’t reinvent the wheel with the monthly festival called Third Thursday — it’s basically a street fair that moved to a park. But wholesome family entertainment is always a big draw in Bakersfield, and organizers accomplished the goal of moving the hordes a few blocks east from the original location on Chester Avenue to the assiduously primped and promoted Mill Creek Park area. Grass beats asphalt any day, especially if the day in question is a toasty 103 in August. So mission accomplished. Now, if they could just figure out a way to cut down the wait times for those horse-drawn wagons ...

23

Thursday, December 29, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street The Lowdown with Matt Munoz

2012 should be a rockin’ year moment, it doesn’t seem to be making much progress. Hopefully, civil discussions will continue to help inspire new ideas for helping to improve working conditions for local musicians.

If past is any indication, future holds musical magic

I

’m no Nostradamus, but if the end of 2011 is any indicator of things to come, be prepared for more surprises after the new year.

Calm down. I’m not going to be announcing the upcoming closure of yet another live music venue. Seriously, as I sit here recalling everything that’s transpired over the past 12 months within the local scene, I can’t help but look to the future with optimism. There really is a lot to be excited about, even with the occasional bad news that always seems to overshadow the good.

Without doing another recap of the entire year, let’s instead pick some highlights and see what it means for 2012.

After peaking in July, the furor has since died down over the Padre Hotel’s audition policy for bands and performers on the Facebook group Active Musicians in Bakersfield. But not the passion for debate among artists.

Topics, ranging from fair wages to DJs vs. live music, have managed to bring out some of the most colorful exchanges I’ve read in years, and not just from young musicians, but among veterans as well.

Started by Bako guitarist Rafael Cuahuatemoc Gonzalez, the group’s membership exploded after the Padre dust-up, even resulting in a few gatherings at Trout’s honky-tonk. Nothing was ever resolved at those meetings, but it did offer a lot of great interaction and free food, which is

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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.

Losing a top venue like Fishlips so abruptly this year forced promoters to rethink their game plans immediately.

Those who may have considered cutting the number of shows they could bring to town are already starting to fill their itineraries. Longtime Bakersfield concert producers Tim Gardea and Ventura’s Eddy Numbskull are now making room for Loiter Productions, which hosts regular indie showcases downtown. The Dome’s Pete Madera isn’t slowing down either, opening his venue to outsiders. The name of the game ultimately is money, but if the politics can be kept to a minimum, the benefits for venues, fans and artists outnumber the hassle.

Wrapping things up, I will refrain from making any predictions for 2012, but let’s just say there hasn’t been a better time to be a musician in Bakersfield than now.

Please keep sending me those demos and show announcements. Cheers to a great new year!

T I L E

L

L

Active Musicians in Bakersfield

always nice.

There was also a lot of chatter about forming a new local Musicians Union to guarantee fair working conditions for musicians in Bakersfield but, at the

EB

The band wasted no time heading into the studio and should be revealing both a new album and music video in January. Bako reggae rock trio Dub Seeds is currently hard at work putting together its new album, “Skunk Face.” Knowing these guys, count on it being ready for springtime partying.

One group I’m most anxious to hear from is Choirs. I checked in with them back in September a day before they were packing up for a weekend of recording in San Diego. Since then, they’ve been laying low, teasing us with the occasional preview track, which I’ve purposely avoided listening to. According to their latest Facebook post, they should have their new disc ready for February release. You can also look forward to keyboardist Jay Smith’s jazz odyssey, “Unashamed Portrayal,” an album I previously previewed. We’ll keep you posted on all of these projects.

Some local bands to keep your eye on in 2012: Liftonpoole, Funeral Party and The Volume.

AN NI

There was no shortage of new music in Bakersfield.

Soulajar’s highly anticipated, funky fulllength CD “Pipe Dream” was released after months of promotion, and with it something that many local bands have all but forgotten to try: the vinyl release. The indie scene also stepped up big time, with bands like alt surf-duo newcomers The Ease kicking off a stream of new music in the spring. Their EP, “Not Now But Soon,” set the tone for the change in season with lo-fi goodness.

Just as summer was in full August heatdown, The Architecture gave us their brilliant EP debut, “Begin to Shake.”

But it was Daniel Peterson, aka Finnigan, who surprised me more than anyone this year. After months of appearing at the weekly Bakotopia Unplugged Open Mic night with a revolving cast of stage mates, little did we know he’d been holed up in Bakersfield’s B2 Studios crafting his own very imaginative full-length CD, “Athletics.” Country singer-songwriter Stephen David Austin also released his ode to the Bakersfield Sound, “A Bakersfield Dozen,” recorded with a host of studio heavies.

Along the way we were also introduced to bands in transition or those about to head to the studio with more new releases headed our way in the coming months.

Pop rockers Cidona made some changes to their lineup, adding powerhouse vocalist Melissa Lucas, who’d also just returned from a brief stint on “American Idol.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL LEE

The Architecture — from left, Dane Forst, Jeremy Robinson, Johansen Ng, Eddie Rodriguez and Ryan Bright — gave us their brilliant EP debut, “Begin to Shake.”

TH

Big year for new music

Promoters and politics

DE

O R S’ C H O I C E P

24

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 29, 2011

Eye Street CONTINUED FROM 17

stripped-down “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.”

His most demanding role this year, though, is returning as the executive director at The Empty Space, the theater he founded in 2003. He’s prioritized improvements both on stage Sivesind (seeking audience feedback on mainstage shows) and off (renovations for the Oak Street theater, including a new air conditioner, for which Sivesind said they have raised about $500 so far).

Along with overseeing operations, he’s continuing to direct, again at multiple theaters. First up is “The Drowsy Chaperone” in January at Stars. He’ll also helm a production of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” in March.

Of the upcoming show, he said, “I am looking to meld three time periods into one: the Greek origins of theater (Prospero and the spirits on the island), the Renaissance (the clowns as commedia del arte characters) and the modern era (all the nobles in modern garb). “‘Tempest’ is a play very much about art, and I’m interested in how the different time periods speak to each other and interact.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BAKERSFIELD COMMUNITY THEATER

Maceo Davis appears with Tomeka Powell in “A Raisin in the Sun.”

If his earlier adaptations of the Bard — “Hamlet” and last year’s “Romeo and Juliet” — are any indication, the island tale will be a standout in 2012.

— Stefani Dias

Steven Littles It ran for just two weekends in November, but if you were lucky enough to catch Spotlight’s “Jekyll and Hyde,” you experienced a compelling performance. One that almost didn’t come to pass.

“I wasn’t originally slated to do it,” Steven Littles said.

“I had just come back from Texas (visiting family and going to school). I only had two weeks of rehearsal.”

Theatergoers may get a chance to see Littles as one of the colorful manifestations of Jekyll’s alter ego this summer, either at the downtown theater or Theatre/Theater in Los Angeles.

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Littles said he was also proud of his role as Curtis Taylor Jr. in Spotlight’s “Dreamgirls” in June.

“I’m an advocate of making sure we have diversity on stage. I’ve felt there weren’t always opportunities.”

Littles also took a small role this spring as Lacey, a servant in The Empty Space’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” a part his brother Jamaal performed for the last weekend while Steven continued his run in “Curse of the Flightless” at Spotlight. His brief stage time also earned him an Empties nomination.

Although Littles is sure to be on stage next year, so far he could confirm more work behind the scenes, including assistant directing “Zanna Don’t,” which will open next Friday at Theatre/Theater, part of the Spotlight’s effort to draw tourism to Kern County.

Littles, who is the interim coordinator and assistant to the artistic director at Spotlight, will also work with Franklin Killian on the theater’s student program over the summer.

— Stefani Dias

Maceo Davis It’s been a pleasure to see the growth of Maceo Davis as a lead actor this year in two very different productions.

In February he gave a masterful performance as Citizen Barlow in “Gem of

the Ocean” at Bakersfield Community Theatre, not an easy task given the lengthy speeches and the complexity of the August Wilson play. As I said in my review of the show, Davis was most compelling when expressing his anguish but was equally convincing in the play’s more lighthearted moments.

Two months later he portrayed Hoke Coleburn, the chauffeur, in “Driving Miss Daisy,” with humor and dignity. And in true “the show-must-go-on” fashion, Davis managed to complete the show’s final weekend run despite having had an emergency appendectomy only four days before.

Davis, 33, is a concierge at Bakersfield Family Medical Center. He’s gotten most, if not all, of his training in theater arts at local schools, starting out by participating in the Oral Language Festival at Bessie Owens Elementary, and then acting in plays at Emerson Junior High and Bakersfield High.

He also has a strong singing voice and starred more than 10 years ago in Bakersfield Music Theatre’s “Big River,” a musical version of “Huckleberry Finn.”

His most recent supporting roles have been in Stars’ outstanding productions of “La Cage aux Folles” and “Into the Woods.”

When I asked what his dream role would be, he

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Betty Finch’s crowning achievement this year was being named Best in Show for “Chihuahua” in the Arts Council of Kern’s juried exhibit, “Animal House.”

couldn’t choose just one.

First up would be Tom Collins in “Rent” and the second, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the mad scientist in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

“I love ‘Rocky Horror,’ “he said, “and Frank-NFurter is totally out of the box (compared) to what people are used to seeing me do.”

— Camille Gavin

Visual art Betty Finch Visual artist Betty Finch has become an internationally known expert at creating sculptures out of organic material, namely, gourds she grows in her garden in northwest Bakersfield.

Her crowning achievement this year was being named Best in Show for “Chihuahua” in the Arts Council of Kern’s juried exhibit, “Animal House.” In presenting the award, the judge described Finch’s sculpture as “simply wonderful craftsmanship, coupled with a unique sense of humor.”

Finch used 10 different gourds to make “Chihuahua,” which looks very much like a real dog. The perky ears were made from two halves of one gourd.

The shape was achieved genetically by crossing a Miniature Nigerian Bottle Gourd with a Liliputz. The sculpture also has an internal structure that was built through the holes where the legs are attached. In addition, she added weight to the back legs to compensate for the weight of the head.

A retired technical investigations sergeant with the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, Finch has won numerous awards in vari-

ous states for her artwork.

In 2005 she was invited to participate in a festival in China. As a result of that visit, she co-authored a book about a noted Chinese gourd artist, “The Immortal Molded Gourds of Mr. Zhang Cairi.”

— Camille Gavin

Nicole Saint-John Nicole Saint-John has long been a favorite of Bakersfield art lovers for her penetrating eye, which perfectly captures the spirit of her subject.

She’s as masterful at conveying whimsy as she is Saint-John darker, more serious themes. But it is with her visionary brainchild, called the Creating Community Program, that she is making a difference for local artists (and distinguishing herself as a real spark plug at the Arts Council of Kern, an organization in need of the fresh ideas Saint-John offers).

The yearlong program combines arts with activism, helping participants channel their viewpoints on an array of community issues into meaningful art. Along the way, Saint-John mentors the artists and provides them access to professionals who offer useful lessons on brass-tacks topics that are often alien to the creative mind: organizing a show, getting people together, marketing one’s work, etc.

But the real gauge of the program’s success is in the glowing reviews offered by the artists who have benefited from it.

— Jennifer Self

25

Thursday, December 29, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street “We go places, and people are just in awe to see so many relatives are so close. It’s a great feeling to know your family is nearby and close, and working to stay together.”

— Bernard Alvarez, Contreras family descendant

The family that grows together stays together

BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI Contributing writer

C

ould Cito and Nani Contreras ever have foreseen they would have an army of descendants preserving their heritage?

The 700-plus members of the Contreras family have managed to stay together — and close — while also serving their community in a material way. The family is getting ready to host their major annual fundraiser, their New Year Celebration, at the Kern County Fairgrounds on Saturday.

Proceeds fund the family’s scholarship foundation, which has been active for 26 years, awarding $1,000 to high schools students throughout Kern County.

“Anyone is eligible,” said foundation chair Bernard Alvarez, a great-grandson of the family founders.

Alvarez said high school seniors apply through their school office, and the criteria are similar to other scholarships, with one exception.

“We look for the students with 2.5-3.5 grade point averages,” Alvarez said. “You know the students with a 4.0 already will have an easier time getting scholarships.”

Alvarez said fundraising has been particularly successful in the last decade, enabling the family to offer 10 scholarships each June for the last five or six years. He said the students have been grateful.

“We have numerous letters, thank you letters,” Alvarez said. “We have people speaking at our events, testimonials.”

The family started with the wedding of Cito and Nani Contreras in the Cummings Valley near Tehachapi on Feb. 18, 1889. The couple later moved to Bakersfield and raised a family of 12 children.

“My mother (a granddaughter) also came from a family of 12 children,” Alvarez said. “The tree grew rapidly.”

A family of much smaller size would have trouble staying together, and it was only at one of those great unifiers — a family funeral — that a plan was created to knit the already enormous number of descendants together.

“My mother, Angelita, and her cousins

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got together and we started with a family reunion every three years,” Alvarez said.

“Then someone suggested we take the money from that and start a scholarship fund.”

“It just snowballed from there,” Alvarez said.

The Contreras Family Foundation is a registered nonprofit corporation in California. In addition to the New Year’s Eve fundraiser, the family hosts a number of events throughout the year, including a golf tournament, a horseshoe tournament and other events. Alvarez said the whole family is involved.

“All the family members volunteer, selling tickets, putting on the events,” Alvarez said. “And all buy their own tickets.”

The New Year’s Eve event includes a New York steak dinner and the traditional menudo at midnight, plus music from Limited Edition as well as the mariachi band “Oro y Plata,” and disc jockey D.J. Joe. Tickets are $45 per person, or $85 per couple. Alvarez said the foundation has not only helped Kern County high school students, it’s helped the family. Fourth- and fifth-generation descendants number in the hundreds, yet the family hosts regular events to keep everyone acquainted.

“We just had a skating party for the kids — about 170 showed up,” Alvarez said.

“We go places, and people are just in awe to see so many relatives are so close,” Alvarez said. “It’s a great feeling to know your family is nearby and close, and working to stay together.”

‘CALIFORNIAN RADIO’ Join the staff of The Californian’s entertainment section — Jennifer Self, Stefani Dias and Matt Munoz — on “Californian Radio” this morning as we relive the highs and lows of 2011. We’ll be discussing our favorite concerts, plays, art openings, films and bands, but we’re dying to hear what topped your entertainment list this year. Just call 842KERN to recommend your favorites of

the year (or to make fun of ours).

We’ll also be running down the list of New Year’s Eve festivities, from the wholesome to the raucous.

Be sure to listen for your cue to call to win tickets to the “Bob & Tom Comedy All Stars” show Saturday at the Fox. Californian Radio airs from 9 to 10 a.m. on KERN Radio 1180 AM.

Coming Saturday

12.31.11 Inside The Californian

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

Inside this issue: New Food Dudes

Winter grillers

We welcome a new group of Food Dudes to the table. Their first stop was Tony’s Pizza on Coffee Road, and boy, did they enjoy it!

Nothing stops these three guys from grilling, not even the winter weather. Find out tips and tricks for the perfect tri-tip and the grilling guru they admire.

Businesses give 2012 outlook Over the past year, new businesses have popped up all over town. We interviewed eight local business owners who have created opportunities for not only themselves, but for the community.

Vows For you lovebirds about to say “I do,” this section is filled with helpful tips to get you looking and feeling your best for your special day as well as stories on wedding trends that you may want to use.

Look inside to read about these special days.

26

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 29, 2011

Eye Street

Ask A Professional

We feature local experts to answer your questions.

For info contact: Linda Petree at 661-395-7621

Optical

Q: A:

How often should I change my prescription frames?

As often as your activities change. Your professional look may be dressy and serious for the work place, but the sports minded side may want a different lens design to lighten and darken in a wrap styled frame. Funky and fun styles can really show off your personal style with striking bold colors. Mid-range lens designs are fantastic in the office or on the computer, for work and play.

The computer glasses are the fastest growing new trend for second and third pairs. Great quality frames are built to last, lifestyle lens designs keep you fashion forward. Call for your styling today!

Pamela Long

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

5466 California Avenue (California & Lennox) 661-324-0991

Henry Phillips, left, and April Macie will be among the performers at the Bob & Tom Comedy All Stars show on Saturday at the Fox Theater.

Radio show brings out all-stars for performance

Attorney

Q:

My car was stolen. After it was recovered my insurance company said it as ‘totaled’. However, when I made a claim they told me they will not pay me because the information I gave them about the theft is not believable. What can I do?

A:

Insurance carriers can deny claims. But, you have an absolute right to challenge their denial and file a law suit, if necessary, for recovery. Contact an attorney to protect your rights.

Kathryn Fox Attorney at Law

1430 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 (661) 328-1133 www.Kathrynmfox.com

IRA’s and Rollovers What is the tax advantage of an IRA? The one thing that makes all IRAs similar, regardless of type, is the transactions inside the account incur no tax liability. IRAs shelter interest, dividends and capital gains earnings realized in the IRA until their owners withdraw the money.

John Bush, AVP Investment Officer Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC 5060 California Avenue, 11th Floor 661.327.8560

End-of-Life Care

Q: A:

If I decide to start hospice service, does my insurance company direct which hospice I use?

You have the right to choose your hospice provider, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Insurance providers, physicians or caregivers may recommend a hospice, but patient choice must be honored.

When looking for a hospice provider, it’s important that patients have access to all available options.

8501 Brimhall Road, Bldg. 100 Bakersfield, CA 93312 661-410-1010 www.hoffmannhospice.org

Californian staff writer mmunoz@bakersfield.com

E

The Law Office of Kathryn M. Fox

Q: A:

BY MATT MUNOZ

Tom Hoffmann Director of Operations & Founder Hoffmann Hospice

ver wonder how morning radio shows can get early laughs while most of America is still half asleep?

According to longtime “Bob & Tom Show” news anchor Kristi Lee, there really isn’t much to the magic. Tapped to once again host the Bob & Tom Comedy All Stars New Year’s show at the Fox Saturday, Lee says it’s all about having the right team of comedy minds.

“Our creative process is bizarre. I don’t think people would believe it if they saw us work, because we each have our own little niche. We know where we’re supposed to be, when we’re supposed to talk, and I think that has been key.”

Airing mornings in Bakersfield on 98.5FM, The Fox, the “Bob & Tom Show” has become one of the longest running radio programs in the nation since debuting in 1983 out of Indianapolis, where it still broadcasts from today. Lee, who joined the show a year later, says things have always clicked between her and hosts Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold. At least based on what she can recall.

“Being a woman of a certain age, thankfully I don’t have any memory left of the early days. Day to day, I just come in with a boatload of news and we just hit the ground running. There’s no real formula, or something I can point to and go, ‘Everyday at 5:30 a.m. we do that.’ I don’t get involved with the comedy bits, because Tom likes to surprise Bob and I.” A combination of skits, mixed with music and a rotating cast of the characters, the zoo-like atmosphere is also filled with constant on-air laughter. Lee refutes accusations they use laugh tracks during any part of the show.

“A lot of people think that we do. We don’t. We genuinely love our job, I think, and it shows. It’s a real organic thing with natural laughter. I mean it’s almost like being an actor in a play at certain points.

You have to turn on when the mics come on, and then it’s kinda funny, because we’ll

Bob & Tom Comedy All Stars When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Fox Theater, 2001 H St. Admission: $30.50, plus service charge Information: 324-1369 or vallitix.com

be going on and on about something, then the mics go off and the four of us don’t speak to each other. Seriously, it’s that dramatic. But, turn the mics back on and we’re best of friends. There are those days, but they are few and far between.”

To ensure there’s no shortage of real laughs on Saturday, Lee is bringing with her a group of comedians she says are guaranteed to appeal to both listeners and non-listeners of the show.

“I’m very excited that Henry Phillips has a set, because Henry and I do a duet on the tour that’s really fun. April Macie is definitely adults only and she’ll bring the house down. It’s got something for everybody. You don’t necessarily have to be a ‘Bob & Tom’ listener. We would love for you to be, but you don’t have to be a listener to enjoy the show, because it’s basically great comedians, all headliners, all on one stage.”

This will be Lee’s third time spending New Year’s Eve in Bakersfield. And even though she lives almost 2,000 miles away, she’s never felt so at home.

“The crowds have been great and it’s been a hoot. I think you owe it to yourself to start your new year with a really great comedy show, especially if you’ve never seen comedy live. I know we try to represent it on the radio, but to really appreciate stand-up, you have to see it live I would love to see all of Bakersfield join us.

Also appearing will be comedians Pat Dixon, Greg Warren, and “Bob & Tom Show” regular Ron Sexton as Donnie Baker, Kenny Tarmac, and Floyd the Trucker.

“Great headliners at a great price, and all in one place — it’s gonna be a hoot. I keep saying that. My god, where am I from?”

27

Thursday, December 29, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street

CSUB event puts guitar in spotlight

BY ROB MESZAROS

CSUB Guitar Day

Contributing writer

C

SUB music faculty members Jim Scully and Roger Allen Cope are on a mission to rejuvenate the classical guitar movement in Bakersfield.

Both Los Angeles and Fresno have community-led Classical Guitar Societies.

And while there is a legacy of Scully great guitar activity and leadership locally, according to Cope, Bakersfield’s Classical Guitar Society has been defunct for some time.

“We would love to be a catalyst for the rebirth of classical guitar in the region,” he said.

The pair are well on their way to making that vision a reality. They have lured world-class performers to Bakersfield in recent years — big-city performers who not only help train CSUB guitar students, but who are instrumental in helping

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 28 Where: CSUB, Music Building Rooms 127 and 128 Admission: Free Registration: csub.edu/guitarday.

Space is limited. Deadline to audition for master class or recital: Jan. 14

to lay the groundwork for the re-emergence Scully and Cope dream about.

“Between the Legends of Jazz Series, visiting guest composers with our Community Concert Band, The Bakersfield Jazz Festival, and other clinicians on a more ad hoc basis, CSUB’s music department might bring 50 internationally recognized musicians to campus every year,” Scully said.

Last year, Scully and Cope started CSUB’s Guitar Arts Series — a six-concert series with performances spread throughout the year.

This year’s installment is

currently in full swing, with performances scheduled for February, March and April.

Their latest augmentation is CSUB’s first-ever Guitar Day, which serves to connect young guitarists with a shared guitar-centric experience. The free event, which is geared toward aspiring guitarists ages 10 to 22, is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 28 on the CSUB campus, and will include master classes, rehearsals, lectures and a recital.

CSUB’s music department has been fairly active for years with schools in our region, but Scully acknowledges that the guitar studies program can increase its outreach to local students.

“CSUB Guitar Day is our first concerted effort to specifically reach guitar students at area schools,” Scully said. “It’s important to expose young minds to the university in their own backyard. The earlier we can connect to and engage with students, the more we will be able to get to know them personally and musically as they decide where

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROGER ALLEN COPE

CSUB’s Roger Allen Cope helped organize the school’s first-ever Guitar Day, which serves to connect young guitarists with a shared guitar-centric experience.

to go to college.”

CSUB Guitar Day will feature three distinct activities. There will be four 25minute master classes in

the morning, where CSUB faculty will conduct oneon-one lessons with selected participants, while an audience of the other attendees observe. Later in the day, all attendees can participate in CSUB Guitar Day Orchestras — two 55minute rehearsal sessions to prepare music by Ben Folds and Michael Praetorius. The day will culminate with an afternoon recital featuring local junior high and high school students playing alongside CSUB guitar students and faculty.

Scully said students of any style are eligible for the master classes or recital, but to participate in the CSUB Guitar Day Orchestra, a student needs an acoustic guitar — preferably a classical-style, nylonstringed instrument.

“Students should also be able to read traditional music notation on a treble clef and have a working

knowledge of the guitar if they want to have a rewarding experience,” he added.

Because only 80 seats are available, students are encouraged to register early at www.csub.edu/guitarday. Those interested in auditioning to participate in the master class and/or perform as a soloist in the afternoon recital must register by Jan. 14. Students should bring a brown-bag lunch.

“Creating a higher standard of guitar playing by our youth and cultivating an audience for jazz and classical style of guitar playing is of utmost importance,” said Cope.

Scully added: “We hope that over the next 10 years more than a few folks will look back and recognize the Guitar Arts Series and Guitar Day as being important programs that helped spark excitement in our community.”

Ask A Professional

We feature local experts to answer your questions.

CONTINUED FROM 19

“It’s a classic melodrama, with a very well defined Old West villain and his mailorder bride,” he said. “It’s the kind with plenty of booing and hissing.”

Although Prince writes most of the plays, including the one about Shafter, he welcomes scripts written by others, especially those that have something to do with past or present local history. In the past he has produced a play by Terry and Carol Willey, and is considering a script with a film noir theme submitted by Phil Beglin, an actor and former county public defender.

“We’re set for the rest of this season,” Prince said. “In July 2012 we’ll start mulling around ideas for the next year.”

He supplied these guidelines for anyone who wants to submit a script: It should be family-friendly; length 50 to 60 pages, or the equivalent of about 75 minutes running time; call for a cast of between five and eight actors; and should be mailed to Prince at the Gaslight office, 12748 Jomani Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93312.

Gaslight is the only theater in town that pays actors for their work. Full time and part-time performers, who sign specific contracts, are paid a weekly salary for their contracted time. Those who sign on for only one show are paid a stipend for their time.

“As of right now, we have six in the company (including myself) who are full time,” Prince said. “We have roughly about five performers who sign part-time contracts with us and a number of other local performers who work on a one-show basis.

Casting always depends on the needs of the show.

Although Prince doesn’t hold mass tryouts, he welcomes new actors who want to audition at any time.

“I don’t hold auditions — I didn’t like them myself when I was an actor,” he explained. “But I’ll always schedule a private audition for people who request it.”

Being in a show requires a serious commitment. Rehearsals are held four nights a week for a total of 16 hours per week and generally begin six weeks before the show opens. Then there are 21 performances over a period of seven weeks.

Even though the dialog in some shows looks as if it might be improvised, Prince said he sticks pretty much to the written script although some changes might be made in the first few days of rehearsal.

Audience participation is more or less spontaneous, however. He looks at it as a method of giving theatergoers a personal connection to the story being told on stage.

“In the Christmas shows we have asked a gentleman in the audience why he loves his wife so much and it gives the couple a chance to tell their story,” he said. “And as they do, you see other couples touching hands or moving closer together — it’s a nice feeling.”

And no, the person asked to participate isn’t warned ahead of time. Prince did say, however, he usually picks someone in the first row because the individual is likely be either a regular or a season ticket holder — or both.

For info contact: Linda Petree at 661-395-7621

Hearing Dear Readers: In the upcoming year, there will be many changes with insurance companies and some regarding hearing instrument benefits. One such change is that some insurance companies will be trying to sell you hearing aids directly via a local provider in the area. This may be beneficial to some, but please do some research first. Currently, there is an investigation looking into the legality of insurance companies selling hearing aids, especially the mailorder ones. Please do your due diligence and don’t be one of the unlucky consumers. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your families!!!

Eleanor Wilson, Au.D.

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PatientAlerts/ ucm200896.htm

5000 California Avenue, Suite 203 Bakersfield, CA 661-323-2601

Solar Power

Q: A:

What’s the difference between a PPA and a Solar Equipment Lease?

Customers must be careful with Power Purchase Agreements. They risk paying more for electricity obtained through a PPA than the Utility, because the solar provider becomes the power company and sells power at a predetermined escalating rate. With a Powerhouse equipment lease, savings is generated by the equipment, which can be owned for half of the install cost. The resulting levelized cost per kWh is a quarter to a third the price of utility power. And, our customers benefit from no-out-of-pocket service, maintenance, monitoring, insurance coverage and power output guarantees for 20 years!

4900 California Avenue, Tower B Suite 210 Bakersfield, CA 93309 661-213-3965 www.BakersfieldsBestSolar.com

Brian McCarty, Target Energy Analyst

28

The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 29, 2011

Eye Street

Forrest Gump, Hannibal Lecter join film registry

BY BEN NUCKOLS The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Bambi, Forrest Gump and Hannibal Lecter have at least one thing in common: Their cinematic adventures were chosen by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the world’s largest archive of film, TV and sound recordings.

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), a harrowing psychological thriller about the cannibalistic serial killer Lecter, and “Forrest Gump” (1994), starring Tom Hanks as the guileless hero who thinks “life is like a box of chocolates,” were critical and commercial successes that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The animated Disney classic “Bambi” is among the most beloved movies ever made.

A majority of the 25 titles chosen this year for inclusion in the National Film Registry are lesser-known — including silent films, documentaries, avant-garde cinema and even home movies. The Library of Congress announced the selections Tuesday.

The registry began in 1989 under an act of Congress and now includes 575 films. Its aim is not to identify the best movies ever made but to preserve films with artistic, cultural or historical significance. Previous titles chosen range from “The Birth of a Nation” to “National Lampoon’s Animal House.”

“Forrest Gump” has its critical detractors but was praised for its technical achievements, including the seamless incorporation of the title character into historical footage.

More than 2,200 films were nominated for the registry this year. The National Film Preservation Board pares them down before Librarian of Congress James H. Billington makes the final selections.

“Each year, we do try to pick one of the titles that the public nominated the most, and ‘Forrest Gump’ was way up there on that list,” said Stephen Leggett, program coordinator for the National Film Preservation Board. “Everything on the list is subject to dissenting opinion.”

Staffers at the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Va., work to ensure that each title is preserved for future generations, packing away original negatives or unreleased prints into the facility’s massive vault and collaborating with other preservationists, movie studios and independent filmmakers.

“These films are selected because of their enduring significance to American culture,” Billington said in a statement.

“Our film heritage must be protected because these cinematic treasures document our history and culture and reflect our hopes and dreams.”

Leggett said he was pleased by the inclusion of “The Negro Soldier,” a 1944 documentary produced by Frank Capra that was groundbreaking for its realistic and positive depiction of African-Americans. It became mandatory viewing for soldiers entering the army in the latter stages of the war and was shown in commercial theaters.

“It was kind of ironic because the official

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER

Anthony Hopkins is shown in the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 film “Silence of the Lambs.”

Army policy at the time was still segregation. You had a film which was implicitly if not explicitly promoting integration,” he said.

Films must be at least 10 years old to be considered for the registry.

The oldest movies selected this year are both from 1912. “The Cry of the Children” is about the pre-World War I child labor reform movement, and “A Cure for Pokeritis” stars John Bunny, regarded as the American film industry’s earliest comic superstar.

“A lot of people would argue that the humor is kind of dated,” Leggett said of Bunny’s films — mostly short domestic comedies in which he played a henpecked husband. “He really was a major figure at the time. It doesn’t help your reputation when people like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton come after you.”

It was a big year for actress Sally Field, who co-starred in “Forrest Gump.” “Norma Rae” (1979), featuring her Oscar-winning performance as a single mother who fought to unionize a Southern textile mill, also made this year’s list.

Among the other titles chosen: “The Big Heat,” a 1953 film noir starring Glenn Ford; “The Lost Weekend,” Billy Wilder’s Oscarwinning alcoholism drama; “Porgy and Bess,” starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge; “Stand and Deliver,” starring Edward James Olmos as an inspiring East Los Angeles math teacher; and John Ford’s epic 1924 Western “The Iron Horse.”

Among the lesser-known titles chosen this year, “A Computer Animated Hand” (1972) by Pixar Animation Studios cofounder Ed Catmull was one of the earliest examples of 3D computer-generated imagery. The one-minute film shows a hand turning, opening and closing.

Documentaries picked for the registry include “Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment,” which focuses on Gov. George Wallace’s attempt to prevent two African-American students from enrolling in the University of Alabama and the response of President John F. Kennedy.

GO&DO Today “Christmas Around the World,” 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday, Timeless Furnishings, 1918 Chester Ave. $20 family of four; $8 individual; $5 children; children under 8 are free. christmasworldevent.com.

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.

Flamenco & Classical Guitar Class, taught by John Gomez, for individuals or a group, Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St. Details, call 496-0891.

HolidayLights @ CALM, 5:30 to 9 p.m. through Sunday, CALM, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. $12; $10 seniors and children ages 13-17; $6 ages 3-12. vallitix.com or 322-5200, 872-2256.

Kwanzaa 2011 Celebration, African folktales, cultural poetry, refreshments, various vendors and more, 1 to 4 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1000 S. Owens St. Free.

319-7611.

Friday CSUB Men’s Basketball, vs. Pomona-Pitzer, 7 p.m., CSUB, Icardo Center, 9001 Stockdale Highway. $5$20. gorunners.com or 654-BLUE.

Saturday Antique Show & Sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 S. P St. $5. 559-638-2639.

2011 All-Star Menu New Year’s Eve, two seatings, 5:30 p.m., four-course dinner, $50; and 8:30 p.m., seven-course dinner, $100, at Valentien Restaurant & Wine Bar, 1310 Truxtun Ave., Suite 160. 864-0397.

B. Ryder’s Ultimate New Year’s Eve Jam, music by Mento Buru, Velorio and DJ Mickey, 8 p.m., B. Ryders, 7401 White Lane. $15. 3977304.

Bellvedere New Year’s Eve Double Header, two parties: 10 a.m., food, party favors, champagne, early bird countdown at 2 p.m.; second party, music by Catch 22, party favors, free champagne toast at midnight, begins at 9 p.m., Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane. 3252139.

Bob & Tom Comedy AllStars, 7 p.m., Bakersfield

Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $30.50 plus fee. vallitix.com or 322-5200.

Contreras Scholarship Fund New Year’s Eve, dinner, Kern County Fairgrounds, Harvest Hall, 1142 P St. $45; $85 couple. 2016881 or 871-5669.

Kelulu’s New Year’s Eve return, tequila toast at midnight, DJ Mickey Rock, Kelulu, 9 p.m. to midnight, Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, 2701 Ming Ave., $10. 8325011.

Masquerade Ball, music

by The Press, three dinner certificates will be given away for best dressed, 8 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday, Tam O’Shanter, 2345 Alta Vista, 324-6774. $20.

New Year’s Eve at Narducci’s, dinner seatings at 5:30 and 7 p.m., with Dramarama, Crowbar Massage, DJ Juice, 9 p.m., Narducci’s Cafe, 622 E. 21st St. $20 music show only; $40 dinner and show. 324-2961.

New Year’s Eve at The Nile, party favors, appetizers, champagne toast at midnight, music by DJ Eric Avalon, 8 p.m., The Nile Theater, 1721 19th St. $20 advance; $25 at the door.

323-8575.

New Year’s Eve Bash 2011, Buddy Alan Owens, Steve Davis & Stampede, Duck Soup, 7 p.m., Buck Owens Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd.

Dinner tickets $85-$100; show-only $45 to $55. vallitix.com or 322-5200.

New Year’s Eve Celebration, Menudo dinner at midnight, party favors, champagne, music by Fiesta with Cindy Sosa, DJ, 7 p.m., Eagles Hall, 1718 17th St. $25 per person; $50 per couple. 324-9684.

New Year’s Eve Party, music by Lost Vinyl, party favors, champagne toast at midnight, dinner and drink specials, 7:30 p.m., T-Bones Steakhouse, 8020 District Blvd. $10 for music show only; $35 for dinner and show. 398-1300.

New Year’s Eve Party, with Mento Buru and Velorio, appetizers, party favors, toast at midnight, 8 p.m., B Ryders Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane. $15.

Reservations, 397-7304.

New Year’s Eve Party, music by the TNT, 9 p.m., Ethel’s Old Corral Cafe, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway. Free. RV space available for overnight parking on property. 873-7613.

New Year’s Eve Party, with DJ’s Adam E and Miggy Smalls, party favors, champagne toast at midnight, 9 p.m., Elevation

Lounge, 818 Real Road. $5.

325-6864.

New Year’s Eve Party, music by Out of the Blue, champagne toast, 9 p.m.

Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday, Kern River Brewing Company, 13415 Sierra Highway, Kernville. Free. 760-3762337.

New Year’s Eve Party, music by The Mothership, 9:30 p.m., Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St. $5. 322-8900. variety.

New Year’s Eve Party by Sociedad Juarez, music

by Cruz Armendariz Los Cinco Del Norte, 8 p.m., Salon Juarez, 815 E. 18th St. $15 per person; $25 per couple. 832-2613 or 6380444.

New Year’s Eve Skate Party, bounce house, drawings, balloon drop at midnight, 7:30 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday, Skateland, 415 Ming Ave. $20. 831-5567.

New Year’s Eve Skate Party, Rollerama, 1004 34th St., for ages 14 and under, 7:30 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, $25, skate rental and snack included, 327-7589; and 7:30 p.m. Saturday to 12:30 a.m., Rollerama West, 7850 Brimhall Road. $15, skate rental included. 589-7555.

New Year’s Eve Epic Party, with Virtu, DJ’s, champagne toast at midnight, 7 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday, The Dome, 2201 V St. $15 advance online or $25 VIP. Search for Sugar & STP on Facebook.

New Year’s Eve at the DoubleTree, champagne, party favors, DJ, 8 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court. $15. 323-7111.

Vinny’s New Year’s Eve Bash, with DJ Roget, 8 p.m. with party favors, Vinny’s Bar & Grill, 2700 S. Union Ave. Free, 21 & over only. myspace.com/vinnys_bar.

Sunday 2012 Polar Bear Plunge, make an ice plunge into the activity pool, must be 7 or older, 11 a.m., McMurtrey Aquatic Center, 1325 Q St. $5 just to plunge; $20 for sweatshirt. 852-7430.

THEATER Improv Comedy Show, with Center For Improv Advancement, 8 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Ice House, 3401 Chester Ave., Suite M. Adults: $5, children under 12 are $1. ciacomedy.com.

Please see 29

29

Thursday, December 29, 2011 The Bakersfield Californian

Eye Street CONTINUED FROM 28

Major League Improv, improvisational comedy show, appropriate for families, 6 p.m. Saturdays, The Empty Space, 706 Oak St. Free but donations are accepted. 327-PLAY.

ART Acrylic Painting Class for Beginners, by Toni Lott, bring 11x14 canvas board, brushes and acrylic paints (or use instructors paints), 10 a.m. to noon, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Bakersfield Art Association Art Center, 1817 Eye St. $20 per class or $100 for all six classes. 205-3488.

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 Street. Visit mercybaakersfield.org/art or to register, 632-5357.

Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, offers youth art, clay sculpture, stained glass, and silver jewelry, Juliana’s Art Studio & Gallery, 501 18th St. For times and dates call 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 Classic Rock Jacalito Grill, 900 Truxtun Ave., Suite 110, 325-2535; Prisoners of Love, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

Bellvedere Cocktail Lounge, 3090 Brundage Lane, 325-2139; Billy Russell Band, 9 p.m. Friday.

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; Noah Claunch, 7 p.m. Friday.

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

Wednesdays.

Dancing 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 Drive, offers ballroom dance, East Coast swing (jitterbug) and Argentine Tango dance classes; $35, $45 for nonmembers. 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.

Laf-A-Lot Dance Club Dance New Year’s Eve Dance, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Kern City Town Hall, 1003 Pebble Beach Drive. $20. 398-5590.

Pairs and Spares Dance, Pairs and Spares Dance, with Jerry Hobbs, 6 p.m. Friday, Rasmussen Senior Center, 115 E. Roberts Lane. $15. 399-3575.

Tam O’Shanter, 2345 Alta Vista, 324-6774; 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. dancing.

Whirlaways Square Dance Club, has workshops every first, third, fourth and fifth Mondays, Park Stockdale Civic Association Community Center, 205 Rio Bravo Drive. whirlaways.org or 213-3105.

DJ B Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; UFC 141 & DJ, 6 p.m. Friday, $10, includes dinner and beverage.

Banacek’s Lounge, 4601 State Road, 387-9224; with DJ Casey Overstreet, 9 p.m. Fridays.

DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court. 323-7111; live in the mix: old school, 80s, & 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.

Imbibe Wine & Spirits Merchant, 4140 Truxtun Ave., 633WINE; live music & wine bar with featuring local artists, along with 24 wines, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday; featuring Jazz Connection, along with 24 wines, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

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.

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

Karaoke B Ryder’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7401 White Lane, 397-7304; 8 p.m.

Thursdays and Tuesdays.

Banacek’s Lounge, 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday at 4601 State Road. 387-9224.

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.

Cactus Valley, 6 to 10 p.m. every Thursday at 4215 Rosedale Highway. 633-1948.

Cactus Valley Mexican Restaurant, 4215 Rosedale Highway, 633-1948; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Thursday; beer pong and happy hour all day Sunday.

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.

Del Rio Cocktail Lounge, 5840 State Road, 393-0262; 8 p.m. every Saturday.

Diana’s Pit Stop, 10807 Rosedale Highway, 587-8888; 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays.

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, 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at 4647 White Lane. 834-1611.

Lone Oak Inn, 8 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at 10612 Rosedale Highway. 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.

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

Sports & Spirits, 6633 Ming Ave., 398-7077; 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; with Irish Monkey Entertainment, 6:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays.

Tejon Club, 6 to 10 p.m. every Saturday at 117 El Tejon Ave. 3921747.

The Bull Shed Bar & Grill, at Hotel Rosedale, 2400 Camino Del Rio Court, 327-0681; 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 Lounge, 2915 Taft Highway; 397-3599; 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays.

The Prime Cut, 9500 Brimhall Road, 831-1413; hosted by Ed Loverr, 9 p.m. to midnight Friday.

The Regent, 2814 Niles St., 8714140; 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. every Tuesday and Thursday at 1440 Weedpatch Highway. 3635102.

Trouts & The Blackboard Stages, 805 N. Chester Ave., 3996700; 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/sala DoubleTree Hotel, Club Odyssey, Club Odyssey, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court, 633-1949; various levels, 3 to 9 p.m. every Sunday. $5 per person, per lesson.

Music showcase The Prime Cut, 9500 Brimhall Road, 831-1413; featuring local artists, 7 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday.

Oldies KC Steakhouse, 2515 F St., 3229910; Jimmy Gaines, Bobby O and Mike Halls, 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Old school Jacalito Grill, 900 Truxtun Ave., Suite 110, 325-2535; The Prisoners of Love, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

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

Iron Horse Saloon, 1821 S. Chester Ave., 831-1315; Latin Breeze, 9 p.m. Saturday.

Open Mic Fiddlers Crossing, 206 E. F St., Tehachapi, 823-9994; 7 p.m.

Wednesdays. $5.

The Canna Cafe, 7 to 10 p.m. every Friday, East Hills Mall, Food Court, 3000 Mallview Road.

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

Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; Cesarmageddon, 9:30 p.m.

Friday.

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.

Trivia night.

Sandrini’s, 1918 Eye St., 3228900; Trivia Night with Dave Rezac, 10 p.m. Tuesdays.

UPCOMING EVENTS Monday 1/2 CSUB Men’s Basketball, vs. New Mexico State, 7 p.m., CSUB, 9001 Stockdale Highway. $5-$20. gorunners.com or 654-BLUE. Senior Discovery Days, for seniors 60 and older receive half off admission, 10 percent discount in the gift store, CALM, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. 872-2256.

Winter Science Camp for Kids, explore the earth systems and space galaxies, 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, 2018 Chester Ave. $70 members; $80 nonmembers. 324-6350.

Tuesday 1/3 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 1/4 CASA Volunteer Orientation, learn how to make a difference in the life of an abused, abandoned or neglected child, noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m., CASA, 2000 24th St. kerncasa.org or 631-2272.

Film Club, with Cody Meek, 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 4001 California Ave. 631-2575.