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Bakotopia’s ‘Back To School’ Bashes!
Bako has the remedy to save you from the blahs Sept. 11-13, 2008

By Matt Muñoz, Bakotopia Editor

Distraught over the end of summer? In need of just another week of partying?

Well, never fear!

Bakotopia and Tim Gardea Presents have three huge “Back To School Bashes” to help you get back in gear! Mark your calendars and get your friends in check!

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Above: New Found Glory

Thursday, Sept. 11: 6 p.m., $15, ALL AGES at The Dome, 2201 V St.: Pop-punk/emo vets New Found Glory kicks off their “Easycore Tour” with special guests ISHC, A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, and Crime In Stereo! It’s been awhile since NFG have graced our local stage, but with a hot EP — and an appearance by their alter-egos ISHC (International Superheros of Hardcore) — the floor will be moshtastically berzerk!


Above: Millionaires

Friday, Sept. 12: 6 p.m., $10, ALL AGES at The Dome: Things will really get out of hand as Bakotopia cover girls The Millionaires — Melissa, Dani, and Allison — make their triumphant return to our city. This is the girls’ first show back in town following their crazy Rockin’ Roots show back in May, a sold-out nationwide tour, a live performance on MTV’s TRL, a bidding war by the major labels, and if that’s not enough - their keyboardist is Bako’s own Intruder Alert! Whew! Hopefully this time the stage will hold all the crazy fans who rushed them at Rockin’ Roots Special guests will be Intruder Alert, Big City Kids and The Penny Royalties.


Above: Monte Negro

Saturday, Sept. 13: 7 p.m., $10, at Narducci’s Cafe, 622 E. 21st St. Bakotopia caps off the 3three-day party by moving on over to Narducci’s with roc en español newcomers Monte Negro, plus Velorio, No Mames Guey, Vanity Avenue, The May Fire, and Astra Heights. Narducci’s is a smaller venue than The Dome, but what you get is an up close and personal experience to satisfy your need Latinized rock n’ ska madness. Monte Negro was a newcomer to Rockin’ Roots back in May, and judging by the local response, we all knew they’d be back soon. With songs in English and Spanish, consider yourself more than welcome. Local heroes Velorio and Vanity Avenue will also be in the house to make you move, so don’t front!

Get your tickets today for all shows in Bakersfield at: The Dome (office), World Records, Wavelengths SBI, Going Underground Records, Mainland & Impact (Valley Plaza), The Stuffed Pipe, Outer Limits, Stockdale Music, T-Mobile & Fusions (East Hills Mall) & Midnight Music (Oildale) 661-477-6099.

ENTER TO WIN FREE TIX TO THE SHOWS!
(CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW!)


Q&A Quickies:


Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory
NFG’s lead guitarist never tires of touring, starting at The Dome Sept. 11

B: Why kick-off your tour in Bakersfield, not we’re complaining?
Chad: Why not? Bakersfield is a town we know well, and we’re hitting a lot of smaller places — not LA or New York. We also rehearse in So Cal, so it all works out cool.

B: How does it feel to be a pop-punk music survivor?
Chad: We were lucky to come out before things like MySpace and all the Internet stuff. Now there’s just so much music being thrown in everyone’s face all the time. Scenes have changed, but New Found Glory has managed to stay true to ourselves. We’ve never cheapened ourselves to try to sound like what was cool at the time.

B: Will you be addressing the 9/11 tragedy during your show in Bakersfield?
Chad: I feel like people use Sept. 11 to their advantage now. I don’t want to make it a charade. It’s serious. We may bring it up, and people obviously remember.

We were on tour with Blink 182 the day that it happened. We saw the second plane hit live, and we didn’t know what to do - should we play? Kids didn’t know what to do, but we still showed up at the venue and talked about it. It was emotional.

B: Will you be performing any songs off the new CD you just finished with producer Mark Hoppus (Blink 182)?
Chad: One song. We’ve never toured with the EP “Tip Of The Iceberg,” so we’re going to play a lot of harder songs to go along with the theme of the tour.

B: Any message for your Bakersfield fans?
Chad: We’re psyched to play Bakersfield again, it’s been a long time. Get ready to mosh it up.

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Melissa Marie of Millionaires
After a taste of the road, member of party trio is ready for more - at The Dome Sept. 12

B: What a year it’s been for Millionaires, how’s it going?
Melissa: It really hasn’t sunken in that this is actually happening for us. We were one of the headliners at the Audio Overload Festival, and it was just crazy — all the kids. Things couldn’t be better.

B: A sold-out tour all over the US. How is it to experience that your first time out?
Melissa: We never thought things would be so big. We sold out the pre-sale at the Knitting Factory L.A., the first show, and then we were hoping to just have good shows on the west — those were all sold-out. But once we started we started making our way to the east coast, we had no idea how many fans we had. None of us had ever been there. It was amazing, every night was sold-out.



B: Did you tour around in a small van the whole time?
Melissa: A 15-passenger van. For girls, it’s different than guys, though. We had to stay in motel rooms, because there was no way we could stay together in that van longer than one day together.

B: How was performing on MTV’s TRL?
Melissa: It was the first week of tour, and we had cancel a couple dates. They flew us over to be on the show. I mean to have your video on TRL is pretty dope, but to actually perform live is such a crazy experience. For us to be unsigned and not even together for a year!

B: Any wild tour moments?
Melissa: It was the last show of the tour. It was the best show, then all of a sudden these kids just rushed the stage. I got hit in the face with an elbow, and I had blood all over my face and clothes.

B: How was touring with our Jarod Palmer on Keyboards?
Melissa: He was amazing. We had never performed with him until the first day of tour. By the end of the show, he would know every song by heart.

B: Your Rockin’ Roots show in May was out of control, what can Bakersfield fans expect this time?
Melissa: Craziness. Hopefully the stage won’t look like it’s going to collapse (laughs)!

For more information on all three shows, visit:
www.timgardeapresents.com

Also printed in Bakotopia magazine, issue 36, 9-4-08