Heresy Presents: DEAD AIR – KSVG 89.7 Savage Radio Benefit – with Peeling Grey – Mordacious – One Last Caress – and DJ Thad – at Riley’s Tavern – Bakersfield, CA

For those Bakersfield natives who are feeling as starved for good alternative music as the next small town, have we got some good news for you! Thanks to Jake Chavez and Greg Looney's tireless efforts over the last few years,  KSVG 89.7, aka Savage Radio, Bakersfield’s newest non-profit public radio station, promoting arts, educational programs, and yes, true alternative music, will be invading the airwaves very soon (November 4th, 2012 to be exact).

To help get the fluids bubbling, Savage Radio joined dark forces with Heresy, Bakersfield’s only gothic/industrial night club, to raise money for the station.  “Dead Air” was not a night to be missed and an all out party full of punks, deathrockers, rivetheads, goths, and weekend warriors. 

Hosted in Riley’s Tavern’s back bar, the dance floor and the dimly lit room are no strangers to the “alternative” crowd.  Every month, Heresy takes over the club and hosts a dark night of pounding industrial, gothic, deathrock, synth-pop, and dark wave music.  The brain child of DJ/promoter Mike Fowler, aka “The Good Reverend” and promoter Shila Fowler, Heresy has become a prominent cog in the machine that keeps the underground scene in Bakersfield rolling.

“Dead Air” was no exception.  With walls oozing ornate, gothic decor and lasers blazing through the fog, it was easy to lose yourself in the atmosphere of the night and wonder “Wow! Am I in Bakersfield?”  The crowd poured through like a murder of crows and kept the scene cool as Heresy DJs thad and The Good Reverend kept us all warming up the dance floor with underground music that you will not hear in any other club in Bakersfield.  The out of town live acts contributed largely to the awesome atmosphere of Dead Air and brought a good variety of alternative sounds to the fundraiser.

First up was One Last Caress, hailing as Fresno’s gothic horror band of face-painted freaks.  They offer a dark, high energy deathrock sound, with enough punk attitudes to get a pit going throughout their set.  What a way to get the party started!

Next, Mordacious and Vektor from Lancaster, in their true rivethead fashion, had the whole club moving.  Heresy club goers had been waiting for this act to come and perform, and it was definitely well worth the wait.  They brought presentation and hard industrial dance beats that had party-goers dancing non-stop and wanting more.  I mean they brought it!

Los Angeles’ Peeling Grey, ended the live music beautifully with their true post punk rock, a sound you seldom have the opportunity to hear live anymore.  Front man Andy Smith, staying true to his old school death rock look, connected with the audience, while performing some songs from within the crowd. 

DJ Thad ended the night, keeping the dance floor moving with his years of DJ skills, throwing down some more stomping industrial beats.   

Most of the Heresy regulars were in attendance, along with many new faces to the club.  This event created a sense of unity among the alternative crowd, locals and out of towners alike.  And let me say that looks can be deceiving with this dark and spooky bunch, as they are very fun and friendly people.  

To sum it up, Bakersfield’s alternative music scene is coming back up, largely in part to Heresy and KSVG 89.7’s arrival on Novemeber 4th, 2012.  Pretty soon, listeners will be lucky enough to enjoy a different kind of program including Princess Darkness’ dark alternative show streaming bands like The Cure or Siouxsie and the Banshees (perhaps even some exciting local guests) and a gothic/industrial music program on Savage Radio, hosted regularly by Heresy’s own resident DJ, The Good Reverend to include music by Bakersfield’s own Burning Image and LA’s Gentlemen Junkie.  Also, whether you are a local or lucky enough to be traveling near Bakersfield on a night of Heresy, do yourself a favor and stop in for a dance. You will be very welcomed by the coolest freaks.

Stay tuned in with KSVG 89.7 Savage Radio HERE

Check out what our friends at Heresy have going on HERE

                             More photos of the show can be seen HERE

-Noelia and Josex Citialin-
Big Wheel Contributors

 

 

 

 

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