Bakotopia 04/02

w w w . b a k o t o p i a . c o mF R E EF R E E April 2, 2009 - April 15, 2009

JOE TETROS BOHEMIAN AMERICANA

DIVINE FUSIONS

UNITED UNDERGROUND

GET STARTEDIN BAKOTOPIA

MAGAZINE!PAGE 4

ZOMBIETASTIC RESIDENT EVIL 5

LOS FABULOSOS CADILLACS RETURN

BBAAKKOOTTOOPPIIAA..CCOOMM Contribute your own articles/stories/events. Upload photos.

E D I TO R S N OT E

Matt Muoz,Bakotopia Editor

Bakotopia supports the arts and theartistes responsible for their creation. Aswe have with previous issues - Feel MyArt I & II, Burn The Witch, and more - Bako-topia loves putting the spotlight on new faces.

This weeks cover superwomen - SabrinaRamirez and Christina Varvel of Divine Fusion -are perfect examples of real artistic activism.

With knowledge and beauty as just some oftheir weapons of choice, theyre on a mission toeducate and entertain - or as KRS-ONE once

stated, Edutain. Serious business Photographer Holly Carlyle

captured the moment perfectlyin downtown. Once you readtheir story, youre sure to be

hooked on their consciousvibes. Make plans

to join them onApril 11 at

The Dome.Ladies of Bak-

ersfield - keepkickin down

doors!Writer Greg Goodsell is also back with a book

review; Larry Demon pays a visit; Los FabulososCadillacs reunite and invite Bakersfield musicfans to LA to enjoy their cross-cultural musicalmayhem on April 10. Its a rare show, so wind upyour spring break and plan accordingly!

Much love to everyone who packed out Fish-lips on St. Pattys Day for the Shamrock Shindig.It was the best party to date! Did you check outthat tall girl who jumped onstage to dance?Whoa! We have plenty of pics to oogle at, andyou can see them at:www.bakotopia.com/seen.

Thanks to all of our kick-ass advertisers whohelp keep these pages free for you and yours.See you all at Divine Fusion!

Peace,

BAKOTOPIA 3

BAKOTOPIAOlivia Garcia Publisher

[email protected] 395-7487

Matt Muoz Editor/Product [email protected] 395-7660

Gene Garaygordobil Managing [email protected]

Teresa Adamo Associate Editor [email protected]

EDITORIAL

STAFF

Billy Simkins Designer [email protected]

Jaime De Los Santos Sales Manager [email protected] 716-8632

David Alanis Sales Executive

Katie Blair Sales Executive

Gustavo Carrillo Sales Executive

Angela Espinoza Sales Executive

Samantha Vilchis Sales Executive

Mark Wells Sales Executive

Marisol Sorto Office Administrator [email protected] 716-8640

P.O. Box 2344Bakersfield, CA 93303

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BAKOTOPIA 4

BAKOBIT from Bakotopia.com April 2, 2009

Get in where you fit inHow to get your stuff in Bakotopia magazineBy Matt Munoz Bakotopia Editor

Follow these steps and you are in, its so easy!The web is buzzing with good stories and blogs about everyday life in Bakers-field and the surrounding areas, and readers want you to share! 1) Get your ideas together: a story, event, photos, band, show, food review -ANYTHING FLOATING AROUND YOUR MIND & COMMUNITY IS COOL!2) Start writing to your hearts content!3) 400-500 words will do, but if youre on a roll, keep writing, or if its short andsweet, go ahead and submit it online or via e-mail!4) Dont worry about being the best writer out there - well help you with editing.5) Make sure to include a high-res photo or graphic to accompany your piece. Ifyou don't have one, we'll find one for you!

UPCOMING PRINT DEADLINES / FOR ISSUE RUN DATES:

4/15 ISSUE 53 (4/30 - 5/13)4/29 ISSUE 54 (5/14 - 5/27)5/13 ISSUE 55 (5/28 - 6/10)5/27 ISSUE 56 (6/11 - 6/24)6/10 ISSUE 57 (6/25 - 7/8) -ETC.

Helpful tips...Get your stuff in before deadlines so we can make adjustments, if necessary!Events posted on www.bakotopia.com get priority placement in the print cal-endar!Sign-up for your free profile at www.bakotopia.com, to get regular e-blastsabout upcoming happenings, news flashes, contests, and more to stay in theloop!10,000-print readers, over 7,000+ registered web users, 100,000+ monthlyweb views cant be wrong!Wanna advertise with Bako? Best rates in town, call: 661-716-8640If you have any ideas or feedback, or need some help with story development,give me a shout anytime!

[email protected]

BAKOTOPIA 5


By Brian ParksBakotopia.com contributor

I ts 11:31 p.m., and the alarm inmy cell phone starts chiming likean old-fashioned jewelry box. I cancel the alarm and give the

dogs their treat before sending themoutside. Besides washing my faceand packing a lunch, I must do a cou-ple of things at the computer before

heading off to work. Like a lot of peo-ple I have an unnatural urge to checkmy e-mail. More importantly, I have toupdate the files on my iPod.

As the wheel of life turned for mefrom much more interesting pursuits,necessity required I have a consis-tent income.

In 2004, I began selling newspa-pers to the fine people of Wasco.This means arriving to the printingplant at around midnight to pick up aload of freshly printed news every sin-gle day (or night or technically morn-ing). What follows is 130 miles or soof flying through the dark with occa-sional stops to offload bundles orleave a paper in a special box for thewarden at the Wasco State Prison.

It didnt take long to realize that ifCoast to Coast AM with GeorgeNoory was going to be my only dis-traction from work, I was going to goinsane. Before long, I came to own anumber of audio books to help mecope.

About a year into this adventure I

read somewhere about people mak-ing their own little audio programsand putting them on the net for anyone to grab for free. What freedom Idiscovered! I could listen to music,storytelling, serialized books and talkon subjects as diverse as knitting,skateboards or Mac vs. Windows.Mainstream and public radio stationsare also available.

Two of my favorites are This Amer-ican Life from WBEZ and RadioLab from WNYC. Remember AdamCurry from MTVs HeadbangersBall? Hes way into conspiracy theo-ries on the Daily Source Code andNo Agenda.

I always start the drive from Bakers-field to Wasco with a music show -Audio Gumshoe or Daves Lounge.The big Sunday run always starts withjazz guitar - No Idle Frets. Once Ioffload half of the bundles and get topreparing the papers for retail, I listento DSC, TWIT or The SplendidTable. On Saturday nights, I get start-ed with Diggnation. Hosts Kevin and

Alex drink beer and review top storiesfrom the website: Digg.com.

As luck would have it, technologyand human creativity have saved mefrom deadly boredom with a stream ofinfinitely changing entertainment andmental stimulation. Even if you donthave dead-head miles in your day, youcan find a podcast to enhance any-thing youre doing.

Better than radio,since you canchoose it, pause it, take it with you.

To get started, just go to the iTunesstore and click the podcasting link orgo to: www.podcastalley.com andlook around.

Editors Note: Bakotopia also has itsown podcast titled Bakotunes, withinterviews and music - available atiTunes and Podcast Alley too! Donthave an iPod, dont worry! You canstream podcasts straight from theWeb or download them to your com-puter for future listening.

Listening alternatives are just a few clicks away... even without an iPod!

How Podcasting saved my sanity

BAKOTOPIA 6


APRIL 2

Hoods, and more (rock)Studio 993004 Antonino Ave.8 p.m. / All Ages / $10 717-5991

Recon, For Todayand more (alternative)Jerry's Pizza1817 Chester Ave.5 p.m. / $10 / All Ages

Caliente Nite (Latinmusic)The Nile Bar (every Thurs.)1721 19th St.9 p.m. / 21+ / 323-8575

Girl Night (dance)Element Lounge (everyThurs.)1919 K St.9 p.m. / 21+ / FREE

Karaoke (Every Thurs. & Sun.)The Belvedere3090 Brundage Ln.9 p.m. / 21+ / 325-2139

APRIL 3Mento Buru & DJ Mikey! FunkyLatinReggaeHipHop! Fishlips1517 18th St.9 p.m. / $5 / 21+324-2557

First Friday (street faire)19th & Eye St. downtown5 - 9 p.m. / FREE / All Ages

Refresh Rhyme SchemeThe Basement Gallery1532 19th St.8 p.m. / 281-4752

Gerry Bednob (comedy) Brian Ross & more!Randolph's Lounge7737 Meany Ave.8 p.m. / $10 / 21+

Dance NightThe Nile Bar 1721 19th St.9 p.m. / 21+ / 323-8575

Emmure & moreThe Dome2201 V St.5 p.m. / $16 / 327-0190

Club Highw/ DJ Ise Vega (Fri. & Sat.)Element Lounge1919 K St.

Get Smart! (play)BCT Playhouse (also Sat.)2400 S. Chester Ave.7 p.m. / $10 & $8 / AllAges

The Councilmen'sBoxcar Sermon videorelease!Sandrinis1918 Eye St.8 p.m. / $5 / 21+

Mike Montano blues bandThe Bellvedere (also Sat.)3090 Brundage Ln.9 p.m. / 21+ / 325-2139

Moosehead band (country)Pyrenees Caf601 Sumner St.8 p.m. / FREE / 323-0053

APRIL 42009 ScottishGames BC Soccer FieldGames: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Ceilidh: 6 - 10 p.m.Ticket info: Call 393-6765

Lee Rocker (rockabilly)w/ The Iron OutlawsFishlips1517 18th St.8 p.m. / $20 / 21+324-2557

Dance NightThe Nile Bar 1721 19th St.9 p.m. / 21+ / 323-8575

Catch 22 (classic rock)Lone Oak Lounge10612 Rosedale Hwy.9 p.m. / 21+ / 589-0412

APRIL 5Get Smart! (play)BCT Playhouse 2400 S. Chester Ave.2 p.m. / $10 & $8 / AllAges

Art Hulabaloow/ Switchblade 77 &more!Studio 993004 Antonino Ave.5 p.m. / $8 / All Ages304-9741

AGENDAWHATS ON IT

B = Highly recommended

B B

B

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Club Goddess (gay & lesbian)The Nile Bar 1721 19th St.9 p.m. / 21+ / 323-8575

APRIL 6Alisa's Karaoke Nation(Every Mon.)Riley's Tavern1523 19th St.9 p.m. / 21+ / 324-3268

APRIL 7Latin Music Night(Every Tues.)Riley's Tavern1523 19th St.9 p.m. / 21+ / 324-3268

Mac Attack's Karaoke (Every Tues. & Wed.)The Junction2620 Buck Owens Blvd.8 p.m. / 21+ / 327-9651

APRIL 8Club '80s (every Weds.)The Nile Bar1721 19th St.9 p.m. / 21+ / 323 - 8575

APRIL 10Sideshow Band (country)The Bellvedere (also Sat.)3090 Brundage Ln.9 p.m. / 21+ / 325-2139

Club Highw/ DJ Ice Vega (Fri. & Sat.)Element Lounge1919 K St.

Subterraneans ('80s covers)Fishlips1517 18th St.9 p.m. / $5 / 21+324-2557

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs! Gibson AmphitheaterLos Angeles, CA8 p.m. / All Ageswww.ticketmaster.com

APRIL 11Divine Fusion Music & Arts Fest The Dome / 2201 V St.12 - 9 p.m. / All Ages / FREE

PONG661Beer Pong TourneyFishlips1517 18th St.12 p.m. / $10 / 21+324-2557

Eggstravaganza Alibi performing LIVE!KC Museum3801 Chester Ave.9 a.m. - 1 p.m.342-4708

Backup Johnny (indie)Fishlips1517 18th St.9 p.m. / $5 / 21+

APRIL 12HAPPY EASTER!

POST YOUR EVENTS AT:WWW.BAKOTOPIA.COM

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LLC.

Open 7 days a week 2PM - CloseCome Party Like OneCome Party Like One Come Party Like One

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TUESDAY APRIL 14Junior Brown - LIVE!w/ 1100 SpringsFishlips1517 18th St.8 p.m. / $35 / 21+324-2557 www.vallitix.comPost your events at: www.bakotopia.comto be listed in our calendar!

B

By Matt Muoz, Bakotopia Editor

rt and activism dont always make a peaceful pairing. Scenes of rage,harsh tones,splattered on a can-

vas of urban decay, voiced by an unruly mob. What about trying a different approach - fus-

ing color,unity,music and positive vibes under-scored with a message of hope? Sounds pretty divine if you

ask me Thats exactly whats happening at the Divine Fusionmusic/arts festival on April 11 on the outside court/stage areaat The Dome,2201 V St., from 12-9 p.m. Admission is free.

FRIENDS OF THE UNDERGROUND COME TO THE SURFACE FOR A COMMON GOAL AT THE DOME

Brought to you by Golden Means - Sabrina Ramirez andChristina Varvel, the event is expected to bring some muchneeded heavenly bliss to our city.

Divine Fusion is about the rebuilding of our community,said Ramirez, 28, of the April 11 event. Replanting seeds ofculture and cultivating them for growth.

Spoken like a true visionary, indeed. But this isnt youreveryday gathering of conscious foot soldiers with dreams ofgrandeur - this is work.

Its about picking yourself up, getting it together, and notgiving up, chimed Varvel, 28, of the Golden Means mes-sage. Its like marriage, man! she smiled.

Like the matrimonial vow for which she speaks - Ramirezknows that planning an event of this magnitude requiresmutual commitment.

Christina and I are of the same mindset about this,said Ramirez of her friend and fellow activist. Its not apopularity contest or competition. Its about raisingawareness - specifically for The Bakersfield Boys &

Girls Club, and the Alliance Against Family Violenceand Sexual Assault.

For both women, these two organizationshold a special place in each others hearts.

Varvel previously worked at the Alliance,

while Ramirez, a singlemother of two boys,treasures the servicesthat Boy & Girls Clubsoffer her own family.

After working there ayear, you dont realize how evilpeople can be to each other,explained Varvel shaking her headin sadness on her experience. TheAlliance treats people who are used toabuse on a daily basis. Its really sad. I couldonly work there for a year. People need help andthey offer it, but they need our help too.

As for Ramirez, the love for her sons keeps her inspired tobe creative and give back to organizations like the Boys &Girls Club who help keep kids off the streets.

I put my kids first no matter what, and I know whatsimportant for them, explained Ramirez. Theres a need formore cultural outlets in Bakersfield. There are a lot of drugsand gangs around. I don't want that for them.

The two chose the name Golden Means as their produc-

CHRISTINAVARVELSABRINA

RAMIREZ

B A K O T O P I A . C O M

Editor

ways make a peaceful pairing. h tones,splattered on a can-ced by an unruly mob. different approach - fus-nd positive vibes under-s pretty divine if youg at the Divine Fusionside court/stage areaAdmission is free.

CE FOR A COMMON GOAL AT THE DOME

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while Ramirez, a singlemother of two boys,treasures the servicesthat Boy & Girls Clubsoffer her own family.

After working there ayear, you dont realize how evilpeople can be to each other,explained Varvel shaking her headin sadness on her experience. TheAlliance treats people who are used toabuse on a daily basis. Its really sad. I couldonly work there for a year. People need help andthey offer it, but they need our help too.

As for Ramirez, the love for her sons keeps her inspired tobe creative and give back to organizations like the Boys &Girls Club who help keep kids off the streets.

I put my kids first no matter what, and I know whatsimportant for them, explained Ramirez. Theres a need formore cultural outlets in Bakersfield. There are a lot of drugsand gangs around. I don't want that for them.

The two chose the name Golden Means as their produc-

Its about picking yourself up,getting it together, and not

giving up, Christina Varvel

www.myspace.com/divinefusionbakersfieldwww.myspace.com/mothershipbako www.myspace.com/refreshrhymescheme

DIVINE FUSIONSaturday, April 11 The Dome, 2201 V St.12pm-9pm FREE / All AgesSponsorship vendor booths available for $25!Contact: [email protected]

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B A K O T O P I A . C O MP H O T O S B Y H O L L Y C A R L Y L E

BAKOTOPIA 10


tion team name for its reference to the divinenumber, as they say, derived from Greek philoso-phy. According to many Greek teachings, especiallythat of Aristotle, it refers to the attributes of beauty- symmetry, proportion, and harmony.

Varvel and Ramirez then took the name andgave it a hip-hop twist.

Its the combination of many things, and it justfeels right, said Varvel. Its all about the love.

So now that we have the poetic side taken careof, what can people expect at the event on April11? Too many good things to list, but will no doubtinclude both the serious and lighthearted.

Were going to have everything from informa-tion booths on human trafficking, vegan living, tolocal theater, said Ramirez. Were also going tohave live art demonstrations, food, raffles, musicand spoken word.

If youre not familiar with the local poetry set,you dont know what you've been missing. For thepast two years, Varvel has hosted the RefreshRhyme Scheme spoken word night in downtownBakersfield. It is held the first Friday of everymonth, currently at The Basement Gallery. Sheplans on bringing verbs of power to Divine Fusionand invites all poets to participate at The Dome.

As far as I know its the only spoken word nightbeing held, she said. We have all different kindsof people at the mic. Once we had this 80-year-oldlady with an oxygen tank show up, because shehad to see this for herself, she laughed.

Ramirez is also a local pioneer in the world ofurban expression.

Launching The Mothership DJ night in down-

town Bakersfield in 06, Ramirez also goes by thename DJ Sabre when shes behind the turntables.

Held the third Saturday at various locationsthroughout Bakersfield, its a night for indiscrimi-nate groovers only. The success of The Mothershipsubsequently led Ramirez to start a Latin musicoff-shoot night called La Cosita Nostra, held onthe last Saturday of each month. To find out whereeach club night will be held next, youll have to askaround. They tend to move around like intergalacticnomads - hence the space-age name, Mothership.

Raised on a steady diet of music by JamesBrown, De La Soul, Nina Simone, Manu Chao toname a few, she also plans on raising the sky roofoutside The Dome.

Being a DJ comes from my parents, they weremusic heads, she said. I love all the aspects ofhip-hop - jazz, funk, reggae, dancing, and mixed cul-tures. People will know right away if they like whatthey hear right away on our DJ nights. We ask allguests to leave their egos at the door.

One thing Golden Means dont want you to leaveat the door is your money. Not for organizers, butits participants.

Our events are always free, said Varvel. Butwell have art for sale, and vendors of every kind.Wed also like Divine Fusion to be held annually.

And who can forget the music?Some artists scheduled to perform include local

and out of town genre-bending groups includingSpace Monkey Gangstas, Safe Sounds Crew, Con-cord Rock City, The Rozzes, Nathan Hinojosa, andmore. There will also be a special performance byformer Bakotopia cover troupe Tribal Underground.

A lot of people have gotten involved becausethey want to support the cause, said Ramirez. Itstime for people to stop looking out for No. 1 andhelp each other.

Photo by Holly Carlyle PhotographySoul sistahs: Varvel (top,) and Ramirez free-spir-ited nature is always in the mix.

BAKOTOPIA 11


By Matt Muoz,Bakotopia.com Editor

A rgentine rockers - Los Fabu-losos Cadillacs have restartedtheir engines.Internationally known for their 93

crossover smash El Matador, thesextet are currently in the midst oftheir huge Satanico Pop Tour, with astop at LAs Gibson Amphitheater onApril 10, at 8 p.m.

Their newly released 13-track CD,La Luz Del Ritmo (The Light ofRhythm,) on Nacional Records is cur-rently burning up the Latin charts. Acombination of newly written gems,covers like Should I Stay or Should IGo, and re-worked classics, its sureto satisfy both Spanish- and English-speaking fans alike.

We did an incredible job of puttingthe whole thing together, said LFCSaxophonist Sergio Rotman via cellphone from the Belgrano section ofBuenos Aires during a brief tourbreak. We had to work a lot. In thebeginning, the record company want-ed us to do an MTV Unplugged kindof thing. We were like Ohhh thatsboring! he laughs. We actuallyrecorded 26 tracks.

If you find yourself unfamiliar withLFCs history among the pantheon ofinternational stadium rockers - youreabout to get schooled, gringo.

Originating in 1985, the highlyinfluential music mashers of Latinrhythms, Jamaican ska/reggae, andAmerican punk decided to take aseven-year break after nearly 20years of incessant work. Now with 12studio albums, three live albums, andnumerous solo ventures under theircollective belts, the band decided itwas time to get back - in a big way.

Trimmed down for sleek tourphysique, the rest of the bandincludes, Vicentico Capello (vocals),Flavio Cianciarullo (bass), DanielLozano (trumpet), Fernando Ricciardi(drums) and Mario Siperman (key-boards).

When we started LFC, we were allvery young - I was living with mymom, explained Rotman who alsosports a big salt n peppered afro.Since then, we've done about 1,000shows. Thats a lot. After that, youpretty much start to fight with any-thing that moves. We had to take abreak. Now its really nice to get backtogether again after seven years.

Noticeably absent is original per-cussionist, Gerardo Toto Rotblat,who died suddenly a week beforerehearsals.

Losing Toto was one of the worstthings weve ever gone through, andthat left a hole no one can fill,described Rotman of the projects bit-tersweet nature.

Part Madness meets Astor Piazol-la meets The Clash, many new fansgot their introduction to the bandsbig U.S. crossover hit, El Matador(The Killer), during a short scene inthe Jon Cusack film, Grosse PointeBlank, in 1994.

The politically driven, drum-beatinganthem, immediately took the worldby storm upon its release, andhelped the band to finally cruise intothe minds of American listeners.

When the song came out in 93 -we were all on holiday out of thecountry. When we returned, it wasthis huge thing around the world,remembered Rotman. I used to playthis game with my friends to pressscan on the radio to bet if the song

would be playing. It was like that fortwo years, and became more than ahit song - it was a huge himno (hymn).

In the midst of a crossover coup,the band found themselves in themiddle of the Latin music explosionof the '90s. Rotman went on to dis-cuss their even earlier intro in LosAngeles before the arrival of RickyMartin and the pop clones that fol-lowed.

We picked LA as the startingpoint during our first visit to the U.S.in 1990. We found ourselves sleep-ing four people to a room in somecheap hotels on Sunset and LaBrea, he said. We had success inour own country, but we had norecord involvement whatsoever in thestates. Wed play these small clubs,and everyone in the place would singalong. It had a very sweet taste, youknow what I mean?

Their 95 follow-up project toMatador, was Rey Azucar, (KingSugar,) a punky-ska Latin party discproduced by Chris Frantz and TinaWeymouth of Talking Heads and TomTom Club. The album also featuredappearances by Debbie Harry ofBlondie, reggae legend Big Youth,and Mick Jones of The Clash.

It was a dream-like situation. Wewere told we could get anyone we

Regresan Los Fabulosos CadillacsArgentine rock legends are back with new CD and LA show on April 10!

When we started LFC,we were all very young- I was living with mymom, Since then,we've done about 1,000shows. Thats a lot.After that, you prettymuch start to fight withanything that moves.

LFCs Sergio Rotman on lifewith the Cadillacs.

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BAKOTOPIA 12


want in the studio so we gave them alist and it would happen. It was anamazing experience being in the stu-dio in Atlanta with Mick Jones, andhaving beer and pizza with him. It wasactually more than amazing, it wasincredible!

Like the musical influences thathelped mold them, LFC continued torecord with complete creative controlbehind the wheel, keeping the suitsat bay. Not that it mattered anyway -they werent about to stoop to LivinLa Vida Loca silliness.

We have this kind of personality,and you can see it in the eyes of theband, laughed Rotman. Were prettyhard to deal with, so the label nevereven tried to suggest anything. Theydjust say, OK, Cadillacs, what do youwanna do first?

97s brilliant, Fabulosos Calav-era", shot the concept of Latin rockinto outer space and into hell. Thedelirious 13-song freak-out made crit-ics jump, often dubbing it The Sgt.Peppers of roc en Espanol. The fansate it up, and helped earn the bandthe first ever 1998 Grammy Award forBest Latin Rock/Alternative Album.

Subsequent releases, La Marchadel Golazo Solitario (The March ofThe Lonely Huge Goal), in 99, andtheir farewell 01 double-live setHola (Hello) and Chau, (Bye),

helped to secure their legendary sta-tus once and for all.

It was a little over the top, saidRotman. What you usually get from acommercial band after a hit songcomes out, is a duplicate for thecharts. Each of our albums were dif-ferent after Matador.

Back to their no-rules way ofdoing things again in 09, The Cadil-lacs really never took a break. BothCapello and Cianciarullo, have main-tained successful solo careers, ashas Rotman with his other band -Cienfuegos, and playing guitar withhis wife, vocalist Mimi Maura.

Ready to resume their ride aroundthe globe, Rotman is confident theirreturn couldnt have been more per-fecto.

It took some time to get thewhole family together, he said. Itwas like, You wanna play with meagain? Oh, cool! I wont do thatembarrassing thing I did seven yearsago, so dont worry! he laughed.

www.fabulosos-cadillacs.com

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs live!- Gibson Amphitheater, LA- Friday, April 10- 8 p.m.- www.ticketmaster.com

By Greg Goodsell,Bakotopia contributor

Bakersfield author Joe Tetro, per-haps in a bid for immortality hasdone things worth the writingand has written something worth thereading.

Lost in America: Memoirs of aMaverick is a whopping, nearly 700-page account of a lifetime that hasspanned the psychological and socialtopography of the mid-20th centurynational experience. Humble begin-nings, restless journeys, including aride through the counterculture one ishard-pressed to come up with some-thing Tetro didnt experience.

The son of prosperous Nebraskaranchers, Tetro had a hard-scrabblechildhood marked by many who grewup in rural America. Far away from theeyes and interference of others, Tetrolearned discipline at the hands of ademanding and abusive father and aneurotic mother. He would begin his

journey across the continent, andeventually Europe, his viewpoint col-ored by a rich palette of humanity.Most telling was the years he spentworking in state mental institutions,seeing his fellow man stripped of alldignity, Tetro became acutely aware ofthe limitations and expectationsplaced on individuals by a materialis-tic society driven by consumer greedand surface appearances. Foreverquestioning authority, this worldviewcolors and informs the memoir.

Most telling is this remembrancefrom Tetros childhood, when outmotoring with his father, he saw hisfirst hobo ambling along the high-way with a stick holding his belong-ings slung across his shoulder, andpointing at the hobo, I happilyannounced, Thats what I want to bewhen I grow up. Dad slammed onthe brakes, the car skidded to a stop,Dad whirled around and hurled suchcondemnatory words at me that I did-nt hear a word he said. But I never

mentioned hobos to him again. But the plot of that mini drama

could be called the leitmotif of therest of my life. Dad was a pragmatistand driven by steely, uncompromisingambition and I was destined tobecome a romanticist and a dreamer.

Tetros Bohemian life was sealed

when the author saw the quiet lives ofdesperation his parents lived on theranch.*Read the full review at:www.bakotopia.com, search key-word: Tetro.

Lost in America is available atmost local book stores.

Lost in PlaceBakersfield author Joe Tetro pens steaming memoir

BAKOTOPIA 13


900 Truxtun Ave. Suite 310Bakersfield, CA 93301(661) 322-8892

Do you have legal questions?Email us at [email protected]

W E F I G H T F O R Y O U !

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Q: I got pulled over and the police found a joint in my car. They gave me a ticket. What should I do?

A: Possession of less than an ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable as an infraction. You can only get a fine and not jail time. You could just take the fine and get it over with. The court or D.A. might also offer you a counseling program, which, if you complete it, would result in the dismissal of the charges. Or you could consult with a Public Defender or private attorney to see if your rights were violated during the stop, which could result in the evidence being suppressed and the case dismissed.

BAKOTOPIA 14


By Juan Torres, Bakotopia.com contributor

E vil has gone Next Gen. Thats what happened March 5, with thearrival of Resident Evil 5 for the PS3 andXbox 360.

The story takes place in Africa as fans famil-iar to the game take control of Chris Redfield -one of the main characters from the ResidentEvil 2. Once arriving in Africa he is greeted bySheva Alomar who will be his partner in hismission. The two must figure out who isbehind a viral outbreak where locals arebecoming zombies.

The new addition to the game is the abilityof co-op gameplay.

The player has the option of either playingthrough the game solo or along with a friend.Playing with two characters is similar to Resi-dent Evil Zero except both characters areequal in abilities and can take equal amountsof damage. In heated combat situations, Alo-mars character helps you battle the hordes ofzombies after you. If you are caught in a bigzombie attack, she can help set free you, bypressing a designated button. In addition tocombat, she can help you stay alive when yourlife status is reaching its demise.

Visually speaking, this game is just amaz-ing to look at. The intro along with the cutscenes, show the realistic graphics. The gameuses the over-the-shoulder camera angle car-ried over from Resident Evil 4. This camera

angle proves to be effective because youhave a good visual of zombies coming

after you. The AI in the zombies hasimproved with them being able

to dodge when you pointyour gun at them. If you

stay in one place toolong the zombies

will quickly sur-

round you.With these improvements there

are also some drawbacks to thegame.

For starters, with the part-ner system you have to watchAlomars back as she watchesyours. If she dies the game is over.When you choose to continue, youare taken to the item managementscreen. This means that if you needto, you can purchase more health orweapons and bring them with you.This can be seen also as a negativebecause only between chapter sec-tions is when you are taken to theitem management screen unlikeResident Evil 4 where youencounter the Merchant dur-ing your progression throughthe game. Another drawback isboth Chris and Sheva are limit-ed in the amount of weaponsand ammunition that they cancarry. You can put weaponsand items in the inventory onthe item management screenbut wont have access to it until acontinue or chapter break.

Despite these drawbacks,Resident Evil 5 isfull of actionand excitementfor both the sea-soned veteran ofthe game to newplayers whowanna see whatall the fuss isabout. Overall thisis an amazinggame.

Resident Evil 5Chris Redfield is back, and yes, zombies are everywhere

On the web: www.residentevil.com/5

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Boost-4th Street Market 307 4th StKern Library-Holloway-Gonzales Branch 506 Brundage

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Digital Xtreme 2316 Brundage LnBelvedere Cocktail Lounge 3090 Brundage Ln

Art Tattoo Studio 2322 Brundage LnCalifornia Tattoo 1214 California Ave

Pacific Tire 1501 CaliforniaElements Salon 160 H StMainland 2701 Ming Ave

Spencers Gift 2701 MIng AveBeach Works 2701 Ming AveMod Hatter 2701 Ming Ave

Impact Streetwear 2701 Ming AveVans 2701 Ming Ave

Hot Topic 2701 Ming AveDonna Kayes Caf 212 Oak St

Empty Space 706 Oak StPlayers Lounge 1821 S Chester Ave

Bakersfield Community Theater 2400 S Chester AveLaundry World 2900 S Chester Ave1st Class Barber Shop 22 South H StVinnys Bar & Grill 2700 S Union AvePorters Motorsport 107 Spruce St

Fresh Donuts 2190 White LnBakersfield Car Stereo 806 Wible RdInkfatuation Tattoo 2530 Wible Rd

Kern Library 1901 Wilson RdBaker St Tattoo 805 Baker StKern Library 1400 Baker St

Tattoo and Piercing 376 Bernard StWhilshire Height Carwash 1905 Height St

Altar Metaphysical 616 Jackson StHowards Barber Shop 430 Kentucky

McMurphys 14 Monterey StCounty Club Car Wash 901 Panorama Dr

Panorama Liquor 909 Panorama DrBakersfield College 1801 Panorama Dr

Amestoys 2303 River BlvdPriority Automotive 2623 River BlvdHeadquarters Salon 5600 Auburn St

The Malt Shop 5600 Auburn StAuburn Heights 7000 Auburn St

Soni Liquor Grocery 3760 Bernard StKern Library 3725 Columbus StHow Cool 6200 Lake Ming Rd

Xtreme Fashion 3000 Mall View RdDaisys 3000 Mall View Rd

Pianos Casa De Musica 3000 Mall View RdRussos Books 3000 Mall View Rd

Odyssey Skate Shop 3000 mall View RdFussion Clothing 3000 Mall View RdTouchdown Sports 3000 Mall View Rd

Gamestor 3000 Mall View RdKings Korner 3000 Mall View Rd

The Heritage Building 2201 Mt Vernon AveCartunes Stereos Shop 2677 Mt Vernon Ave

Metro PCS 2677 Mt Vernon AveThe Wright Place 2695 Mt vernon Ave

Majestic Tattoos 2301 Niles StMelvins Barber Shop 2407 Niles StThe Barbers Shoppe 2840 Niles St

Rockys Pizza and Arcade 2858 Niles StBakersfield Billiards 2916 St

Tonys Barber Shop 3109 Niles StBoost-Cellular & Paging 3122 Niles St

Havana House 2 5909 Niles StChuys 8660 Rosedale Hwy

EZ Lube 10115 Rosedale HwyPacific Tire & Wheel 10411 Rosedale Hwy

Bargain Cigarettes 2651 OswellFussion 2651 Oswell

Lindas Top of the Town Salon 2671 OswellMonster Ink 1310 Chamberlain AveSuper Taco 2520 East Truxtun Ave

Music Connection 1000 East Truxtun AveBoost-Movicell 2105 Edison Hwy

Trends Auto Body & Paint 3111 Edison HwyBoost-Union Discounts 600 Union Ave

Havana House 3 1301 Airport DrSkylark Lounge 1312 Airport Dr

Ethels Old Corral 4310 Alfred Harrell HwyStudio 99 3004 Antonio Ave

Wyndham Hotel 3001 Buck Owens BlvdDaniels Vee Dub Parts 3400 Buck Owens BlvdReplay Sports Lounge 4500 Buck Owens Blvd

The Finish Line Red Lion Hotel 2400 Camino Del Rio CtTatduds Healing Arts 125 N Chester

Trouts 805 N ChesterHair North 1601 N Chester

Wicked 1631 N ChesterJimmy Tattoo Shop 1806 N Chester

Pirate Tattoo 1905 N ChesterNothing Sacred Tattoo 828 Norris Rd

Belcourt Apartments 2600 Park Meadows DrLa Quinta 3232 Riverside Dr

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Exotic Kitty 3900 Sillect AvBarnes & Noble 4001 Califonria AveCC Browns Yogurt 4170 California

Anitas Mexican Grill 4240 California AveJitters Caf 5060 California AveVIP Lounge 5460 California Ave

Sub Station(Stockdale) 5464 CaliforniaFosters Donuts 5620 California Ave

Ristrettos 1200 Discovery DrGuitar Center 3428 Ming Ave

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Federicoo Career College 4105 Ming AveMagoos Pizza 6417 Ming Ave

Sports & Spirits 6633 Ming AvePayless Cigarettes 6661 Ming AveClear Channel KRAB 1100 Mohawk

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Lengthwise Brewery 6720 Schirra CtSuperkart Racing 7021 Schirra Ct

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