One ticket, two days, three stages, and 80 bands described the Festival of Bands, which took place April 28-29 at The Dome.
Twenty-five dollars was the only asking price to see SwitchSyndrome, Desillusion, Bleed the Dream, Cyanide Baptistism, Talk of the Town!, My Private Hell, Sol Asunder, Hornz and Haloz, Cage9, Godhead, and many more.
“Hybrid, nihilistic and tortured, they suck at your soul and get better with every listen,” said Rolling Stone about Godhead’s hard rock music.
Godhead formed in the mid-1990s in Washington, D.C. and has been known to perform with Marilyn Manson, Disturbed, Static-X, Mudvayne, Rammstein, and even performed at Ozzfest. They are also recognizable in three motion picture soundtracks: Queen of the Damned, The Blair Witch Project, and Dracula 2000.
Another band on the up and up is Los Angeles based Cage9. Cage9 has played with Seether, Buckcherry, Amy Lee of Evanescence, Ice T, Adema, and is now touring with Powerman 5000. Cage9’s singer/guitarist Evan Rodaniche is also the lead guitarist in Powerman 5000.
“We play for the kids. We even play for the parents. But we play what we want,” said Rodaniche in myspace.com/cage9.
According to the band’s myspace.com, the name Cage9 is a fusing of the German word for “no” with “cage” “to epitomize the group’s no-limits approach towards creating music…”
Well, there were no limits to The Dome’s hosting of the bands.
As fans and curious music lovers passed through the opening of The Dome, which held a couple of small bars for the thirsty, they entered the main stage. The room, which held the main stage, was round with seats all around the stage. Though the seats were like wooden steps, people could find padded movie theater-like seating across from the stage at the very top. Cup holders were available.
Those who rocked on the main stage included Seed, In Theory, Novella, Portrait of the Artist, Roark, Petroleum, and A Skylit Drive.
The young Sacramento six member band, A Skylit Drive, mixes the sound of heavy metal with that of a woman’s hard rock sound. The audience appeared impressed by the lead guitarist’s leap of faith into the audience’s arms. They supported him back onto the stage and both continued to rock out.
A Skylit Drive will be coming back to Bakersfield June 2 at Stramler Park with Kottenmouth Kings, Halifax, and more. However, there were more than hard rock and heavy metal enthusiasts at The Dome.
Solo artist Roark also came to show Bakersfield what he’s got. His influences include Stone Temple Pilots, Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Wonder, Nirvana, Tom Petty, the Eagles, Cure, and classical music.
“Tons and tons more from equally random genres and styles,” said Roark on myspace.com/roarknj. “It’s all about a good mix.”
If people did not care for the band on the main stage, they often wandered in and out to check out the other two stages. On the way to the small side stage, booths were set up to sell various bands’ merchandise; it was also a place for a smoke break.
Even though the side stage was small, it was still set up with a bar and a floor for the mosh pit.
Continuing on through the side stage’s exit, was another stage located in a bigger outside area with seats and another bar.
People moved quickly as the bands changed up. Bands had approximately 15 minutes to set up and 20 minutes to play in order for all 80 bands to fit into the schedule time. However, not all performances were on time.
Pink hair, pointy orange-heeled Jeffree Star closed the last night of Festival of Bands.
Though the night went into overtime, some stayed to hear Jeffree Star.
“In case you didn’t know I’m really really popular,” said Star in myspace.com/jeffreestar.
Star, 20, grew up in Orange County and became a celebrity makeup artist at the age 16. He has appeared on America’s Next Top Model as well as in magazines, and his songs played on MTV’s “NEXT.” According to myspace.com/jeffreestar, he has an upcoming television show and record.
To view all the bands that performed at Festival of Bands, go to myspace.com/festivalofbands.