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Read about the journey of
Bakersfield's Velorio -
from Bako band to cable TV darlings!
(CLICK ON COVER BELOW TO READ ON!)

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Today's LA Times' (2-24-08) features a story on Delano and McFarland's gang problem - but no mention of Bakersfield. What do you think about the story? What do you think about Bakersfield's gang troubles?
(CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW TO READ, AND LEAVE A COMMENT HERE!) 

Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times

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"Papa don't take no mess!"

It's the

Newsletter

Every February is officially known as Black History Month, in case you forgot.

It is of my opinion that there shouldn’t be just one month appointed to celebrate culture - it should be an everyday thing.

As a Mexican American, I was raised with cultural awareness all around me, thanks to my parents. My hometown is McFarland, so you can pretty much get the picture of what my life was like was growing up.

But McFarland wasn’t known for black culture. I had one black friend when I was about 7 years old. He was a member of the only black family in town, and I can only imagine what it was like for his family growing up in a town that was 99.9 percent Latino.

After he and his family moved, my only real contact with any inkling of African-American culture was whatever was on TV and radio. Soul, jazz, and Afro-Latin music was always big in our house growing up.

My mom would play her favorites - James Brown’s “Night Train” and “Al Green’s Greatest Hits” endlessly, my dad has always been into jazz music - Duke Ellington, Willie Bobo, and Mongo Santamaria, to name a few. Of course, what would life be like without Soul Train every Saturday thanks to my sisters?

When I entered college and took a black history class with Jesse Bradford at BC my eyes were opened to a beautiful culture I seemed to know very little about. Not to mention during the early ’90s hip-hop music was going through a “conscious” era and rap groups like Public Enemy and movie directors like Spike Lee were commanding attention.

Sure, it scared a lot of people away who didn’t understand the real message, but not me .. .I got it. I’m no authority on black history, but I can tell you that most people don’t realize how much the culture has become a permanent part of the American fabric.

So much of our style, fashion, music, rhythm, the way we talk … the “roots” are clear.

Before the month ends, make sure to take a moment and do some history searching of your own and raise your own consciousness.

Happy Black History Month!

(CLICK ON ANY PICTURE BELOW TO REACH YOUR CHOSEN DESTINATION!)

NEW ISSUE OF BAKOTOPIA MAGAZINE IS OUT NOW!
FIND A RACK AND GET A FREE COPY NEAR YOU!

KICKIN' EDUTAINMENT AT THE DOME!
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM KRS-ONE NICK V BASH AT THE DOME!

VOTING VOICES: BARACK INSPIRES THE SOUTH!

EPITOME OF SOUND: SOUL SIDES!

SEEKING SIKHISM: MIDDLE EAST MEETS BAKERSFIELD!

WELCOME BAKOTOPIA INTERN - CHASE BROCKETT!

DOWNTOWN VIOLENCE AND ENTERTAINMENT?

BAKOTOPIA and MAS MAGAZINE PRESENT AN ALL-AGES SHOW AT NARDUCCI'S!

THEATRE REVIEW: DROP DEAD AT THE EMPTY SPACE!

INTERVIEW WITH AUSTRALIA'S SICK PUPPIES! AUDIO & PRINT INTERVIEW!

THE HIPPEST AND BEST EVENTS IN BAKERSFIELD!! GET YOURS LISTED FREE!

PIX FROM ALL KINDS OF LIVE EVENTS IN BAKO! DID OUR BAKORAZZI GET YOU?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! WE LOVE YOU ALL!
WANNA SEE YOURSELF IN OUR DELIGHTFUL, DELICIOUS MAG?
NEXT DEADLINE FOR ALL STORIES, EVENTS AND PICS: 2/26-27/08!

GET INVOLVED! POST YOUR STORIES! SEND US THE COOL STUFF!
PEACE......

MATTO

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<<LISTEN AT LEFT!

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH AUSTRALIA'S
SICK PUPPIES! APPEARING LIVE AT THE ZONE IN BAKERSFIELD ON FEB. 23RD!

Happy 3rd Birthday Bakotopia.com!


By Matt Muñoz, Bakotopia.com Editor

This Feb. 13, 2008 Bakotopia.com celebrates its third year of cyber-life in our great city.

The past three years have been such a great learning experience. So many new friends and connections have been made - it’s an adventure everyday I come to work.

Since 2005, Bakotopia.com has grown from a couple hundred registered users and 400 visits a month - to more than 5,000+ registered users and more than 180,000+ monthly page views! Bakotopia.com has also been the winner of online awards from various media organizations and has been the topic of conversation at international conferences - the world is watching Bakotopia and they like what they see!



You, our beloved Bakotopians and daily visitors to our online home, have made it a success - and for that we are truly grateful! Now, with Bakotopia magazine, things have never been better!


Premiere Issue - 5/4/07!

Our goal has always been to keep it local. Bakotopia is Bakersfield - plain and simple.

Without getting too mushy, I seriously want THANK YOU for making us hip, happening, and a model for countless similar “local” city Web sites that have sprouted since we hit the scene. Keep up the support!

Happy Birthday! Shots are on me - if you can catch me!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS AND ADVERTISERS!!

MATT MUNOZ, BAKOTOPIA

Also printed in Bakotopia Magazine, issue 21, 2-7-08

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Say Anything......

It's the

Newsletter...V-Day Edition!

Love American style, truer than the red, white and blue…

I doubt many of you remember that TV sitcom from the ‘70s, but if you do you’ll remember how it was always a comedy of errors, but isn't that the fun of it all?

Making sense of love is impossible - is it a disease, hallucination or a Hallmark card?

I’m one of the last people on this earth to give anyone love advice, but I can tell you that when love hits you, you’re changed forever. Think about the first time you laid eyes on your “perfect match” - your life instantly went ballistic. From morning to night, the only thoughts that mattered were the ones that featured that special someone.

If you’re reading this shaking your head, you’re lying if you say you’ve never been in love. I don’t care who you are, it will find you!

Bakotopia’s V-Day issue attempts to make sense of it all. Sure, there are plenty of people out there who tiptoe everyday on rose petals of romance, but not everyone. What about the lonely hearts left at home alone with their bottle of tequila every Feb. 14?

Funny how people are always ready to hear a “love gone bad” story with open ears, but once it turns warm and fuzzy, eyes begin to roll.

So, let’s have some fun this V-Day, shall we? You’re about to find a fair share of joy and pain inside - like a big love piñata waiting to get torn to shreds.

Romance, dating, sex, comedy and ideas on how to survive the big day - this is LOVE, Bakotopia style!

(CLICK ON ANY PIC BELOW TO REACH YOUR ULTIMATE DESTINATION!)

NEW FREE ISSUE OF BAKOTOPIA MAGAZINE, ISSUE 20 IS OUT NOW!
FIND A RACK NEAR YOU, AND GET IN THE GROOVE, YO!

V-DAY IS ALMOST HERE, AND WE GOT THE CANDY!
SAY ANYTHING - VDAY HIGHS AND LOW!
REAL JOY AND PAIN STORIES OF LOVE, LUST, AND DISASTER!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAKOTOPIA.COM!

SINGLE IN THE CITY - BAKERSFIELD!

LOOSIE LOVELACE RECOMMENDS SWINGIN' FOR V-DAY!

EPITOME OF SOUND: V-DAY LOVE SOUNDS!

BIZARRE BAKO SEX CLUB INVITE!

I SURVIVED NAMM SHOW 2008!

PICS FROM THE NAMM SHOW 2008:
2007 PLAYBOY PLAYMATE OF THE YEAR AND MORE!

DIGITAL UNDERGROUND COMING TO BAKO 2/21!

VOTING VOICES - THE POLITICS OF VOTING!

REVIEW: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES AT STARS THEATRE!

RIP: LOCAL ACTOR JIM PADGETT PASSES!

THE BAKA BOYZ - SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL RADIO REBELS!

THE HIPPEST AND BEST EVENTS IN BAKERSFIELD!! GET YOURS LISTED FREE!

PIX FROM ALL KINDS OF LIVE EVENTS IN BAKO! DID OUR BAKORAZZI GET YOU?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! WE LOVE YOU ALL!
WANNA SEE YOURSELF IN OUR DELIGHTFUL, DELICIOUS MAG?
NEXT DEADLINE FOR ALL STORIES, EVENTS AND PICS: 2/12-13/08!

GET INVOLVED! POST YOUR STORIES! SEND US THE COOL STUFF!
PEACE......

MATTO

TOO MUCH POLITICS TODAY!
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REAL DEAL!
IT'S NOT SUPER TUESDAY - IT'S FAT TUESDAY!!
IKO IKO AYAYAY!!!

EVENTS...PRESENT!!!
THE BIGGEST AND BEST MARDI GRAS PARTY IN TOWN!
THE 3RD ANNUAL BASHOLA!!
JUST ADDED: DJ MIKEY!

WHAT IS FAT TUESDAY?
(CLICK ON PIC BELOW TO FIND OUT!)

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READ AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
ERIC AND NICK VIDAL - THE BAKA BOYZ!
WORLD-RENOWNED DJS FROM BAKERSFIELD, CA!
(CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW TO READ THEIR HISTORY)