http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/goodbye2007/19162 This year, Bakersfield, you braved a concert in a Wal-Mart parking lot, rocked hard at Rabobank Arena and paid homage to our musical ambassador Buck Owens, gone more than a year now. While there’s not enough space to list every act that dropped by — well, maybe that’s just another sign our city is growing up. STAR POWER Patti LaBelle: “Lady Marmalade” gitchy-gitchy-ya-ya’d the Fox in March. Gwen Stefani and Akon: The ultra-cool red-mouthed siren brought her Harajuku girls and the “Smack That” hip-hop artist to Rabobank in April, much to the delight of tween girls and every male over 16. Harry Connick Jr.: Swoon. The fetching singer/actor brought his Big Easy soul to the theater at Rabobank Convention Center in May. Morrissey: The former lead singer and songwriter of the Smiths, one of the most influential English bands of the 1980s, played the theater at Rabobank Convention Center in June. Korn: The Homegrown metal band returned to town on its “Family Values Tour” in August. The band's former guitar player, Brian “Head” Welch, exorcised a few demons through his tell-all book “Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story,” released in July. Trisha Yearwood: The country artist, who performed at the Fox Theater in September, should have fond memories of Bakersfield. Hubby Garth Brooks popped the question at the Crystal Palace in 2005. Kris Kristofferson: The country artist and actor performed at the Fox Theater in October. Wynonna: The country artist and one-half of the Judds also played the Fox in October. B.B. King: The thrill will never be gone with this blues legend, who played with opening act Monty Byrom at the Fox Theater in October. James Taylor: Cozy and autumn-ready, the legendary folk-rock star soothed the savage Rabobank in November. Ozzy Osbourne/Rob Zombie: So there’s James Taylor, and then waaay on the other side of the emotional spectrum are these guys. The scary duo rocked Rabobank Arena in November. It’s unknown whether children or small animals were harmed. Disney High School Musical Ice Tour: OMG!! The campy tween favorite strapped on blades and skated through Rabobank Arena in November. André Rieu: The Dutch classical violinist and conductor, a PBS darling, brought his Johann Strauss Orchestra to Rabobank Arena earlier this month. BUCK & HOMETOWN BOYS Birthday bash Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace is dedicated not merely to keeping the star’s memory alive, but thriving. A stellar lineup of Dwight Yoakam, Raul Malo, Buddy Alan Owens, Monty Byrom, The Buckaroos and more lit up Buck's Birthday Bash Aug. 14, just two days after what would have been Owens’ 78th birthday. Buck’s son Buddy and Storme Warren,  host of “Country Music Across America” on the Great American Country television network, hosted the event. Tributes Dwight Yoakam released a tribute album to his pal in October titled “Dwight Sings Buck.” Country act The Derailers dropped a tribute album “Under the Influence of Buck” in July. The Hag Merle Haggard had one for the records this year in his old stomping grounds. Loud and rowdy fans marred his February Fox Theater show, but all was forgiven by July, when signs went up transforming a portion of old 7th Standard Road to Merle Haggard Drive. Homer Joy The man who gave Bakersfield its own theme song performed here for the first time. In April, Homer Joy presented to the keepers of Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace the original sheet of paper on which he wrote “Streets of Bakersfield,” the song that became Owens’ last No. 1 country hit. In return, the Palace gave a signature red-white-and-blue Buck guitar to an emotional Joy. Recovering nicely from a heart transplant, Joy played a show in October at Trout’s new Blackboard Stage and has a New Year’s Eve show slated for the Oildale honky-tonk. ARTS MILESTONES The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra began its 76th season, while the Masterworks Chorale celebrated 75 years of Handel’s “The Messiah.” Civic Dance Center and the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra marked their 30th anniversary production of “The Nutcracker” earlier this month, a rare collaboration as other cities switch to canned music. SLIM THE DRIFTER Also known as Scott Sturtevant, the drifter who pioneered the local alternative scene died in May at his home near Reno. He was 46. Fellow musicians, friends and family honored the local punk-cowpunk icon with a tribute concert at Fishlips in June. LATIN • Marco Antonio Solis, 2004 Latin Grammy winner, came to the Rabobank Arena in early July. • The irreverent singer Paquita la del Barrio brought her campy, clever tunes to the theater at Rabobank Convention Center in May. • Mariachi, Spanish soft-pop and ballad singer Pepe Aguilar came to the Fox Theater in April. • The Fox Theater’s Mariachi Festival in March featured luminaries Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlan and Mariachi Imperial De Mexico. SUMMER IN THE CITY It was a time to chill in the Bright House Networks Amphitheatre at the Park at River Walk. Funk band Earth Wind & Fire performed there in July. The Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton played in September. “Northern Exposure” and “Sex and the City” actor and country artist John Corbett brought his band in October. Even Wal-Mart put on a summer show. Wild fans surged toward the stage as the Plain White T’s (“Hey There Delilah”) performed in the Rosedale Highway megastore’s parking lot in September.    Kern County Fair highlights: • Mary Wilson, original member of the Supremes • Los Lobos, enduring Los Angeles band • Rock artist Eddie Money (“Take Me Home Tonight”) • “American Idol” contender Amy Adams • Country music legend Tanya Tucker • Rock band The Guess Who (“American Woman”) • Swing act Big Bad Voodoo Daddy LAUGHS Comedian George Lopez, who said he could mark the trajectory of his career by his Bakersfield shows starting with the Red Lion Hotel, came to a packed-to-the-rafters Rabobank Arena for his November “America’s Mexican” show. Carlos Mencia of Comedy Central’s “Mind of Mencia” brought his controversial brand of humor to Rabobank Arena in October. This year, Bakersfield, you braved a concert in a Wal-Mart parking lot, rocked hard at Rabobank Arena and paid homage to our musical ambassador Buck Owens, gone more than a year now. While there’s not enough space to list every act that dropped by — well, maybe that’s just another sign our city is growing up. STAR POWER Patti LaBelle: “Lady Marmalade” gitchy-gitchy-ya-ya’d the Fox in March. Gwen Stefani and Akon: The ultra-cool red-mouthed siren brought her Harajuku girls and the “Smack That” hip-hop artist to Rabobank in April, much to the delight of tween girls and every male over 16. Harry Connick Jr.: Swoon. The fetching singer/actor brought his Big Easy soul to the theater at Rabobank Convention Center in May. Morrissey: The former lead singer and songwriter of the Smiths, one of the most influential English bands of the 1980s, played the theater at Rabobank Convention Center in June. Korn: The Homegrown metal band returned to town on its “Family Values Tour” in August. The band's former guitar player, Brian “Head” Welch, exorcised a few demons through his tell-all book “Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story,” released in July. Trisha Yearwood: The country artist, who performed at the Fox Theater in September, should have fond memories of Bakersfield. Hubby Garth Brooks popped the question at the Crystal Palace in 2005. Kris Kristofferson: The country artist and actor performed at the Fox Theater in October. Wynonna: The country artist and one-half of the Judds also played the Fox in October. B.B. King: The thrill will never be gone with this blues legend, who played with opening act Monty Byrom at the Fox Theater in October. James Taylor: Cozy and autumn-ready, the legendary folk-rock star soothed the savage Rabobank in November. Ozzy Osbourne/Rob Zombie: So there’s James Taylor, and then waaay on the other side of the emotional spectrum are these guys. The scary duo rocked Rabobank Arena in November. It’s unknown whether children or small animals were harmed. Disney High School Musical Ice Tour: OMG!! The campy tween favorite strapped on blades and skated through Rabobank Arena in November. André Rieu: The Dutch classical violinist and conductor, a PBS darling, brought his Johann Strauss Orchestra to Rabobank Arena earlier this month. BUCK & HOMETOWN BOYS Birthday bash Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace is dedicated not merely to keeping the star’s memory alive, but thriving. A stellar lineup of Dwight Yoakam, Raul Malo, Buddy Alan Owens, Monty Byrom, The Buckaroos and more lit up Buck's Birthday Bash Aug. 14, just two days after what would have been Owens’ 78th birthday. Buck’s son Buddy and Storme Warren,  host of “Country Music Across America” on the Great American Country television network, hosted the event. Tributes Dwight Yoakam released a tribute album to his pal in October titled “Dwight Sings Buck.” Country act The Derailers dropped a tribute album “Under the Influence of Buck” in July. The Hag Merle Haggard had one for the records this year in his old stomping grounds. Loud and rowdy fans marred his February Fox Theater show, but all was forgiven by July, when signs went up transforming a portion of old 7th Standard Road to Merle Haggard Drive. Homer Joy The man who gave Bakersfield its own theme song performed here for the first time. In April, Homer Joy presented to the keepers of Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace the original sheet of paper on which he wrote “Streets of Bakersfield,” the song that became Owens’ last No. 1 country hit. In return, the Palace gave a signature red-white-and-blue Buck guitar to an emotional Joy. Recovering nicely from a heart transplant, Joy played a show in October at Trout’s new Blackboard Stage and has a New Year’s Eve show slated for the Oildale honky-tonk. ARTS MILESTONES The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra began its 76th season, while the Masterworks Chorale celebrated 75 years of Handel’s “The Messiah.” Civic Dance Center and the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra marked their 30th anniversary production of “The Nutcracker” earlier this month, a rare collaboration as other cities switch to canned music. SLIM THE DRIFTER Also known as Scott Sturtevant, the drifter who pioneered the local alternative scene died in May at his home near Reno. He was 46. Fellow musicians, friends and family honored the local punk-cowpunk icon with a tribute concert at Fishlips in June. LATIN • Marco Antonio Solis, 2004 Latin Grammy winner, came to the Rabobank Arena in early July. • The irreverent singer Paquita la del Barrio brought her campy, clever tunes to the theater at Rabobank Convention Center in May. • Mariachi, Spanish soft-pop and ballad singer Pepe Aguilar came to the Fox Theater in April. • The Fox Theater’s Mariachi Festival in March featured luminaries Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlan and Mariachi Imperial De Mexico. SUMMER IN THE CITY It was a time to chill in the Bright House Networks Amphitheatre at the Park at River Walk. Funk band Earth Wind & Fire performed there in July. The Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton played in September. “Northern Exposure” and “Sex and the City” actor and country artist John Corbett brought his band in October. Even Wal-Mart put on a summer show. Wild fans surged toward the stage as the Plain White T’s (“Hey There Delilah”) performed in the Rosedale Highway megastore’s parking lot in September.    Kern County Fair highlights: • Mary Wilson, original member of the Supremes • Los Lobos, enduring Los Angeles band • Rock artist Eddie Money (“Take Me Home Tonight”) • “American Idol” contender Amy Adams • Country music legend Tanya Tucker • Rock band The Guess Who (“American Woman”) • Swing act Big Bad Voodoo Daddy LAUGHS Comedian George Lopez, who said he could mark the trajectory of his career by his Bakersfield shows starting with the Red Lion Hotel, came to a packed-to-the-rafters Rabobank Arena for his November “America’s Mexican” show. Carlos Mencia of Comedy Central’s “Mind of Mencia” brought his controversial brand of humor to Rabobank Arena in October. en-us Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:16:17 PST