Bad Religion personalized its last show in Bakersfield for the fans who attended by saluting Buck Owens and dedicating the song, “I want to conquer the world” to all country artists such as Owens, who was named one of Bakersfield’s founding fathers by front man Greg Graffin.

This gesture gave fans the feeling that Bad Religion wasn’t just some band from the other side of the Grapevine; Bad Religion is a local band that can crack witty jokes about Bakersfield and make the audience laugh rather than offend them. This was especially true when Graffin made the comment that all of Bakersfield was related, insinuating incest.

The band began its section of the concert with a great opening song, Recipe for Hate. Their set continued to please fans with a mix of older tunes such as “Fuck Armageddon.this is Hell” from the Compilation Album 80-85,?as well as American Jesus, Sorrow and Generator.

If audience members weren’t singing along to the awesomeness of Bad Religion, they were moshing. However, compared to past Bad Religion pits that I have moshed in, this had to be the worst pit ever; either the guys were heavier or just more drunk. It seemed as if they were fighting rather than mosh pitting. Nonetheless, the love of Bad Religion was felt in every drunken punch, kick and insult.

Over all, this Bad Religion concert was overshadowed by the concert on Nov. 13, 2005 also at The Dome, not because of a BR miss performance but by the opening bands. The opening bands for BR on Nov. 13 were From First to Last and Rise Against Me, who are two awesome bands and worthy of sharing the stage with BR.

?This time BR had to share the stage with lame bands such as From Ritual to Romance and Tripline, a local Bakersfield “band.” Honestly BR doesn’t need opening bands, but if some are provided, they should be at least worthy of listening ears, and These bands are definitely unworthy of my ears, or anyone else’s. I look forward to the next BR performance; Graffin promised that Bakersfield would be the starting point of their next tour when their current work in progress is completed. He did, however, ask Bakersfield to remind him of his promise, and I, for sure, will.