Obituary: Glenn Cannon, 1932-2013

Glenn Cannon, left, his wife, Samsil, and actor-director David Farmer at a celebration of Cannon’s career in 2011. (Star-Advertiser File)

BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com

Glenn Cannon — award-winning actor and director, educator and mentor to several generations of young would-be actors — died Saturday, April 20, at Straub Hospital. He was 80.

Cannon’s death was announced by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Hawaii Local. Cannon served for more than 20 years as president and board member of the former Screen Actors Guild Hawaii Branch and at the time of his death was co-president of the combined Hawaii Local.

Becky Maltby, a long-time friend and colleague who had worked with Cannon on stage and also as a Hawaii Local board member, recalled him as a man with “a vital presence that would fill the room.”

“The passion and integrity he put into his work was unrivaled,” Maltby said. “A brilliant, funny, compassionate, noble man. He will be profoundly missed by so many.”

Maltby captured many facets of Cannon’s character, career, and impact on others when she produced a biographical film on Cannon’s life and times for screening at a party held in his honor at Manoa Valley Theatre in 2011.

Glenn Cannon, right, with Tom Selleck in a 1982 episode of "Magnum P.I." (Courtesy CBS)

Russell Motter, a Po‘okela Award-winning actor in recent years, remembered Cannon as a former teacher who was “a tough critic.”

“But I think many of us loved him for that,” said Motter. “We wanted so much to do our best for him. To deliver a line that elicited that great laugh of his was a treasured prize.”

Born in Philadelphia in 1932, Cannon graduated from Temple University in 1954 and went to New York to pursue a career as an actor. He appeared on Broadway in “A Moon for the Misbegotten” in 1957 and “The Good Woman of Setzuan,” and also in numerous off-Broadway shows and touring productions.

His career soon expanded to include roles in films such as “Cop Hater” and “Mad Dog Coll,” and television shows including “77 Sunset Strip,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Combat!,” “Johnny Staccato,” “The Gallant Men,” and “The Outer Limits.”

In 1965 he accepted a teaching fellowship at Stanford University and became an actor, director and teacher with the Stanford Repertory Theatre, an Equity company of nine actors supplemented by students in Stanford’s theater program.

Cannon was hired in 1968 by the University of Hawaii as a professor in the drama department and never left. In his 45 years in Hawaii, Cannon directed more than 50 shows at UH-Manoa and probably close to another 50 for most of Honolulu’s major community theater groups.

Glenn Cannon, left, plays the title role in Manoa Valley Theatre’s 2002 production of "Visiting Mr. Green." At right is actor Brian Parker, who played Ross Gardiner in the play. (Star-Advertiser File)

Newscaster Joe Moore, a veteran stage and television actor, described Cannon as “not only a dear friend and colleague but was truly my mentor as an actor.”

“In the early days of the original ‘Hawaii Five-O’ I was turned down for three roles before I realized the problem was I didn’t know what I was doing as a television or film actor, so I went to Glenn for lessons. After three sessions with him I was cast in my first ‘Five-O’ role, and never had a problem being cast for a network TV series after that.”

Moore subsequently chose Cannon as his director when he staged two original plays, “The Heydrich Covenant” and “Prophecy and Honor,” and again when he presented “The Boys of Autumn” with Pat Sejak at the Hawaii Theatre.

“As a director he was a taskmaster, bringing out the best an actor could bring to a role,” Moore said. “As a friend, he was always there with a sympathetic ear, but not shy about letting you know what he felt you needed to hear in any given situation. The acting community has suffered a great loss, and I have lost a dear friend.”

The range of Cannon’s own work as a stage actor in Hawaii is represented on one hand by his Po‘okela- Award-winning performance in the title role of Manoa Valley Theater’s 2003 production of “Visiting Mr. Green” on one hand, and his work in the bizarre comic bit-part role of a Yiddish Satan in red longjohns and running shoes in Hawaii Pacific University’s staging of “A Night at Rosie’s” in 1997 and its sequel, “Aloha Rosie’s” in 2005.”

Glenn Cannon, left, with Jorge Garcia in a 2005 episode of "Lost." (Courtesy ABC)

Cannon received 12 Po‘okela Awards for excellence from the Hawai‘i State Theater Council (SATC) – most recently in 2011 for his work as the director of Manoa Valley Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of “August: Osage County.” He received SATC’s Pierre Bowman Award for lifetime achievement in 2009.

“His work (at UH-Manoa) focused on many of the great plays of the western cannon, ranging from intense dramas to period comedies to musicals,” said Marty Myers, manager of Kennedy Theatre. “He was (also) instrumental in getting the Academy for Creative Media started on campus.”

Cannon’s years in Hawaii also saw him extend his career as a television actor. “Hawaii Five-0” fans remember him as District Attorney John Manicote. He subsequently portrayed Dr. Ibold for seven seasons on “Magnum, P.I.”, and also aappeared in “Jake and the Fatman,” “Tour of Duty,” “Island Son” and “Lost.”

Cannon is survived by his wife, Samsil “Sam” Cannon, and son Caleb. Funeral services and plans for a celebration of life are pending.
—
John Berger has been a mainstay in the local entertainment scene for more than 40 years. Contact him via email at jberger@staradvertiser.com.

Try Wait: Rocking your radio

Jason Miller, right, and KROCK 101.5 FM on-air personality G3 during the debut episode of the "Home Grown Music Hour" on Sunday, April 21. (Star-Advertiser photo by Bruce Asato)

BY GARY CHUN / gchun@staradvertiser.com

Jason Miller of Hawaiian Express and 808 Shows has been a longtime champion and promoter of the local punk scene, and now he’s taking his enthusiasm to the radio.

Miller was at the H. Hawaii Media studios in the downtown Pioneer Plaza building on Sunday, April 21, to begin his guest co-hosting duties on the new “Home Grown Music Hour” with staff on-air personality G3 behind the console board.

Jason Miller. (Star-Advertiser photo by Bruce Asato)

Miller approached the station after it changed its format from jazz to rock, hoping to interest management in featuring all kinds of music produced in Hawaii.

“Rock, punk, ska, metal and more,” said Miller. “Not only all the stuff I have archived from my own Hawaiian Express label, but any new stuff I may find online or submitted by bands.”

In a way, the show is an outgrowth of the number of compilation albums Miller has released over the years that feature the vibrant material of bands that may have come and gone but are still part of the interesting history of the Hawaii music underground.

While not as active in years past, Miller still keeps tabs on the scene via Facebook, flyers and videos on YouTube.

“More bands are loading digital copies of their music on the Internet that we can feature,” he said. “I also welcome input from fans requesting songs that they want to hear on the show’s Facebook page.”

You can also find on the show’s playlist there, which included for the debut show older material from bands like B.Y.K., Tweaked and Upstanding Youth, to newer bands Friend of the Family and Harshist, plus not forgetting the neighbor islands with songs from Maui’s Mr. Orange Undercover and Kauai’s Last in Line.

Miller also wants to feature weekly guests; folk duo Dischord & Rye are scheduled to show up next weekend.

“Basically the show’s saying ‘here’s music that has been or is being made in your own backyard,” Miller said. “My philosophy has always been to spread the attention to as much of the different rock bands that play here.

“It’d be easy to do a show featuring music of 5 to 20 years ago, but I want to include the recent stuff that may have been uploaded as recently as several days ago.”

“The Home Grown Music Hour” can be heard from 6 to 7 p.m. Sundays on KROCK 101.5 FM; the station also broadcasts online.
———
Gary Chun is a features reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Email him at gchun@staradvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter.

Kamakana due for battle

Duncan Kamakana, sitting on the left, is one of the finalists on coach Adam Levine’s team on the latest season of “The Voice” on NBC. (Courtesy photo)

BY GARY CHUN / gchun@staradvertiser.com

Thanks to being a “hungry guy,” Duncan Kamakanaonakuahiwi Osorio is now a contestant on NBC’s “The Voice” and will sing again on one of its episodes either today or tomorrow, April 23, starting at 7 p.m. on KHNL/NBC.

Osorio is part of Burger King’s current local TV ad campaign that started in May 2012. He said it was the 30-second commercial that helped him get an audition for the show.

Duncan Kamakana. (Courtesy photo)

In a phone interview Friday, April 19, the 25-year-old Kamehameha Schools graduate said “somebody from ‘The Voice’ saw it in her hotel room at the Sheraton Waikiki and found out I was playing at RumFire. She later came downstairs and sat through my set, approached me during a break and said, ‘I can recommend you to get a private audition to the show.’”

Osorio first heard about the popular singing contest when an episode aired immediately after last year’s Super Bowl.

“I heard someone do the song ‘Trouble’ by Ray LaMontagne, which I love, and I then found out it was Tony Lucca, who is a favorite singer-songwriter of mine’s that I’ve been listening to for years.

“Fast forward to earlier this year, and I’m in Los Angeles, watching the Super Bowl, and I’m auditioning for ‘The Voice.’”

He said nearly 50,000 people initially tried out for the show, which led to the blind auditions on television a couple of weeks ago.

“To get to the top 48, it’s quite an accomplishment,” said Osorio.

Getting a private audition helped expedite things, although he admitted it was still “a strenuous process.” One of its advantages was that he was able to do more than one song, so he sang three, including Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and John Mayer’s “I Don’t Trust Myself (For Loving You).”

For the blind audition, Osorio picked Michael Bublé’s “Home,” which had been cleared for use under the show’s music licensing rules. His performance got him picked by coach Adam Levine.

On why he thought his successful audition was edited down and relegated to a 30-second montage when broadcast, Osorio said he wasn’t surprised.

“My backstory is related to my dad (Jon Osorio), who helped me get to where I am today. But my dad wasn’t there with me for that audition in L.A., so the production didn’t have a lot to work with concerning me.”

So his upcoming battle round against a fellow singer from Team Adam will be the nation’s first impression of who Duncan Kamakana (his chosen performer name) is as a singer.

“I’ve actually been performing for 10 years now,” said Osorio. “I spent a couple of years in San Francisco and a year in Detroit, where I was working with a record label there, but the deal fell through.

“For the last two years, I’ve been back here in Hawaii as a full-time musician, trying to gig as much as I can in small venues, and hotel and downtown bars.

“The show obviously gives me an opportunity to do something bigger. I’ve been very surprised at how much support I’ve gotten over my 10 seconds of airtime. It’s meant a lot to me, especially those who’ve gotten behind me back home.

“I didn’t expect to love the people I’ve been working with on ‘The Voice’ — not only the singers on my team, but the other contestants as well,” Osorio said. “It’s made being away from home that much easier and I’m really thankful for that.”

Related Post:

AUDIO: Kamakana advances on ‘The Voice’

Grind Time: Vintage Cave delivers

The menu at Vintage Cave during our visit last week. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

BY JASON GENEGABUS / jason@staradvertiser.com

Better late than never.

That’s the easiest way to describe my first meal at Vintage Cave last week, months after all the “friends and family” meals, media previews and initial round of online raves by foodies who managed to score a table at the new restaurant in the basement of Shirokiya at Ala Moana Center.

Sure, I already read about the culinary field of dreams bankrolled by Japanese real estate developer Takeshi Sekiguchi, with his Picasso originals hanging on the walls and private wine lockers for those willing to spend at least $50,000 to become a full-fledged member of the semi-private dining society. For a while, all I could hear in my head whenever someone talked about the restaurant was Jermaine Dupri’s 2007 hit, “Money Ain’t a Thang.”

Yes, I was impressed by the story about the European bricklayers who spent weeks installing 150,000 bricks from the Pennsylvania Brick Co. I had no doubt custom Swarovski crystal chandeliers installed in the restaurant were a sight to behold.

And I’m not going to lie — I’m particularly proud of fellow ‘Iolani alumni Chris Kajioka, 29, a Culinary Institute of America graduate who worked in kitchens from Per Se in New York to Aziza in San Francisco before coming home to assume the role of executive chef at Vintage Cave.

None of that stopped me from freaking out a little — on the inside, of course — while being escorted through the 15,000-square-foot space before our meal on Thursday, April 18. The opulence and refinement present here, from the decor to the food being served, is like nothing else Hawaii diners have ever seen before on our shores.

Our table during dinner last week featured a view of "Hiroshima," a collection of three paintings by Adron Mordecai that depict the Japanese city before, during and after the United States dropped an atomic bomb there in 1945. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Still, at a cost of $295 per person, dinner here isn’t for everyone. If you can’t appreciate the artistry that goes into conceptualizing, preparing and executing a meal of this caliber, save yourself the extra cash and opt instead for one of many other worthy local restaurants that operate at a lower price point.

Once you’re at peace with the price tag and make a reservation, however, it’s only a matter of time before your mind gets blown — repeatedly — by Kajioka and his talented team. I’m actually glad I waited this long to visit, even if it was not by choice, as the kitchen has had a few months to settle in and find its groove.

Here’s what was on the menu for dinner last week:

First Course: Assorted Hors d’Oeuvres

Oysters with miso and takuan. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Pain Au Lait. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Clam Dip. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Meringue with Red Onion Uahi Sea Salt. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Vanilla Bean Macaron Caviar. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Second Course: Sashimi Plate

Clockwise, from top and finishing in center: Kona Kampachi with yuzu, radish and shiso; Bigeye Tuna with foie gras; Toro with smoked tuna gel; Buri with charred scallion pesto and ponzu; Kinmedai with ume and fennel; and Shima Aji with burnt citrus wasabi. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Kona Kampachi. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Shima Aji. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Kinmedai. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Buri. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Third Course: Caviar with Creme Fraiche and Maple Gelee on Smoked Brioche

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Fourth Course: Slow Roasted Carrots, Peas and Ginger-Pickled Pearl Onion

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Fifth Course: Charred Cabbage Leaves with Miso, Konbu, Dill and Anchovy

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Sixth Course: Jidori Egg Yolk, Celery Root, Truffle, Ham and Parmesean

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Seventh Course: Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Micro Greens, Edible Flowers and Honeycomb Brittle

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Eighth Course: He’eia Octopus, Watercress, Green Tomato and Charred Zucchini

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Ninth Course: Hot Smoked King Salmon with Sweet Onion Rye

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Tenth Course: Wagyu Short Rib with Salsify, Quinoa and Grilled Asparagus Juice

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Dessert Course #1: Gianduja Cremeaux with Peanut Hazelnut Powder, Kula Strawberries and Blackberry Gel

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Dessert Course #2: Sage Canele

(Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

A parting gift from the kitchen at Vintage Cave — chocolate to enjoy at home. (Star-Advertiser photo by Jason Genegabus)

Kumu Kahua announces new season

HONOLULU PULSE STAFF / honolulupulse@staradvertiser.com

Kumu Kahua Theatre announced the lineup for its 43rd season of “plays for and about Hawaii,” kicking off with “Will the Real Charlie Chan Please Stand Up” on Aug. 22. All performances will be held on the Kumu Kahua stage in downtown Honolulu.

For more information, visit www.kumukahua.org.

Kumu Kahua Theatre: 2013-14 Season

‘Will the Real Charlie Chan Please Stand Up?’

By Nancy Moss (World Premiere)

Performances: Aug. 22 through Sept. 22
Auditions: Noon June 8 and 6 p.m. June 9
Description: The fictional Charlie Chan and the real-life detective he was modeled after join forces to fight crime in Honolulu.

‘Flowers of Hawai‘i’

By Lee Cataluna (World Premiere)

Performances: Nov. 7 through Dec. 8
Auditions: Noon Aug. 24 and 6 p.m. Aug. 25
Description: Ten vignette playlets capture the essence of family relationships.

‘Moa a Mo`i’

Popular Hawaiian legends of Umi retold by Jean Charlot

Performances: Jan. 23, 2014 through Feb. 23, 2014
Auditions: 6 p.m. Oct. 19 and Oct. 20
Description: Stories about Umi, the “peasant prince” who was born a commoner and became a wise and famous ruler.

‘Cockadoodledoo’

By Eric Yokomori (World Premiere)

Performances: March 27, 2014 through April 27, 2014
Auditions: 6 p.m. Jan. 4, 2014 and Jan. 5, 2014
Description: Expect the unexpected when ordinary life turns extraordinary.

‘Koi, Like the Fish’

By Keali‘iwahine Hokoana (O’ahu Premiere)

Performances: May 29, 2014 through June 29, 2014
Auditions: 6 p.m. March 8, 2014 and March 9, 2014
Description: An ailing man can no longer live alone. But the alternative doesn’t make him happy.

Video: ‘Soul Sessions’ feat. EtiVisè and Tony

EtiVisè and Tony

EtiVisè Wolfgramm Epenisa and Tony Uesi are among 17 family members who performed as The Jets in the 1980′s, 1990′s and 2000′s. Now residing on the North Shore of O’ahu, EtiVisè and Tony are working on a new album of original music featuring a soulful reggae and R&B sound, with hints of everything from jazz to funk, pop and hip-hop.
———
Video courtesy Soul Sessions USA. Visit www.honolulupulse.com every Tuesday for more performances by various Hawaii-based recording artists.

Related Post:

‘Soul Sessions’ partners with The Pulse

Five-0 Redux: ‘Linsanity’

Brian Yang, fourth from right, and Dennis Chun, third from left, pose with fans. (Photo courtesy Amy Bakari)

BY WENDIE BURBRIDGE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

“Hawaii Five-0” fans love to support the cast and crew of their favorite show. Fans traveled to Los Angeles last summer to see Scott Caan’s play, “No Way Around But Through.” Fans also came out to see Daniel Dae Kim’s production of Gordon Hirabayashi’s story “Hold These Truths,” starring “Five-0″ guest star Joel de la Fuente, at Honolulu Theatre for Youth’s Tenney Theatre in February.

So it was no surprise many fans came out to see the documentary “Linsanity,” about NBA basketball phenom Jeremy Lin, at the Hawaii International Film Festival Spring Showcase on April 11.

Brian Yang, second from left, with more fans. (Courtesy Lisa Woo)

The film was produced in part by “Five-0″ regular Brian Yang and was narrated by Kim. Yang, along with fellow producers Christopher Chen and Allen Lu and director Evan Jackson Leong, spent four years following Lin from his days playing basketball in high school to college at Harvard. The film ends soon after Lin’s ascent to stardom following the NBA lockout in February 2012.

Yang spoke to me and the blog “Five-0 Undercover” on several occasions about Lin and the documentary. When I interviewed Yang last summer after his aptly named “Fong-sanity” Tweetup, he was still very excited about the “Linsanity” project, even while working on other acting and producing projects, like his film “Someone I Used to Know” and “The Man With the Iron Fists.”

At the time, I had no idea I would get a chance to see the project come to life.

If you didn’t get a chance to see the film, it is a moving story about a young man who not only has the drive and determination to chase his deepest passion, but who also must also overcome the ridiculous belief that Asians can’t become professional basketball players. The movie will astound you in a couple of ways, one being the amazing ability of Lin on the court, the second being his seemingly superhuman tolerance of racist remarks and prejudiced treatment.

Director Evan Jackson Leong and Lisa Woo. (Courtesy photo)

Watching Lin make it over every hurdle, with sincerity as well as a bit of humor, was more than many of us could imagine. His strong Christian faith definitely helped him through his trials, as well as his very loving and supportive family.

The movie is really enjoyable, as director Leong expertly wove basketball footage, casual conversations with Lin, his brothers, and parents, with more formal interviews with former coaches and journalists who had followed Lin’s high school, college, and professional career.

Leong’s filmmaking made “Linsanity” not only entertaining, but also appropriately dramatic and thought provoking. I have taught an English class called “Literature of Competition” for 13 years using sports novels, short stories, and Sports Illustrated magazine as class texts, and where writing sports articles and film analysis papers are major class projects. I have to say this was, by far, the best sports documentary I have seen since “Hoop Dreams.” For me, the experience was like watching a feature film — maybe even better. I was far more engaged because it was a documentary rather than a fictionalized version of the truth.

I was lucky enough to get a bit of a preview of the film when I was invited to attend the “Linsanity” press conference and hear the three producers, along with director Leong and narrator Kim answer questions about the film. They were very candid about their admiration for Lin and his family, as well as about the tide of Linsanity that enveloped them while they made the documentary. When they started out following Lin — who emphatically said “NO” to all suggestions and offers to tell his story — they had no idea he would become a cultural and sports phenomenon.

Yang spoke about the film being family-friendly and for all ages, and that he was curious to see how Hawaiʻi audiences would react to the film since there is an “ʻohana spirit to the movie.”

A question-and-answer session followed the screening. (Courtesy Lisa Woo)

When I arrived at the HIFF theatre three hours before the film started, people had already begun to queue up for “Linsanity.” HIFF members in line told me that they didn’t believe there would be extra seats available for the movie because of the subject matter, as well as the Star-Advertiser’s press coverage of the movie.

I personally knew 25 “Five-0” fans who had tickets for the event and who were looking forward to not only seeing the movie, but to congratulate Yang and Kim for their work on the film. Several had flown in for the film, including Shannon and Randy Hagel from Hawaii island, Stacey Jonson and Nicole D’Alessandro from Seattle, Letty Batoon from Los Angeles and Silke and Andy Springer from Frankfurt, Germany.

Actor Dennis Chun and his family attended and Chun came around the line to say hello to fans. He posed for pictures and told me he was there “to support Brian.” Other “Five-0” cast members attended as well, including Ian Anthony Dale, Grace Park and Masi Oka.

Yang with the author at a press conference held prior to the screening. (Courtesy Amy Bakari)

Fans who attended the film all thought it was well done and we all enjoyed the experience. We all sat together and talked about how great it was to finally watch the movie Yang had been talking about since we first met him at “Sunset on the Beach” in 2011. For all of us to see it together was a special treat. Leong, Yang and Kim spoke to each crowd (the film was shown in two packed theatres) and thanked everyone for supporting the film. Many fans stayed after the film’s conclusion to hear the question and answer session with the producers and the director, and took pictures with them near a big cutout of Jeremy Lin (who unfortunately was in Houston and couldn’t be present).

Yang was right about the “ʻOhana spirit” surrounding the film—the fans definitely felt it that night, in more ways than one.

When I left the theatre, there was a couple sharing the elevator with me, and one of them said, “I bet we can go home and find it on Netflix.” I had to disappoint her — the film is only playing at select film festivals. If you want to know if “Linsanity” is playing near you or to see if it will be released to theatres, follow the movie on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for email alerts at their website.

For those of you in Los Angeles, “Linsanity” will be shown May 2 at the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival.

Redux Side Note:

Next week we return to our regularly scheduled programming with the last four episodes of season three. On April 29, “Imi loko ka ‘uhane” (“Seek Within One’s Soul”) starts the race for ratings, with guest star Aisha Tyler and the return of Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos). The following week, May 6, “Ho’ opio” (“To Take Captive”) features guest stars Mare Winningham and Henry Rollins.

Hawaiʻi favorites Dennis Chun, Taylor Wily, and Shawn Mokuahi Garnett are scheduled to appear in both episodes, and Teilor Grubbs will return as “Gracie Williams” in the May 6 episode.
———
Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright and teacher who lives and works in Honolulu. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Related Post:

PICS: ‘H50 Ohana Fan Wrap Party’

PICS: ‘Fan Wrap Party’

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 42

PHOTOS BY KAT WADE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Fans and select local cast members of the CBS television series “Hawaii Five-0″ gathered at Big City Diner Pearlridge on Monday, April 22.

Kamakana’s ‘Voice’ run ends

Duncan Kamakana, left, with Carson Daly and Sarah Simmons await judge Adam Levine’s decision. (Courtesy NBC)

HONOLULU PULSE STAFF / honolulupulse@staradvertiser.com

Hawaii-born Duncan Osorio got a little more face time as a contestant on NBC’s “The Voice” on Tuesday, April 23, as he went head-to-head with fellow singer Sarah Simmons in the last night of the show’s battle rounds.

Duncan Kamakana. (Courtesy NBC)

Unfortunately, Osorio (who performs as Duncan Kamakana) was knocked out of the competition when coach Adam Levine chose to move Simmons on to the knockout rounds.

With his mother and sisters in the audience, Osorio sang “Wanted You More,” a hit for the country crossover trio Lady Antebellum, as a duet with Simmons. The trio’s Hillary Scott, who mentored the two along with Levine, commented that Osorio has “a great voice and kind of a crooner” who she imagined serenading a swooning girl.

During Osorio’s brief time on the show, more was made of his handsomeness than his voice.

“You have a confidence that can drive women crazy,” said Usher, who along with Shakira and Blake Shelton make up “The Voice’s” panel of coaches.

But all in all, Levine said after the duo’s performance that he was proud of them both, and told Osorio in particular that “you got a thing, you’re a talented dude.”

Both Scott and Levine cautioned Osorio leading up to the performance not to get swallowed by her sound and be more decisive in his approach and harmonizing with her.

But it was Simmons, considered by all the coaches as one of the early favorites that could win Season 4 of “The Voice,” who will continue on in the competition.

Osorio, in the meantime, has taken to the crowdfunding website Indiegogo, asking fans to help raise $10,000 within a 60-day period to pay for the recording of his debut album.

To Do: Michael W. Smith, John Mayall, more

–Courtesy photo

–Courtesy photo

–Courtesy photo

–Courtesy photo

–Courtesy photo

TICKER:

Hawaii Opera Theatre: Puccini’s “Tosca” is the next HOT production, today, Sunday and Tuesday; $29-$120, hawaiiopera.org.

Mice Parade: The New York indie/shoegaze band makes its debut at The Republik May 25; $15, flavorus.com.

Do It: ‘ARTafterDARK,’ Circa Survive, more

Quadraphonix (Courtesy photo)

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

‘ARTafterDARK’ closes Earth Month in style

Earth Day has evolved into Earth Month; wrap up the celebration with an evening of artsy fun at the Honolulu Museum of Art today.

The monthly “ARTafterDARK” celebration, called “Plant One,” will feature eco-art and an eclectic mix of musical performances.

The museum has teamed with Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods to give visitors the chance to have a koa tree planted on Hawaii island in their name. The tree will have an electronic tag that allows sponsors to track it on Google Earth.

Museum members can visit the Mediterranean Courtyard, where artist Mark Chai will create an installation of found materials and give out personalized eco-friendly art pieces.

Among the exhibits on display are “Tiny Worlds: Video Sculpture by Tony Oursler,” and “Revelation,” a newly opened show of recent additions to the museum collection.

At 9 p.m. the “Secret Sound Soundcase” features Quadraphonix, rapper Anton Glamb with his electronic Jawaiian beats, and the rock ‘n’ roll harmonies of Mano Kane.

Where: Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S. Beretania St.
When: 6 p.m. today
Cost: $10
Info: artafterdark.org or 532-8700

Jordan Segundo (Courtesy photo)

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Treat the family to a day of fun at Ewa festival

The community of Ewa invites folks to a “Pride for Ewa 2013: Celebrating Ohana Together,” a free family day of entertainment.

An all-star lineup of island talent will provide musical entertainment, starting at 1:30 p.m. with Jordan Segundo, pictured, of “American Idol” Season 2 fame. Segundo recently recorded “Hallelujah” for a Tom Moffatt production.

Also scheduled is Cheesa Laureta, the Hawaii-born contestant who made a splash on the second season of “The Voice” and is set to release an album, “Naked” (which also describes the cover art). She and her brother, Troy Laureta, appear at 3 p.m.

Popular West-side island contemporary group Nesian N.I.N.E. follows at 4 p.m. The group recently gave well-received performances in the Pacific Northwest.

“There will be rides, food vendors and crafts,” said Marcella Cisneros, director of social activities for the Ewa by Gentry Community Association. “Local businesses and local nonprofit groups will be there, too, to share information.”

Local schools will also contribute their talents, with musicians from Ewa Beach, Iroquois Point and Pohakea elementary schools and the American Renaissance Academy Choir adding to the day’s entertainment.

This is the 17th annual Pride for Ewa celebration.

“The parking is free, the entertainment is free and it’s community- and family- oriented,” Cisneros said.

Where: Hoalauna Park, 91-1330 Keaunui Drive, Ewa Beach
When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
Cost: Free
Info: ewabygentry.net or 685-0111, ext. 31

Circa Survive (Courtesy photo)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

The Republik hosts Philadelphia rock band Circa Survive

Progressive rock band Circa Survive rolls into town Wednesday, riding the current inspired by its latest album, “Violent Waves.”

The Philadelphia-based group formed in 2004, when lead vocalist Anthony Green and guitarist Colin Frangicetto joined up with second guitarist Brendan Ekstrom, bassist Nick Beard and drummer Steve Clifford. Its debut album, “Juturna,” emerged a year later, selling more than 100,000 copies and landing the group a spot on the Warped Tour. Subsequent releases “On Letting Go” (2007) and “Blue Sky Noise” (2010) both reached the top 25 on the Billboard charts.

The band tends toward a thick, metal sound, with Greene’s soaring semifalsetto slicing through the instrumental background.

The self-produced “Violent Waves” was recorded in little more than a week last year, and Greene has called it “honest, straight from us.”

The band has a whimsical, humorous approach to music. Greene has been known to wear dresses during some concerts, and things don’t get much weirder than his video for “Suitcase,” which begins as a typical say-goodbye-to-your-lover video and winds up with a display of plushophilia.

Where: The Republik, 1349 Kapiolani Blvd.

When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Cost: $25-$35
Info: flavorus.com or 855-235-2867

– Steven Mark

George Kainapau (Courtesy photo)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Legends of isle music, culture will be added to hall of fame

“Lei of Stars 2013,” a dinner and Hawaiian music show at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, celebrates this year’s inductees to the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame — an unprecedented 26 people, including nine members of the Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau and the 14 members of Ka Leo Hawai’i, a group that worked to revitalize the use of the Hawaiian language in the 1970s.

The honorees and performers:

» George Kainapau, pictured (1905-1992). Falsetto vocalist, showroom entertainer and recording artist; also appeared as a Hawaiian performer in several Hollywood films. Hoku Zuttermeister will perform in Kainapau’s honor.

» Ka Leo Hawai’i: Alan Akaka, Daniel Akaka Jr., Haunani Apoliona, Haunani Bernardino, Malia Craver, Ainsley Halemanu, Larry Kimura, Lance Koyama, George Kuo, Aaron Mahi, Keoki Maguire, Lolena Nicholas, Mary Kawena Pukui and Kalena Silva.

» Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau (1976-1993). Founded by Sam Gray, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, Skippy Kamaka-wiwo’ole, Louis “Moon” Kauakahi and Jerome Koko; Mel Amina, John Koko, Elmer “Sonny”

Lim Jr. and Abraham Nahulu were later members. The name was retired after Israel Kamakawiwo’ole quit the group; the Makaha Sons will perform at “Lei of Stars.”

» George Lanakilakekiahiali’i Na’ope (1928-2009). Kumu hula and chanter, and co-founder of the Merrie Monarch Festival; 26 hula students of Na’ope will dance, as he taught them.

» Harry Owens (1902-1986). Composer (“Sweet Leilani”), bandleader, recording artist, music publisher and musical director of “Hawaii Calls.” The Royal Hawaiian Band will play music by Owens at the celebration.

The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame honors artists who create and perpetuate Hawaii’s traditional music.

Where: Royal Hawaiian Hotel
When: 4 p.m. Wednesday
Cost: $125
Info: 226-0600 (Karen Aiu) or 392-3649 (Ann Shinsato)

– John Berger

TICKER

» “Concert in the Garden,” with Taimane and ukulele whiz kid Aiden James, 5 p.m. Saturday, Lanikai School. $10-$20. concertinthegarden.org or 352-6990

Out ‘N’ About: Keiki Spring Fest, 5K Family Run/Walk, more

WEEKEND OF APRIL 26

Hawai‘i Self Storage-Kapolei West craft fair and flea market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. today-Saturday, 2009 Lauwiliwili St., behind Costco. Free. 682-0333

Friends of Aina Haina Library Pop-up Book Sale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. today-Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Aina Haina Public Library. Free. 377-2456

36th annual Spring Home, Garden & New Products Show, 200+ vendors, demos, entertainment, 5-9 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. $1-$3. 732-6037, pacificexpos.com

“Life Through Time: Dinosaurs & Ice Age Mammals,” new exhibit opens, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Bishop Museum. $8.95-$19.95; 3 and younger free. 847-3511, bishopmuseum.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Waianae Coast Keiki Spring Fest, fun/informational fair for kids ages 0-5 and their families with kindergarten registration, keiki IDs and community group resources, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Waianae District Park. Free. 696-4598

“Mele Lahui” Royal Hawaiian Band concert, featuring songs about Hawaiian nationalism and special presenters Aaron Mahi, Martha Noyes and Puakea Nogelmeier, noon, Iolani Palace bandstand. Free. Picnicking OK. 922-5331

Eat the Street: Bacon, food truck festival with 40+ vendors, Shogunai DJ crew and live art battle, 4-9 p.m., 555 South St. Free admission. 780-9288, streetgrindz.com

Downtown Honolulu architecture firm crawl, open house for public, 5-8 p.m., multiple offices and locations. Free. Register to get map. 545-4242, aiahonolulu.org

Wheeler Middle School Kanikapila, hula, choir and hip-hop dance, 5-7 p.m., Town Center of Mililani. Free. 625-0108, towncenterofmililani.com

Empty Bowl Hawai‘i, buy soup and take home a handmade bowl to benefit Meals on Wheels, 6-8 p.m., Ala Moana Center makai parking deck. $25; $20 advance. emptybowlhawaii.org

“Earth, Moon and Sun,” full-dome family show exploring the sky’s wonders, with animated host Coyote and Native American stories, 7 p.m., Hokulani Imaginarium, Windward Community College. Target age: grades K-6. $5-$7; free for kids under 4. 235-7433

“Music Down in My Soul,” Hawaii Pacific University spring concert featuring the International Vocal Ensemble and Chorale, 7 p.m., St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Free; calabash offering. 544-1127

Pacific Roller Derby game, Leahi Diamond Dolls vs. Tropic Thunder, 7 p.m., Palama Settlement gymnasium. Admission $5-$7; free for kids 12 and younger. pacificrollerderby.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Kaaawa Elementary School 5K Family Fun Run/Walk, scenic stroll through Kaaawa Valley and Kualoa movie sites benefiting school’s Parent Community Networking Center, 7 a.m. registration, 8 a.m. start, Kualoa’s Kaaawa Valley surf spot entrance; families, dogs welcome, kids must be with adult. $25. Register: 237-7757, kaaawapcnc@gmail.com, active.com

“The Littlest Co-Op” grand opening, keiki farmers offer veggies, plants; with chicken mascot Henrietta, 8 a.m.-noon, Ala Moana farmers market, Ala Moana Center, upper deck by Sears. fb.com/TheLittlestCoOp

Hot Pursuit, Hospice Hawai‘i team scavenger hunt fundraiser around Ward Centers, with raffles and free keiki activities till noon including face-painting, balloon artists, keiki hula and a gaming truck (small fee), 8:30 a.m. registration, 9:45 a.m. race start, Ward Centers. Each team of 2-6 pledges to raise $250. 791-8075, hospice­hawaii.org

HBA Fun Fair, rides, games, bouncers, live music, country store and food, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (surf sample sale 9 a.m.-noon), Hawaii Baptist Academy’s elementary campus, 21 Bates St. Free admission. hba.net

Moanalua High School spring craft fair, with food, plants, entertainment, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at the school. 831-7905

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day, simple qi gong exercises for health and energy, no experience needed, hosted by

Chin Lung Martial Arts School, 9-10:30 a.m., Kapiolani Park, Diamond Head end. Free. 781-4320, chinlung.com

Lemonade Alley, nonprofit kid-business competition with celebrity judges and local entertainment, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Free. 224-2795, lemonadealley.com

“Caring for the Creation” native planting, Church of the Crossroads, ‘Ahahui Malama I Ka Lokahi, Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club and other groups plant 300 native Hawaiian trees and shrubs, 9 a.m.-noon, Na Pohaku o Hauwahine State Park Reserve, Kawainui Marsh, Kailua. To volunteer: 949-2220

Spring Affaire, country store, farmers market, children’s entertainment and food; a Japa­nese Women’s Society Foundation benefit for Kuakini Care Home and other projects for elderly, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Kaimuki High School cafeteria. Free. www.jwsf.org

“Legends of Koolau” Kaneohe Bay glass-bottom boat tours, with cultural stories and discussion of marine health, hosted by Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, 10-11:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m., Heeia Kea Boat Harbor. $10-$20. Reservations: 235-8111, aloha@koolaupokohcc.org

Recycled Reads book sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Manoa Public Library. 988-0459

Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii’s 16th annual Teddy Bear Round-Up & Family Resource Fair, stuffed-animal drive (new or gently used donations) for a Guinness World Record attempt, with family activities, picture-taking with Kung Fu Panda, Tigger, Elmo and Pikachu, and live entertainment, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Windward Mall, Center Court. Free. 951-0200, preventchildabusehawaii.org

“Picnic at the Plaza,” family fun day with keiki games, magician, balloons, entertainment, Country Stew Cook-Off contest, food for purchase by Aiea Bowl’s The Alley, silent auction and autism resource fair, a benefit for Talk About Curing Autism, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Waimalu Plaza. Free. www.tacanow.org

Pride for Ewa 2013: Celebrating Ohana Together, community festival featuring rides, games, food and entertainment including Jordan Segundo and Nesian N.I.N.E., 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Hoalauna Park, 91-1330 Keaunui Drive. Free admission. 685-0111, ext. 31, ewabygentry.net

“Stories on Stilts and Other Tall Tales,” storyteller Ben Moffat spins tales using stilts, masks, movement and puppetry, 11:30 a.m., Hawaii State Library, Edna Allyn Room for Children. Free. 586-3510, librarieshawaii.org

Damien’s 50th anniversary fair, games, food, rides, country store, live entertainment and comedy by alumnus Frank De Lima, noon-9 p.m., Damien Memorial School football field. Free admission. 440-9547

Jazz Peace Concert, with Reggie Padilla, Jim Howard, Louis Benanto, Chuck James and Mihoko M., 12:30-3:30 p.m., Byodo-In Temple, Valley of the Temples Memorial Park. $2-$3 temple admission. 239-9844

“How to Create Your Own Monster,” drawing with Comic Jam Hawaii artists for ages 8+, 1 p.m., Aiea Public Library. Free. 483-7333

“Lei-making, Tongan style,” free lecture-demonstration by lei maker Alita Tonga for ages 5+, 1-3 p.m., Hawaii State Library, first-floor reading room. 586-3520, librarieshawaii.org

“Rakugo Bento,” local troupe Bento Rakugo shares the Japa­nese art of comic storytelling, 1 p.m., Kapolei Public Library. Free. 693-7050, librarieshawaii.org

Healthy Family Fun Fair, benefiting the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai‘i and The Wellness Coaches, 1:30-3:30 p.m., 590 Paiea St., ballrooms behind Melaleuca store. Free. Register at: thewellnesscoaches.com

DXC/Dunkxchange, sneakers/music/fashion/art trade meet visits Honolulu, featuring DJ Jack Da Ripper, performances by Prie, Kritikal and

K-Luv, Kicks Hawaii sneaker battle, Pow Wow Hawai‘i live art, and giveaways, 3-9 p.m., Blaisdell Center, Hawaii Suite. $10-$15; free for 7 and younger. dunkxchange.com, 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com

Waikiki Spam Jam, 11th annual food festival/block party with food, merchandise and craft vendors and two stages of nonstop entertainment, 4-10 p.m., Kalakaua Avenue. Free. 255-5927, spamjamhawaii.com

Manti Te’o and Robby Toma homecoming parade and celebration, the city and Koolauloa community welcome home the football stars, 4 p.m., from Hauula Beach Park (along Kamehameha Highway, looping into Hauula Homestead Road, Naniloa Street, Pualalea Street and Naniloa Loop neighborhoods) to Laie Park for a 5 p.m. community celebration. Free.

Concert in the Garden, featuring Taimane, Aidan James, Erin Smith and the Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble, plus farm-to-table food, local and sustainable goods and environmental activities for keiki, 5-9 p.m., Lanikai Elementary Public Charter School. $10-$20. 352-6990, concertinthegarden.org

Hot Rods & Classic Car Show and Cruz Night, with Bleizin FX, 5-9 p.m., Pearlridge Center, Downtown, fourth-level parking lot above the Pearlridge West 16 movie theaters. Free. 488-0981, pearlridge­online.com

“Heavy and Light: From Byrd to Bowie,” Hawaii Pacific University Symphonic Band spring concert, 7 p.m., Roosevelt High School Auditorium. Free; calabash offering. 544-0891

Music at Sunset: Beauty & the Beard, R&B/pop/soul, 7-9 p.m., Town Center of Mililani. Free. 625-0108, towncenter­ofmililani.com

Stomp the Island Step Show, annual step-dancing battle between Oahu fraternities and sororities presented by the Hawaii chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority to raise funds for high school student scholarships, 7:13 p.m., Leeward Community College Theatre. $15-$30. 779-5929, 229-223-9234

“Cellobration!” rare performance by 25 cellists together on stage, featuring the UH Cello Ensemble, director I-Bei Lin and guest conductor Henry Miyamura, 7:30 p.m., Orvis Auditorium, UH-Manoa. Free. 956-8742, hawaii.edu/uhmmusic

Last Saturday Roots in Jazz: Abe Lagrimas Jr. Quartet, drummer and ukulele virtuoso returns from current home, Los Angeles, and the 2012 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drums Competition, performing with Reggie Padilla, Dean Taba and Matt Politano, 7:30 p.m., Doris Duke Theatre. $25-$30. 532-6097, honolulumuseum.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

Craft, Gift & Rubberstamp Expo Plus Crafters Clearance Sale, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Blaisdell Center, Hawaii Suite. Free. 551-3769

Queen of Hearts Mother & Daughter Charity Brunch and Fashion Show, Susan Page Modeling 30th anniversary celebration and benefit for Child and Family Service featuring fashion show, entertainment, DJ, breakfast buffet, 9 a.m.-noon, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i. $20-$35. 955-2271, susanpage­modeling.com

Lei Day at the Mall, presented by the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Windward Mall, Center Court. Free. 235-1143, windwardmall.com

Slim’s Power Tools 20th annual He-Man Competition, men and women compete in hand-tool skills tests for Las Vegas trip and $1,000 Slim’s shopping spree, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Slim’s Power Tools, 1626 Republican St. Free. 841-0902, slimspowertools.com

“I Love Kailua” Town Party, 21st annual block party with 25+ food booths, entertainment, arts and crafts, keiki fun zone, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Kailua Road. $3 donation. 234-0404, lanikailuaoutdoorcircle.org

‘Iolani Orchestras 4 & 5 spring concert, with special guest Clarice Assad (Brazilian-American composer, pianist and jazz vocalist) a commissioned re-imagining of Bartok’s “Romanian Folk Dances,” 1 p.m., Hawaii Theatre. $7. 528-0506, hawaiitheatre.com

Hawaii Polo Club: Army vs. Navy, with halftime entertainment and opening pony parade, 2 p.m. (gates open 11 a.m. for picnicking, beach use), Hawaii Polo Club, Waialua. $8-$10; $25 clubhouse. 226-0061, hawaii-polo.org

“Pageantista Fab!,” fundraiser for 2013 Miss Hawaii Jr. High, High School and Collegiate America Pageant titleholders with comedy from Augie T., spring fashion show (Valerie Joseph, Bliss and Uptown Closet), pupu and more, 2-5 p.m., Dave & Buster’s. $30. augiet.com

Pau Hana Concert, UH students present Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Okinawan, Hawaiian and Tahitian dance and music, 3 p.m., Orvis Auditorium and (after intermission) Barbara Smith Amphitheater, UH-Manoa. Free. 956-8742, hawaii.edu/uhmmusic

“Taldiap ti Napalabas ti Kultura Ilokana,” “A Glimpse to Ilocano Culture,” folk dance, song, poetry, drama and more, 3:30-7:30 p.m., FilCom Center, Waipahu. Free. 680-0451

Swing Dance Club Hawaii dance, free lesson followed by open dancing with music by Bert Burgess and snacks, 6:30-9:15 p.m., Palladium Ballroom, Ala Wai Golf Club. $8; $5 for members. 255-6095, swingdanceclubhawaii.org

TUESDAY, APRIL 30

“Curtains! The Ultimate Concert,” maestro Henry Miyamura leads the UH Symphony Orchestra in his last concert as director after 35 years with the UH Music Department, 7:30 p.m., Pearl City Cultural Center. $5-$15. 956-8742, hawaii.edu/uhmmusic

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

86th annual Lei Day Celebration, City & County of Honolulu presents the 2013 Lei Queen and Court (12:30 p.m.), Lei Contest Exhibit (1-5:30 p.m.), Kulana Lei artisans village, hula and live music, and craft, lei and food vendors, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Kapiolani Park Bandstand. Free. www1.hono­lulu.gov/parks/programs/leiday/index.htm

Teen Movie Nights: “Pitch Perfect,” PG-13, 5 p.m., Mililani Public Library, Quiet Room. Free. 627-7470

Combined Military Band Concert, Navy League presents a free public performance, 7-8:30 p.m., Hale Koa Hotel, Luau Gardens. 422-9404

UH Hawaiian Chant, Hula and Chant Ensembles, May Day celebration with kumu hula Vicky Holt Takamine, 7:30 p.m., Orvis Auditorium. $6-$10. 956-8742, hawaii.edu/uhmmusic

THURSDAY, MAY 2

Lei Day Celebration closing ceremony, City & County of Honolulu’s Lei Contest lei placed at Mauna ‘Ala, 9-10 a.m., and at Lunalilo’s tomb at Kawaiaha‘o Church, 10:15 a.m. Free. www1.honolulu.gov/parks/programs/leiday/index.htm

“Seasons and the Sea,” Waikiki Aquarium hosts traditional Hawaiian observance of the change of seasons with hula, chant and storytelling as the sun sets into the crown of Pu‘u o Kapolei, a once-a-year spectacle, 5:30-7 p.m., area just Ewa of Waikiki Aquarium. $2-$9 (general admission). 923-974, waquarium.org

‘Opio Vocal Competition finals at “Pakele Live,” Tony Solis show features top seven local teen singers vying for a chance to perform in Mele Mei festival next month, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Willows. No cover. pakelelive.com. Reservations: 952-9200

Review: ‘Graceland’ exposes Filipino society

Arnold Reyes stars in “Graceland.” (Courtesy photo)

REVIEW BY ELIZABETH KIESZKOWSKI / ekieszkowski@staradvertiser.com

“Graceland” may devastate or puzzle you, but it is unlikely to leave you unmoved.

The noirish thriller, set in the Philippines, does some important things well: It keeps viewers rapt with shocking scenes and suspenseful plot and pacing; and it exposes a dank, shameful layer of Filipino society.

In the film, a politician’s driver is drawn into a kidnapping that threatens his own daughter’s life, and navigates between the extortionists, his boss and the police in an effort to save her.

His choices are impossible, and no one is innocent — except, perhaps, his desperately ill wife and adolescent daughter.

With a fine, evocative turn by lead actor Arnold Reyes and sympathetic depictions by young actors who represent girls in the sex trade, the story burrows its way under your skin.

Written and directed by young filmmaker Ron Morales, and set in and around Manila, “Graceland” depicts “a desperate man’s infinite moral compromises,” its distributor notes. In watching the film, you’re likely to be wrenched by each test and turn.

As its suspense builds, the film exposes inhumane practices and conditions: exploitation, sexual and otherwise; corruption; poverty.

It’s not perfect. At times, “Graceland” turns melodramatic. But its unexpected twists, somber cinematography and gripping storyline are worth your time.

I’d compare it favorably to Brad Pitt’s recent, New Orleans-set film, “Killing Them Softly,” which also set out to tell a story of doomed souls and questionable morality against a troubled backdrop.

Where “Softly” used violence to blast viewers into attention, “Graceland” uses images of a ravaged land and inhumane behavior — neon streets lined with sex workers; a monstrous dump where the criminals delight in sending their prey; young girls stripped of their clothes and dignity by those who should be protecting them.

Brief scenes of adolescent nudity may be particularly shocking to viewers, but they serve as a graphic statement about the crimes that underpin this story, and make it difficult to forget.

The film won the audience award at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival and had its Hawaii premiere at the 2012 Hawaii International Film Festival. It’s distributed by Texas-based Drafthouse Films.

Related Video:

At the Movies: ‘Big Wedding,’ ‘Pain & Gain,’ more

‘Chasing Ice’ documents National Geographic photographer James Balog’s mission to gather visual evidence of the planet’s melting ice. –Courtesy James Balog

OPENS TODAY

‘The Big Wedding’ 1/2
A long-divorced couple fakes being married as their family unites for a wedding. Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams star. (R, 90 minutes)

‘Pain & Gain’ 1/2
A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie star in the new movie from action director Michael Bay. (R, 130 minutes)

LIMITED RELEASE

‘Arthur Newman’
Colin Firth and Emily Blunt star in this story of a man who fakes his own death and assumes a new identity to escape his life, and then moves in with a woman who is also trying to leave her past behind. At Kahala 8 (R, 101 minutes)

‘The Company You Keep’ 1/2
A former Weather Underground activist goes on the run from a journalist who has discovered his identity. Robert Redford and Shia LaBeouf star. At Kahala 8 (NR, 144 minutes)

‘Disconnect’
Jason Bateman and Hope Davis star in a drama centered on a group of people searching for human connections in today’s wired world. At Kahala 8 (R, 115 minutes)

‘Graceland’
When a kidnapping goes wrong, a desperate father risks everything to save his daughter from the men who hold her captive. Ron Morales directs this breakout Filipino indie drama. At Pearlridge West 16 (NR, 84 minutes)

‘Mud’
Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive (Matthew McConaughey) and form a pact to help him evade the bounty hunters on his trail and to reunite him with his true love. At Kahala 8 (PG-13, 130 minutes)

‘Na Ali’i of Comedy: Da Movie’
Documentary follows longtime local comic favorites Andy Bumatai, Mel Cabang, Frank De Lima, Ed Kaahea and Augie Tulba as they embark on a tour around the state. At Pearlridge West 16 (NR, 144 minutes)

‘Storm Surfers 3D’ 1/2
An adventure into the world of big-wave surfing with tow-in surfing legend Ross Clarke-Jones and two-time world champion Tom Carroll. Both Clark-Jones and Carroll will be in attendance at the 7 and 10 p.m. opening Friday screenings. At Ward Stadium 16 (NR, 95 minutes)

‘Tai Chi Hero’
The sequel to Stephen Fung’s “Tai Chi Zero” has our hero still trying to find his place in a village filled with martial arts masters, even though he helped save the town from a frightening steam-powered machine. At Pearlridge West 16 (NR, 144 minutes)

‘To the Wonder’
Terrence Malick’s latest film is a romantic drama that centers on an American man who reconnects with a woman from his hometown after his relationship with a European woman falls apart. Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams and Javier Bardem star. At Kahala 8 (R, 112 minutes)

NOW PLAYING

’42′ 1/2
The life story of Jackie Robinson, the first black Major League Baseball player, and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey. Like Robinson himself, the movie itself is a class act, though not always an engaging one. It’s such a familiar story that any faithful film biography almost inevitably will turn out predictable, even a bit routine. But it does feature an earnest performance by Chadwick Boseman in the title role and enjoyably self-effacing turn by Harrison Ford as Rickey. (David Germain, Associated Press) (PG-13, 88 minutes)

’56 Up’
British director Michael Apted continues his fascinating series of documentaries that revisits the same group of people that he’s spoken with since they were children, interviewing them every seven years to find out what changes over time have been made in their lives. Apted has always been the interviewer throughout the series, and that continuity has been invaluable in encouraging from-the-heart candor from the participants. (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times) (NR, 144 minutes)

‘The Croods’ 1/2
The world’s very first prehistoric family goes on a road trip to an uncharted and fantastical world. (PG, 98 minutes)

‘Evil Dead’ 1/2
Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a book leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival. This homage to the 1981 horror cult classic lacks the offhanded goofiness of the original, and the sardonic wit is lost in a sea of graphic blood and guts. The makeup effects, with piercings, scalding, dismemberments and the like, are spectacular. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 91 minutes)

‘Fists of Legend’ 1/2
In this Korean action flick, three old rivals from high school eager to relive their glory days fight it out on a TV competition for big money. (NR, 154 minutes)

‘From Up on Poppy Hill’
Goro Miyazaki works from a screenplay from his father Hayao to tell the animated story about a group of Yokohama teens who look to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball in preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. (PG, 91 minutes)

‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’
The battalion of soldiers not only fight its mortal enemy Cobra, but also is forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis star. (PG-13, 110 minutes)

‘Home Run’
A pro baseball player with a substance abuse problem is forced into rehab in his hometown, finding new hope when he gets honest about his checkered past, and takes on coaching duties for a misfit Little League team. This is an utterly conventional faith-based film and actor Scott Elrod looks like a ballplayer, which makes him and this thin tale of 12-step redemption credible and watchable, if nothing else. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (PG-13, 113 minutes)

‘The Host’
When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, a young woman risks everything to protect the people she loves. (PG-13, 125 minutes)

‘It Takes a Man and a Woman’
The third and final installment of the popular “A Very Special Love” Filipino romantic comedy series, with the return of stars Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz. (R, 123 minutes)

‘Jurassic Park 3D’
During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Steven Spielberg’s audience favorite is given the 3-D treatment, but ironically, the conversion actually undermines the movie’s original visual punch and compromises the experience. (Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer) (PG-13, 137 minutes)

‘The Lords of Salem’ 1/2
Rob Zombie’s latest horror movie is about a radio deejay in Salem, Mass., who is sent a box that contains a record that contains sounds within its groove that trigger flashbacks of her town’s violent past. Zombie is intent on cluttering the screen with his cinematic influences, making this an unintelligible jumble of images and dialogue with almost no connective thread. (Rafer Guzman, Newsday) (R, 101 minutes)

‘The Lost Medallion’
This faith-based family movie tells the story of two teenage friends who uncover a long-lost artifact that transports them back in time. (PG, 97 minutes)

‘No’
Gael Garcia Bernal gives a poker-faced performance as an ad executive who comes up with a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile’s 1988 referendum. The film beautifully juxtaposes the guarded optimism of the artistic opposition with the police intimidation and arrests. (Roger Moore, McClatchy Newspapers) (R, 118 minutes)

‘Oblivion’
Tom Cruise stars as a veteran assigned to extract Earth’s remaining resources who begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself. Stitched together from spare bits of other, often better films, this is the Frankenstein’s monster of science-fiction movies. It stumbles awkwardly in story and plot, shuffling toward the predictable explosions and fireballs of the final act. Yet, despite all that, this is surprisingly well-acted and so beautiful to look at that what at first seems like a cinematic monster is actually a handsomely compelling creation. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG-13, 126 minutes)

‘Olympus Has Fallen’
Gerard Butler plays a disgraced former presidential guard who finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack. (R, 120 minutes)

‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 1/2
While director Sam Raimi’s prequel conceit and reinterpretation of “The Wizard of Oz” is loud and eye-poppingly colorful, it still doesn’t make for a very good Disney film, and is only mildly diverting an clever in spots. (Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) (PG, 130 minutes)

‘The Place Beyond the Pines’
A motorcycle stunt rider turns to robbing banks as a way to provide for his lover and their newborn child, a decision that puts him on a collision course with an ambitious rookie cop navigating a department ruled by a corrupt detective. (R, 140 minutes)

‘The Sapphires’
Four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls in 1968 learn about live, friendship and war when their vocal group entertains the U.S. troops in Vietnam. The movie sparkles with sass and Motown soul, and unapologetically aims for mass-audience appeal. It reduces the war, rampant racism, love troubles and showbiz chicanery to minor hurdles in this irrepressibly upbeat story. (Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune) (PG-13, 103 minutes)

‘Scary Movie 5′
The supernatural spoofs continue in this comedy franchise, starring Jerry O’Connell and Ashley Tisdale, with cameos by Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen. (PG-13, 85 minutes)

‘Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor’ H
An ambitious married woman’s temptation by a handsome billionaire leads to betrayal, recklessness and forever alters the course of her life. (PG-13, 111 minutes)

ARTHOUSE

DORIS DUKE THEATRE

Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S. Beretania St., entry on Kinau Street (532-8768); $10 general, $8 museum members (tickets also available online at www.honolulumuseum.org)

‘Chasing Ice’
1, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday; and 1 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
Back by popular demand, the documentary follows National Geographic photographer James Balog’s mission to place 30 cameras across three continents to gather visual evidence of the planet’s melting ice. (2012, 75 minutes)

‘Speak’
5:30 p.m. Monday
The film follows six people as they overcome life’s hurdles while participating in the largest speech contest in the world, the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. 1997 champion Willie Jones and one of those profiled in the film, Rich Hopkins, will lead a post-screening Q&A session. (2011, 94 minutes)

‘More Than Honey’
1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
A visually stunning examination of endangered honeybees, spanning California, Switzerland, China and Australia. (2012, 91 minutes)

MOVIE MUSEUM

3566 Harding Ave. (735-8771); $5 general, $4 members; reservations recommended

‘Chikamatsu Monogatari’
Noon, 3:30 and 7 p.m. today
Also known as “The Crucified Lovers,” this classic from Kenji Mizoguchi is a story of doomed love, set in 17th-century Japan, between a merchant’s wife and a servant from the bunraku (puppet theater) repertory. (1954, Japan, 102 minutes)

‘Miss Kicki’
1:45, 5:15 and 8:45 p.m. today; and noon, 3:15, 5 and 8:15 p.m. Monday
An aging Swedish single mother tries to get reacquainted with her estranged teenage son by taking him on a trip to Taiwan, where she hopes to meet the man with whom she’s having an Internet romance. (2009, Sweden/Taiwan, 88 minutes)

‘The Impossible’
Noon, 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday
The story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Oscar nominee Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor star. (2012, 114 minutes)

‘A Royal Affair’
12:30, 3, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Sunday
A young queen who is married to an insane king falls secretly in love with her physician — and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever. (2012, Denmark/Sweden/Czech Republic, 137 minutes)

‘City Streets’
1:45 and 6:45 p.m. Monday
Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sidney star in this excellent pre-code gangster movie about a sharpshooting carnival man who is roped into the mob when his girlfriend is framed for a murder committed by her bootlegging father. Directed by Rouben Mamoulian, with a screenplay by Dashiell Hammett. (1931, 83 minutes)

‘Silver Linings Playbook’
12:30 and 8 p.m. Thursday
After a stint in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his parents and, during his attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife, meets a mysterious young woman with problems of her own. Bradley Cooper and Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence star. (2012, 122 minutes)

‘After Life’
3 and 5:30 p.m. Thursday
The newly dead are met in a way station by a celestial staff, which helps them in choosing and then re-creating the memory — be it good or bad — that will be all that they take with them into eternity. (1998, Japan, 118 minutes)

MONDAY MOVIE CAFE

TheVenue, 1146 Bethel St. (436-4326); $10, $5 students

‘Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam’
7 p.m. Monday
This documentary takes a candid look back at a significant yet untold event: the $2 million U.S. initiative that airlifted more than 2,500 Vietnamese orphans into America. (2011, 86 minutes)

The Pulse Top 5: ’5th Element,’ SOJA, Stingrey Classic and more

BY JASON GENEGABUS / jason@staradvertiser.com

–Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Brian Tseng, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Kat Wade, Special to the Star-Advertiser

–Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser

Quick Bites: Morning Glass, ‘Meat Dinner,’ more

COMPILED BY NINA WU / nwu@staradvertiser.com

Breakfast for dinner: Fans of Morning Glass Coffee will be happy to hear that the cafe is once again offering its “night breakfast” menu at Taste in Kakaako.

Dinner will be served Tuesday and, if it’s like ones in the past, will include mac ‘n’ cheese pancakes (pancakes filled with macaroni and aged Vermont cheddar), a “mild/wild breakfast torta” with roasted poblano peppers, “midnight noodles” topped with an over-easy Ka Lei egg, a “breakfast pizza” and “Bi Bim Bap-wich,” with bulgogi-style beef served on a baguette with a side salad.

Dessert is a homemade baked doughnut with a “hairbender” espresso glaze topped with cereal milk ice cream.

The “night breakfast” menu (subject to change) will be served from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at Taste, 667 Auahi St. Visit tastetable.com for updates.

Eat meat for a cause: Bruce Aidells, founder of Aidells Sausage Co., and San Francisco chef Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats headline an Extraordinary Meat Dinner on Saturday at Town.

The special event features Hawaii-sourced beef, pork, lamb and venison, paired with wines from Young’s Market Co. Hawaii.

Tickets are $165 per person. A portion of dinner proceeds benefits the Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation.

Each guest will receive a signed copy of Aidells’ “Great Meat Cookbook: Everything You Need to Buy and Cook Today’s Meat.”

Town is at 3435 Waialae Ave. in Kaimuki. Call 941-9088 or visit www.eventbrite.com for tickets.

Lemongrass Saison: Maui Brewing Co. announces Lemongrass Saison, its newest brew in collaboration with Lost Abbey (a brewery in San Marcos, Calif.) using 100 percent Maui-grown lemongrass.

The 5.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) beer uses a combination of white wheat, oats, Pilsner malt, lemongrass, Citra and Nelson Sauvin hops.

The lemongrass for the beer is from a farm in Kaanapali, and the label features an old church in Kahakuloa on the northwest side of Maui. It is expected to pair well with goat cheese, salads and Thai foods.

The first limited release was in mid-April in 12-ounce cans and draft. Visit mauibrewingco.com.

– Email “quickbites” news to nwu@staradvertiser.com.

Pau Hana Patrol: Stylish vibe at Design Center

Stage Restaurant in the Honolulu Design Center offers happy hour specials Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. Among the specials offered during those hours are the Sexy Back Martini, left, with Pulled Pork Bao Buns, Hummus Crostini and Steamed Mini Char Siu Manapuas. –Krystle Marcellus / Kmarcellus@staradvertiser.com

Amuse Wine Bar and the bar at Stage Restaurant are hopping these days, and deservedly so, offering tasty cocktails, a stylish feel and good food at good prices during a daily happy hour.

Small plates big enough for two to share start from $5 during happy hour, and that’s a powerful draw. I visited during a span of days when Stage was marking its anniversary by serving discounted dinners, so between the attractions, I saw the wine bar fill up pretty well by 5:45.

If you want your choice of seating, get there early, but with the establishment’s mix of high tables, couches and bar seats inside Stage, most patrons can likely be accommodated.

The pupu are satisfying and well suited for building up a thirst.

Meanwhile, if you’re a wine drinker, you have an impressively wide variety of options for by-the-glass varietals here.

Additionally, there’s a nice sense of buzz about the place, with tightknit groups of friends and office-mates filling the seats. This is a professional crowd more than a singles scene, though that might actually make it more likely that you get drawn in to a conversation.

Amuse is a dark cave of a wine bar, with long tables meant to hold large groups of friends and co-workers or let patrons make new friends, along with a few low couches. It’s basic black, providing few distractions from the spirits and conversation.

Its special innovation, pioneered in Honolulu by Amuse, is to offer wine- and beer-vending tables that allow your drink of choice to be piped directly into a glass, at the serving size you choose. Pretty neat, and fun to experiment with.

I stuck with cocktails on this last visit, and that was fine, too. Amuse and Stage offer a cocktail menu to accompany happy hour specials. The cocktails are all under $10.

I first tried the Sexy Back ($9), with Stoli Strawberi Vodka, berry puree, lime juice, a Jordan J sparkling wine float and sugared rim. It came out looking like a smoothie in a martini glass, packed a kick and tasted delicious.

Then came the food, which I recommend.

A fan favorite is the grilled cheese sandwich ($5), not too rich but made irresistible with a white truffle essence and Havarti cheese. I liked the quality of the bread, the slight char and the truffle essence in the crispy sandwich.

We had the garlic edamame — soggy, bland and nothing special at $5. But things perked up again with Pulled Pork Bao Buns and Steamed Mini Char Siu Manapuas, both doughy, delicious and $6.

If the limited menu isn’t to your choosing, most days other menu items are available, too. Check with the restaurant.

You might want to call ahead to check on parties or special events for another reason, too: On my visit, with an office party in the windowed side room, my server seemed unable to deal with all her customers. We were neglected for long stretches, thirsty for another round.

Once all our plates and drinks were in place, however, people-watching and noshing from the couch were pretty nice.

FEELING FLUSH after ordering the bargain bites, I finished off my night with a Fashionable Jack ($9). A variation on the Old-Fashioned, it’s a bit sweet but tasty, with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, triple sec, muddled orange and ginger ale.

My dining partner ordered the Orange Dreamsicle ($8), a thick dessert drink with whipped cream vodka, Stoli Vanil Vodka, liquid sugar and orange juice.

There are a few cocktails I couldn’t get to that would draw me back for a taste, including the Dis-So-Ono ($9), meant to remind drinkers of an Almond Joy candy bar, with Disaronno Amaretto, coconut and chocolate syrups and whipped cream, or the Garden Mist ($9), made with muddled cucumber, basil and lime juice, Patron Silver tequila, liquid sugar and ginger ale.

I’d go back, with the discounted food as a major incentive, and invite friends to join me.

But I would check on the establishment’s party schedule first — and maybe sit closer to the bar.

‘Tosca’ back in HOT lineup

Opera singers Jill Gardner, as Floria Tosca, and Michael Chioldi, as Baron Scarpia, will perform in Hawaii Opera Theatre’s production of “Tosca,” by Giacomo Puccini. (Cindy Ellen Russell / crussell@staradvertiser.com)

By Steven Mark / smark@staradvertiser.com

“Tosca” is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire, and it’s easy to see why. Puccini’s melodrama features everything from political and sexual intrigue to manipulation, torture, backstabbing (literally) and other assorted mayhem. No wonder a part of it was used in the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace.”

It’s all tied up in a singer named Floria Tosca, a raven-haired, dark-eyed beauty who proclaims — in third person no less, like a star athlete touting his talents — “Tosca’s blood burns with a mad love.”

“She is a very complex, multifaceted, mercurial, chameleonlike character,” said soprano Jill Gardner, who performs the title role in the Hawaii Opera Theatre production that opens today. “But I think at the root of her is an overwhelming motivation to love, to find love in life, to love humanity through her self and her music and her voice, and also to love and be of service to God.

“So although she’s very fiery and temperamental and a very strong woman, I also think these subtler shades of her are as interesting as the more obvious ones.”

Indeed, “Tosca” is not an “opera-within-an-opera” kind of story, nor is it a “behind the scenes” tale. Although she is a diva, “the only time where she’s the diva or the singer in action is in a cantata which happens offstage,” Gardner said. “So all the moments that you experience of Tosca are private and personal ones.”

Set during the Napoleonic invasions of Italy in 1800, the opera tells the story of a singer who gets trapped between her love for political prisoner Mario, portrayed by Tongan native and former pro football player Ta’u Pupu’a, and scheming police captain Scarpia, played by Michael Chioldi. Chioldi returns to HOT after a well-received 2010 performance as Count Almaviva in “Marriage of Figaro.”

Complicating matters is the fact that Tosca’s status as a court favorite puts her in conflict with her lover’s politics. “If she stays with him, she knows within herself that she is going to have to leave the state,” Gardner said. “They are ultimately going to have to run away together … but she never thought that those moments would come at his bidding.”

Scarpia, on the other hand, has his own ideas. He too is a power player in society who has gotten everything that he could want — an 1800s version of a 1-percenter, Chioldi said: “the most powerful man (in Rome), other than the pope.”

The one thing lacking? Conquering Tosca, which Scarpia sets to with an almost gleeful depravity.

LIKE MANY actors, Chioldi prefers to play the bad guy rather than the good, with Scarpia a favorite.

“Evil characters are so much more interesting because they’re so much more complex, from a dramatic point of view as well as a musical point of view.”

In the famous “Te Deum” scene, Scarpia lays out his plan to entrap Tosca and then bend her to his will.

“It’s one of the great operatic moments of all of opera,” he said. “The orchestra’s wailing away, you have a pipe organ, you have chimes and bells, you have a kids chorus, you have the big chorus and then me singing on top of it all.”

Gardner, who is performing Tosca for the sixth time in her career, gets her major solo in “Vissi d’Arte” (“I Live for Art”). It is the only moment of reflection in the opera, which is otherwise through-written with short recitative passages connecting scenes and driving the plot.

“It’s almost for me like a little island of poetry and music,” Garner said.

“She finds herself in this most vulnerable moment that Scarpia has pushed her towards,” Gardner said. “She is truly reaching in her depths and asking God the proverbial question, Why do bad things happen to good people?

“Puccini wrote for the human voice, in my opinion, as no other composer. He understands the real balance that needs to happen between the most beautiful or the most dramatic vocalism with the particular dramatic situation that you find yourself in. He is a master at this.”

Quadraphonix, Iyeoka team for eclectic night

Quadraphonix headlined a show at Fresh Cafe in November to raise funds for the band’s Asia Tour. (Kat Wade / Special to the Star-Advertiser)

By Elizabeth Kieszkowski / ekieszkowski@staradvertiser.com

Back from a winter tour of Malaysia, Singapore and Japan, Quadraphonix is brimming with energy and ideas — and ready to put them to the test.

This weekend, you have two chances to see them in town: at a special concert and video shoot Saturday at Ong King, and at ARTafterDARK’s Secret Sound Showcase tonight (see our Do It! picks on Page 2 for more on that).

Those who come to the Saturday show may even gain a little YouTube fame in the process.

QUADRAPHONIX returned from its Asia Tour in February, after an adventurous trip that included a visit to guitarist Shree Sadagopan’s former home on Penang, in Malaysia.

Sadagopan’s Indian/ Malaysian background has informed the band’s latest music, self-described as a “funk/jazz/blues/Indian/ Asian and Persian blend of world beat.” It’s a global stew, for sure, with the hip-hop lyricists in Ninja Pleez rapping over Afro-Caribbean and just plain funky drum beats, bubbling bass and winding guitar lines.

“I’m proud of all the things I’ve learned here, and I was proud to bring it back to Malaysia, too …” Sadagopan said.

“Now that we’re back, I don’t want to sit around,” he said. “I want to get this band back to an international level. It’s expensive, but it’s so rewarding.”

Saturday’s video shoot is a step to help inform new potential fans and venues for the band outside of Hawaii.

In today’s YouTube era, Quadraphonix is in need of a polished video calling card.

THE CONCERT includes a performance by Iyeoka, a charismatic Nigerian-American singer-songwriter and spoken-word performer out of Boston who is gaining international recognition.

Her 2011 video, “Simply Falling,” has drawn more than 7.5 million hits on YouTube. It’s a showcase for her smoky voice — a sweet track of sensual urban soul music a la Amy Winehouse. Iyeoka’s overall style is more upbeat than Winehouse’s, though, and may also appeal to fans of contemporary funk/R&B a la John Legend.

She’s also a widely admired spoken-word performer, who met members of Quadraphonix while appearing in Honolulu.

Iyeoka and Quadraphonix developed a fast musical friendship, with Iyeoka appearing on a track from the Honolulu band’s new album, “Blues in the Ragas.”

Sadagopan said it’s possible they will appear together on tour dates in the future.

VIDEOGRAPHER Silvin Morgan is flying in to do the shoot, with the first half of the April 27 show devoted to Quadraphonix, and the second half with the band backing Iyeoka.

“Sylvan has a great eye for live acts,” Sadagopan said.

“We want to capture the energy of that, like First Friday — that’s the shows we have been doing. But we can’t do it on First Friday, that would be too chaotic,” he said. … “So we set up our own show.”

The band is hoping for an enthusiastic crowd at the show, building live energy for the video. While there’s a $10 suggested cover charge to help cover costs, including flying in a videographer, Sadagopan says no one will be turned away.

Sadagopan said he expects to have cameras on the ceiling, with a videographer roving the audience as well.

“Every time we play at Ong King, the audience is right up in our face, and I love that,” he said.

“I asked, ‘How can we capture that?’”

Variety of events make up Mele Mei

Previously, the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards show was a stand-alone event. It’s now the center of a full month of concerts, conferences and competitions. Pictured: Nathan Aweau. (Courtesy photo)

By John Berger / jberger@staradvertiser.com

There was a time when it seemed the only thing the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts did during the year was present the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. The joke in the industry was that some HARA board members were like bears who only came out of hibernation to get face time as emcees or award presenters at the show.

Starting Saturday through the month of May, many local artists will perform, including, John Cruz. (Star-Advertiser / 2013)

It isn’t like that in 2013. HARA’s current president, Pali Ka’aihue, says board members these days look forward to a “a few weeks in June” as a break in what is otherwise a year-round volunteer job.

“We all have (year-round) responsibilities,” Ka’aihue said Saturday, making time for a call amid preparations for this year’s Hoku Awards.

Unlike the old days, when the Hokus were a stand-alone event, Hawaii’s regional music industry equivalent of the Grammys Awards show is now the keystone event of Mele Mei.

The event has evolved to become part festival, part industry gathering, encompassing a full month of concerts, cultural conferences, workshops, hula exhibitions and competitions — and awards shows.

MELE MEI begins tomorrow with the HARA Lifetime Achievement Awards Luncheon at the Ala Moana Hotel and continues through to a May 28 showcase performance by first-time nominees Na Hoa at the Halekulani.

The winners of the 36th Annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards will be revealed May 27 at the Hawai’i Convention Center.

Mele Mei has grown in recent years, Ka’aihue said, as HARA became “proactive rather than reactive” in supporting the Hawaii music industry with more than an annual awards show.

“There was only the Hokus at one point, and then we expanded that with the Lifetime Achievement Awards,” he said.

“Then we decided to start doing a festival. The concept that evolved from that was that it would be great to work and rally with other promoters and other nonprofit organizations that have a similar goal of promoting music or culture, or dance or language during the same period — especially during May.”

“We want to really build (Mele Mei) up into something that would say, ‘This month, especially, is a month to celebrate music and hula and language and culture together.’”

All going well, Ka’aihue says, Mele Mei will “give Hawaii an additional attraction for those who might be considering coming to Hawaii in May, whether it be from the mainland or Japan or internationally or what have you. … The idea is that every week in May will be anchored with something.”

HARA and its partners have some heavy weekly “anchors” indeed.

The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame’s “Lei of Stars” dinner and show Wednesday honors its latest inductees.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village is presenting a big fundraiser concert May 11 with proceeds benefiting the 35th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk.

The Waikiki Improvement Association is holding the International Hula Conference at the convention center from May 17 to 19.

Throughout the month the Halekulani is presenting contemporary Hawaiian music in a weekly series of showcase performances on Tuesdays. Hi’ikua will open the series Tuesday.

There are also Mele Mei events scheduled for Kauai, Maui and Hawaii.

“That was always the intention, but obviously we had to grow it (on Oahu) first,” Ka’aihue said. “And this is definitely building.”

Looking beyond this year’s jam-packed Mele Mei schedule, the Hoku Awards and those “few weeks in June,” Ka’aihue said the HARA board is committed to reaching out to all parts of the Hawaii recording industry and partnering with other groups to increase the reach of Hawaii-resident recording artists of all genres.

“We really have to be proactive,” he said, in paying attention to the full musical community and the relationship HARA members have with it.

“We’ve tried to re-prioritize where our focus is and to create more opportunities, where possible,” for recording artists of all genres,” Ka’aihue said.

“Hawaiian music is the staple of our culture, but culture evolves. There are people who love Hawaiian music and Hawaiian language and culture. They just choose to do a different kind of music.”

Na Hoa. (Courtesy photo)

Anuhea. (Courtesy photo)

Na Palapalai. (Courtesy photo)

Sing the Body. (Courtesy photo)

REACHING OUT has meant activating additional Hoku Award categories for non-Hawaiian music in a timely manner — and more quickly than has been done in the past.

Based on HARA’s own guidelines, there could have been a category for reggae by 1992 — but it wasn’t until 1999 that the category was added.

By way of contrast, Ka’aihue and his immediate predecessors, Marlene Sai and Ku’uipo Kumukahi, responded right away to industry requests for categories for Music Video DVDs and R&B/Hip-Hop music, and responded with equal speed when local hip-hop artists made the case for giving hip-hop its own category.

Three new categories — Alternative Album, Instrumental Composition and Ukulele Album — were created this year. And, unlike the old days, the categories were activated immediately for this year’s Hoku Awards, rather than becoming effective for next year.

Ka’aihue and other board members have conducted public outreach meetings to connect with musicians and other members of the local music community.

The goal is to explain what HARA is doing and to get input on how the organization can better represent Hawaii resident recording artists who don’t play Hawaiian music.

“I think that’s one of the steps forward,” Ka’aihue said. “We want balance when it comes to the Hoku Awards.

“We want to continue to embrace the (larger music) community and embrace how our music is growing.”

“I hope that even after my time passes as president and being on the board that it will always be that way. I remember when it was the other way; it made zero sense to me.”

Weldon Kekauoha. (Courtesy photo)

This year’s International Waikiki Hula Conference is part of Mele Mei. (Star-Advertiser / 2008)

Mele Mei Events

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

HARA Lifetime Achievement Awards Luncheon
Where: Hibiscus Ballroom, Ala Moana Hotel
When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Cost: $75
Info: www.nahokuhanohano.org

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame Lei of Stars Concert
Where: Royal Hawaiian Hotel
When: 5:30-9:30 p.m.
Cost: $125

THURSDAY, MAY 2

‘O.pio Youth Vocal Competition
Where: The Willows, 901 Hausten St.
When: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Info: 952-9200

Raiatea Helm. (Courtesy photo)

TUESDAY, MAY 7

Halekulani Presents the New Generation
Featuring: Hi’ikua
Where: Halekulani Hotel
When: 7-9 p.m.
Cost: Free

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Henry Kapono: Home in the Islands
Where: Hawaii Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $35-$75
Info: 528-0506 or www.hawaiitheatre.com

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Hilton Hawaiian Village Mele Mei Concert
Featuring: John Cruz, Maunalua and Raiatea Helm
Where: Hilton Hawaiian Village
When: 6 p.m.
Cost: $25 (general admission), $50 (VIP seating) and $600 for a VIP table of six (includes dinner and one beverage per person).
Info: Call 947-7955 or stop by the Entertainment Desk in the hotel lobby between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.
Note: Validated parking is $5; valet, $13 plus tip.

SUNDAY, MAY 12

“Legacy” Mother’s Day Concert
Featuring: Na Hoa, Eric Lee, Kanani Kahaunaele and Kamaka Fernandez
Where: Pacific Beach Hotel
When: 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $70 and $90 (VIP)
Info: 922-1233

Moana Surfrider Mele Mei Mother’s Day Concert
Featuring: Weldon Kekauoha and Mark Yamanaka
Where: Moana Surfrider Hotel
Time: TBA
Price: TBA
Info: info@nahokuhanohano.org

Manawa Kupono
Featuring: Mailani, Jerry Santos, Teresa Bright and the Dalire Ohana
Where: Paliku Theatre
Time: 1 and 6 p.m.
Cost: $25 pre-sale, $30 door

TUESDAY, MAY 14

Halekulani Presents the New Generation
Featuring: Natalie Ai Kamauu
Where: Halekulani Hotel
When: 7-9 p.m.
Cost: Free

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 17-19

International Hula Conference
Where: Hawai’i Convention Center
When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $385, $250
Info: www.waikikiimprovement.com

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MAY 18-19

Hawaii Book and Music Festival
Where: Frank Fasi Civic Grounds
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Info: www.hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Waimea Valley Kanikapila
Where: Waimea Valley
When: noon-3 p.m.
Cost: Free

‘Ukulele Slack & Steel Jam
Where: Kapiolani Bandstand
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: Free

TUESDAY, MAY 21

Halekulani Presents the New Generation
Featuring: Nathan Aweau
Where: Halekulani Hotel
When: 7-9 p.m.
Cost: Free

THURSDAY, MAY 23

Mele Mei Pakele Live!
Where: The Willows, 901 Hausten St.
When: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: $34.95 (dinner and show); no-cover cocktail seating with pupu service also available
Info: 952-9200

FRIDAY, MAY 24

Na Hoku Hanohano Music Festival
Where: Hawai’i Convention Center
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $25

SATURDAY, MAY 25

36th Annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards
Where: Hawai’i Convention Center
When: 5-10 p.m.
Cost: $150 (includes dinner and show)

SUNDAY, MAY 26

Ogo’s Concert Lu’au
Where: Corner Kitchen, 477 Kapahulu Ave.
When: 1-5 p.m.
Cost: TBA
Info: 732-3217

Hula i ke Kai

Where: Waikiki Hula Mound
When: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: Free

TUESDAY, MAY 28

Halekulani Presents the New Generation
Featuring: Na Hoa
Where: Halekulani Hotel
When: 7-9 p.m.
Cost: Free