Show Biz Archives - Page 56 of 85

March 10, 2022March 10, 2022

ISLE TWOSOME IN FAMOUS DUO GIG

Ben Vegas and Johnny Valentine, singers and guitarists alike, don’t normally work together.

However, they’re assembling a Songs From Famous Duos evening, at 7:30 p.m. March 19, at Medici’s at Manoa Marketplace.

No indication of which duo’s songbag they’ll explore, but I betcha among the teammates they could easily salute include Loggins and Messina, Simon and Garfunkel, Hall and Oates, The Carpenters, Sonny and Cher, Jan and Dean, Air Supply, The Righteous Brothers and The Everly Brothers, if you’re considering only performers.

But if they’re dipping into famous pairs of composers, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Elton John and /or Bernie Taupin and Tim Rice, and even Henry Kapono and Cecilio Rodrigues could fill the bill.

Vegas and Valentine are longtime performers in Hawaii; Vegas is an ex-member of The Krush and had been, in recent years, part of a duo with Maila Gibson. Valentine has been frontman for a band on the Waikiki circuit for decades, and he’s a much-in-demand musician in both concert and studio work.

Tickets: $59, includes dinner; doors open at 6 p.m. Information: (808) 351-0901. …

Cazimero, dancers in symphony show

Robert Cazimero will join the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra ai 7:30 p.m. April 22 at the Hawaii Theatre. It will be his biggest stage endeavor since the pandemic, and he provided a preview of what to expect.

Yes, he’s involving a few gents from his Halau Na Kamalei O Likolehua; yes, wahine from his Royal Dance Company will offer hula during his vocals; yes, all dancers will join him together, too.

His repertoire will include many songs from “Mine,” his newest CD; there will be moments when Cazimero will be at the piano, too; and for one song, it’ll be a true solo (only his voice and his keyboard artistry), so the gig is a wide representation of his astonishing artistry.

Tickets: $18 to $99. Visit www.myhso.org/concerts or call (808) 380-7720. Part of the Hapa Symphony series. …

Who else and where

More musical notes:

Raiatea Helm also sashays into the aforementioned HSO series, with a Hapa Symphony show at 7:30 p.m. May 13 at the Hawaii Theatre. Tickets: same as above. …
Jake Shimabukuro returns to the Blue Note Hawaii at 7 p.m. March 23. Tickets: $59. Visit: www.bluenotehawaii.com or call (808) 729-4718.
Streetlight Cadence also revisit the Blue Note at 6:30 and 9 p.m. March 20. Tickets: $45 to $59. Visit www.bluenotehawaii.com or call (808) 729-4718.

Opportunities for playwrights

Did you know that Kumu Kahua and Bamboo Ridge Press sponsor a monthly PlayWrite competition, enabling theatrical scriptwriters to get noticed?

Writers can enter the competition to test the waters of their competency and imagination. A 10-page maximum, devised from a monthly theme, might be your ticket to bigger and greater things. Mostly, you’ll get noticed!

Wynn Oshiro’s “Grandma Says” – about a police officer catching a grandparent teaching their grandkids to burn and pop illegal fireworks – won the January contest. The deadline for the February contest is past – the theme was a scene about first meeting of two characters, a local and a visitor, that develops into a relationship.

Information: www.kumukahua.org or 898-536-4441. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

March 7, 2022March 7, 2022

SALESPERSON HONORS FOR MUFI AND CHA

Two prominent figures in the island’s hospitality industry will be saluted as Salespersons of the Year on April 28.

The honorees:

Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Assn.
Cha Thompson, co-founder of Tihati Productions.

The Sales and Marketing Executives, which annually hosts a luncheon event to tap one of the community’s top salesperson, this year is staging a double bill twosome because of the pandemic over the past two and a half years that put a pause on the award.

Hannemann is the

2019 year recipient, and Thompson is the 2021 winner.

This year’s event will be a dinner, and save-the-date postcards have been mailed to prospective attendees. However, an updated reminder will be issued, since the initial announcement of the SME winners contains outdated information; instead of the planned ‘Alohilani Resort, the event has been moved to the Sheraton Waikiki ballroom because of a larger audience.

The SME award is bestowed to a community member who has enhanced the image of Hawaii and is committed to uphold the quality of life in Hawaii.

Both honorees have extensive background and accomplishments in community endeavors, past and present, involving public service, volunteerism, and leadership.

Hannemann is a former mayor of Honolulu, serving two terms from 2005 to 2009, and is known as an executive and professional consultant with a penchant for improving the visitor experience in Hawaii. Honolulu-born and Harvard-educated, he has been an all-star athlete in football and basketball. A towering figure because of his height, Hannemann is a leader in the Samoan community with a keen understanding of both the political and business aspects due to his service in these fields.

Thompson, the self-proclaimed Queen of Kalihi, married her Farrington High School sweetheart, Jack Thompson, and they co-founded Tihati Productions more than 50 years ago. The Thompsons via Tihati Productions produces Polynesian productions statewide, providing authentic Polynesian shows that have become a cultural resource and amenity that have entertained visitors from all over the world. A full-time mother, wife, grandmother and great-grandmother, Thompson also is a hula dancer, businesswoman, sometimes actress, a former police commissioner and a steadfast supporter of the visitor industry. Afatia Thompson and Misty Thompson Tufono , son and daughter of Jack and Cha, now oversee Tihati. Information: info@smehonolulu.org …

Mom’s the word

Frank DeLima will star in a Mother’s Day comedy brunch show at 1 p.m. May 8 at Blue Note

Hawaii at the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel. Doors open at 11 a.m. for brunch and drinks; menu items range from quiche to a luau plate, from biscuits and gravy to a musubi sampler with three dippings. Call (808) 777-4898 visit www.bluenotehawaii.com

Arashi anniversary film

Arashi, one of Japan’s boy band faves and now dissolved, will be seen on the big screen of the Hawaii Theatre.

The group’s “5×20 Film: Record of Memories” will be screened in a one-night-only concert attraction at 7 p.m. March 23 in Consolidated’s theaters at Ward Center, Kapolei, Kahala, Mililani and Pearlridge.

Arashi disbanded following the completion of the group’s s 5×20 anniversary tour. Its members include Masaki Aiba, Jun Matsumotoa, Kazunari Ninomiya, Satoshi Ohno and Sho Sakurai; the film was directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi.

Tickets will be available at each participating theater. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

March 4, 2022March 4, 2022

M & M: SURPRISINGLY SWEET TWINBILL

That Martin Nievera/Michael Paulo concert last night (March 3) at the Ala Moana by Mantra’s Hibiscus Ballroom, was a surprisingly sweet double bill of two locals who previously had never performed together on the same stage.

One exudes sexiness and charm, in his ballads; the other is all about the sax, a hoot of a tooter.

The pair have common backgrounds. Nievera is the son of Roberto Nievera, the late featured balladeer with the Society of Seven, and is Manila-born and Hawaii-raised. Paulo is an island native, the son of a singing mom and pianist dad who were known as Rene and Akemi Paulo in their heyday; his siblings are performers, too, and Paulo’s smooth jazz and pop riffs were part of the Kalapana legacy.

Incredibly, the twain never met till now. Nievera etched a career as the “concert king of the Philippines,” as a singer and TV host, and Paulo as a renowned jazz musician focused on his awesome saxophone tooting.

Clearly, this M&M union won’t be the last.

Martin Nievera and Michael Paulo: A surprising sweet M&M collaboration.

The sellout Ala Moana gig seemed to bring out each artist’s best. Nievera has always been a crooner of a tuner, like his dad, creating an imprint of love ballads mixed with slightly upbeat originals rendered in English and Filipino, signaling his wide international following. Paulo never sings a note, but sax’s the thing for him; his fingers work magic with the instrument, which emits eloquent sentiments without the arc of traditional language, but a vocabulary that reflects a variety of moods. He also is mobile and magical, traipsing through the crowd, never missing a note.

How the pair would share the stage was the question.

So: Paulo offered a nearly hour-long set of jolting, expressive jazz tunes, incorporating his unique brand of hip-hopping prancing choreography, reflecting his joy and savvy in sax-speak, to coin a term; and he even jumped onto a table to show his socko involving power as an unrivaled risk-taker.

After an intermission, Paulo’s musicians became the house band for Nievera.

Nievera is never known to disappoint; he is witty, playful, inventive and totally in control, belting out the familiar like “Corner of the Sky” and “I Love You More Today Than Yesterday,”

with confidence and charm. He adores adulation, and always makes an impression, this time jumping off stage to parade amidst the fans, utilizing a Plexiglas frame to suggest pandemic protocols. Unconventional, but a thrill for the audience.

One of the sweetly satisfying but unexpected duet was on Al Jarreau’s signature tune, “Mornin’,” with Nievera providing the voice and Paulo emoting the saxophone riffs, recalling the era when he was a sideman in Jarreau’s band. The sax accompaniment was otherwise sparing, thus effective.

Nievera, a composer when he’s not singing, shared two touching originals that showcased the depth and breadth of his sentiments. “Sacrifice,” inspired by the frontliners (first responders, hospital workers), reflected the themes of service and oneness – “we’re in it together,” as one phrase suggested. The other sentimental journey, “I’m Be There for You,” promised attention and love for the singer’s three sons, two in their 30s and making their niches in life, the third age 15 with special needs.

Clearly, Nievera has matured over the decades, and realizes he is a veteran and a likely role model for future wannabes. After all, he will mark his 40^th year next July 5 as an entertainer; to anticipate the upcoming milestone, he did a reflective medlley that collated the memorable “Be My Lady” and “You Are My Song,” signatures in his repertoire.

Paulo’s sizzling band included Tateng Katindig, keyboards; Johnny Valentine, electric guitar; David Inamine, bass; Michael Grande, keyboards; Garin Poliahu, drums. For his segments, Nievera tapped two backup female singers and a trio comprising a horn section (sorry, identities unknown).

The M&M bill attracted quite a celebrity crowd, including former Governor Ben Cayetano and gubernatorial candidate Vicky Cayetano, Ginny Tiu, Jack and Cha Thompson, Danny Kaleikini, Melveen Leed, Augie Tulba, Emme Tomimbang, and the aforementioned Paulo parents.

Technically speaking, the lighting was erratic, lacking brightness for much of the evening, and the audio occasionally was uncomfortably louder than necessary.

March 1, 2022March 1, 2022

CHATTER PLENTIFUL IN NCIS WORLD

There’s a swirl of rumors – some true, some likely mere chatter for now – in the “NCIS” universe.

The first, in the “NCIS: Hawai‘i” brand, is that a crossover plan with the original mothership show, “NCIS,” still is in the works, with an episode to be filmed in Hawaii with two guest stars from the original show, coming here to paradise. For a brief spell, three players were to participate.

Wilbur Valderama, portraying Nick Torres, and Katrina Law, playing Jessie Knight, were the first two named for the crossover to solve crimes with Vanessa Lachey, who is NCIS brand’s lone woman boss, Jane Tennant. The duo’s still awaiting the assignment in Hawaii.

A third actor, Brian Dietzen, who is medical examiner Jimmy Palmer, was later added on a short list of guest actors…but the brakes were put on his guest gig. Could happen later, if the Hawaii show lands an anticipated second-season order as expected, but in the meantime, Dietzen can unpack his bag and wait out the decision.

With little fanfare, CBS announced the formation of “NCIS: Australia,” planned for the 2023 season, likely to be led by the Hawaii showrunners, Christopher Silber and Jan Nash, who came over here from the “NCIS: New Orleans” hierarchy, triggering the latest buzz that Scott Bakula , who played Dwayne Pride in the Big Easy show, might be a logical choice to honcho the show in Sydney, since the N.O. project received an undeserved pink slip.

However, the news about the Down Under spin-off, timetable unknown, fueled more buzz that Cote de Pablo might also come out of the shadows, to reprise agent Ziva David, from the original Mark Harmon production.

Neither the Bakula/Pride nor the de Pablo/David situations have been properly confirmed. Thus, we might as well toss in another viewer-oriented queary: Since Michael Weatherly, who played Tony DiNozzo opposite the David character (they had great chemistry, the best between two investigators in the franchise’s history), now is unemployed and available since his “Bull” series has been canceled, could he be considered for the Aussie team. too? Just thinking. …

Clublicity

Air Supply, featuring Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, will return to Blue Note Hawaii in a two-night stand and another three-show gig, at 8 p.m. March 8 and 9 and again March 11 to 13. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner and beverage service.. Ticket prices vary: for March 8 and 9, $145 premium, $90 for loge seating and bar zone; for March 11 to 13, $165 and $115 for the parallel seating. …

Streetlight Cadence also return to the Blue Note, at 6:30 and 9 p.m. March 20. Doors open a 5 p.m. and at 8:30 p.m. Tickers: $35 premium, $12 loge and bar zones. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022

HEARTBREAKING: NEWSROOM SHUTDOWN

It’s old news but sad news about the state of your daily newspaper.

For all practical reasons, the newsroom of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser has virtually shut down. Most reporters – the heartbeat of local news gathering – have been working from home since last fall. The work-at-home decision clearly is one way to reduce overhead costs.

But there’s something to say about devoted reporters and editors, toiling side by side with common goals of putting out a daily paper. The water fountain chit-chats are long gone. The camaraderie is nil.

“They closed the newsroom for good – can you believe it?” one veteran newsroom reporter told me in an email.

“It’s very sad and hurtful,” another said.

“(We’re) told everyone work-from-home is the new rule of law; I’m sure it’s saving the company a ton of money but the real expense is the lost of a vibrant newsroom.”

You’ve heard of “breaking news,” the usual media term whenever something worth your attention is announced. Well, “heartbreaking news” is the unannounced (to the public) situation at the Waterfront Row HQ of the morning daily. If TV reported this newsroom policy, I missed it. Honolulu magazine once dubbed the vicinity Death Row, since the early vibe of Restaurant Row (the site’s original name) disappeared.

So it’s a time to mourn, really.

As the state continues to struggle to return to restore the new normal for its citizens, the paper is shrinking and sinking its own ship by this work-at-home decree. I mean, haven’t the schools reopened for most campuses and government workers back to the daily routine since the protocols have been relaxed?

Sure, skeletal crews are still toiling at the paper; editors, page designers and select hired hands essential in getting the paper out still are bound to desk stations.

But the heartbeat of journalism is the corps of news-gatherers, working the phones and bellowing to colleagues and yakking about the latest restaurant to open or close, as part of the rhythm of newsroom life?

I know. I’ve been there. For 45 years full-time at the then-stand alone Honolulu Advertiser, located at the Kapiolani Blvd./South Street landmark, then another dozen years as a retired free-lance contributor writing a column for the combined Honolulu Star-Advertiser, till I was summarily dismissed because of the looming health threat in the spring of 2019. Cost-cutting was the convenient alibi, but I couldn’t live on what I was paid, anyway, since I worked from home and paid for my own entertainment fees when reviewing shows. Still do, for my online presence now.

You knew the paper was suffering, when the daily four-section product became a two-second minimalist, when the pandemic was invasive and shutting down everything. It cut out a Saturday edition (online only, still) but restored the sports section so the daily paper now has three sections. The fourth – formerly Today, Island life when there were two papers, and then Detours as part of the merger– is seemingly gone forever. The arts community misses the separate entertainment/features section most papers traditionally retain. The newish Crave tabloid, like the Sunday Dining Out pull-out, is mainly an avenue for potential advertisers, lured to buy a Wednesday and a Sunday combo ad. Many of the food reporters work from home, too.

Full-time beat reporters no longer have an office desk or phone. Go figure.

As one source indicated, “they (the bean counters) set up offices on the fifth floor for when people need a space to work, but no dedicated desks. And the newspaper is really bad; it’s embarrassing. I don’t have to tell you that.”

It’s also clear that the union has no muscle to argue the necessity and validity of the newsroom vibe. Not sure if some, or most, reporters like working from home, paying for their own smart phones and utilizing their own computers to file a story. The side amenity: no bosses to bother you.

The cutbacks might have been an essential decision when COVID was a daunting enemy, but the villain now appears to be at the publisher level with a mission to keep costs down.

The office communal esprit is what’s missing, for veteran reporters who know that camaraderie is part of the vitality of the newsroom.

“I miss the buzz and energy of the newsroom – a truly unique workspace. And especially in our business; you need to be able to bounce off each other, walk around, shoot the bull, compare notes, etc.,” said one longtimer. The vacuum might also impact cub reporters, at the start of their print careers. “How are the rookies supposed to learn, the ropes without being able to see the pros in action, yelling at each other and over the phone,” said the vet, hanging in there but can’t wait to retire. …

And that’s Show Biz. …