By Jason Genegabus

Saw lots of familiar faces at Pipeline Cafe on Thursday during “MySpace.com Presents: The Release” with Chicago’s Lupe Fiasco.

Flip the Bird’s Tassho Pearce and Hot 93.9’s DJ XL were the opening acts in the main room. Former Hawaii resident DJ Anit was in the side room early, and I saw DJ Roxy Cottontail in the building after Lupe’s set.

I must admit, I wasn’t completely on the Lupe Fiasco bandwagon before I went to the show. He’s just a little too Kanye-like for me with his rock star attitude.

But once he shut up and started rapping, it was all good. “The Cool” is selling well in stores, and Fiasco performed a number of new tracks in addition to “Kick Push,” the track that put him on the map in 2006.

I already have “Food and Liquor,” and now I think I’m going to have to go out and buy a retail copy of the new album to go with my digital version.

Enjoy the video. Happy New Year!

Links:
Low-Res Version (YouTube)
HD Version (Vimeo)

UPDATE: There’s lots of video from the concert on YouTube. Check it out here, here or here. Some are better quality than others.

By Jason Genegabus

Tiki’s Grill and Bar will provide a unique service on New Year’s Eve for those with friends and family on the mainland.

Tiki Drop 2008 is a partnership between the Waikiki establishment and EarthCam.com, an online collection of webcams from various locations around the world.

New Year’s Eve is always a popular time for this kind of stuff. Evidently, there are a lot of closet voyeurs out there who like to watch watch others are doing.

This year, Tiki’s agreed to participate and will have a rotating, high-quality video camera set up to capture footage throughout the evening. Customers who show up to help ring in 2008 will be seen online by an estimated one million viewers on the EarthCam-hosted site.

According to a press release, cameras will film parties in Times Square along with 14 other locations around the world. They include Washington DC, Las Vegas and Seattle, as well as London, Prague and Malta.

Both live and archived views of national and international celebrations will be available for viewing.

Back in Waikiki, Tiki’s will celebrate with three live bands and menu specials.

Kaleokahia will start the night off at 5 p.m. with a mix of traditional and contemporary island tunes. Johnny’s Hawaiian Experience will keep the night rolling, followed by FreeSound and a champagne toast just before the fireworks at midnight.

The best part about this party?

NO COVER CHARGE, although reservations are strongly recommended. Call 923-8454.

By Jason Genegabus

Early deadlines for New Year’s Eve meant I spent the weekend doing some extra work to get my first column of 2008 turned in ahead of my normal schedule.

This will be the third time that I’ve taken a look back at the previous year. Call it a progress report on Clubland – a quick recap of all the highlights from the bar/nightclub/concert scene.

In order to write the column, I went through all my iCal entries from 2007 and sifted through hundreds of digital fliers that fill a folder on my desktop. I also went back and re-read the majority of my columns to refresh my alcohol-soaked memory.

You’ll see the end result on Friday. For now, check out the picture above of my notes, snapped with my trusty cell phone camera.

By Jason Genegabus

ANOTHER LOCAL nightlife landmark is calling it quits this weekend after nearly three decades of service in Waikiki.

Originally known as the Jazz Cellar, the Cellar Waikiki opened on Lewers Street in 1979 and featured live music nightly during most of it’s first 15 years in business. In the late ’80s, the club was named one of the “Top 50 Rock Clubs in the Country” by Rolling Stone magazine.

Cellar co-owners Rich Groder and Heine Fountain endured the change in Honolulu’s drinking age to 21 years old in 1986, the closing of sister club Cilly’s in 1994 and the Waikiki Beach Walk’s construction from 2005 to 2007.

But they were unable to survive the 50 percent drop in business that construction caused, and crowds that have since returned to Lewers appear to favor newer additions in the surrounding area.

The Cellar says aloha with a full weekend of parties, starting with an invitation-only event from 9 p.m. to midnight on Friday featuring live entertainment by Rod Tanu and the Volcanoes (doors open to the general public at midnight). On Saturday they’ll celebrate New Year’s Eve early, with Steepcliff playing live and DJ Rude Dogg on the decks, and all former Cellar staff are invited to an “Employees Only Farewell Party” from 8 p.m. to midnight on Sunday.

Call 923-9952 for more info …

BEFORE WE get to my picks for New Year’s Eve, I’ve got some ideas for those who want to start celebrating on Friday and keep things going all weekend long.

New York’s DJ Roxy Cottontail (pictured) is in town for the holidays and will join DJ Eskae at thirtyninehotel for “Soul Clap” on Friday, after spinning at the Lupe Fiasco show the night before and turning in a guest set during “Kaleidoscope” last week at NextDoor. Check out my blog for an exclusive video interview with the promoter/DJ/rapper.

Head back to thirtyninehotel on Saturday for a special edition of “The Next Movement,” with DJs Sifu “Jive”Walker and mr.nick on the decks, live hip-hop by the Deadbeats and a fashion show featuring clothes by JJ Enos, Ron Kayano and Split Obsession.

In Waikiki, Lotus Soundbar launches its new “Empire” weekly with DJs Marlon, Betty, Mike J, Packo, Technique, Sonik and friends.

And don’t sleep on Sunday nights at the Living Room. “Faded 5 Sundays” is one of my top choices this year when it comes to ending the weekend on a high note …

AND NOW, let’s get down to business.

My pick for the most ambitious New Year’s Eve party of 2007 goes to Flash Hansen and Matty Hazelgrove, the dynamic duo behind those wildly successful “SKYLiNE” parties at the Hanohano Room.

They’ll migrate to the W Honolulu for “Season Finale,” an event that will transfor the entire hotel into their own personal playground. Guests will have access to party areas in the hotel lobby, guest rooms, Diamond Head Grill and the penthouse suite, with special appearances by “butchure couture artist” Adam Saaks, national touring percussionist Ricky Rock and drummer Jacob Marshall from the band Mae.

E-mail vip@flashandmattyboy.com for more info and VIP reservations.

Also in Waikiki, DJs G-Spot (pictured), Ms. Angel and Quicksilva will ring in 2008 with the James Kraft Trio during “Get Lucky at the Top” at the Top of Waikiki. DJ FLX will headline at Lotus, with DJs Revise, D-Box, Bass-X, Toki and Saya on hand as well …

MORE PICKS: Pipeline Cafe will change its target audience on New Year’s Eve for the first time that I can remember, shunning the typical club kids for a more mature crowd. Tribute band Led Zepplica will return after a sell-out show in July; doors open at 8 p.m. and a champagne toast is planned at midnight …

Xyloh and Venus Nightclub join forces with a “Fire and Ice” theme party. Chill out at Xyloh early with DJs Dawn, Erick and Trancis, then migrate to Venus after 1 a.m. and heat things up with DJs Corey Ferren, Kyoko, EP, PSI and Paul Brandon until 6 a.m. …

Another after-hours option this year is the Loft, with DJs Ira, Haboh and special guests going until 10 a.m. That party is BYOB, too …

I’M PAU for 2007 – party safe this New Year’s Eve, and I’ll see you back here next week for one last look at the year that was.

Happy New Year …

By Jason Genegabus

By Jason Genegabus

Just days after announcing that Incubus would play the Waikiki Shell next year, local promoters BAMP Project followed up with word that Motion City Soundtrack will return to Pipeline Cafe on Feb. 13.

Tickets for the all-ages show are priced at $26 and $50. They went on sale Saturday at all Ticketmaster outlets.

By Jason Genegabus

By Jason Genegabus

Ala Moana’s Mai Tai Bar is still one of the best places in town if you’re looking for live music by local musicians.

Along with daily entertainment, the bar also hosts the Mai Tai Rumble, an annual band competition that’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. Mai Tai’s gets to audition new talent, the bands get a shot at playing in front of an enthusiastic crowd and the overall winners receive a pretty sweet prize package.

Earlier this month, the Mai Tai Bar introduced its Sunset Island Masters competition. I was invited to judge the third preliminary round on Sunday, which featured performances by seven solo artists.

(more…)

By Jason Genegabus

By Jason Genegabus

This video kicks off a new feature in the blog – “Five Minutes With:” will appear occasionally online and spotlight the movers-and-shakers in Honolulu’s nightlife scene.

My first interview was with DJ Roxy Cottontail, a New York-based party promoter, DJ and rapper. Check out what she has to say about the New York club scene, what makes a good party and what kind of music she’s listening to these days.

Want to check her out live? She’s among the openers for Lupe Fiasco on Dec. 27, and will spin a guest set with DJ Eskae at “Soul Clap” at thirtyninehotel on Dec. 28.

Links:
Low-res Version (YouTube)
HD Version (Vimeo)