By Jason Genegabus

Image courtesy Up Above Records

As promised in today’s column, I’ve got some expanded coverage of “American Idol” season three finalist Camile Velasco and her new single, a cover of the Bob Marley classic “Guava Jelly.”

Velasco called in last week from Long Beach, Calif., where she’s gearing up for the single’s official release on iTunes and finishing up work on her full-length debut album.

Here’s the complete interview, via Talkshoe, plus an exclusive clip from “Guava Jelly” featuring Stephen Marley:

 Five Minutes With: Camile Velasco: Play Now
 Camile Velasco - "Guava Jelly": Play Now

Want more? Check out Camile’s YouTube channel for a peek into her life, or check out this video from Up Above Records that does a good job of telling her story.

By Jason Genegabus

Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z on stage during the “Heart of the City” tour earlier this year. Photo via YoRapper.com.

Got your tickets to next month’s Mary J. Blige concert at the Blaisdell?

If you do, or can print out a receipt showing that you purchased them, the Ala Moana Hotel has a special room rate – plus free transportation to the show – just for you. It’s called the Mary J. Blige Package and is available right now, starting at $125 per night.

Along with the ride to and from the Blaisdell on Oct. 24, the hotel is extending the special rate to cover the two nights prior AND two nights after the show. Can you say, “Staycation?”

Call (800) 446-8990 for reservations.

By Jason Genegabus

Courtesy photo

After three months of relentless touring through 18 states, local rockabilly band The Hell Caminos return to Honolulu for a few weeks in November.

“(The) West Coast, the South, East Coast, he Midwest … it was long,” said Hell Caminos bassist Michael Camino. “Half of us stayed in LA for the last few months, but we’re all coming back for (the) Hawaii (shows).”

The band departed for the mainland last year after a farewell party at Anna Bannana’s that doubled as a fundraiser for the move. They returned to the islands to release their second full-length album, “Lust,” in March, before heading back out for their latest tour.

“We’ve missed playing on Oahu,” Camino said. “It’s gonna be nice to play in our backyard (for) people that supported us the last 4 years.”

Here are the details about The Hell Caminos’ homecoming:

“The Return of The Hell Caminos: PUNKS VS PSYCHOS” (with The 86 List, White Rose (Maui), Guttercats and special appearances by Pacific Roller Derby and Cherry Blossom Cabaret)
When: 9 p.m. Nov. 7th
Where: Anna Bananas
Cover: $10 (all ages)

Can’t make it on the 7th? The band will return to Anna’s on Nov. 9 and play at the Mercury Bar on Nov. 14. Cherry Blossom Cabaret will join them for the Chinatown gig.

Related Stories:
“Dissecting ‘Lust’” (3/14/08)
“Hawaii’s psychos will be lonely” (4/13/07)

By Jason Genegabus

I’ve got to get ready to head down to the Stan Sheriff Center to help Star-Bulletin sports reporter Cindy Luis run a live blog during tonight’s UH Wahine Volleyball game against Wyoming, but I wanted to get this posted.

While I haven’t received confirmation from the mainland-based promoters yet, at least one local radio station has announced that Mary J. Blige is coming to Hawaii next month. She’s scheduled to perform at the Blaisdell Arena on Oct. 24.

No word on ticket prices either, although I’m told you can buy them at all Ticketmaster outlets starting on Monday at 10 a.m.

Blige is currently touring the mainland U.S. with R&B singer Robin Thicke, but it appears he won’t be making an appearance here. My guess is that Dave Young, one of the artists signed to Blige’s Matriarch Records, will open the night.

More on this when I hear back from the promoters.

By Jason Genegabus

Laugh Factory Hawaii photo

One local stand-up comedy promoter continues to push hard as summer comes to an end, and two old school bands have announced plans to play in Hawaii.

I’ve got all the details after the jump.

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By Jason Genegabus

Kevin Whitton photo

I don’t know what I was thinking when I signed off on my column this week. That sucker got checked at least five times, but I missed something.

The press release I got plainly states that Justin Nozuka will play at Pipeline Cafe on Friday, with local boys Go Jimmy Go as the opening act.

But noooooo… I go and write that he’s playing there on Sunday.

That’s wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. (Anyone else remember that commercial with the doctor? Or was it a dentist?)

Anyway. Doors open at 6 p.m. and it’s an all-ages show. Should be a good one, too.

Just don’t go on Sunday. It’s FRIDAY.

E kala mai.

By Jason Genegabus

Star-Bulletin file

Not to sure if this is good news or bad news, but I got confirmation a few days ago that the annual Rock the Bells hip-hop festival will not make an appearance in Hawaii this year.

It’s bad news, if you consider the fact that A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Rakim, Afrika Bambaataa and The Cool Kids are all on the bill in 2008.

But… if you consider the watered-down version we got at the Blaisdell Arena last year (the picture above is of the crowd from that show), it’s probably a good idea to keep RTB on the mainland.

To quote this post on OG nightlife website QuadMag.com: “By the time it gets to Hawaii, it’ll be pared down to Phife Dawg, Coolio and a House Of Pain tribute act.”

Don’t get me wrong – I really hope RTB comes back in 2009. I hear Kapiolani Community College is a great place to throw an outdoor festival, and there are always the oldie-but-goodie spots like Kualoa Ranch and Andrew’s Amphitheatre.

They just gotta bring the heat, not this half-baked stuff with the lone goal of separating Hawaii hip-hop fans from their hard-earned cash.

Related Post:
Rock the Bells Recap [VIDEO]

By Jason Genegabus

Jason Genegabus photos

It was quite a walk down memory lane at the Waikiki Shell last weekend, as two living legends from the local recording industry celebrated 35 years of making music together.

Cecilio Rodrigues and Henry Kapono Kaaihue have weathered their share of ups and downs over the decades – including a dwindling tour schedule at one point, and even a temporary split to pursue their own solo projects.

But thanks to the efforts of Kaaihue’s wife, Lezlee, in recent years, they’ve returned to the studio and gone back out on the road to perform for loyal fans around the world.

There are more pictures from Sunday’s “Back in the Day” anniversary concert after the jump; you can also check out my Flickr page for another 20 images that didn’t make it into the blog.

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By Jason Genegabus

Jason Genegabus photos

I was driving through Kaimuki this afternoon and spotted a bunch of new concert posters on telephone poles near Kapiolani Community College.

Even in an era where text messages, MySpace bulletins and RSS feeds provide near-instantaneous communication between promoters and music fans, sometimes it’s the old-fashioned ways of guerilla street promotion that are the most effective. Until I drove by KCC, I had no clue that David Banner would be making a trip to Honolulu.

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By Jason Genegabus

Jason Genegabus photos

It was a recurring problem all last week.

I’d sit down in front of the computer in an attempt to do some serious work, only to be distracted by the seemingly endless Olympic coverage on TV.

Tonight? Blame my procrastination on women’s synchronized swimming. And the Redeem Team.

I mention the Olympics because staying up late to watch on Friday made it tough to wake up Saturday for Band Camp VI at the Waikiki Shell.

Make no mistake, the guys from BAMP Project do a fantastic job of getting top mainland talent to perform in Hawaii. But after last year’s headlining set by Matisyahu, this year’s concert fell a little flat despite the return of Jason Mraz.

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