PICS: Air Supply mixes old with new at Blaisdell

Photos by Jason Genegabus / jason@staradvertiser.com

Graham Russell plays to the crowd during Air Supply’s concert last night at the Blaisdell Concert Hall.

By Jason Genegabus
jason@staradvertiser.com

It’s been 35 years since soft rockers Air Supply formed in Australia, and original members Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock still can’t get away from the love jams that made them famous in the ’70s and ’80s.

For nearly 90 minutes last night at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, the duo — with a young, energetic four-piece backing band in tow — made sure to play a number of tracks easily found on the band’s greatest hits albums and still played in regular rotation to this day in local karaoke bars.

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Daughtry to headline Kakaako Waterfront Park concert

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Local concert promoter BAMP Project announced today that Grammy Award-nominated rock band Daughtry, pictured, will perform on Friday, Oct. 1 at Kakaako Waterfront Park.

The band is fronted by “American Idol” finalist Chris Daughtry; other members include Brian Craddock, Robin Diaz, Josh Paul and Josh Steely. Their latest album, “Leave This Town,” was released in 2009 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200.

Tickets for the concert, priced at $45 general admission and $100 VIP, go on sale Friday at all Local Motion stores on Oahu and online at www.groovetickets.com.

The Daughtry announcement comes less than a week after BAMP made public its plans to introduce Arizona pop-punk band the Maine and Texas-based Forever the Sickest Kids to Honolulu at Pipeline Cafe on Sept. 18. Tickets for that all-ages show are $25 general admission, $50 VIP and are on sale now at Local Motion stores, the Pipeline Box Office, Navy ITT Offices, the UH Campus Center and online at www.bampproject.com and www.groovetickets.com.

Peter Frampton announces November concert

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Tickets go on sale Friday morning for an evening with Peter Frampton at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Monday, Nov. 15.

With more than four decades in the music biz, the Grammy award winning singer-guitarist became a superstar in 1976 with his multimillion seller “Frampton Comes Alive!,” featuring the hit “Do You Feel Like We Do.” He’s currently on an international tour in support of his latest album “Thank You Mr. Churchill.”

Sale prices are $45, $65, $75 and $85. Tickets go on sale starting 9 a.m. Friday at the Blaisdell Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets in Walmart stores statewide and Sports Gear Warehouse in Windward Mall, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Review: MUTEMATH at Pipeline Cafe

Photos by FL Morris / fmorris@staradvertiser.com

Review by Gary Chun
gchun@staradvertiser.com

Sometimes, you just have to thank your lucky stars that you were able to witness a concert special enought that it will be talked about for months.

That happened last night at Pipeline Cafe, when New Orleans rock band MUTEMATH made their Hawaii debut. In the parlance of performers, MUTEMATH “killed it.”

Even though the band has had a few forays into the national limelight, thanks to songs like “Typical,” “Spotlight” and “Backfire,” the quartet of guitarist Greg Hill, singer-keyboardist Paul Meany, bassist Roy Mitchell Cardenas and drummer Darren King have really made their reputation as a live band. Here in Honolulu, they didn’t disappoint at all, making many new fans.

The tightly focused set they played may have been one they’ve done many times on the road before, but the guys didn’t phone it in. MUTEMATH played with commitment and verve, and besides Meany, who is a charismatic frontman with a fine voice, everybody had their moment to shine.

Putting King and his drum kit along the front line as part of the stage setup was a brilliant idea, because the man is a show unto himself, as he and rhythm-mate Cardenas attacked the songs’ beats and grooves with an authority that can be traced back to the band’s Nawlins roots. Hill’s guitar sound was at times reminiscent of the Edge’s approach in the early years of U2, with its chiming notes and chords.

The strength of MUTEMATH’s sound is its ability to draw on the strengths of all kinds of music. Their hit songs sound great live — the buildup in “Typical” blew me away — and when they go off on rhythmic tangents, like during the extended encore, MUTEMATH always finds its way back home.

And I give props to Meany, who acknowledged the memory of Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole by leading the band through a toned-down, reggae-groove version of “Peculiar People” that wouldn’t sound out of place in any given local club. By night’s end, the Pipeline crowd had succumbed to — taking a phrase from the band’s song “Control” — the “beautiful surrender” of MUTEMATH’s music.

The band’s return to the islands wouldn’t be too soon.

Abby and John Garland, a husband and wife couple out on “date night” at the concert.

Hiwa Brown, left, and Lance Chang.

Melanie Rudkiewicz, left, and Shin Ko.

Tiare Thomas, left, and Brandon Apeles.

Joe Huihui, left, and Erin Higa.

Natalie Phoenix.

PICS: All Time Low at Pipeline Cafe

Photos by Malia Leinau / HNLNow.com

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Baltimore’s All Time Low returned to Honolulu last weekend for an all-ages concert at Pipeline Cafe. The pop punk quartet made the stop en route to Indonesia and Japan for shows before kicking off a European tour in Sweden.

The band’s 2009 release, “Nothing Personal,” is expected to be followed by new material early next year. Read more

Adam Lambert adds additional show

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Due to overwhelming fan demand, Adam Lambert’s “The Glam Nation Tour” stop in Hawaii will now include an additional concert date.

Lambert will perform Monday, Oct. 25, and Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Tickets for the Oct. 26 show go on sale starting 9 a.m. Friday.

Prices are $55, $65 and $75, and the Oct. 26 tickets will be available at the Blaisdell Center box office, all local Ticketmaster outlets including Wal-Mart stores around the state and Sports Gear Warehouse in Windward Mall, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000, and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information on the “The Glam Nation Tour” go to http://www.adamofficial.com/us/home.

‘Idol’ favorite announces Blaisdell show

Courtesy AdamOfficial.com

This post has been updated. Please see below.

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

“American Idol” fan favorite Adam Lambert will make his Hawaii concert debut Oct. 25 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday.

Lambert was a Season 8 runner-up and one of its most popular and controversial contestants to date. His charged-up performances of such songs as “Rock With You,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Black or White,” “If I Can’t Have You” and “Whole Lotta Love” earned him millions of votes every week on “Idol.”

Although he didn’t win the competition, Lambert received far more attention than his fellow contestants during the following months, during which he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone and was signed by RCA Records. His debut album, “For Your Entertainment,” sold close to 200,000 copies during its first week of release. Two of its tracks, “If I Had You” and “Whataya Want from Me,” are currently high on the Billboard Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts, respectively.

Tickets for the Blaisdell Concert Hall show will be $55, $65 and $75, and will be available Friday at the Blaisdell Center box office, local Ticketmaster locations at all Wal-Mart stores island-wide and Sports Gear Warehouse at Windward Mall, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Update (7/20/10): A limited number of presale tickets will be available tomorrow starting at 10 a.m. until Thursday at 10 p.m. via this Ticketmaster link. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Friday.

Justin Bieber to Honolulu in October for two shows

This post has been updated. Please see below.

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Teenage singing sensation Justin Bieber will be heading to Honolulu for two concerts in October. The Blaisdell Arena shows on Oct. 8 (Friday) and Oct. 9 (Saturday) are part of the second leg of Bieber’s “My World” tour.

Pre-sale tickets (which include a fan club membership) and VIP packages will be available for purchase Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more details about the special packages, visit www.bieberfever.com.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 9 a.m. Friday. A dollar from each ticket purchased will be donated to Pencils of Promise, a charity Bieber supports that works to build schools around the world for needy children.

For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.bampproject.com. Read more

Black Star to reunite at Aloha Tower in July

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Before they became stars in their own right, Mos Def (far right) and Talib Kweli were Black Star, and responsible for one of hip-hop’s more honored albums, 1998’s “Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star.”

The legendary hip-hop duo will join forces again for a special concert on Thursday, July 22, at the Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace, presented by BAMP Project. Tickets go on sale Friday.

Besides putting out fine solo efforts as “Black on Both Sides,” “The New Danger,” “True Magic” and last year’s primo “The Ecstatic,” Mos Def has also starred in movies like “The Italian Job,” “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” Be Kind Rewind” and “Cadillac Records.” Talib Kweli’s solo output includes “Quality,” “The Beautiful Struggle” and “Eardrum.” His most recent album, out last month,  is a collaboration with Hi-Tek titled “Revolutions Per Minute.”

Opening for the reunited Black Star will be local artists Tassho Pearce, Creed Chameleon and San Francisco-based female vocalist Goapele.

Doors will open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 9. Tickets are priced at $45 general admission and $85 VIP, and will be available at all Local Motion stores, Navy ITT offices, the University of Hawaii-Manoa Campus Center and online at www.groovetickets.com.

BAMP Project is also presenting 1970s soft rock staple Air Supply Aug. 22 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, with tickets priced $45 to $75. Call (800) 745-3000 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com.

BAMP Project announces shows by Rodriguez, Botti and Gaffigan

Three more BAMP shows announced

Paul Rodriguez, Chris Botti and Jim Gaffigan (Courtesy photos)

By Gary C.W. Chun
gchun@starbulletin.com

BAMP Project just announced a trio of shows that feature two prime comic talents and a young and popular jazz man.

First up will be Paul Rodriguez on stage at Pipeline Cafe on Monday, March 22. One of the first Latin kings of comedy, Rodriguez’s career as a stand-up and an actor spans over two decades.

He also was the executive producer and co-star of the concert film, “The Original Latin Kings of Comedy,” which included Cheech Marin, George Lopez and Carlos Mencia. A live DVD, “Comedy Rehab,” came out earlier this month and documents a Santa Fe, N.M. show he headlined last year with rising Latino comics Gene Pompa, Shayla Rivera and Manny Maldonado.

Tickets go on sale Friday, priced at $35 general admission and $55 VIP, and will be available at www.groovetickets.com or by phone at (877) 714-7668.

On Thursday, April 8, it’s jazz-pop trumpeter Chris Botti at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Since the release of his 2004 album “When I Fall in Love,” Botti has been a crossover success. During his lengthy career, the multiple Grammy nominee has recorded and performed with Sting, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Joshua Bell and Yo-Yo Ma.

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 5, ranging from $45 to $75.

The concert hall will also host comedian Jim Gaffigan on Saturday, May 22. His clever and quiet style has earned the Indiana-born performer an unprecedented number of late-night show appearances, and he’s also a respected actor and writer. His recent Comedy Central special, “King Baby,” is out now on CD and DVD with additional material.

Tickets go on sale this Saturday for $35 and $45.

Tickets for the Botti and Gaffigan shows will be available for purchase at all Ticketmaster outlets, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000, or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

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