PICS: ‘We Value Hawaii’ at Fresh Cafe

Photos by Aaron Yoshino
Special to the Star-Advertiser

We Value Hawaii at Fresh Cafe.

PICS: ‘Blues Night’ at Fresh Cafe

Photos by Malia Leinau / HNLNow.com

Blues fans came together Friday at Fresh Cafe for an evening of live music by the Bluestones and the Honolulu Blues Co-Op with special guests Cory Funai and Tom HInson. The night also featured a open blues jam to wrap things up at the Kakaako coffee shop and live venue.

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PICS: Persian Excursion and Shopping List headline ‘Art+Flea’

Photos by Cindy Ellen Russell / crussell@staradvertiser.com

Persian Excursion lead singer Robert Bidigare performs amongst the crowd at Fresh Cafe’s “Art+Flea” last Thursday.

Review by Gary Chun
gchun@staradvertiser.com

The indie rock scene in Honolulu has never been livelier.

At venues like Fresh Cafe and in the downtown area, there are any number of showcases featuring bands of all kinds. Following the “Art+Flea” market at the Kakaako gathering spot last Thursday, four bands played 20-minute sets until midnight, showing the range of musics that are being played. Read more

PICS: Indie rock at Fresh Cafe

Photos by FL Morris / fmorris@staradvertiser.com

FLUX Hawaii art director and Clones of the Queen vocalist Ara Laylo celebrated her 30th birthday at Fresh Cafe last Friday.

Review by Gary Chun
gchun@staradvertiser.com

It was one of those events that you tell unfortunate friends “you should’ve been there.”

The hip kids (and elder wannabes like me) came out for free promotional margaritas and “Big Braddah” cans of Primo in celebration of the latest issue of FLUX Hawaii and the Jump Offs’ departure this week to Los Angeles for recording sessions. Read more

PICS: ‘Trip the Lights’ at Fresh Cafe

Photos by Jamm Aquino / jaquino@staradvertiser.com

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Local hip-hop crew Lightsleepers Hawaii revived “Trip the Lights” at a new location in Kakaako last week.

A variety of local rappers — and even a few people from the local indie scene — were on hand to perform their favorite ’90s throwback jams. Read more

‘Freedom Fest’ to raise money at Fresh Cafe

Star-Advertiser Staff
tgif@staradvertiser.com

Fresh Cafe at 831 Queen St. in Kakaako will host the “Freedom Fest” fundraiser on Saturday for two local organizations that support victims of domestic sex-trafficking.

GiRL FeST and the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery will be the beneficiaries of an evening’s worth of entertainment featuring poets from Youth Speaks Hawaii, the African Drum & Dance Collective Badenyaa and Sewa Fare, and music from Simple Souls, Kelli Heath and Carly Smith of the Girlas, Yoza, Lei Melket and Black Square.

Admission, based on what partons can afford, will range from $7 to $20. The event, for those ages 18 and over, will start at 7 p.m. Saturday with a cocktail hour and silent auction, followed by entertainment at 8 p.m.

Call 599-3931 or visit www.girlfesthawaii.org or www.traffickjamming.org for more info.

Do It: First Thursdays

Best local slam poets compete for team

Star-Bulletin Staff
features@starbulletin.com

Monthly slam poetry event First Thursdays celebrates its 7th anniversary with a final round of competition to determine the 2010 HawaiiSlam Team.

The 12 best poets from the 2009-10 HawaiiSlam season will face off for just four slots on the crew that will represent Hawaii in Saint Paul, Minn., later this year. As a special bonus, National Poetry Slam champion Mike McGee will be on hand and local musician Genie will open the night with a set of “scratch guitar.”

>> Where: Fresh Cafe, 831 Queen St.
>> When: 8:30 p.m. Thursday (doors open at 7:30 p.m.)
>> Cost: $15
>> Info: 387-9664 or info@hawaiislam.com

Do It: Hawaii Contrabass Festival

Kamehameha Schools hosts music festival

Star-Bulletin Staff
features@starbulletin.com

The 10th annual Hawaii Contrabass Festival kicks off this weekend, with eight full days of events at Kamehameha Schools’ Ke‘elikolani Performing Arts Center.

Produced by the Hawaii American String Teachers Association, the intensive music education program will provide participants with hands-on instruction from some of the world’s leading music educators. College students who participate can also receive class credit, if applicable.

Along with the classes, three concerts are also planned. “New Music for Contrabass” will take place at Fresh Cafe, 831 Queen St., at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Victor Wooten will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 26 at UH-Manoa’s Orvis Auditorium; John and Gerald Clayton will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 27 at the same location.

>> Where: Kamehameha Schools, 1887 Makuakane St.
>> When: Sunday through March 28
>> Cost: $345 for all workshops (or $50 per day); $15 individual concert tickets also available (all concerts are free to attend for workshop participants)
>> Info: www.hawaiicbfest.org

Editor’s Pick: ‘Beatroot Bodega’

Vinyl fanatics can gather in Kakaako

By Jason Genegabus
jason@starbulletin.com

Got vinyl? The Lightsleepers Hawaii crew wants to see you at “Beatroot Bodega” tomorrow at Fresh Cafe.

Billed as “Hawaii’s first record swap” all-ages event, the hope is to bring together Honolulu’s vinyl purists, DJs, collectors and anyone else interested in digging through crates for musical gems. Hawaii-based clothing companies and other retailers also have been invited to set up shop at the Kakaako coffee shop’s warehouse space.

In addition to the wheeling and dealing, local DJs Observ, Oliver Twist, Jahson the 45 Revolver and special guests will spin vinyl-only sets on the turntables at Fresh Cafe.

>> Where: Fresh Cafe, 831 Queen St.
>> When: Noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 27
>> Cost: Free
>> Info: 778-7738 or e-mail lightsleepers@gmail.com