In the Mix: Royal Hawaiian Center closes LEVEL4

FL Morris / fmorris@staradvertiser.com

The scene at LEVEL4 during the club’s grand opening party on July 19, 2008.

This post has been updated. See below.

By Jason Genegabus
jason@staradvertiser.com

Waikiki nightspot LEVEL4 Nightclub and Ultra Lounge held its final parties last weekend and is now out of business, according to multiple sources. Following regularly scheduled parties on Friday and Saturday, the fourth floor space at the Royal Hawaiian Center hosted a final screening of “Princess Kaiulani” tonight before closing down for good.

The news “kind of just hit us” out of the blue, said LEVEL4 public relations director Kenji Matsuzawa, who said he found out “last week” that the club would shut its doors.

“We were doing so well,” he said. “We were riding that roller coaster … (but) business has been booming.”

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[VIDEO] Bruno Mars – ‘Count On Me’

Video by Jason Genegabus / jason@starbulletin.com

Star-Bulletin Staff
features@starbulletin.com

Roosevelt graduate Bruno Mars came home last weekend for a pair of concerts at LEVEL4 Nightclub in Waikiki. This is video of one of his newest songs, “Count On Me,” which he played for the first time during the first of his two shows.

Click here to read more about Mars’ appearance in Honolulu. Click here to see additional pictures.

[PICS] Concert Shots: Bruno Mars

Photos by Jason Genegabus / jason@starbulletin.com

Star-Bulletin Staff
features@starbulletin.com

Former Hawaii resident Bruno Mars returned home last week for two performances at LEVEL4 Nightclub on April 23. Star-Bulletin Entertainment Editor Jason Genegabus was at the first, all-ages, performance; here are his pictures from the show. Read more

Do It: Bruno Mars

Living the dream

Star-Bulletin Staff
features@starbulletin.com

Bruno Hernandez admittedly says he’s “living the dream,” as his collaboration with Atlanta rapper B.o.B on the national hit single “Nothin’ on You” has caused his profile as a writer and singer to skyrocket.

Better known nowadays as Bruno Mars, the Roosevelt High School grad — and former child Elvis impersonator — makes a special appearance tonight at LEVEL4 Nightclub in Waikiki. He’ll headline an all-ages performance that starts at 7 p.m., followed by an 18-and-over show at 10:30 p.m.

The B.o.B hit, co-written with Philip Lawrence, is just the most recent in a line of notable writing jobs Mars has had for such acts as Flo Rida, Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley, Maroon 5, Matisyahu and Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes. Mars recently cut a deal with Atlantic Records, and he and B.o.B appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” Tuesday.

>> Where: LEVEL4 Nightclub, 2233 Kalakaua Ave.
>> When: 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. April 23
>> Cost: $20 general admission, $35 VIP
>> Call: 330-8115

[PICS] On the Scene: Michael Paulo at LEVEL4

Paulo and friends play LEVEL4:

Photos by John Berger / jberger@starbulletin.com

Guitarist Peter White, front center, saluted the audience during a great evening of contemporary jazz Saturday in the Royal Hawaiian Theater at LEVEL4 Nightclub and Ultralounge.

Saxophonist/concert promoter Michael Paulo, left, presented White and keyboardist Philippe Saisse as the stars of the show with guitarist Bin Yasuno, drummer Garin Poliahu and bassist Steve Jones providing the back-up. The sextet played almost three full hours of music.

White earned a standing ovation after he led the group through an extended instrumental arrangement of Papa Was A Rolling Stone. Other highlights of the evening included a jazz arrangement of Get Up, Stand Up and the sextets encore performance of Breezin.

The room was set up with $85-per-person VIP tables, and pricier VIP couch seating, down front. Both grades of VIP seating were full; the upper level theater-style seating was comfortably full although with some seats remaining.

VIP tickets included a private heavy pupu reception with White, Saisse and Paulo after the show.

The only problem with the evening was dealing with Saturday night Waikiki parking. The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center lot was full but the lot attendants kept allowing more drivers in for a futile trip to the top of the parking structure and then down the long steep one-way ramp to the exit. Read more

Inside HILife: In the Mix

Courtesy UFC

By Jason Genegabus / jason@starbulletin.com

BIG ISLAND MMA superstar BJ Penn has a big weekend planned on Oahu in conjunction with the release of “BJ Penn: 90 Days,” an inside look at the mindset and training regimen of the current UFC lightweight champ.

According to BJPenn90Days.com, a Web site promoting the project, the DVD includes interviews with his trainers and his mom, along with stories about his childhood on the Big Island. When contacted last week, Penn refused a request for an interview, choosing instead to pass along his thoughts via a publicist.

“I’ve been really lucky to grow up in Hawaii and to have the experiences I’ve had,” he said in an e-mail. “I hope everyone will see (the DVD) and be able to relate to it.”

Oahu residents will get a chance to watch “BJ Penn: 90 Days” on Friday at LEVEL4 Nightclub and Ultralounge when Penn hosts a release party from 7 to 9 p.m. All ages are welcome.

On Saturday, Penn will sign copies of the DVD at Borders Pearlridge from 1 to 3 p.m. before heading back to LEVEL4 to watch UFC 97 with his fans. He’ll sign more autographs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday at Borders Waikele …

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Inside HILife: Dueling Pianos

FL Morris / flmorris@starbulletin.com

On Stage: Dueling Pianos Where:LEVEL4 Nightclub and Ultra Lounge, Royal Hawaiian Center When:7 p.m. Monday through Thursday Cost:Free; all ages welcome. Validated parking. Info:931-6100 or www.L4waikiki.com

Review by John Berger

A duel is by definition a hostile and potentially lethal conflict between two people, the ultimate example in American history being the duel that ended the life of Alexander Hamilton, and the political career of Aaron Burr, in 1804. The term dueling pianos suggests Ferrante & Teicher taking the stage after a throw-down bust-out fight backstage, each trying to upstage the other with ever-more complicated improvisations and ad-libbed solos.

Traditional definitions of the word aside, the Dueling Pianos Show at the Level 4 Nightclub & Ultra Lounge turns out to be a rock n roll version of the old-time piano bar. Instead of the standard solo pianist, there are two, Jeff Coleron and Rhiannon Kruse, who face off across a pair of grand pianos and work together as a harmonious team. Instead of pop standards and other traditional lounge music fare, Coleron and Kruse play a freewheeling assortment of oldies and mainstream rock. Coldplay, Michael Jackson, Whitesnake, Journey, Otis Redding and Britney Spears were among the artists whose hits were included in the duos two-hour show last Thursday.

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