What's Up!

Local favorite Light up your nights Honolulu City Lights, the annual holiday display at Honolulu Hale and the Capitol district, continues nightly through Jan. 1. Honolulu Hale's courtyard offers a Christmas tree and wreath exhibit every day, 8 a.m.-11 p.m., except New Year's Eve. It's all free. 523-4385.

Howie Mandel, comedic star of television, films and clubs, returns for a three-island stand-up tour. Mandel, a former talk show host and co-star on NBC's "St. Elsewhere," performs at least 200 concert dates a year. He last performed in Hawai'i in December 1999. Details:

• Dec. 27: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Westin Maui Hotel. Tickets: $27 general, available at Ticket Plus locations and Maui Tacos.
• Dec. 28: 7 p.m., The Royal Hawaiian hotel's Monarch Room. Tickets: $35 reserved, $45 golden circle, available at Ticket Plus outlets. 526-4400.
• Dec. 29: 7:30 p.m., Kauai Marriott. Tickets: $27 advance, at Kmart, Foodland, Larry's Music, Progressive Expressions, Hanalei Surf Company and the Kauai Marriott. 526-4400.

BLUES: Dec. 29

The final KIPO Blues Night of 2001 will feature gospel/blues vocalist Keahi Conjugacion and her band at Anna Bannanas, 2440 S. Beretania St. The concert launches her new compact disc, "Live at the Atherton," which also features Dan Del Negro on piano; Lou Benanto, bass; Chuck James, drums; Carlinhos de Oliveira, percussion; Aaron Aranita, saxophone; Stephanie Dillard and Malcolm Rosal, backup vocals; and Corey Funai, backup vocals and harmonica. KIPO resident blues band Jeff Said No will be the opening act. 8:30 p.m. Dec. 29. $7 general, $5 Hawai'i Public Radio members. 955-8821.

CONCERT: Dec. 29

Ska/punk/popsters Dance Hall Crashers will head for Honolulu for an all-ages concert at World Cafe. 7 p.m. Dec. 29 (doors open 6 p.m.). $16.50 advance; at Tower Records (Kahala, Pearl Kai), Tower Video, Cheapo Music (Puck's Alley, Pearl Kai), Hungry Ear Kailua, Pearl Harbor Bloch Arena, Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, University of Hawai'i -Manoa Campus Center, Ticket Plus outlets. 526-4400.

CONCERTS: Dec. 29-30

The Honolulu Symphony and the Honolulu Symphony Chorus join to herald the new year in a concert of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Also on the program will be Bach's Suite No. 3 in D Major; conversations with maestro Samuel Wong will take place an hour before each performance. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29, 4 p.m. Dec. 30. $15-$55, available at the box office, Ticket Plus outlets and www.HonoluluSymphony.com. 792-2000, 526-4400.

CONCERT: Dec. 31

Show biz veteran James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul," is heading this way for a New Year's Eve celebration at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Coral Ballroom. Among Brown's hits are "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "Living in America." 10:45 p.m. Dec. 31; doors open at 9 p.m. with Loretta Ables Sayre as opening act. Tickets: $150 for platinum seating, $125 for gold seating, $100 for silver seating and $85 for general seating; admission includes one cocktail, champagne, party favors; 10 percent discount for military with ID for all price levels. 949-4321.

CONCERTS: Dec. 28, 29, 31

Steve Pierson and Blues Head (Laurence Juber, Michael Murphy, bass Gerald Johnson and Gary Mallaber, all of whom have performed with or in top-notch acts including Wings, Joe Walsh, the Steve Miller Band and Bruce Springsteen) celebrate the coming year with a concert at the South Seas Village/Hawaiian Hut at the Ala Moana Hotel. Pierson and Blues Head have been hailed as a one of the hottest up-and-coming blues acts today. Doors open at 8:15 p.m. Dec. 31; local band Bluzilla performs at 8:30 p.m, with the headliners beginning about 9:30 p.m. $30; $20 for members of Hawaii Blues Society, $25 for nonmembers in advance; at Cheapo music stores and Tower Records. 864-6529 (Hawaii Blues Society), 955-8821 (Hawai'i Public Radio). Also: Pierson and Blues Head will perform on Maui — 7:30 p.m. Dec. 28 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, $20 general (discount available for MACC members), (808) 242-7469; and 9:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at Casanova's, 1188 Makawao Ave., Makawao, $15 cover charge, (808) 572-0220.

CONCERTS: Jan. 5-6

Pop legend Earth Wind & Fire, known for hits such as "Reasons," "Serpentine Fire," "After the Love Has Gone," "That's the Way of the World," "Shining Star" and others, offers two concerts at the Blaisdell Arena. It's the group's first appearance in the islands since 1988. 8 p.m. Jan. 5-6. $45 and $55, available at the box office and Ticket Plus outlets. 526-4400, 591-2211.

THE ARTS: Jan. 6

Visit the Honolulu Academy of Arts for free Jan. 6; it's part of the museum's 75th birthday celebration. The offer, for visitors and residents alike on the first Sunday of each month through December 2002, is in addition to the museum's continuing free admission on the first Wednesday of each month. Sunday hours are 1-5 p.m. 532-8700.

CONCERT: Jan. 11

The ever-popular Makaha Sons will be the featured artists in the second program in the "Hana Hou!" series of Hawaiian music concerts at the Hawai'i Theatre. 8 p.m. Jan 11. $30; $5 discounts for students, seniors 62 and older, Hawai'i Theatre members and military; available at the box office. 528-0506.

CONCERT: Jan. 12

The Jacques Thibaud Trio, award winner in the 1999 Bonn Chamber Music Competition, makes its Honolulu debut with a concert at Orvis Auditorium. The ensemble has performed to much acclaim throughout Europe, Japan and the Mainland United States. The program here will include selections from Mozart, Bach, Schubert, Beethoven and others; the Honolulu Symphony's Nancy Dimock will play the oboe on Mozart's Oboe Quartet in F Major, K.370. 8 p.m. Jan. 12. $24 general, $15 students, available at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa Campus Center; free question-and-answer session will take place 7-7:30 p.m. 956-6878, 956-8246.

COMING UP:

• "A Prairie Home Companion," Jan. 5, Hawai'i Theatre
• Henry Kapono and Robi Kahakalau, with the Honolulu Symphony, Jan. 18-19, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• "The Vagina Monologues," Jan. 22-Feb. 3, Hawai'i Theatre; Feb. 7-10, Maui Arts & Cultural Center
• Natalie Merchant, Jan. 23, Hawaii Ballroom, Sheraton Waikiki; Jan. 25, Kauai Marriott; Jan. 27, Maui Arts & Cultural Center
• Verdi's "La Traviata," by Hawaii Opera Theatre, Feb. 1, 3 and 5, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• David Byrne, Feb. 8, World Cafe
• Janet Jackson, Feb. 16, Aloha Stadium
• Strauss' "Salome," by Hawaii Opera Theatre, Feb. 15, 17 and 19, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• Bizet's "Carmen," by Hawaii Opera Theatre, March 1, 3, 5 and 7, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• Sarah Chang & Tchaikovsky's "Winter Dreams," with the Honolulu Symphony, March 24, 26, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• Keali'i Reichel, a Honolulu Symphony Pops concert, April 12-13, Blaisdell Concert Hall

Submit information for

The Great Index to Fun (TGIF) four-week guide at least 10 working days before the event. This planner appears weekly, featuring major events only; others are listed in the weekend and daily calendars.

Write: TGIF, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802, or fax 525-8055.

Schedule is subject to change.