What's Up!

COMEDY: July 27-28

Way back when "Rare Gems: An Evening of Hawaiian Music" offers hapa-haole songs from the 1920s and '30s. Performers include Kimo Alama Keaulana, left, Joe Keaulana, Pahukoa Morse, Lanihuli Lee and Kilakila Ozawa. 7:30 p.m. July 28 at Orvis Auditorium. $12 general, $10 students, seniors, faculty/staff. 956-5666.

• Maui — July 27, at 7:30 p.m., at Castle Theater, Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets: $25, on sale at the box office. (808) 242-SHOW (7469).
• O'ahu — July 28, at 8 p.m., at the Hawai'i Theatre. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets: $27.50, on sale at the box office. 528-0506.

CELEBRATION: July 27-28

That annual Island-music blockbuster, the KCCN FM-100 Birthday Bash at Waikiki Shell, has expanded into a two-nighter to allow the entertainers and fans alike more time to groove. The first 5,000 through the turnstiles each night receive free CDs. Gates open at 4 p.m. each night. The lineup:

• July 27: Fiji, Na Leo Pilimehana, Mana'o Company, Ho'onu'a, Oshen, AZ, Ten Feet, and the Island Music MVPs
• July 28: Pati, Kapena, 'Ale'a, Natural Vibrations, Three Plus, Sean Na'auao, Koa'uka and the Island Music MVPs

One show costs $25 for pool seats, $19.50 for terrace, $18 for lawn; two shows are $32 for upper terrace, $30 for lawn (two-show tickets not available for pool seats). Tickets available at the box office and at Ticket Plus locations. 526-4400.

GARDEN PARTY: July 28

Foster Botanical Garden will be the scene of a "Midsummer Night's Gleam" beginning with paper luminaria lighting the path and including palm reading, food, a nature crafts table for children, a country store offering corn, cabbage and other vegetables for sale. Other attractions: Andean pan flute music, an authentic Mongolian encampment with tribesman jousting and hunting, Korean dancing. 4:30-9 p.m. July 28. Free. 522-7060, 537-1708.

FESTIVAL: July 28-29

When the 6th annual AT&T Hawai'i Dragon Boat Race runs from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. July 28 and 29 off Ala Moana Beach Park, it will be the first time the event will support a local charity, the Hawai'i Children's Cancer Foundation. Look for the colorful Taiwan-built, wooden boats, which are propelled by 16-paddler teams. Admission is free to the event, which includes food and craft vendors, cultural exhibits and entertainment by FortÚ, Ellsworth Simeona, Dita Holifield, Rocky Brown, Jeff Rasmussen, Reign, Tiny Tadani, Tino and the Rhythm Klub, Honolulu the Band, Solanna, eight0eight, Ben Vegas and Simplisity. 951-0350, 531-3526.

CONCERT: July 29

The 31st annual Ukulele Festival will feature Ohta-San, Moe Keale, Jake Shimabukuro, Lyle Ritz, Ka'au Crater Boys, Keoki Kahumoku & Herb Ohta Jr., Joy, Langley Ukulele Ensemble from Canada, Yuji Igarashi of Japan, Roy Sakuma's 'ukulele band and emcee Danny Kaleikini at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand. 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. July 29. Free. 732-3739.

CONCERT: Aug. 1

Growl and howl intelligent, rich prose against the backdrop of a driving beat, and you've got the trademark sound of punk poet Patti Smith, who is bringing her show to World Cafe. Smith, who in 1975 thrashed her way into the musical and social consciousness with "Horses," her first album, has since come full circle, returning to her original firepower with her eighth album, "Gung Ho," last year. Doors open 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show on Aug. 1. All ages welcome. $20 general admission. Tickets available at Tower Records in Kahala and Pearl Kai, Tower Video on Kapi'olani, Jelly's in Puck's Alley and Pearl Kai, Hungry Ear Kailua, Foodland/Sack 'n Save, House of Music, Tempo Music, University of Hawai'i Campus Center. 526-4400.

CONCERTS: Aug. 1-5

"Tales of Urban Hawai'i," featuring Ray Bumatai, right, M. Kalani Souza, Darrell Aquino and John Glaser, takes the stage at The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nu'uanu Ave. A collection of stories, songs and comedy about everyday life in Hawai'i, the show made its debut at Manoa Valley Theatre in April. 8 p.m. Aug. 1-4 (doors open 7:30 p.m); and at 2 p.m. Aug. 5 (doors open at 1:30 p.m.). $15. 521-2903, 528-0506.

FARM FAIR: Aug. 3-5, 10-12, 16-19

The annual Hawaii State Farm Fair, left, featuring fresh produce, farm animals, E.K. Fernandez rides, food, agricultural demonstrations and workshops, takes over the Aloha Stadium parking lot Aug. 3-5, 10-12, 16-19. The Flying Espaöas, a high-flying, extreme-action act, makes its Hawai'i debut. 6 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Aug. 16, noon-midnight Saturdays, Sundays and the Admission Day holiday, Aug. 17. $3 general, $1.50 for kids 5-12, free for children under 5. Pre-sale tickets — $6 each, including one adult admission and three ride coupons for a total value of $10.50 — available through July 27 at 7-Eleven stores and Star Markets on O'ahu and the Hawaii Farm Bureau. 848-2074; 485-1770 beginning July 30.

CONCERT: Aug. 4

The Makaha Sons will perform in the next installment of the Aston Full Moon Concerts at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand. Also on the bill will be Halau Hula Olana and Tino and the Rhythm Klub. 6:30-9 p.m. Aug. 4. Free. 931-1326.

CONCERT: Aug. 4

More than 50 harmonica players from three bands will offer a concert of nostalgic tunes at Tenney Theatre, St. Andrew's Cathedral. The groups, with members 50 to 86 years old, are Honbushin Harmonica Band from Mililani's Honbushin International Center, Ichigo Harmonica Band from Tendai Mission Hawaii and Small World Harmonica Band from the Moanalua Community Park Recreation Center. 2-4 p.m. Aug. 4. Free; donations accepted. 833-4336.

CONCERT: Aug. 11

Charlotte Church, the teen phenomenon from Wales whose debut album "Voice of an Angel" was released in 1998 when she was just 11, makes her Island debut with the Honolulu Symphony at the Blaisdell Arena. Now only 15, Church is the youngest solo artist to achieve a Top 30 album in the U.S. charts and the youngest ever to hit No. 1 on the classical charts. $65 for main floor, risers, loge and lower arena seating, $45 for upper arena seating (discounts for seniors, military and students); at symphony box office or Ticket Plus outlets. 792-2000 (symphony) or 526-4400 (Ticket Plus).

CONCERT: Aug. 14

Ska/punkers Reel Big Fish, left, teams up with local ska/punk/rock steadiers Go Jimmy Go for a blowout at World Cafe. 1130 N. Nimitz Hwy. 7 p.m. Aug 14; doors open 6 p.m. $17.50 advance tickets at Tower Records (Kahala, Pearl Kai), Tower Video Kapi'olani, Jelly's (Puck's Alley, Pearl Kai), Hungry Ear Kailua, Schofield ITR, Pearl Harbor Block Arena, ITT Kane'ohe MCBH, Foodland/Sack 'n Save stores, House of Music, Tempo Music, University-of Hawai'i-Manoa Campus Center. 526-4400.

MAGIC: Aug. 18-26

Master illusionist David Copperfield, left, comes to town for a series of performances at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Copperfield, whose latest magic show is titled "Portal," launched his career years ago at the Pagoda's C'est Si Bon supper club in Honolulu. 8 p.m. Aug. 18; 5 and 8 p.m. Aug. 19; 8 p.m. Aug. 20-24; 5 and 8 p.m. Aug. 25 and 26. The 5 p.m. Aug. 19 show will be interpreted for the hearing-impaired. $85 and $50 for night performances, $70 and $55 for matinees. $5 discounts for children 12 and under, seniors 62 and older and military personnel, except for Saturday night performances; available at the box office and Ticket Plus. 526-4400; 10 percent discount for group sales of 15 or more (except Saturday night shows), at 732-7733. The Advertiser is a sponsor.

STAGE: Aug. 16-18

Monkey and The Waterfall, an Island performing arts company, offers "Monkey on My Back," a production that explores the nature of addiction, at The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nu'uanu Ave. The production, which kicks off Tim Bostock Productions' fall season, promises "a wild collage of masked characters ridden by insurmountable obsessions." 8 p.m. Aug. 16, 8 and 10 p.m. Aug. 17-18. $18 at the door, $12 advance, at the Hawai'i Theatre box office. 528-0506, 521-2903.

CONCERT: Aug. 18

"Ka Himeni Ana," a concert/contest of "old style," unamplified music, will honor multiple Hoku award-winner Haunani Apoliona at the annual event at Hawai'i Theatre. Past honorees include Hawaiian music legends Helen Desha Beamer, Mary Kawena Pukui and Irmgard Farden Aluli. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18. $6-$30, at the box office. 528-0506.

HO'IKE: Aug. 18

Kawai Cockett and Aunty Genoa Keawe will be honored at the 24th annual ho'ike of Kuhai Halau O Kawaikapuokalani Pa '–lapa Kahiko, under the direction of Kawaikapuokalani K. Hewett, at the Ronald E. Bright Theatre, Castle High School. The hula celebration offers songs and dances of founder Hewett, and a number of other halau and entertainers — including The Lim Family, Olomana, Ellsworth Simeona, Sean Na'auao and Na Palapalai — will participate. Nalani Olds will be emcee. 2 p.m. (Cockett honored), 8 p.m. (Keawe honored) Aug. 18. $15 donation. 235-3603, 234-1155.

COMING UP

• Frank B. Shaner Hawaiian Falsetto Contest, Aug. 25, Hawai'i Theatre
• Stephen Bishop, Sept. 1, Waikiki Shell
• "Smoky Joe's Cafe," by Manoa Valley Theatre, Sept. 5-9, 12-16, 19-23 at MVT
• "My Fair Lady," by Army Community Theatre, Sept. 6-8, 14-15, 21-22 at Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter
• Aloha Festivals Downtown Ho'olaule'a, Sept. 14, downtown Honolulu
• "Jekyll & Hyde," by Diamond Head Theatre, Sept. 14-16, 20-23, 27-30 at DHT
• Hawaii International Latin-Salsa Music Festival, Sept. 15, Waikiki Beach Marriot Resort
• Aloha Festivals Floral Parade, Sept. 15, Ala Moana Park, through Waikiki, ending at Kapi'olani Park
• Aloha Festivals Waikiki Ho'olaule'a, Sept. 21, along Kalakaua Avenue
• Princess Ka'iulani Keiki Hula Festival, Oct. 20, Sheraton Princess Ka'iulani hotel
• Kapena, Michael Ching and Colon, Oct. 31, Kapi'olani Park Bandstand
• "Annie," Nov. 20-Dec. 16, Diamond Head Theatre