What's Up!

Local favorite Carnival time The annual Punahou School Carnival, including food booths, rides, white-elephant tent, art gallery, games, live auction and the usual massive crowd of carnival-goers, takes place 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Feb. 1 and 2 on the school grounds. Admission is free. 944-5711.

Island favorites and Na Hoku winners Henry Kapono and Robi Kahakalau offer a pair of pops concerts with the Honolulu Symphony at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18-19. $15-$55. 792-2000.

CONCERT: Jan. 19

Perry Farrell, formerly the leader of Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros and co-founder of the Lollapalooza rock festival tour, and now spinning as DJ Peretz, headlines a concert at Wave Waikiki. Also featured will be the band Quadraphonix, and DJ Alika, DJ Daniel J, G-Spot and KSM, along with two areas of house, jungle, trance and drum 'n' bass. Doors open 9 p.m. Jan. 19. $15 general; limited $10 advance tickets available at Cheapo's, Hungry Ear, Jelly's, Wave Waikiki and Tower Records and Video, and Virus (1677 Kapi'olani Blvd.). 941-0424, 591-3500. The show is for those 18 and older. Also: an official after-party takes place until 7:30 a.m. at Virus; $8.

CONCERT: Jan. 19

"An Evening of Aloha," a concert honoring island music legend Auntie Genoa Keawe, will be a two-hour musical journey at the Hawai'i Theatre. Amy

Hanaiali'i Gilliom will portray the young Keawe in a 1940s vignette, with Zanuck Kapala Lindsey leading the band and saxophonist Gabe Baltazar making a special appearance. There's also "lu'au style" music by Keao Costa, Kehau Tamure and Hoku Zuttermeister; and performances by Anelaikalani, Frank Hewett, O'Brian Eselu and other special guests. A nostalgic "Chalangalang Reunion" will feature surprise musicians from the 1940s through the 1970s; and Keawe also will take the stage. 7 p.m. Jan. 19. $30, $35, $50 and $75, available at the box office. 528-0506.

CONCERT: Jan. 23, 25, 26

Natalie Merchant, former frontwoman of the band 10,000 Maniacs, offers a three-island concert tour. Merchant, who has embraced socially conscious themes throughout her musical career, is touring in support of her November release, titled "Motherland." Details:

• 8 p.m. Jan. 23, Sheraton Waikiki Hawaii Ballroom. $37.50, available at the Blaisdell Center box office, Sheraton Waikiki dining desk, Foodland stores, University of Hawai'i-Manoa Campus Center and military outlets. 526-4400.
• 8 p.m. Jan. 25, Kauai Marriott's Kauai Ballroom. $40, available at Kauai Marriott, Kmart, Larry's Music, Progressive Expressions and Foodland stores. 526-4400.
• 8 p.m. Jan. 26, Maui Arts & Cultural Center. $30-$40, available at the box office. (808) 242-7469.

ON STAGE: Jan. 22-Feb. 3, Feb. 7-10

"The Vagina Monologues," a provocative play by Eve Ensler that has become a world phenomenon, will make its island debut at the Hawai'i Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 5 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 22 through Feb. 3. $20, $30 and $35 for Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday night shows; $30, $40 and $45 for Friday and Saturday nights and Saturday and Sunday matinees; discounts are available for students, senior citizens and military personnel; discounts are also available for purchases made by Dec. 31 for shows Jan. 22-24. 528-0506 or 526-4400; group discounts, 732-7733. The play also will tour Maui: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 ($10, $25, $30, $35), 8 p.m. Feb. 8 ($10, $35, $40, $45), 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Feb. 9 ($10, $35, $40, $45), 2 p.m. Feb. 10 ($10, $35, $40, $45) and 7 p.m. Feb. 10 ($10, $25, $30, $35); available at the theater box office. (808) 242-7469.

STAGE: Jan. 25-27, Feb. 1-3

"Haole Boy," written and performed by Mark Pinkosh and directed by Godfrey Hamilton, returns to O'ahu for two weekends at Hawaii Pacific University's windward campus theater. The Starving Artists Theatre Company production — following the comic adventures of Christian Wnuk, a haole boy growing up in Hawai'i from age 8 and into his 30s — originally was staged in 1991 and received rave reviews. 8 p.m. Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2; 4 p.m. Jan. 27 and Feb. 3. $14 general, $10 senior citizens, military, students, HPU faculty and staff, $5 HPU students. 375-1282.

CONCERTS: Jan. 31, Feb. 1, 2

The Hawaiian Islands Winter Rhythm & Blues Mele 2002 brings the musical stylings of Debbie Davies, E.C. Scott and Walter Trout, and their bands for concerts on three islands. Guitarist Davies has played with legends such as Albert Collins, Buddy Guy and others; she last performed in Honolulu in 1997. Vocalist E.C. Scott has been called "an honest to God soul singer" by recording industry legend and Atlantic Records co-founder Jerry Wexler. Trout, who came up through the ranks of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, offers scorching guitar work that has brought fame particularly in Europe (in a BBC poll, he was voted No. 6 out of 20 all-time greatest guitarists, right behind Jimmy Page).

The schedule:

• Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m., Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theater. $25, $28, $30; available at the box office and Connection outlets. (808) 242-SHOW (7469).
• Feb. 1, doors open at 8:15 p.m., South Seas Village/Hawaiian Hut, Ala Moana Hotel. $25 advance, $28 at the door; available at Tower Video-Kapi'olani, Tower Records (Kahala, Pearl Kai), Rainbow Books-University, Hungry Ear-Kailua, MWR Kunia. 941-5205.
• Feb. 2, gates open at 5 p.m., Kona Brewing Company's Brewhouse Oasis. $28 advance, $30 at the door; available at Kona Brewing Company, Mele Kai Music, Byrd's CDs-Waimea, Kipuka Smoke Shop (Hilo, Kona), MJS Music, CD Wizard, Huna Ohana (Pahoa), Kilauea General Store (Volcano). (808) 334-1133, (808) 334-2739. Cindy Combs, Dancing Cat slack-key artist, also is on the bill, from 5:30 p.m.

THEATRE: Feb. 1-3, 5-6

The Second Hand, an ensemble that creates programs that combine dance, comedy, audience participation and even food, and making its Hawai'i debut on the Big Island and O'ahu. The trio has performed in North America, western Europe, Russia, Israel, Chile and Japan. Details:

• 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1, University of Hawai'i-Hilo Theatre. Ticket prices to be announced.
• 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 and 2 p.m. Feb. 3, Leeward Community Theatre. $20 and $25 general; $20 general, $15 with discount in advance.
• 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, Brigham Young University-Hawai'i Theatre. Ticket prices to be announced.
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 6, Salt Lake-Moanalua Public Library. Free. 956-6878

OPERA: Feb. 1,3,5; Feb. 15,17,19; March 1,3,5,7

Grand opera gets under way in February with a season of "La Traviata" (Feb. 1,3,5), "Salome" (Feb. 15,17,19) and "Carmen" (March 1,3,5,7) at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 p.m. Sundays and 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays (and March 7 for the final "Carmen" performance). $75-$270 season tickets (through Feb. 1), $27-$95 single tickets; available at Blaisdell box office, the Hawaii Opera Theatre box office at 985 Waimanu St. and Ticket Plus outlets. 596-7858, 800-836-7372, 526-4400.

CONCERT: Feb. 1

Brian McKnight, the soul/R&B artist who recently was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Male Pop Vocal Performance on "Still," will perform at the Hawaii Ballroom of the Sheraton Waikiki. $25, on sale beginning Jan. 12 at Ticket Plus outlets, Blaisdell box office, and the Sheraton Waikiki dining desk; a limited number of $35 Golden Circle seats also will be available. 526-4400.

CONCERT: Feb. 8

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, makes his Honolulu debut with a solo concert at World Cafe. Byrne was the acknowledged mastermind behind the artsy New Wave band, which was the focus of Jonathan Demme's film "Stop Making Sense" and broke up in 1989. He comes to Honolulu as part of his "Look into the Eyeball" tour, which supports his May 2001 release of the same name. 8 p.m. Feb. 8. $20, on sale beginning Jan. 12 at Tower Records (Kahala, Pearl Kai), Tower Video Kapi'olani, Cheapo Music, Hungry Ear, Foodland stores, University of Hawai'i-Manoa Campus Center and military outlets. 526-4400.

COMING UP:

• The Strokes, Feb. 7, World Cafe
• Tony Conjugacion's "Hapa Haole Hou," a Hana Hou! Hawaiian Music Series concert, Feb. 8, Hawai'i Theatre
• Janet Jackson, Feb. 16, Aloha Stadium
• "Spring Footholds" dance concert, Feb. 20, Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawai'i-Manoa
• Chinese Festival, part of the city's Hawai'i Ethnic Heritage Series, Feb. 22, Honolulu Hale
• Laurie Anderson, Feb. 23, Leeward Community College Theatre
• Honolulu Festival, March 8-10
• Glen Campbell, in a Honolulu Symphony Pops concert, March 22-23, 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
• Merrie Monarch Festival, March 31-April 6, Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium, Hilo

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.