The Buzz

Gettin' some serious blues

Mmmmm-mmmm blues! Chicago blues artists The Rockin' Johnny Band will be joined by special guest vocalist/harpist Little Arthur Duncan for a Saturday night of live jamming at South Seas Village's Hawaiian Hut. Guitarist Johnnny Burgin, pictured, learned his trade watching some of the best musicians on Chicago's gritty West Side. His band includes rhythm guitarist Rick Kreher, a four-year veteran of the Muddy Waters Band. Guest musician Duncan is a 50-year Windy City journeyman blues legend. Opening will be local blues and jazz diva Keahi Conjugacion. Presented by the Hawaii Blues Society. Tickets are $30 at the door, $26 in advance and $21 for society members. At 8:30 p.m. Saturday. 864-6529.

Comics for a community cause

The Ali'i Awards Dinner & Comedy Show, a benefit Thursday for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, will feature local comedian/radio personality Paul Ogata, pictured left, and Mainland comics Susan Rice, at right, and Joe Vespaziani in an evening of laughs, honors and good food. Ali'i Award recipients are island residents who have made outstanding contributions to the society over the past year. The society also will announce its "Patch Adams Hawaii Award" winner for 2001 at the event. The program will be held in the Hawaii Ballroom of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. Tickets are $100 per person. Each table will be dedicated to one of the 40 children registered with the society locally. Cocktails and a silent auction kick off the evening at 5:30 p.m., with dinner following at 7 p.m. For more information, call the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 534-1222.

With the arrival of March, and (let us hope) cooperating trade winds, it's time for the 35th Annual O'ahu Kite Festival, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow at Kapi'olani Park, at the foot of Diamond Head. Kites of all sizes, colors and shapes will dot the sky, making it a natural for shutterbugs and an aerial bonus for sunbathers at Waikiki Beach, courtesy the Hawai'i Sportkite Association. 385-5753.

Thrills, games and grinds by the beach

Who can resist the lure of thrill rides, 'ono grinds and carnival games, all right next to a long white-sand beach? Uh-huh, that's what we thought. Check out the annual Friends of Waimanalo Carnival this weekend at Waimanalo Beach Park. Enjoy musical entertainment from Imua, Ka'ala Boys, Sean Na'auao and others plus other fun events all weekend. Free admission. Today 6 p.m. to midnight, continues Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight, and concludes Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. A $15 wristband gets you unlimited rides on Sunday only. 259-6474.

The Gospel, according to Kaimuki

The Kaimuki High School Performing Arts Center is staging "Godspell," the Broadway musical, at 7:30 p.m. today, Saturday, March 8 and 9, and 3 p.m. March 10, at the Kaimuki High theater. A cast of 38 youngsters from 16 public schools (elementary through college) is directed by Peggy Anne Siegmund. The role of Jesus is double-cast, with Elitei Tatafu Jr. in the role today and Saturday, and Michael Ng playing the role the rest of the run; $8 for adults and students, $5 for seniors 65 and older and students with ID, and free for children under 4; the March 9 performance is a benefit, with tickets at $10 for adults and students, $5 for students with ID. 733-4913.

Meet the Patriots

The Patriots — Gordon Manuel Freitas, Cordell Keith Haugen and Don "Geezer" Humphrey — unveil selections from their new CD, "Lest We Forget," a compilation of patriotic tunes, in a one-hour concert from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand. The program also will include folk, Hawaiian and country, because the musicians also perform as soloists in other genres. Free. 843-8002.

Think healthy

A PrimeTime Health Fair, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, offers free health advice, seminars and screenings for those 50 and older. Dr. Terry Shintani, an advocate of healthy diets, pictured, will conduct a seminar. Glenn Chu of Indigo restaurant will give a cooking demonstration and Miss America 2001 Angela Perez Baraquio (a picture of fitness, naturally) will make an appearance. Get free blood-pressure, glucose, cholesterol and ear examinations, too. Free. 525-7714.

Learn about the history and meaning of Hina Matsuri, otherwise known as Girl's Day, at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii's annual festival celebrating the joys of girlhood. The four-hour event will feature cultural demonstrations, dance, music and keiki activities including take-home arts and crafts. A gallery of Girl's Day doll collections from local families will be on display, and an assembly of young girls will get a chance to be fussed over by a professional team of kimono dressers and make-over artists. We can't wait to see what's in store for Boy's Day. Free admission. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday (Girl's Day), at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, 2454 S. Beretania St. 945-7633.

Punk and reggae

The X-Factory, Honolulu's own haunt for local Christian alternative bands, will feature yet another evening of live inspirational rock at "Punkrockin' Reggae: A Musical Masterpiece." Scheduled to perform are reggae-based Native Roots, hard rockers Testify and power punk combo Olivia. Operated by Grace Bible Church, The X-Factory is a nonprofit, drug-free community center for youth in Kalihi. A kim chee factory in a former life, The X-Factory also houses a recording studio for local Christian bands. The concert's $3 entrance fee will go toward financing the center. Today at 7 p.m. The X-Factory is at 3097 Kalihi St. 843-2342.

Spellbinding Shanghai Circus

The New Shanghai Circus, an ensemble of nimble acrobats with athletic grace and skills, will demonstrate their artistry in a dynamic and spell-binding show, premiering at 7 p.m. Thursday at Leeward Community College Theatre. The troupe has toured the world in productions large and small, including a previous run on Broadway and an engagement at the Hawai'i Theatre. Repeats at 7 p.m. March 8, and 2 and 7 p.m. March 9; $35, $25, $20. 455-0385.

All aboard for 'All American!'

"All American!," a star-spangled patriotic musical revue guest-directed by Ronald E. Bright, plays at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday, and 4 p.m. Sunday, at the Ronald E. Bright Theatre at Castle High School. The Castle Performing Arts Center production, extolling the virtues of America through song and dance, features 58 youngsters in grades 5 through 8 from 10 schools in the Windward district's Castle complex; $10 for adults, $8 for students and elders. 233-5626.

Kabuki, with sake

Monica Cho is the title figure in "Yuki Onna, the Snow Woman," one of three plays in the Honolulu Theatre for Youth's kabuki endeavor, "The Wondrous Tales of Old Japan." The production, which has been a sellout for school audiences as well as public showings (the final one is at 8 p.m. Saturday), is at Tenney Theatre. However, you can attend a benefit showing at 8 p.m. today in Tenney Theatre, and also sip sake, enjoy Japanese cuisine and talk story with director David Furumoto, who adapted this and two other Japanese folk tales. Kenny Endo, the taiko wizard who composed the music in the show, also will be there. $40 for the performance and reception. 839-9885.