What's Up!

The Lion Kings — sorry, not the Disney ones — are coming to the Blaisdell Arena. These Lion Kings are Asian lion dancers who will compete in the First Hawai'i World Invitational Lion Kings Competition, with amazing feats that require acrobatic skills and athleticism. Movement, timing and martial-arts savvy all come into play; one of the exciting moments is a lion balancing on poles 5 to 8 feet in the air. Tickets: $25-$65.

• 1 p.m. Oct. 13 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400

FUN RUN: Oct.13

The Honolulu Symphony's Fun Run also is a walk, and an excuse for some concertizing, both on Kahala area rooftops (a "Fiddler on the roof" has become a tradition) and in the Fort Ruger triangle park (where ensembles perform). Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m., the run starts at and finishes at Fort Ruger Park, participants collect pledges, a party follows at the finish line. To participate, call 524-0815.

• 7:30 a.m. Oct. 13 / Ft. Ruger Park / 524-0815

FOODIE EVENT: Oct. 14

The Honolulu Advertiser's 'Ilima Awards, a culinary celebration benefitting Diamond Head Theatre, offers tastings from award-winning restaurants determined by the public. It begins with cocktails at 6 p.m., a brief show at 6:30 p.m., and lots of time to sip, sample and socialize — and dance, too — afterward in the tented parking lot. Tickets: $1,500 to $5,000 for tables of 10; $175, individual tickets.

• 6 p.m. Oct. 14 / Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0277, ext. 305

CONCERT: Oct. 17

He's been called the "Tiger Woods of jazz piano," and 15-year-old Eldar Djangirov is heading this way to show us why. The Russian prodigy, who now lives in Kansas City, will be accompanied by Bob Harrison on bass and Paul Markette on drums for a concert of American jazz and Djangirov's own pieces at the University of Hawai'i's Orvis Auditorium. Tickets: $20 general, $15 students, military, seniors, UH faculty and staff); available at Campus Center.

• 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 / Orvis Auditorium / 956-6878

HAWAIIANA: Oct. 18

Na Kupuna Night, a recreation of the popular 1960s event, will take a stroll down memory lane when Joe Recca hosts the show at the Banyan Courtyard of the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel. A mixed bag of music will be featured, including traditional, hapa-haole and contemporary Hawaiian. The Hawaiian trio Hala'i will kick off the evening at 6 p.m., with vocals by Bill Kaiwa and hula by Kahale Richardson and Kahai Halau O Kahelepuna Pa 'Olapa Kahiko. A buffet dinner, from 5:30 p.m. at the Banyan Veranda, precedes the show. Dinner: $35; cocktail-only seating available.

• From 6 p.m. Oct. 18 / Banyan Courtyard and Veranda, Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel / 922-3111

CONCERT: Oct. 18-19

Pianist-vocalist Michael Feinstein, a darling of the New York concert and cabaret circuit, brings his chic artistry and his Americana songbag (he is the unparalleled interpreter of tunes by George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington and Harry Warren), to the Honolulu Symphony's Hawaiian Airlines Pops Series, at 8 p.m. at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Find out why he's dubbed "America's Ambassador of Song." Tickets: $15-$57.

• 8 p.m. Oct. 18-19 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / 792-2000

FILM FESTIVAL: Oct. 18-19

The 'Ohina Short Film Showcase, which gives local indie filmmakers an opportunity to expose their works to the community, will be held at the Doris Duke theater at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. 'Ohina means "the gathering" or "coming together," thus allowing filmmakers to connect with audiences.

• Time to be announced, Oct. 18-19 / The Doris Duke at the Academy/ 951-4413

CONCERT: Oct. 19

John Prine shares his country songs in a one-nighter at the Hawai'i Theatre; his themes typify the genre, centering on loving, losing, leaving and cheating. Tickets: $33, $37.

• 8 p.m. Oct. 19 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506

CONCERT: Oct. 21

The Ahn Trio, a Korean-American ensemble of talented sisters, performs at 11 a.m. for a youth audience and 7 p.m. for the community at Blaisdell Concert Hall. The group includes Lucia Ahn on piano, Angella Ahn on violin and Maria Ahn on cello, and their Ahn-plugged concert style has earned them worldwide raves. Tickets: $27, $32, $42 and $57 for the evening shows, $15 for the morning show.

• 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 21 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / 526-4400

STAGE: Oct. 25-Nov. 3

"Lysistrata," Aristophanes' classic political comedy, will take a sexual, contemporary note when it premieres at Kennedy Theatre under the direction of Glenn Cannon. Amy Matsen plays the title character in the classic tale of women finding ways to take charge in a world where men normally dominate. It's set in a frat house; it mixes Greek history with contemporary cultural references ... all accompanied by electronic rock vibes blended with dance and martial-arts postures. Tickets: $12 general, $10 seniors, military and UH staff, $8 students and $3 UH students with ID.

• Premieres 8 p.m. Oct. 25; repeats Oct. 26, 31, Nov. 1 and 2; 2 p.m. Nov. 3 / Kennedy Theatre / 956-7655

CONCERT: Oct. 26

Eight youngsters who could easily be symphony musicians of the future will join the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra in a special concert at 8 p.m. at Blaisdell Concert Hall. These are winners in a Honolulu Symphony Concerto Competition; this a big deal, real McCoy gig, for Mary Elizabeth Keller, violin, Punahou fifth-grader; Melody Lindsay, harp, Punahou sixth-grader; Nadine Mitake, piano, Punahou eighth-grader; In Young Park, violin, Moanalua High freshman; TJ Tario, piano, Hanahau'oli School third-grader; Ryan Tsukamoto, violin, 'Iolani School 10th grader; Aimi Watanabe, piano, Seabury School eighth-grader; and Deborah Yeung, piano, Punahou seventh-grader. Tickets: $7, $15.

• 8 p.m. Oct. 26 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / 792-2000 (symphony box office), 591-2211 (Blaisdell box office), 526-4400 (Ticket Plus)

CONCERT: Nov. 5

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Dashboard Confessional, which is really composed of singer/songwriter Christopher Carrabba, who didn't want to name his act after himself. Dashboard/Carrabba, a darling of the new indie-rock set, heads for an all-ages concert at World Café. Tickets: $20; at Tower Records (Kahala, Pearl Kai), Tower Video Kapi'olani, Cheapo Music (Puck's Alley, Pearl Kai), 808 Skate Kailua, ITT Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, Pearl Harbor Bloch Arena, Schofield ITR, University of Hawai'i Campus Center, World Café box office and Foodland stores.

• 7 p.m. Nov. 5 (doors open 6 p.m.) / World Café / 526-4400

COMING UP

• Unwritten Law, Oct. 25, World Café
• Easter Seals Haunted House, Oct. 25-26, Easter Seals 'Ewa Office
• Goldfinger, Oct. 30, World Café
• Hawai'i International Film Festival's Fall Film Festival, Nov. 1-10 on O'ahu, Nov. 8-10 on the Neighbor Islands
• B.B. King, Nov. 8, Blaisdell Arena; also, Nov. 7 on Kaua'i; Nov. 9 on Maui; Nov. 10 on the Big Island
• "Death of a Salesman," Nov.8-Dec. 8, Hawai'i Pacific University
• Art Sale 2002, Nov. 10, The Contemporary Museum
• "The Sound of Music," Dec. 6-22, Diamond Head Theatre
• Honolulu City Lights, annual tree-lighting ceremony and Electric Light Parade, Dec. 7, City Hall
• Quiet Riot, Dec. 7-9, Gussie L'Amour's
• Gingerbread Festival, Dec. 8, Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
• "Cookin'," Dec. 11-14, Hawai'i Theatre
• "Luma: Theatre of Light," Dec. 19-22, Hawai'i Theatre

BUZZING ABOUT

Tube licks: Unless some miracle happens, the Rolling Stones aren't likely to pause in Hawai'i during their Licks World Tour, pegged to their "Forty Licks" CD (just out, on Oct. 1). American dates continue through February, though there will be Asia stops in 2003 and a remote "maybe" for an add-on island gig. Best bet: a live-from-Madison Square Garden telecast on HBO Jan. 18.

New Nick's: Nick's Fishmarket, a haven for seafood, steak and pasta faves, will launch a classy club feature in its lounge every Friday, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., starting tonight. D-Vinyl Entertainment will feature guest DJs; tuxedoed servers will add that touch of class. $5 cover; you must be 23 or older to take in the acid jazz and house music.

Rock trips: In some cities where Journey has been performing, screaming women up front have been baring their tops and tossing garments to the stage. Curious to see if that happens here, when Journey performs Thursday and next Friday at Blaisdell Arena.

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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.