THE NIGHT STUFF
Beach House ideal for early, late night music

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Natural Vibrations lead singer Penidean Pua'auli performs at The Beach House, an outdoors venue at Pier 7 by the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Ipolani Kamai dances to Natural Vibrations, one of several music acts performing on two stages during one evening's entertainment at The Beach House.

The crowd gets together outside at The Beach House on Pier 7. A grand view of Honolulu Harbor is the backdrop for groups who perform for pau-hana guests and late-night revelers.

The spot has since been home to welcome three-day weekends of live rock, contemporary and island music from a mixed plate of local musicians. Also appreciated: free cover, and live entertainment for both after-work and late-night revelers.

Housed along the length of Pier 7 between the Falls of Clyde and the Maritime Museum, and a small swatch of lawn with sweeping views of Honolulu Harbor, The Beach House's almost entirely outdoor setting offered the ideal summer environs for soaking in its mix of live sounds.

Six bands were scheduled to play on two stages last Saturday. Arriving at 10:30 p.m., we managed to catch four of them in two hours.

Nightlife offered bouncy contemporary covers (Santana, No Doubt) to a small crowd near the entrance early on, while Kai Ako & Friends jammed some pleasant-enough island rhythms on the main stage. Patrons were just starting to stream in to catch sets by headliners Sean Na'auao and The Ka'ala Boys scheduled for later in the evening.

The music and crowd was comfortably mellow, and the only threat to our evening was a light drizzle.

Coaxed by a sweet reworking of Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing," we spent most of the night near the second stage grooving to nicely done old and new school contemporary covers from acoustic trio Simple Souls. Keeping its instrumentation low key, its patter laid back, and highlighting the winning vocals of its three leads, Simple Souls' two guitarists and percussionist offered soulful readings of hits by John Mayer, Cranberries, Norah Jones, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nelly Furtado.

We left only briefly to catch a bit of Sean Na'auao's rock-steady main stage set.

Got a night spot, night event or club event we should check out? Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8005.

What: The Beach House.

Where: Pier 7, diamondhead of Aloha Tower Marketplace, outside of the Maritime Museum.

When: 6 p.m.-2 a.m., Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays.

Our arrival/departure: 10:30 p.m./12:30 p.m., Saturday

Cover: Free.

Younger than 21 OK? No.

Age of crowd: 20s-40s.

What to wear: You won't be out of place in casual or stylish duds.

Peak crowd while there: About 200.

Queue?: No.

Sand Island odor on scale of 1 to 10: 3

Music the night we showed: Courtesy of Sean Na'auao, Ka'ala Boys, Nightlife, Simple Souls, Kai Ako & Friends, One More Round.

Tonight's line-up: Sani Apuakehau & Friends, Kai Ako & Friends.

Saturday's line-up: Ka'ala Boys, Backyard Pa'ina, One Drop.

Endless summer: The Beach House will remain open through early 2004.

Night notes ...

Grrrr! Arrrgh! With The Hellbound Hounds' first full-length CD "Bound" still wrapped in plastic on my desk as I struggle to make deadline, I'll probably be getting my first taste of the disc at the band's Saturday launch party. No matter. The Hounds — lead vocalist Nathan Verdugo, bassist Kyle Miyamoto, guitarist/vocalists Matthew Bennett and Joel Tokunaga and drummer Kyle Plyler — are sure to toast the long-awaited release with one of their patently ear-shattering sets somewhere between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m at Wave Waikiki. Also performing will be Hard Rock Café battle of the bands winner Amplified.

Sadly crashing the Hounds gig (and, apparently, just about any business in town that'll have 'em) will be the tragic has-been road show of "The Real World," "Road Rules" and "The Bachelor" cast members known as Reality Bites. A handful of these very special people will be at The Wave from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. tomorrow, with others making the rounds at Blue Tropix, Dave & Busters and, earlier in the day, Kailua Beach Park and Pflueger Acura. In town are Steven and Frank from "The Real World: Las Vegas;" Ace, Adam and Leah from "The Real World: Paris;" and ... really, does it matter? Expect autographs and macking.

Fans of indie pop, electroclash and Brit pop might want to check out the intriguingly named Club Rebel Rebel! at Club Pauahi tonight from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Bring on the Bowie, I say.