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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, August 29, 2003

Midnight blues wink at a sunny blue sky

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

 •  KIPO Blues Marathon

From noon Saturday (doors open at 11:30 a.m.) to 1:30 a.m. Sunday

Kapono's at Aloha Tower Marketplace

$20 until 1 p.m., $25 thereafter ($20 presale; $18 for Hawai'i Public Radio members)

955-8821

Blues fans generally are night people. You know, dark atmosphere, night moves, cozy clubs. After all, there's a tune called "Blues in the Night," not "Blues in the Day."

But the third annual KIPO Blues Marathon, set to begin at noon Saturday at Kapono's, has mushroomed in scope, with a record 17 bands participating from two stages. All this means a day and night slate of players, a day and night swarm of listeners.

Thus, programming the 13-hour festival was kind of tough.

"The biggest complaint was that blues bands don't like to play in daylight," said Jeff Ilardi, marathon programmer and a drummer with participating blues band Jeff Said No!

But with a burgeoning roster of popular and emerging blues talent, somebody had to play during sunlight hours.

"That's a reflection of the significant growth of interest in and performance of the blues," said Ilardi.

Last year, 13 acts took the stage in a similar day-and-night jam. Four were on the first year's roster.

Why the growth?

"People are getting bluesier all the time — getting braver," he said, referring to musicians. "They were shy to play the blues because booking venues wanted rock, because that's what audiences want. Rock, to dance to. To enjoy. But venues are seeing things differently, thanks to our popular KIPO Blues Nights that we've held in 10 different locations since we started the series. There's a whole new perspective and respect of the blues."

Ilardi thinks this year's lineup is the best yet. "Bottom line is, the blues bands this year are better than most we've had in the past; I mean, we booked classic rock bands last time, even if it wasn't blues. This year, it's blues all the way."

Though one couple last year braved the entire festival, from start to finish, Ilardi said attendance in the earlier hours — meaning sunlight time — is smaller than during the primetime night slots. To encourage early fans, the marathon is offering Blues Brothers-type sunglasses, emblazoned with "89.3 FM KIPO Blues Lover," to the first 100 who show up at Kapono's.

The specs will help filter the sunlight for the early birds. And serve as a lure to get the daytime blues players a gathering of listeners.

"We anticipate two types of crowds — the daytime and the nighttime audiences," said Ilardi. Lower admission up to 1 p.m. will give early arrivals better value for their tickets.

There will be inside and outside stages, too. The smaller units will perform on Kapono's indoor stage, under the roof; the main attractions, or larger bands, will be on the waterfront stage.

The smallest unit is the two-member Boogie group, which opens the marathon at noon. The largest group is the seven-piece Rocket Science, playing at 3:45 p.m. There are trios and quartets and quintets — bands of all sizes.

Ilardi, who hosts a KIPO FM radio show at 8 a.m. Mondays through Fridays, said the marathon gives new and established blues bands the chance to reach a willing audience.

"We're just continuing the tradition," he said.

Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.

• • •

Day and night

Here's the lineup for Saturday's KIPO Blues Marathon:

  • Noon — Boogie
  • 12:45 p.m. — Someone Else
  • 1:30 p.m. — Chicken Lips
  • 2:15 p.m. — Honolulu Blue Devils
  • 3 p.m. — Biker Blues Band
  • 3:45 p.m. — Rocket Science
  • 4:30 p.m. — David Lamar Project
  • 5:15 p.m. — Blue Fuse
  • 6 p.m. — Bud Cerio and the Now
  • 6:45 p.m. — Jeff Said No!
  • 7:30 p.m. — The Eric Petersen Band
  • 8:15 p.m. — Backstreet
  • 9 p.m. — Notorious Northsiders
  • 9:45 p.m. — Slim Mango
  • 10:30 p.m. — Night Train
  • 11:15 p.m. — Bob Jones & Hard Drive
  • Midnight — Bluzilla with Keahi Conjugacion
  • 12:45 a.m. — KIPO Blues Night All-Star Band