The Buzz
Advertiser Staff
Whoo hoo ... here comes 2004!
5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1! Happy New Year! 2004 is right around the corner, so where will you be when the ball drops and the fireworks go off? Dazzling pyrotechnic displays around the island will go off at midnight. Catch the brilliant colors over Honolulu Harbor, off Waikiki Beach, off the beach at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii, and over the Ihilani Resort Lagoon (not open to the public, but viewable from the coastline). Check out the parties that precede the fireworks on our New Year's Eve calendar on page 17.
Go Jimmy Go celebrates seven years
They've been through seven years of good times, bad times and all those in-between times, and they want you to help celebrate! High-energy ska band Go Jimmy Go is throwing a birthday bash at Hard Rock Cafe Saturday, and everyone's invited. Reggae rockers Ooklah the Moc will be in the house, along with DJs Big Barr and Nomad. Catch them now before they head off to tour full time in the spring. It all goes down from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., for 18 and older. Cover is $10. www.gojimmygo.com.
Piranha Room goes Vegas
The ever-eclectic and always-electrifying Piranha Room celebrates its second anniversary Saturday by heading to Sin City. Experience Las Vegas' hippest nightclubs right on the dance floor of Honolulu's Ocean Club with this month's feature, Rum Jungle Las Vegas. The Jungle's resident DJ D-Mixx comes along for the ride, and a bebe fashion show heats up the night. The Piranha Room benefits Project Shine, a charity founded by photographer Russell Tanoue, who also hosts the monthly event. Doors open at 7 p.m. No cover charge before 9 p.m. and $5 afterward, for 23 and older. 531-8444.
Kwanzaa at Linekona arts center
Christmas isn't the only holiday in December. Celebrate Kwanzaa this weekend, an African-American celebration of family, community and culture. Traditionally celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, this weekend's festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and Saturday at the Academy Art Center at Linekona. There will be free African heritage movies to view, make 'n' take traditional African-American art ($2 for children and $5 for adults) and a book fair. There's an African-American cooking demonstration today, and a demonstration on indigo dying tomorrow. Admission is free. 532-8741.
Treat yourself to a trolley tour
Although Christmas is over, the Honolulu City Lights extravaganza continues through Jan. 4. A couple of trolley tours continue, too:
• Buy a meal, get a free trolley ride from The New Eagle Cafe (1130 N. Nimitz Highway, A-100), 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. 545-2233.
• The annual trolley tours from Ward Warehouse are scheduled every half-hour from 6:30 p.m. through Tuesday; ending times vary by evening. Tickets are $3 general, free for kids 3 and younger. Kids shorter than 45 inches must be accompanied by an adult and must purchase cabin seats for safety. Buy tickets in person at the Ward Warehouse information booth. Holiday hotline: 589-1788.
Proceeds benefit the Hawaii Foodbank.
'Peter Pan' flies into its final performances
Peter Pan (Elizabeth Harrison, right) sings "I Won't Grow Up" to the Darling children and the Lost Boys in "Peter Pan," the evergreen musical at Diamond Head Theatre. The production is in its final weekend. Showtimes are 8 p.m. today, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12-$42, with some discounts available. 733-0274.
The DJs keep on spinning
With winter break in full effect and the new year right around the corner, there's lots of DJ action to catch at the various parties going on around town. For instance, DJ KSM, above, spins tunes from the '80s at the following hot spots:
• Star Bar at Longhi's, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday, along with DJs G-Spot, Rayne, Slow Daddy and Drift. Cover is $10 general, for 21 and older, or bypass the line by going to groovetickets.com and buying an express entry pass for $15. 591-3500.
• Star Ball at Wave Waikiki, with doors opening at 8 p.m. Wednesday. DJs BTF, Jrama, SeanG and SubZero jump in on the fun, and local rockers Rail play live. Cover is $15 in advance or $20 and $25 at the door. Or reserve a VIP area for you and your friends, with packages including VIP admission for four, a reserved table or couch, bottle of champagne or liquor, tip, reserved valet spot and admission into the Afterhours party. White Star Packages start at $275, and Dom Perignon, Crown Royal and Absolut/Stoli packages start at $400. 941-0424.
• New Year's Eve Afterhours Party at Hula's Bar & Lei Stand, starting at 2 a.m. Thursday. DJs RacerX, IKON, Vertigo, Sovergn T, Spellbinder and others help mix it up. Full bar opens up at 6 a.m. Cover is $10, for 18 and older. 923-0669.
Rocking at the Beach House tonight
Just to get you rockin' ready for the weekend is the Roots-Rock-Reggae Festival, 6 p.m.-2 a.m. today at The Beach House, at Pier 7. Local bands Sani and Friendz, Last in Line, Battle Royale, above, Pipeline Band, and Maka's Band supply the grooves. Rounding out the night will be Elan Atias from Los Angeles, who'll perform his hits including "Dreams Come True." Cover charge is $10, for 21 and older, with no dress code. 566-0644.
