THE NIGHT STUFF
Hands Up! crowd hooked on Quadraphonix

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

DJ 45 (who also goes by Christian Ross) spins the records at the Hawaiian Hut, where the light show, below, illuminated the dance floor. Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Kristen Nou of Wailuku, Maui, grooves to the sounds of Quadraphonix at the Hawaiian Hut at the Ala Moana Hotel.

With irreverent dancehall master Eek-A-Mouse set to take the mike at Hands Up's second outing later this month (and rumors of other premiere hip-hop/urban acts floating around town), promoter Matty Liu seems intent on carving out an inventive Honolulu monthly that deserves to succeed. The formula appears to be simple enough.

Take some DJed R&B, hip-hop and dancehall in the early evening, and cap it with a larger late-evening helping of live sounds from a mix of changing musicians. Blend both with a large dance floor and stage, a cavernous and kitschy venue like the Hawaiian Hut, and a no-frills layout that allows the music to set the evening's pulse.

Quadraphonix didn't start playing until about 11:30 p.m. But it was clear who the crowd was there to see from its immediate approval of the band's opening salvo — a gathering storm of Latin-tinged percussion, dreamy atmospheric guitar work and funky bass.

From there, Quadraphonix — guitarist Shree Sadagopan, bassist Susan Copp, drummer Jonathan Heraux and percussionist Eli Clemens — didn't disappoint. By the time the band was fully into its multiminute sonic wanderings through hip-hop, jazz, world beats, funk and psychedelia, a crowd that had seemed subdued beforehand was suddenly wide awake and alive.

Having experienced the consistently solid talents of Quadraphonix in smaller venues in the past, I was afraid that the slightly Jabba-ish Hut's lack of intimacy would diminish my enjoyment. Instead, the band owned the room from the outset, sculpting a trippy aural wonderland that filled the room and seemed to elicit every conceivable move on the roomy dance floor. Skanking, b-boying, Woodstock-era twirling, grinding, frat-boy side-to-sides, it was all there.

Table service at the Hawaiian Hut was excellent throughout the evening — fast and friendly. Our drinks, however, were another story. Prices were reasonable enough, but having my whiskey sour arrive blended (it should never be prepared that way unless asked for) in the tiniest of juice glasses wasn't. The result was a drink almost fully watered down by the time it was delivered. My partner in Night Stuff's cosmo arrived in a larger juice glass (not a problem) with ice (definitely a problem). Order a bottled beer, though, and all should be well in the world.

Another engagement hastened our exit 45 minutes into Quadraphonix's set. But a line waiting to get into Hand's Up! when we left, and still more people heading to the Hut while we walked to our car, signaled a party that would likely continue kicking up to its 2 a.m. closing.

I'm looking forward to Feb. 28 already.

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

What: Hands Up!

Where: The Hawaiian Hut, Ala Moana Hotel, ground floor, 410 Atkinson Drive, 941-5205, www.mattyliu.com

When: 9 p.m.-2 a.m., last Friday of the month

Cover: $10

Younger than 21 OK? Yes

Age of crowd: 20s to 30s

Dress code: None

Attire we saw: Dressy and casual. On men: dress and aloha shirts, solid tees, tanks, sports jerseys, jeans, cargo pants, baseball caps, skull caps, beach hats. On women: camisoles, fitted tees, tanks, tube tops, peasant blouses, jeans, berets, beach hats

Our arrival/departure: 10:15 p.m./12:15 a.m.

What we drank: Whiskey sour, Stolichnaya cosmopolitan ($8.75)

Peak crowd while there: 250-300

Queue?: Not until about 11:30 p.m.

Sample music: Live music that evening by Quadraphonix. DJ mix included OutKast, Notorious B.I.G., Cypress Hill

Dancing? Yes

Night notes ...

The Architechs' "Firecrackin' Fridays" ended a monthlong run at Club Mist last week. The weekly, we're told, kicked off with decent-sized crowds, but attendance had cooled in recent weeks. Look for the Architechs to continue its "Sweet 'N Sour Saturdays" party at Pipeline Café, and keep its popular holiday weekend "Heaven" parties going at Sarento's at the top of the Ilikai. The next "Heaven" drops on Feb. 16.

Catch the aggressive ska-punk of Pimpbot and the alt-rock of Missing Dave, as both bands open for L.A. glam rockers Sex With Lurch at Wave Waikiki this weekend. Dave opens Friday; Pimpbot opens Saturday. Doors open for both nights at 9 p.m., entry is $10. Call 941-0424, ext. 12 for more info.