The Buzz

Snap, crackle, pop

Start things off tonight at Bedroq Bar & Grill for Part I of the Mini Fest. From 8 p.m., the 21-and-older crowd can rock to the sounds of Teradactyl, above; Linus; Little Moments; Pocketlite; and Paul and Gwen. Admission is free. 942-8822.

On Saturday, head off the munchies at Club Pauahi for Part II during "Avant Pop." Beginning at 8 p.m., local faves Hellbound Hounds, Postmodern, Commonplace, the Bunkbeds, Omega Cix and Mike Phono will shake things up. Cover is $5, for 18 and older. 521-7252. Proceeds benefit Teradactyl's East Coast Mint Tour in the spring.

Sunday sounds at Kapi'olani Park

Sit back and enjoy the music at the Hawaiian Style Backyard Jam 2003, a free concert from noon Sunday at the Kapi'olani Park bandstand. The drug- and alcohol-free event is being hosted by Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaii, in honor of Drug Free Hawaii Awareness month.

Slated to perform are Forté, above; B.E.T.; Native Blend; Aziel; the 'Opihi Pickers; Thick Tubes; Maximum Recovery; the Royal Hawaiian Band; and others. Information and demonstrations will be provided by the Boys & Girls Clubs, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the American Heart Association and Start.Living.Healthy. Food will be sold, and there will be inflatable attractions and a rock-climbing wall for the keiki.

A free shuttle service from the Kapi'olani Community College parking lot will be available, as an alternative to the usual Waikiki lots. 545-3228.

A whole lot of music at the Atherton

The Atherton Performing Arts Studio will be quite busy this week as a slate of performers heads over to the Kaheka Street spot. On tap are:

• "Abe Weinstein and Friends: A Night of Latin Jazz and Blues" at 7:30 tonight. Appearing with Weinstein will be Keahi Conjugacion, Dan del Negro, Ernie Provencher and Rodney Perez.
• Erik Reischl at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The young German pianist will be appearing for his third time on O'ahu, performing works by Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Liszt and Chopin.
• Scott Janusch at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The solo recital is a rare one for the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra's principal oboist.
• Tickets for each performance are $17.50 general, $15 Hawai'i Public Radio members and $10 students. Reservations: 955-8821.

Honoring Black History Month

Famed Underground Railroad heroine Harriet Tubman comes alive in "Harriet's Return," a play about the life and times of the freedom fighter. Written and performed by Karen Jones Meadows, the play returns to the days of slavery, when Tubman risked her life to take more than 300 slaves to freedom.

"Harriet's Return" will be performed at 7:30 tonight at the Doris Duke theater at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Tickets are $25 general, $20 museum members, students, seniors and military. A benefit reception in the pavilion follows the performance; tickets are $25.

The play will also be performed at 6 p.m. Sunday at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Art Auditorium. Tickets are $20 general, $15 students.

533-0275.

Celebrate Mardi Gras

Fat Tuesday isn't until March 4, but that doesn't mean that the festivities can't start now. Leeward Community College is hosting Mardi Gras Day Saturday, with featured performers the famed zydeco artist Terrance Simien and his sextet, the Mallet Playboys.

Accordian squeezer Simien and his group, all Louisiana natives, have rocked the South for 20 years. Zydeco, from southern Louisiana, combines French tunes with elements of Caribbean music and the blues.

The audience is encouraged to wear costumes and come early for a taste of Louisiana-style food such as blackened catfish and crawfish gumbo, provided by the Dixie Grill.

The pre-show festivities begin at 5 p.m. with the Swampshakers in the courtyard, followed by the concert at 7 p.m. in the theater. Tickets are $15-$25. 455-0385.

California students offer 'West Side Story'

"West Side Story" is coming to the Islands, courtesy of the Stevenson School Players from Pebble Beach, Calif. The modern retelling of "Romeo and Juliet" will feature 73 students from grades 9-12 who are here during their winter break.

Stevenson School is an independent institution whose theater troupe has performed throughout Europe. The Stevenson Players are led by drama instructor Hamish Tyler.

The play will be shown at other independent schools in the state beginning at 7 p.m. Monday at Kamehameha School for free. Other performances are 7 p.m. Thursday through March 1 at Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island. Tickets are $7 general and $4 students. The play wraps up at 7:30 p.m. March 4 at Seabury Hall on Maui; cost is $10 general, $9 seniors and $7 students.

(831) 626-5333.

Flashback time

Go back, waaay back, to the days of leg warmers, sky-high hair and hypercolor clothes. It's the '80s again, which local club haunt Pipeline Café revives on the last Thursday of every month with the aptly themed "Retro Night."

This Thursday's party will feature DJ Brandon, playing hit music from the decade of greed. The fun rages on from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Cover is $5 for 21 and older. 589-1999.