Vice City 2 party back at Ocean's

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Dress glam and arrive early for the Vice City 2 costume party tomorrow night at Ocean Club's Piranha Room. Doors open at 8 p.m. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

With The Night Stuff taking a breather this week (yes, other projects keep me occupied from time to time), I thought the four events that follow — which would've made my Night Notes sidebar — deserved some play.

Sure, they're a bit diverse. But since when was variety such a bad thing?

They're all happening in the next week. Enjoy!

Last month's Vice was so nice, they're doing it twice. Ocean Club's Piranha Room spends another month tethered to the Playstation console with its Vice City 2 costume party tomorrow. As possibly the only party in town this weekend where you can accent your chest hair with the gold medallions and open silk shirts of an '80s era Florida vice detective, or dress like Chaka Khan in the "I Feel For You" video, and still have people actually talk to you, Vice City 2 promises to be another kicky Piranha trip down pastel and big hair lane. Dress glam and arrive early or risk the wrath of the door patrol. Entry is $5 before 9 p.m., $10 thereafter. Doors open at 8 p.m. More information at 531-8444.

With more than 400 spoken word fans last month, Studio1's First Thursdays Slam Poetry Competition is now one of the best attended — if not THE best attended — verse contests in, like, the universe. The deservedly popular Honolulu slam competition is in the middle of selecting winners at each outing to put together a four-poet Hawai'i team for next year's National Poetry Slam — our state's very first NPS team. Next Thursday's Thursday will select a second poet to join May slam champ Selah Geissler on the team. If last month was any indication, the competition should be as intense as the flow. Show up earlier than the 8 p.m. start time if you want seats. Door is $3 before 8 p.m., and $5 thereafter. Information at 387-9664 or www.hawaiislam.com.

First, it was Don Ho. Then it was Martin Denny. But this month's edition of Tiki Lounge Five-O will feature in-the-flesh "Hawaii Five-O" cast member Doug Mossman; a talent so extraordinary, he was able to play two characters on the show, Lt. George Kealoha and Frank Kamana. Book that, Danno! Providing the tiki and South Sea sounds will be the Wiki Waki Woo Serenaders. The usual cast of Tiki Lounge Five-O characters will be there including local surf band The King Pins. The party moves to Jaron's in Kailua this month, but the drive should be worth it. The party kicks off at 9 p.m. and goes till 2 a.m.; 21 and older only. RSVP recommended; door is $10. Information at tikiloungefive-o.com or 261-4600.

Program director Jeff Ilardi has been putting together monthly KIPO-FM Blues Night showcases for almost three years now. Together with a handful of his blues-lovin' KIPO-FM co-workers, he even helped put together a bona-fide blues band of his very own, Jeff Said No!, to open for a good number of the events. This week, however, Jeff Said No! finally hits the big time with a Blues Night of its very own. Opening will be vocalist Melody Heidel; Kevin's Two Boots provides its usual rib-sticking and delicious Cajun eats. The bands have always been oh-so-cool, and the night always oh-so-blue. If you haven't caught a KIPO-FM Blues Night yet, you should. From 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday at Anna Bannanas. Entry is $7 ($5 for Hawaii Public Radio members). For more information, call 955-8821.