THE NIGHT STUFF
On The River hosts return of Sub-Vibe tonight

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Rachel Kaiser's "Cocoon," oil with sculptural relief, will be part of the visual arts offerings at Sub-Vibe IV at On The River, a tea-and-coffee bar/gallery/performance space that opens tonight.

The interior of On the River includes a loft above a tea-and-coffee bar. An extensive menu of teas and coffees will be served daily.

The work of Rich Richardson and other artists will be on display tonight at On The River.

We were chilling last week in the mercifully air-conditioned confines of On The River, his new tea-and-coffee bar/gallery/ performance space on the edge of Chinatown. A few tools and supplies were still scattered about, silent witnesses to his five months of intensive restoration work on the space. But the venue's possibilities for musicians were hard to miss.

An airy ground-floor space in a century-old River Street building, On The River boasts high ceilings, walls of brick and stone, hardwood and tile floors and a welcoming boho vibe. The space also is Heraux's 15-year-old dream finally realized.

"We're so used to going to places where the sound is just killing you," said Heraux, offering a brief snare demonstration. His beats — muffled by a cloth draped over his kit — echoed warmly throughout the space.

His funked-up acid jazz band Quadraphonix includes longtime veterans of the local music scene, and Heraux is not a fan of venues that require musical bombast.

"It's like ordering salad and having so much dressing on it where you don't even taste the lettuce anymore," Heraux explained sagely. "You could be eating cardboard.

"I'm trying to get rid of the cardboard and bring back the lettuce. There should always be some fresh lettuce here."

Anyone else need a plate?

Heraux launches On The River in style tonight with a redux of Sub-Vibe, a sweet series of underground performance and visual art shows he first launched with artist Rachel Kaiser in spring 2003 at Studio 1. After a yearlong break, Sub-Vibe IV returns with a Quadraphonix performance and a feast of visual art from Kaiser, Sam Clemens, Kim Kinard, Rich Richardson and Steve Rosenthal. Slam sage Kealoha will offer spoken word. Fire dancers, an improvisational comedy troupe and DJ A2Z finish off the night.

Performances and a live art piece collaboration will happen throughout On The River's ground-floor gallery, outdoor courtyard and upstairs rooms. The calling card of the Sub-Vibe vibe is to have art everywhere.

"The idea is to just keep this thing a natural flow so that there's never a time when you're just sitting around and talking," said Heraux. "You'll get the sense of everything in the production working together."

Past Sub-Vibes have dropped lion dancers, punk bands, spontaneous multimedia collaborations and other eclectic minutiae into the mix.

Said Kaiser, of Sub-Vibe: "The idea is that you can mix genres like visual art with poetry and dance and live music and DJs."

Guests are sure to stake their claim for the evening on a small loft Heraux constructed to soak in the entirety of the gallery. The loft shelters a maple, cement and tile tea bar with an extensive tea menu presentation modeled on that of an Amsterdam hash bar.

Heraux hopes to recoup his substantial investment in renovations and rent on daily tea and coffee service from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., monthly art installations and occasional evening music events.

"I just wanted to create a place that was very comfortable for musicians," said Heraux. "This place is set up so that any traveling musician coming through town feels more than welcome to play.

"I think that when you provide a place for that, it creates art of itself. It makes people step up a notch."

Sub-Vibe IV drops from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. tonight at On The River, 941 River St. Entry is $10. More information at 306-7823.

Reach Derek Paiva at 525-8005 or dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.