THE NIGHT STUFF
Get intimate with live blues at O'Toole's pub

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Lorraine Saunkum of Pauoa grooves to the music of the Notorious Northsiders at a recent Blues Thursday at O'Toole's Irish Pub in downtown Honolulu. Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Nini Jensen, left, of Aarhus, Denmark, and Brittany Graham, of Kaimuki, chat at O'Tooles, where twentysomethings to fiftysomethings gather for live blues on Thursday evenings.

BLUES THURSDAYS Where: At O'Toole's Irish Pub, 902 Nu'uanu Ave., 536-4612, 536-4138. When: 5-8 p.m., 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Thursdays. Cover: Free. Age of Crowd: Mid-20s-50s. What to wear: We liked the three dudes who chose to pull out suits the night we stopped by, but casual dress is fine. Best seats: Raised table and stools near entrance, overlooking the stage and Nu'uanu Avenue. Bathroom attendant holding paper towels hostage? No. But remind us to thank whoever had the bright idea of placing a headrest over the men's room urinal for, you know, those long nights at the bar. Upcoming blues: Northside Art (5-8 p.m.), Slim Jr. (9 p.m.-1 a.m.), St. Patrick's Day; Larry Spalding (5-8 p.m.), Downtown Charley & The Humbones (9 p.m.-1 a.m.), March 24; Northside Art (5-8 p.m.), Michael Fahey Band (9 p.m.-1 a.m.), March 31

My draft Guinness was paid for by visiting Seattle resident Stan "Don't-Tell-Your-Editors-About-This" Homan, who felt sorry that 1) I was working, and 2) my pretzel dish had only two sorry looking mini-pretzels left. Jeff Said No! — a blues quintet named after, but not exactly led by, drummer and Blues Thursday founder Jeff Ilardi — was playing Gene Vincent, John Lee Hooker and Big Mama Thornton covers. And there was a small, but vocal, crowd enjoying it all.

Lovely that.

"Thank you! It's nice to have our relatives here," quipped bassist/vocalist Bob Frost, reacting to a round of serious applause.

A shout-out for Muddy Waters was answered with a down-and-dirty "Hoochie Coochie Man." Some barfly calling out for "Freebird" inspired an entirely apropos — and unquotable in a family newspaper — comment from one of the players .

On the night I stopped by, O'Toole's warm, neon-lit wood and brick interiors buzzed with a diverse crowd of about 50 — everyone from well-dressed fiftysomethings to casually-attired twentysomething males in backward baseball caps. A young blonde and brunette in low-rise jeans and tight tops near the bar soaked in all the attention a dozen or so guys could shower them with. A couple of barflies chain-smoked and nodded to the music.

Ilardi moved Blues Thursdays to O'Toole's in October 2003, when Kapono's shut the weekly down for low patronage. Business was slow for the first three months at the new location, but Ilardi's and O'Toole's patience was eventually rewarded with a more consistent following in the downtown Honolulu pub's more intimate quarters.

Lit by a few colored spots and the glow of a giant neon Heineken lamp above, Jeff Said No! played right on the floor, inches away from patrons.

"I've always liked the dim lighting and closeness of everything (at O'Toole's)," said Ilardi. "The band and the audience are at the same level. I think that that's a real important thing with the blues."

Ilardi is a longtime supporter of live blues in town. As program director for KIPO-FM, he organized more than three years of Blues Night monthlies for the station at clubs and bars around Honolulu through last fall. Those nights, like Blues Thursdays, played host to dozens of Ho-nolulu blues bands.

Musicians who have played Blues Thursday at O'Toole's include the Notorious Northsiders, Honolulu Blue Devils, Downtown Charley & The Humbones and the Eric Peterson Band.

"I came from Indianapolis, Ind., where you could see a blues or jazz band almost any night of the week," said Ilardi. "When I came to Honolulu and found that it was rare to find a blues band playing, I made it my mission to change that ... so an audience could find blues every week.

"It's a personal thing."

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

NIGHTSPOTTING ...

MOTHER OF A MIND JAM

It's all about staying positive, keeping it real, you know, zen and celebrating indie art and music. Saturday's Earth Mother Mind Jam at Anna Bannana's promises 10 hours worth of diverse live music (punk, Celtic, reggae, Hawaiian, rock, blues, etc.), spoken word, dance, comedy, and live performance and visual art. Get the entire lineup of events at www.themindjam.com, and take your mama out to Anna's between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m. Cover is $10; 18 and older.

FETISH QUEEN

Those pleasant enough flog-happy folk at The Dungeon describe Emily Marilyn as one of the top international fetish/alternative fashion models in the world. She photographed well in February's Maxim and Stuff magazines. And she'll be greeting fans at The Dungeon tonight. Bring a pen to Galaxy night club, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.; 18 and older only.