The best pop band you've never heard of — from exotic Omaha — breezes into town to play Anna Bannana's at 9 p.m. tomorrow. Shelter Belt is a seven-member collective that mixes complex instrumentation (with bassoon and French horn no less) and from-my-diary musings for an almost genre-defying sound. But if you have to pigeonhole them, they're kind of a cross between Scotland's Mull Historical Society and REM (what!?). They'll be playing tunes from their new CD, "Under the World Awhile." Show them your aloha — they record in their basement, book their own gigs and are charging only $5. 946-5190.

— Lesa Griffith

START COUNTING

BE A WHALE WATCHER

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's annual whale count begins tomorrow. The survey of humpback whales will be conducted from 65 shore-based sites around O'ahu. Saturday's count is set for 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Last year, more than 1,900 volunteers participated in the effort coordinated by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. To register as a volunteer on O'ahu, call 397-2651, ext. 253.

FINAL WORD

"One of the great advantages of getting older is that you can walk into a world which is more truthful and less to do with other people's fantasies."

Helen Mirren | the Oscar-nominated actress when asked if she's mortified by doing wrinkles-and-all scenes, in Entertainment Weekly