Take a Wok on the Chinatown side

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

Think "block party without blocked streets" and you'll have a pretty good idea of promoter Kristien Amer's plan for her Wok On Chinatown Block Party. The music, art and quasi-film fest is set to stir-fry 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday at five venues.

"All the entertainment is inside the venues," Amer said. "People who pay for a wristband get to go in and out of five different places all, quite literally, around the (block) from one another."

Amer dreamed up the event to show as many people as possible the hidden joys of her favorite part of downtown Honolulu.

"Ever since Havana Cabana and a few other places shut down (near Chinatown) there's really not a whole lot of traffic coming through these businesses," Amer said of Wok On's participating spots. "A lot of people don't know that they're around. So I was kind of trying to help promote the fact that there are still little clubs down there ... little, cute places and stuff."

Here are the party details:

• Ground Level, 1154 Fort Street Mall, 546-9998: Live punk/ska by the Hellbound Hounds; ska and punk spinning by DJ Independent; art films including Federico Fellini's "8 1/2," Jacques Tati's "Playtime," John Waters' "Pink Flamingos," and selections from Andy Warhol; art by Roy Venters, the Mystery Cat, Rich Walker, Kenneth Brimer and Lanakila Kelliher. 21 and older.
• Club Pauahi, 80 S. Pauahi St., 521-7252: Live reggae by Eastside Wrecking Crew; reggae, rock steady and dancehall spinning by DJs Lion and Pressure. 21 and older.
• The Club House, 10 N. Hotel St., 536-6966: Down tempo lounge spinning by DJ Maggie the Cat. 21 and older.
• Garden of Saigon, 1041 Nu'uanu Ave., 537-6971: Hip-hop spinning with 420 Functions featuring DJs Epic and Shawn Murphy. 18 and older.
• The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nu'uanu Ave., 521-2903: Live acid jazz and grooves by the Flower Pit; plus "Bonsai: The Living Art — Selections from The Dragon Garden of Walter Liew." All ages; closes at midnight.

Admission is by a $10 wristband available at each spot.