Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [85]
Dragon Upstairs (Map; 526-1411; http://thedragonupstairs.com; 2nd fl, 1038 Nu′uanu Ave; usually Wed-Sat) This hideaway above Hank’s Cafe Honolulu has a sedate vibe, plus funky artwork and lots of mirrors. An intimate space, it hosts a rotating line-up of local jazz cats, from experimental bands to bop trios to piano and vocal soloists.
Anna Bannanas (Map; 946-5190; 2440 S Beretania St; 9pm-2am Thu-Sat) A reliable college bar, part roadhouse and part arthouse, Anna Bananas goes beyond its retro-1960s ‘Summer of Love’ atmosphere to put island reggae, alt-rock, punk and metal bands on stage. Too bad they haven’t brought back those hookah pipes yet.
Pipeline Cafe (Map; 589-1999; http://pipelinecafehawaii.com; 805 Pohukaina St; varies) A gargantuan warehouse on an industrial side street, this place has a punk-rock heart but also opens for hip-hop and heavy metal bands. You don’t need multiple face piercings to blend in, but it doesn’t hurt. There’s often a cover charge, depending on the band.
Wards Rafters (735-8012; 3810 Mauna Loa Ave; 3-6pm Sun) Make your way to a family affair in Kaimuki, where Jackie Ward opens up her converted attic to O′ahu’s tight-knit jazz community. It’s a word-of-mouth place that informs regulars of gigs via an email list. You can call with questions and please be generous with your cash donations to the musicians. We’ve left this place unmapped to better protect its invite-only status. BYOB.
Performing Arts
Hawaii’s capital city is home to a symphony orchestra, an opera company, ballet troupes, chamber orchestras and over a dozen diverse community theater groups.
Hawaii Theatre (Map; 528-0506; www.hawaiitheatre.com; 1130 Bethel St) In a beautifully restored historic building in Chinatown, this is a major venue for dance, music and theater. Performances range from local live music and international touring acts, to modern dance, contemporary plays and film festivals. The theater also hosts the Ka Himeni ′Ana competition in which famous musicians play in traditional Hawaiian styles.
Neal S Blaisdell Center (Map; 591-2211; www.blaisdellcenter.com; 777 Ward Ave) A cultural liynchpin for the city, this performing-arts center stages symphonic and chamber-music concerts; opera performances and ballet recitals; prestigious hula competitions; Broadway shows; family-friendly events; and arts-and-crafts fairs. Occasionally big-name rock musicians such as Sting play here instead of at Aloha Stadium (Map).
ARTS at Marks Garage (Map; 521-2903; www.artsatmarks.com; 1159 Nu′uanu Ave) On the cutting edge of Chinatown’s arts scene, this community gallery and performance space puts on a cornucopia of live shows, from poetry slams and conversations with island-born artists to live jazz and Hawaiian music.
Kumu Kahua Theatre (Map; 536-4441; www.kumukahua.org; 46 Merchant St) In the Kamehameha V Post Office building, this little 100-seat treasure is dedicated to premiering works by Hawaii’s playwrights, often focusing on the multicultural complexities of contemporary island life and peppered richly with Hawaiian pidgin.
HawaiiSlam (Map; 387-9664; www.hawaiislam.com; 2nd fl, Honolulu Design Center, 1250 Kapi‘olani Blvd; admission $3-5; 8:30pm 1st Thu of month) One of the biggest poetry slams in the USA, here international wordsmiths, artists, musicians, MCs and DJs share the stage inside the Cupola Theatre. Sign-up for aspiring poetry-slam stars starts at 7:45pm.
For more multicultural theater productions and musical concerts:
Doris Duke Theatre (Map; 532-8768; www.honoluluacademy.org; Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S Beretania St)
East-West Center (Map; 944-7111; www.eastwestcenter.org; 1601 East-West Rd)
Cinemas
Doris Duke Theatre (Map; 532-8768; www.honoluluacademy.org; Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S Beretania St) Inside an art museum, this intimate movie