Jason Genegabus photos

Supposed to be on vacation this week, so I’m going to keep this short.

If you missed Jason Mraz last Friday at the Waikiki Shell, I’ve got more pictures and video highlights from the concert after the jump. It was a fun night, with Mraz mixing hits with new material and a couple of interesting covers (Elton John and Bob Marley!?!?) for good measure.

Oh, and I kinda called it… “I’m Yours” was Mraz’s final song, before the encore. I thought it would be the encore.

But you had to love that Mraz used what appeared to be a baritone ukulele (with two G-strings, I think) throughout the night. This guy could probably do a guest set at KCCN’s “Birthday Bash” and kill it with his crossover appeal.

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Jason Genegabus photos

The past few weeks have been like that picture above.

Just a blur.

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I’ve been busy with other aspects of my job, and my blog was the first thing that got pushed aside.

But I did take a few pictures while I was out last weekend, plus a video I shot before the UH spring football game at Aloha Stadium, after the jump.

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Jamm Aquino photo

Another year, another pair of sold-out concerts for Jack Johnson.

This is my fourth year covering the Kokua Festival, after skipping the first one because it meant having to drive alllll the way out to Kualoa Ranch.

I know. Terrible. But true.

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It was packed during Saturday’s “Jammin’ Hawaiians” at the Waikiki Shell.

According to promoters Mass Appeal Entertainment and Musical Youth of Hawaii, a sold-out crowd of 8,000 saw Fiji share the stage with J Boog, Laga Savea and Big Every Time’s Papa T, while Jamaican artist Lukie D nearly stole the show with a set that brought him up close and personal with the Shell crowd.

I’ve got more than 30 pictures from the concert after the jump; check out my previous post for video.

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Jason Genegabus photos

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to score a front row seat (almost) to the Brown Bags to Stardom concert at the Waikiki Shell.

I’m always happy to accept when I get invited to judge events like this. It’s a great opportunity to see what the next generation is up to.

There are another two dozen pictures from Saturday after the jump. I’ll also have some video up once I have a chance to get my footage edited.

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Jason Genegabus photos

If I wasn’t already familiar with Henry “Hank” Adaniya’s passion for creating hot dogs using exotic ingredients, I would’ve dismissed yesterday’s special addition to the menu as an April Fool’s Day prank.

But the SPAM dogs served yesterday at Hank’s Haute Dogs were no joke. And after sharing some with my co-workers in the newsroom, the consensus was that they actually tasted pretty good!

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Jamm Aquino photos

I’ve got to admit I’m a little surprised at the lack of 50 Cent fans in Honolulu.

Rough estimates pegged Friday’s crowd at about 3,000 people (a bit generous, if you ask me). That’s only a few hundred more than his first trip here five years ago.

Most of the crowd appeared to be in their 20’s and 30’s, with a few parents walking around with teenagers (and pre-teens, WTF!?!?) in tow.

In case you missed it, I reviewed the concert in yesterday’s Star-Bulletin.

Staff photographer Jamm Aquino was kind enough to provide a few more pictures from that night, so I’ve got those posted after the jump. There’s also a short video clip from EMIRC’s opening performance.

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Jason Genegabus photos

I got the chance to help judge the 2008 Iron Bartender Competition last night. This is the third or fourth time I’ve been asked, dating back to the days when it was held at the bar inside Palomino.

There were nine contestants entered in the third preliminary round, which meant I spent quite a bit of time sitting at a table, tasting drink after drink … after drink … after drink.

Not like I’m complaining, though.

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When Pearl Ultralounge first opened last year, owner Beau Mohr told me he would keep his party planning in-house and wouldn’t work with any outside promoters.

Guess he’s changed his mind, because Flash Hansen and Matty Hazelgrove launched “The Candy Bar” last Friday. Both Mohr and general manager Alvin Yeh didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment, so I’m not too sure what caused the change in attitude.

But I did get a chance to stop by last week, so I’ve got more pictures from the new party after the jump.

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I spent last night at Aiea Bowl for the first time in months, hanging out with Rick Rock and a bunch of other promoters during the one-year anniversary of “Moonlight Mondays.”

It’s amazing how diverse the crowd is at this event. Local residents from all walks of life have memories of visiting a bowling alley with their parents or grandparents when they were kids.

While last night’s installment saw a lot of nightlife types, Rock says he attracts a wide variety of professionals, from hotel and restaurant workers to doctors and lawyers. And things can get pretty crazy here as it gets later in the evening.

Be sure to get some food before the kitchen closes – you’ll need it to help absorb all the alcohol! Beer specials and complimentary shot samples almost guarantee you’ll get at least a little tipsy before the end of the night.

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