Girls will B-Girls

My high school friend & ex-roommate B-girl Nikki "Olopop" Guess said she could do our show, and found her friends Remedee and Yoda Laneski were available that day too. These dancing ladies were so much fun, I hope they like the way the show turned out.

When we shot this inteview, we hadn't yet found any video footage for Remedee or Laneski. But the show must go on, so we used the same clip we had of Olopop, dancing to another friend Jason Tom beatboxing. Each time we introduce a video for the other girls, in the studio that day, we just seen that same video, so when we make reference to the their videos, we're kinda just faking it. Sorry. That's showbiz.

Even after the shoot, due to scheduling & techno-snafus, we still had a hard time finding stuff. Finally, just a couple days before our Olelo deadline, Edna played some tricks & used her magic to put together some b-roll footie of Remedee & Laneski. Whew! Even though Edna doesn't say much in this episode, Shaka Talk would not happen without so much of her time & energy.

Shaka Talk #21 B-Girls (1 of 2)



Olopop was our first guest, and the other girls got kinda nervous when they heard my first question to her about having been homeless a while ago. Prior to the cameras rolling, I asked Olopop if I could mention homelessness. I'm so glad she said yes, because it's nothing to be ashamed of, and could happen to anyone. You might not even know if someone you work for, go to church or school with, or party at the same clubs with, has a place to stay.

When Olopop and I used to live together, people used to be so impressed with who my roommate was. A lot of them grew upp watching her on the old tv show "Breakin' Hawaii". This was back when hiphop was just starting to spread nationwide, and Cilly's nightclub (that used to be where Tatoolicious is now) used to have a show featuring local break dancers, poppers and lockers.

After years of dancing tap & ballet when she was a little girl, Olopop was at Makiki Park one day, was fascinated by this new style of dance the boys were doing, but they wouldn't let her dance with them. Then, at the Makiki Day festivities, Olopop got the director to overrule them, and made the boys let her go onstage when they did. Instead of letting her dance with them, the boys just gave her a solo spot, but that gave Olopop the chance to show people what she could do without the guys in her way.

She heard about Breakin' Hawaii on the last day of auditions, and made it there just in time to be accepted, and eventually a regular on the show.

Like I said, we didn't have video clips of Laneski or Remedee, so it's kind of a joke on set when we talk about what we just saw. But besides being a dancer, Laneski is also a champion surfer. The footage of her on the waves is actually compiled from other videos of her, that Edna slammed together fast kine.

Laneski used to dance with the Seattle Circuit Breakers in 1983, after being inspired by Michael Jackson moonwalking on tv. Back when she first started dancing, b-boys would laugh at the notion of "b-girls". Being female & white, she remembers all the ways people in society used to segregate themselves, and credits hip hop for being the reason we have someone of mixed race in the White House right now.

Remedee is "new school" compared to Olopop & Laneski, but has been a b-girling for over 8 years. Her generation is sometimes referred to as the "gold school" by earlier groundbreakers, because now that hip hop is part of mainstream culture, there aren't as many obstacles so younger dancers are able to capitalize on their talents. But Remedee acknowledges the contributions of those who came before, and feels "blessed" to have such great mentors as well as opportunities.

Shaka Talk #21 B-Girls (2 of 2)



Having to brake down so many boundaries during the unenlightened '80's, sparked an entreprenurial streak in Laneski. "It wasn't cool for girls to do active stuff." That's why she not only had to fight for respect as a dancer, but it also led to her creating the first pair of boardshorts for female surfers, "before Roxy." Now she runs her own clothing line called Us Girls, including the graffiti designed tank top she wears on the show.

Like the other girls, Remedee is also trained in other forms of dance. However, she didn't expect us to find the clip that finally made it to air. In the video that Edna found last minute, Remedee sings a tradtional Japanese song, that I hear is about a girl who burns down her house because she has a crush on a fireman. I could be wrong, but check out her shoes in the clip. It's just red rope tied around her feet kinda like "cat's cradle". Fierce.

The girls teach workshops at various places, including Diverse Arts Center. While showing us some basic moves, I lose a breast, but that doesn't deter from the lessons. We learn some upp-rock "the standing dance that you do before you get down on the floor." They also get into so ticking & tutting, locking & popping (which used to be referred to as boogaloo). After we get down on the floor, they challenge us to put what we learn together, and I'm surprised how well Edna and I do.

Finally, the girls treat us to a display of their skills. It's cool to see the different styles of movement, and the personal styles of each dancer. Thanks to Ted de Oliveira aka Front Business for providing some tracks to dance to.

Pools R Cool

I'd gotten a email (DJ Eskae), facebook (Christa Lite) & personal invitation (Zen) to the Bacardi b90x Aerobics Pool Party at the Waikiki Beach Marriott. I'm not very "party people I hope you're ready", but I knew if them 3 was gonna be there, it'd be chill.
I found one of the parking stalls at the zoo that doesn't have a meter, so I didn't have to worry about time. Hunched over the passenger seat, I smoked a few bowls, then walked the couple blocks to the hotel. I know it purty well 'cause if I ever go to Hula's & have to take a shit, I used to sneak out to the Marriott to use their bathrooms (doo-doo at a gay bar is a no-no). But now you need a hotel room key to enter the restrooms after a certain time, so I haven't gone to Hula's in a while.
I took the flight of steps off Kalakaua Ave upp to the pool area, but didn't see no one who looked like they live here. Was I gonna have to cut myself for getting it wrong and missing the party? I asked the bartender if had one nodda pool, and uncle said "da party stay on da mauka side".
As I walked toward the mountain, the music got louder and I could see another pool with dark people in it. Black folks even...Swimming! A rare, thus extremely good omen. Even had one sickening local braddah wit' Hello Kitty on his foot. I almost came & went, but decided to stay.
which legs're Lacy's?
I'd missed any giveaways or whatever sponsory-schwagginess there mighta been, but it there were still beach balls, boobs, botos & booties bouncing to DJ Nicky Savage, and my huzzbins from Nocturnal Sound Krew.


She wasn't there, but I could hear Ara's voice telling how my blog would be better with more photos. I ain't no partyyy pap, but didn't know what else to do with myself. With an anxiety attack coming on, I spent the first half hour I was there, forcing the nerve to say Hi, hiding behind my camera.
The architechs boiz perched themselves over by the hot tub, for a superb view of the festivities with the sun at their backs. Fitted was well represented by none other than the graceful yet gangsta, Bobby Filipino. (pictured seated below greeting someone I mistook for local renaissance man, DJ Jedi)
Pirate (not pilgrim) Jackie Mess was spreading FIFA fever like scurvy, with her fancy footwork. While supercw ever the most hostessy without boasting, kept spirits high with her dazzling smile, infectious energy & liquor hook-upps. (hiccupp!)
I took a couple pics of Zen: one because I seen him, and the other might look like a crotch shot, but I snapped it 'cause I like his suicide pact shoes. I don't wear Nike, but if I did, I'd get them ones.
I've never officially met Aly Gator. Sometimes I feel like I'm not peppy enough. I don't speak hipster, but maybe 90's 'alternative' might make sense: I feel like I'm KORN; and she's 311. Or how about R&B: she's Minnie Ripperton; and I'm Millie Jackson.

I don't know, but I run into Aly everywhere, even had one of her duets as my myspace song. When I seen her, I knew some merry mischief was about to ensue. Almost got J when I saw who was wrapped upp in this caper, but I caught it on video, and listening to the clip end with laughter just enamoured me with Aly even more, for some reason. So what if my huzzbins Mikey & Zen got her all wet? They still get me wet too, without my even asking, and they've never even laid a hand on me, either.


As the day went on, my high wore off, so I snuck back to my car for a couple puffs. I almost done it in the hotel stairway, but with my luck....NO! Back at the car, when I turned on the air con & flicked my Bic, it started raining. It was barely 5, and the flyer said they'd be there till 7. I considered digging out, but I was too high to drive now, so I went back.
The crowd had thinned, and I decided to take a dip. But I didn't have on sun-screen and I look pregnant, so I swam with my shirt on. That wasn't so bad, until I got out, and realized an old thin wet t-shirt is "NAGL" as the kids are wont to say.

I found a towel and headed to the bathroom. After ringing out my shirt and putting it back on, I wrapped the towel around myself like a shawl at first. That was too gay, felt like a salon smock, eww. So I just hung it over my shoulders, kinda jock-ish. Rocky-esque. Utch-bay.
At the table where I stashed my stuff, hung out a little with Davey Shindig. We talked about the girls he was looking at. I won't name them, but they're all the same size & shape.
Just as I was ready to slip out, I seen Zen by the Contrast 'tent', and knew I could'nt leave without saying Thanks & g'bye.
To my surprise, I wound upp talking to Contrast Magazine publisher Race Skelton & his copy editor/gf Mary for a while. Race was so funny. Cute to hear that he'd seen Shaka Talk, and I happened to have a DVD of season 1 in my pocket. I could tell he didn't know too many mahus, 'cause he was trying to be all PC about what he said. (At least he didn't talk all "Mary Fabulous O-nay Gurlfriend"...I woulda threw down or threw upp.) A little tipsy, he was nudging Mary to tell us about her "liberal media" ideas for the mag, and how she needed a gay boyfriend. I had to explain to her that I'm a drag queen, and that's where this conversation was coming from. Much of our talk led to our mutual friend Lyle, Race's partner in their clothing line Olde Ivory, and how cool he is. For our intro convo between me & Race, it was a perfect, awkward mutual admiration. Just the right note to excuse myself.
Plus, Landon Jumpoff had just showed upp, and I knew someone would yell rape if I stayed. Although I got to vicariously strip him and throw him in the pool via Aly (I'm still smiling:)), it was becoming too much. I'd swam, danced, lurked & leered enough for one day.

homocoocoo

My huzzbin Aaron Yoshino just revamped his website honozooloo.com and will most likely be uppdating it frequently. Check it out and let him know what you think. Plus hurry upp and get down to In4mation in Ward Warehouse later this week to see Aaron's latest exhibit "The End is Near" showcasing the high-living low lights of Downtown Honolulu. It's already tooken down from the boardshop uppstairs, but will be re-mounted soon in their main store for the month of April. And spend some time flipping through Aaron's daily photoblog 5toLife for a peak at some of his personal faves, poems and insights.
Aaron recently honoured me by giving me a couple photos of myself that he had taken during a performance I did at a fundraiser for Next Door. I doubt he'd publish them, but it's very flattering to have his watermark on my image. Thanks cutie.

Unfortunately for Next Door, http://www.supercw.com/ was celebrating her 6 year anniversary at Pearl Ultralame that same night, so downtown, and pretty much the rest of Honolulu were desserted. That just made it easier for me to perform, and get the nerve to approach Aaron on the street after the show. Don't tell him, but he's my new Teddy.
From Next Door, I ran home to change into a collared shirt and headed to Pearl to support Christa and congratulate her for her longevity and many accolades. I didn't get past the door guy though, as he repeated a couple times "no sneakers". It was weird how he kept looking me in the eye, then back at my hand with the $20 bill I'd pulled out to pay cover. It was that "well, for twenty bucks I guess I could overlook the dress code" kinda look. (I know how to do/read it, I used to be a door whore)

But I'm not much into crowds, and by the look at the rest of the line, I knew it wasn't my scene, and gladly drove off to check out Aaxtion Video. I found out the next day Aaron got turned away at Pearl for dress code too. Had I known, I woulda offered to share a booth with him at Aaxtion. My treat.

Since no one was there that night, and I went through the trouble of taping down my tits and stuffing my pants in boy drags, here's the thing I read at Next Door that night.

Bitch!
Faggots is hot!
One of which
I am not
Butt sometimes I can pass
Get to fuck guys upp the ass

Just strap down my breasts
Strap-on the rest

Over there
Thomas Square
Kapiolani Park
Hell, they can't tell
in the dark

Just find some sissy hunk who's all drunk
Or some pissy punk strung out on that junk

In the hanging roots
of the banyan trees
Force that fool
down on his knees

And when I say so
He will go
down on my dildo

Turn him round
and I put it
right upp his butt

And boys will be boys hunny
If he wants I'll make noise
What the Hell? I'm pro-choice
Just gotta tone down my voice

When I cum
and we're done
It's no fun.

What can I say?
I'm a bitch
A girl gets attached.

Every day
I wish
My eggs could hatch
a detachable snatch

Hit The Spot

So how does G-Spot, aka G*** ******t do it? He's perpetuated this playboy persona for days, without devolving into some douchebag deluxe! Although I'm not one of the 'lucky' ones who can attest to his boudoir-bilities between the sheets(he's haole), I can say I admire his stamina behind the turntables. During the apex of the subterranean soiree craze, thru it's dustbowl days, and now with the "Rave" revival, he's kept on keepin' on! Unfortunately at the moment, the mind-altered minions dancing to today's disco aren't as forward thinking in their 90's nostalgia, opting for the neon wall at Hot Topic, in lieu of risking rejection by exhibiting any true sartorial sense. However, under the influential wing of G and old-skoolers with principles (like Daniel J, IKON and KSM), today's wasted youth won't be as uncouthe by the end of this phase...

Long time fans still visit his original site at http://www.double-o-spot.com/, but now navigate his new site at http://www.oospot.com/ for pictures and videos of past events.

For weekly event reminders and other PLUR party propaganda:

Become his friend at myspace.com/gspot808 ,

or just text "HITEXT PARTY" to 368674

And don't forget to kick off your weekend with his long running "Underground Sounds Show", Friday nights 6pm-9pm on KTUH FM

No, You're History

UPPDATE:
Trannyshack will return to Hula's on Fri & Sat Feb 25 & 26 2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See how it is? The literal media distracts us with things like New Year's Parties, Ingaurations, even yellowcentric Kung Hee Fat Choy celebrations, so that we don't observe or even realize January was Drag History Month. I wouldn't have known (what kine mahu me?), had my friend Justice For All not shown me this video by the Living Legend, Varla Jean Merman:



There's much more to be learned, but not enough time to get this article fully researched before January is upp. I dropped the ball again, no pun intended. But just to make sure you don't miss a few uppcoming presents to Drag's future, I'll post a couple for you here now (hope it's good enough for you)

Yes, Trannyshack is back again!

Friday February 20, and Saturday Feb 21

@ Hula's in Waikiki (134 Kapahulu Ave, across from the zoo).

I believe this is their third time performing in Hawaii? If I'm not mistaken, Trannyshack began at a club called The Stud in San Francisco, which (punish me if I'm wrong) was owned by local boy Michael McElhaney. The one time I went was super fun. At some point, I had used the "Men's" Room, and later had to run back to retrieve one of my hair extensions that had fallen out.
When I got there, porn directress Chi Chi LaRue was semi-conducting some kinda dunking for dukey audition or something or whatever. I seen her watching a couple of guys "performing" by the toilets, but they were hunky hairy haole homos, I like underage Asians so I didn't pay attention. What I did notice was my weave getting tangled and twisted under one of Ms. LaRue's shoes. There on the floor (of a SF bathroom mind you), I was tugging and pleading like a Cancer victim to God, for Chi Chi to let me have my hair back.
Ms. LaRue probbly won't be crusing the bathrooms, but expect something just as riotously raunchy at the delightfully devious (and downright disgusting) drag divas of Trannyshack's return engagement.
Till then enjoy hostess Heklina's reading of Shaka Zine, one of her favourite things about Hawaii:


As well as them malihini mahus, please support your local Drag Shows as well:

The Paper Doll Revue

Saturday Nights @ 945pm

Fusion Waikiki (2260 Kuhio Ave)

It's a shame I can't google anything current on them, because one of my idols Raquel G. Greggory's Paper Doll Revue is the longest running drag show in Hawaii. At Fusion Nightclub for the past 16 years, these girls have gone through many changes (from line-upp to ex-say), but still put on a consistently entertaining extravaganza. Their cast includes some of our most seasoned professionals like former Universal Show Queen title holders Yoshiko Oshiro, Justice For All and Maddalyn Ashton. This year's most esteemed member is the Imperial Court Empress Harley Davidson. And rounding out the cast are Maddie's granddaughter Christina Ashton, and the Fashionista Pageant producer Tiana AnnDersen (who contrary to the flyer, has decided not to leave the show).

Weekly drag shows include:

Paperdoll Revue / Saturday Nights @ 945pm /Fusion Waikiki 2260 Kuhio

Gender Bender Lipgloss Revue / Fridays @ 945pm / Fusion 2260 Kuhio Ave

Viva Las Venus, / Saturdays @ 11pm? / Bar Seven (previously Venus) 1344 Kona St.

Chemisstry (Drag King show) / Fridays @ ? / Cafe Sistina 1314 King Street

The 6th Annual Diva of Polynesia Pageant

Saturday March 14, 2009

Japanese Cultural Center, Manoa Ballroom

Produced by Kulia Na Mamo, this coveted title does more than reward the winner for her showmanship and talent. It also helps to raise awareness and funds to solve the trials and troubles trannies go through. Their programs include job training, food distribution, plus STD education & outreach. Furthering their approach to helping their clients become productive members of society, Kulia Na Mamo puts an emphasis on cultural pride:

"Mahuwahine (male -to-female transgenders), mahu and aikane (same sex relationships) were accepted among indigenous, non-westernized people, as in Native American and Polynesian societies. Legends of pre-contact Hawaii indicate that dual-genderism and bisexuality were accepted among the Hawaiians of old. Today's Native Hawaiian scholars refer to historical records that document bisexuality among ruling chiefs as well as commoners (Kameeleihiwa, 1999). Perhaps for this reason, the local transgender population is overwhelmingly Native Hawaiian."

So by supporting Kulia Na Mamo's Diva of Polynesia Pageant is kinda like buying a carbon credit, except you'll be allaying your American guilt for: stealing a kingdom;...ravaging, militarizing, and living on the land to further your own imperialistic interests;...and marginalizing the natives to the point of near extinction. Hit it!

Or if you can't be bothered, at least watch 2008's Diva of Polynesia, slumgod-chameleon-airborne Cocoa Chandelier in her ground-breaking crowd-pleasing award-winning performance at last year's USQ Pageant.



ps: after all that overkill, why not some more, with Varla Jean Merman's educational obscenity-fueled School House Rock medley:

Shuffle Kerfuffle ~ The Evolution of Dance in My Lifetime

The Curly Shuffle
One time at the Wave Waikiki, my friend Veronica aka "Superchick" asked me if I was half-haole. Immediately insulted and defensive I told her "ya! why? what?" In her kindest condescension she said "I was watching you dance." Ho, sorry ya? Not all of us are lucky enough to be half-black. Aside from my ethnicity, my other excuse is this song came out just as I was developing my taste in music.



The Superbowl Shuffle
by the Chicago Bears
"We're so bad, We know we're good
Blowin' your mind like we knew we would...
We didn't come to start no trouble
We're just here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle!"

(I never got into this because when it was time to play football in high school, my PE teacher would offer to let me and my even faggier friend run laps instead of watching us ruin the game for him and the rest of the boys.)



The Cupid Shuffle
The first time I heard this song was at Chemisstry Nightclub. We got there just as the Drag King show ended. My friend Noe's hot haole dyke friend from Philly put out a fire as the laidback lezzies just watched when a candle ignited someone's drink napkin and crept toward a curtain. But not even she was prepared when this song started and the dancefloor overflowed with line-dancing labia-licking ladies walkin' it by themselves en masse. Apparently this dance is just as popular with Red Monsters as it is with Black Butchies. I wonder: who taught whom?



Hawaii Shuffle Meet Upp
I don't know what to say about this new incarnation of Shuffling. Mostly because I don't want these underage urbanites to un-invite me next time they gather at the Pearlridge parking lot to dance alone together. I hope I'm correct in assuming from their musical taste, that they're at that point in life when they're experimenting with more than just designer drugs.

We got the YooToobs

I can't move my laptop right now. It has a flawless connection right now (even didn't get lost when the power went out in my house for less than a minute. The TV and AC both switched off, but not my HP. She musta fed offa her battery, 'cause I was in the middle of loading videos, and didn't get sabotaged. So if'n you got a lotta seconds, try lookie our youtube channel li'dat.

Our most popular one is Vivian Vallo (of the notorious Cherry Blossom Cabaret) who set off the Animal Brigade fashion show at Asterisk this past August. It's our most popular video to date, and the only to get rated (five stars no less).


Our myspace profile editor Kimiko Shawn also maintains the Hula's Bar and Lei Stand video channel Hula's Party TV. Their promotions director bought Kimiko a camera, and now she's outta control. Not even 3 months she's had that camera and already they got almost 250 videos upploaded! She didn't shoot the following video, but she's in it. It's the trailer for the Miss Riot Pageant, produced by Keoki,Inc. (of Riot Clothing) and Brent Anbe (slumming it in the offseason from Universal Show Queen)

Even Kimiko's personal channel is coocoo cool! Check out this clip from this past Mushroom Festival in Kakaako's own Pipeline Cafe. It's of old skool fool Rebekah "Viva La Diva" Long, taking a break from her Beautopia boutique to shift, adjust and tuck something in her, um...... mid-section.


Another of our favourite Cherry Blossom Cabaret girls is DJ Catwings. She is a very busy girl, and we admire her for that, as well as the things she does. Not only is she a burlesque artist (stripper with no full frontals, not even nips), but she hosts Monday Night Live and the 808 Wonderland Monday nights 9pm to midnight on Hawaii college radio KTUH, each of which heavily promotes local music. Most recently this multi-talented starlet started decorating downtown divas with her Catwings Couture.
Watch her here at danceonpartyon.com's Robot Party:


This is taking forever, but it's kinda fun. I'll finish for now with another from my page, it's one of my favourite artists (most-heard CD at the moment) Tassho Pearce aka EMIRC. He performed live with the Spacifics at the Loft on Hotel Street. The tags on his clothing line say "Shaka at ya boy", and here he is getting the crowd to shake some shakas at him as he finishes his set.

Uppdate

Part of the reason I wanted a paper magazine to distribute is: I have a technojinx. Computers don't work for me very often. Even at home, with costly cable, I can't connect all the time. So my blogging has suffered, since every time I wanna blog, something won't do what it's supposed to.

So here's some info that I coulda/shoulda/woulda passed on:

Kaleidoscope is no longer at the Loft. In fact it's on a temporary hiatus till they iron out some venue issues. Promoter Josh 86 was puzzled how at Next Door they could charge $7 and the place was bumping all the time. At the Loft, admission was FREE, and the club was sparsely attended, unless there were live performances, after which the crowds would leave. DJ Ross Jackson still has his shows on KTUH, and Josh still promotes and plays in his bands Black Square, the 86 List, and in November: Hedwig & the Angry Inch at the Honolulu Academy of Arts...

There were a few memorials and tributes to photographer Sergio Goes, at the beach, downtown, and one including an exhibit of Sergio's photos at Aloha Tower. Andrea Torres, mother to Sergio's son Gabriel, danced an aerial farewell...

Angry/Angst Woebots released a new signed and numbered limited edition print at Split Obsession. I had to work, and I'm broke so....And now Woebots's Obama design is the graphic for a bike ride/rally for the presidential nominee on October 25

And for those of you who have been reading the printed issues of Shaka Zine (thanks for all the feedback and critiques) we're still working on our layout, format and focus. Things will eventually shift before the new year.

Although club life has a major influence on culture, parties and events are unpredictable. A few of the parties we were "recommending" on Shaka Zine either hadn't taken off yet, were junk, or no longer happening.

For example, I went looking for the Sunday Night Cypher in Waikiki one night. When I finally found CW's (Coconut Willie's) I could tell the tourists weren't looking for hip-hop. The two young guys in fitted caps and baggy jeans were probbly there for the Cypher, but I was too shy to approach them. So I just watched them watch football on TV. Gave me some images and thoughts to keep my hand full that night.

During my search for the club, I did catch a Bboy coercing some Japanese tourists to watch him dance. It was a short gig, but still a turn-on:

[We know there are more important things than shopping, but we're friends with a lot of small business owners, performers, designers, and other artists. Whatever type of support (however trivial) we can give to the arts and economy, we humbly offer and hope it helps]

Ok, that took longer than necessary. Dratted cursed computers! Thanks for reading.

Not Next Door, but down the street

For rumours too many to mention, Next Door night club, is temporarily CLOSED. Whether for just a few months, or longer, who knows, but a regular ND favourite has already found a new home:

Kaleidoscope: After two years, and a recent locale change, promoter Josh86 and DJ Ross Jackson are still giving you more indie rock than you knew you needed. And this time (for now) it's FREE!!!

If you haven't been to the Loft, it's just down Hotel at Mauna Kea in the old Wo Fat Chinese restaurant where my old friend Kristien used to have shows back in the day.

The whole place got gutted, and now has a loungey, but not uber-bougie atmosphere. They just got their liquor license, and opened upp a sushi bar, so along with the Kaleidoscope kids, the staff at the Loft are adjusting to their new digs as well.

This video by Sharks and Rays kinda conveys Kaleidoscope's essence, in different environs (with the same effluent ego)


Kaleidoscope, Tuesdays at the Loft 115 N. Hotel St. 9pm to 2am (21+) FREE!!!

National Daydreamer Ross Jackson blogs like he acts

So I guess it's like the opposite of a writers' strike or something. (No writers, no show)
Next Door Nightclub, where my roommate Ross Jackson works on Tuesday nights is closed for a few weeks. So he started a blog. (no show, yes writer) [uppdate: the party is now at the loft on Hotel St @ Mauna Kea]

He still has his radio show Ross Jackson's Daydream Nation on Wednesday afternoons 12-3pm on KTUH. Plus he's been "subbing" for someone, every Monday from 12 to 3, like for a while now. I think he's the program director for the station too. He swears! Check his blog for playlists as well as other musings and music reviews. (With the same interest and authority as Christian Bale's character in American Psycho trying to impress girls with his reviews of Phil Collins and Whitney Houston)

Whenever my old man tells people that we have a DJ roomie named Ross, they're always "Ross Jackson?!" with some weird sparkle in their eyes. And it's full-on random people who react that way. The realtor. The adopted asexual from Texas. My Black/Japanese sister-in-law. Like, all kine, any kine people. They love his show. Even me.

But you don't gotta know Ross or even like his music (or him) to enjoy his blog. His observations on life in the islands, and other things he enjoys are written kinda purty and sentimental-like, with bit more than a little snooty snuck in. You can alternately lilt and lull on his meanderings, or laugh at his lack of modesty and pretentiousness. He does.If you've ever met him, or heard his show, you know Ross likes to use big or infrequently used words. Sometimes it's cause it's the best word for what he means to say. Other times, he's obviously trying to impress or confuse you (don't let him know if it does). And at least once, I caught him calling me something as I was blogging, I looked it upp, and even he was surprised at its meaning.
So sometimes he's full of wit, other times he's full of shit, but he's not so full of himself that he can't acknowledge it. As much as he likes to aggrandize himself, he'll also make fun of himself and his public persona. Even lets me tease him while he's reminding me how cool and fuckin' elite he is. As long as he lets me mock his bravado, I'll listen to it. It's funny and fun. He gets me pretty good too (not as mean as the gays, but just as painful).

Plus he's realistic, and even honest. Once I asked him "Do you seek approval?" and his reply was "Don't we all?" So see he's just like most of us.

I'll write more of what he told me about working at KTUH and the shows he thinks are important. But later. I just wanted to let y'all know about his blog, because he knows good music.

Plus I wanted y'all to know Ross Jackson is my roommate, 'cause I don't go out much or wear the right clothes, but I'd like for you to think I'm cool. (I'm sure he'll start to think so for the sheer fact that I mention his name so many times.)

Kaleidoscope Tuesday nights @ the Loft

Most Mondays, 12pm to 3pm on KTUH.

Ross Jackson's Daydream Nation, Wednesdays 12pm to 3pm on KTUH FM

rossjackson.blogspot.com

Camera Obscura @ Loft, Every First Saturday

Camera Obscura - This wild event has a different theme every month that encourages guests to dress to impress. You also get a discount at the door for dressing up!
Past events have included a masked ball and Victorian/Tim Burton character theme.
What I absolutely love about these events is that they give people an excuse to dress up and also help out those less fortunate than themselves. Camera Obscura guests have helped different organizations such as the Hawaii Food Bank and Joey's Feline Friends just by showing up because these events double as fundraisers! The maestro of this dark symphony is DJ Nocturna who's passion for music, love of goth, and helping others has made her event such a smashing success.
The most recent event had a pirate theme and elements of the evening included a pirate costume contest (Halloween all year long at Camera Obscura!) and a naughty strip tease show by sexy Catwings from the Cherry Blossom Cabaret.
DJs at the pirate night included DJ Night Fox, mistress of ceremonies DJ Nocturna, and back from the underground DJ I/O Control.
July's theme will be sci-fi and aliens and I'm looking forward to seeing the costumes for that night!
Camera Obscura at the Loft, 43 North Hotel Street, every first Saturday of the month, $10 at the door, $8 in costume, www.myspace.com/808cameraobscura