One lucky (and talented) local band will get its 15 minutes of fame at a concert there May 18. And that's exactly what it's called.

The "15 Minutes of Fame" challenge will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at The Groove on Nimitz Highway.

After several qualifying rounds, the finalists are Razor Kain, Killer Clowns, High Tide, Infinity, Generic, S.P.U.N.N., Savior, Warm Fuzzy Kookumungas, Z and the Free Radicals, plus, from the Big Island, Ehu Kai, and, from Kauai, Kainoa Ohana.

All for $5 at the door. The winner also will get $1,000.

But the big deal is the Carnegie gig, a slot set up in the midst of a large Hawaiian night in New York by promoter Johnny Kai Lorance.

"We're in the middle of booking several big names for the hall we have the date nailed down," Lorance said.

"We're talking to the Makaha Sons, Loyal Garner, Cyril Pahinui, Robi Kahakalau, Dennis Pavao - whoever best represents the best in Hawaiian music."

Lorance had originally booked Carnegie in hopes of holding the "Hawaii Music Awards" there, a dream project of his.

The awards, however, have been pushed back until later this year, so Lorance began organizing a Hawaiian music concert there.

By "a fluke," Lorance said, the Sunday concert will be filmed by a Canadian music-video crew, fronted by MTV-Canada host Jana Lynne White, for the network's "New Music" segment.

"It's viewed in 19 countries," Lorance said. "Shown all over the world! Japan! Mexico! South America! New Zealand!"

It'll be an eclectic mix.

"We don't care if the bands from Hawaii are rockers, bluegrass, contemporary Hawaiian, whatever," he said. "The important thing is that they are good musicians who will do Hawaii proud."

We talked to some of the bands, and it was a mixed lot indeed.

Zanuck Kapala the "Z" of the Free Radicals grew up in Hawaii, went to Kamehameha Schools, and every summer was schlepped off to a Hawaiian-theme resort in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to perform for tourists.

"It was kind of a tradition at Kamehameha," Kapala said. "The place is gone now. I think it's a parking lot."

So, they paved a transplanted paradise, put up a parking lot.

Kapala got a taste of performing and went professional at age 16.

He moved to San Francisco and Los Angeles, gigged there for a decade and then moved back to Hawaii three years ago. Since then, the Free Radicals have made a name for themselves on Oahu's R&B and rock circuit.

At the last run-off for the finals, Free Radicals went head-to-head with 12 other bands and scored first both in the popular vote and in the panel of judges.

"As a reliever of stress and daily worries, you can't beat music of any kind," says Kapala, whose sound is a spiritual blend of R&B, blues, soul and jazz ("No rap! I'm 36 years old, man!").

"When there's poetry involved in the lyrics, music can be a great message, as profound as the best writers in literature."

And it's understood by all.

"Music transcends language barriers, age barriers, race and culture barriers," Kapala said. "That's because the core of good music is emotion."

Hilo's Ehu Kai began playing Saturday night tourist gigs in Hilo hotels strictly beyond-the-reef laments and upbeat foxtrottery and gradually built up a Big Island following for their ability to play virtually anything.

"We heard about the contest at the hotel, and at first we didn't think too much about it," said Ehu Kai leader Kaulana Pakele.

"Then we knew of the other groups getting involved, and we got excited."The gigs are solid enough these days that Pakele is actually making a living at his craft, a rare deal in the local music scene.

Even so, even if it evaporates tomorrow, Pakele will stick at it.

"I enjoy playing; it's a total drive for me to learn all kinds of stuffs.

But more than that, the best satisfaction in the world is to turn people's heads when you're playing.

It's the biggest high in music.

"From Hilo himself, Pakele's "team" includes a guitarist from Kailua, a bassist from Maui and a drummer from the mainland. They're recording an album.

"We need music in our lives, all of us," Pakele said. "You get problems the music is a big release from being stressed out."

"And music has a big influence on people. So I think musicians should be positive, to elevate their listeners. Sad to say, a lot of musicians don't think that way. It's all just me-me-me, up on a pedestal, and the audience down below. "

Elevating audiences also motivates Grayling Fuller. Sometimes, right into heaven.

A former Marine who settled in Hawaii and opened a post-office cleaning business, Fuller felt the spirit of the Lord fill him several years ago, and he began to sing.

"Amen!" says he. "We're open vessels for God to use, to praise His name and uplift our fellow man."

He formed Savior, a gospel group, when "God brought the members together. It's kind of a covenant agreement with the Lord."

Singing is the easy part. "The Holy Ghost takes command of my voice and touches the heart," Fuller said.

The Lord also provides guidance when writing songs. "It's like a miracle; the words just come, and so do the arrangements," he said.

Savior will play anywhere that will handle that much boundless spirit, and "Carnegie Hall sounds fantastic," Fuller said. "The Lord has blessed us, and teaches us not to exhort ourselves in his name, but to help our fellow man."

Savior also has an album in the works.

As for his own musical tastes, Fuller listens to "almost anything that has a beat to it, and touches the heart.

Hey, I don't listen to dry music! Music's no fun if it's dry!"

Amen.