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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
Rock ’n’ roll
retirees? No way!YOU have to hand it to promoter Tom Moffatt. He's made an awful lot of people -- including me -- feel young by presenting a trio of rock 'n' rollers who were stars back when we were kids. He'll be presenting the likes of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard at the Blaisdell Arena on Oct. 25. This is not a packaged show that's touring the country. The trio performed one huge sell-out show in Las Vegas and Moffatt immediately signed each of them to come here. Berry and Lewis played here more than 20 years ago, but this will be Little Richard's Hawaii debut. One couple from Illinois called the box office to make sure their ticket order was received. Even ex-isle D.J. Ron Jacobs, who rarely goes out these days, is rarin' to go ...
RETIRED Star-Bulletin writer Lyle Nelson is another who makes one feel young by comparison. He read about the Shanghai Symphony playing here and wonders if its ancestor is the Shanghai Municipal Symphony. He sends along a copy of the program of the company he saw in Shanghai back in 1946 and recalls it was a mixture of Chinese and White Russians, but the guest conductor was an American Army officer. ...
Oh, mama
WHILE I've long admired Shari Lynn's voice, there was often something lacking in her stage characterizations. Well, no more. She's nailed Mama Rose in the Army Community Theater production of "Gypsy," playing through Sept. 20 at Ft. Shafter's huge Richardson Theater. For that we can thank, in large part, director Glenn Cannon, who made Lynn the perfect stage Mama. And also for melding the songs into a continuation of the plot line. None of this song, dialogue, song, dialogue nonsense for this anything-but-loose Cannon. The rest of the cast was fine, although I'd be remiss to overlook David Farmer, who fit in well as Herbie. He sings and even dances a bit with Mama Rose, and his toupee made him look eerily like Gene Kelly ...THERE wasn't a secret political meeting going on in Matteo's private room Saturday night, even though Gov. Linda Lingle was there. She was attending a surprise birthday party her aide, Lenny Klompus, was tossing for his wife, Marcia ... There was another celebratory dinner at Matteo's. An Italian chap named Fasulo was there with his wife, a lovely local girl, returning to the scene of their first date 15 years ago. They now live in Sacramento and brought along their four sons, born two years apart. Incidentally, the oldest boy's name is Matteo. Hmmm ...
30 years of 'Friends'
THAT'S what they're calling the reunion of Cecilio Rodrigues and Henry Kapono in concert. The two musicians discovered their voices blended magically back in 1973. After years of separation, they're pairing up for concerts this weekend in Southern California and on Sept. 20 at Sam's Town in Las Vegas. Yes, that's the weekend of the UH/UNLV football game, and C&K will be tailgating with isle sports fans. The duo returns home for concerts Sept. 27 at the Hilton Waikoloa, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with the Honolulu Symphony at the Blaisdell, and Nov. 7 and 8 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Welcome back, C&K ...
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968. The Week That Was runs Sundays and recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns. Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com
