JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hula Records President Donald P. "Flip" McDiarmid III, fourth from left, congratulated the members of the UH Hawaiian Combo -- Justin Ka'upu, left, Rosanna Perch, Chadwick Pang, Sophronia Smith and Mamina Koga -- after they won the Ka Himeni Ana 2007 Hawaiian singing competition at Hawaii Theatre on Saturday. Competing groups performed without microphones or amplified instruments. The quintet's renditions of "E Nani E" and "Aloha No" won them the contest and an album deal with Hula Records. Mona Joy & Ka'ala Carmack took second place, and Allie Chu & Uncles Al Kaai and Art Kalahiki placed third. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Marlene Sai talked with Aaron Mahi, left, and Ka Himeni Ana judge Bill Ka'iwa on Saturday during intermission at the Hawaii Theatre. Mahi was named Ka Himeni Ana Honoree of 2007 for his many years of work preserving and documenting traditional Hawaiian music. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
O-shen relaxed in the VIP area with gal pal Kawena Chun before taking the stage as the headliner of "Summer Roots Tour 2007" at Pipeline Cafe on Saturday. The show was also a concert-size party celebrating the release of his new album, "1 Rebel." Don Carlos, a guest on the album, entertained the crowd with a great set of traditional Jamaican reggae before O-shen came on and represented the reggae-beat music of Hawaii and Papua New Guinea. CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
A capacity crowd enjoyed a great party Friday as Andy Montague, front row right, and John Lewis, back row right, hosted Lewis Communications' Second Annual Media Mixer Pau Hana! in their Waikiki production facility. Kyle Tubania, front left, Veronica Jones, Kurt Hutchison, Irwin Santos and Andy Bumatai joined them by the mixing board to preview a comedy video of Mrs. Hawaii Nadine Wise that is scheduled to air tonight on "Nighttime with Andy Bumatai." CLICK FOR LARGE

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Pali Ka'aihue, center, welcomed Kalapana members Gaylord Holomalia, left, and D.J. Pratt, Kaukahi guitarist Dean Wilhelm and man-about-town Donnie Martin to the Pakele Lounge in the Ala Moana Hotel on July 31. Ka'aihue's last album, "Pali Presents a Tribute," won the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for contemporary album of year in June, and Kalapana is one of the groups to which it pays tribute. CLICK FOR LARGE