StarBulletin.com

Rockin' with 'Dolls'


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POSTED: Friday, December 11, 2009

Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be a lot more female representation in the Honolulu music scene these days.

I noticed it in recent months after Anuhea Jenkins and Mailani Makainai both released new solo albums. This weekend, Ara Laylo steps up to the plate for the indie rock scene with “;Dolls Rock”; at LOFT Gallery and Lounge.

“;If you think that way, that makes me feel really good,”; she said last weekend when this columnist mentioned the latest injection of estrogen into Clubland. “;From my perspective, the scene and most of the promoting is dominated by guys.

“;I wanted to show that female-fronted bands are alive and well in Hawaii.”;

Laylo is one of the holdovers from the last wave of girl rockers to hit Honolulu, and said the vibe now is similar to when she promoted gigs in 1999-2002 that featured bands like Vex and Tinkle Potty.

“;There were a lot of women playing indie and underground music,”; she said. “;Because of the way the scene works, they come and go.”;

Tonight's showcase starts around 8 p.m. with opening sets by Megum Pie and AngieRogynous; Faux Claw and Laylo's latest project, Clones of the Queen, will follow. The evening will wrap up with a set by the recently reformed Dolls til Daylight, which was on hiatus for much of 2009.

“;Mike Camino was touring ... on the Warped Tour with his other band,”; said Laylo in explanation as to why the group took a break from performing. “;We're very happy that he's decided to come back to Hawaii—and Dolls til Daylight.”;

Cover for this one is $5 at the door; call 521-8008 ...

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CONCERT NEWS: Promoters AEG Live and Tom Moffatt announced this week that Bon Jovi will headline a pair of Honolulu concerts in 2010 at Blaisdell Arena. Tickets for the Feb. 11 and 12 shows are $55, $95 and $125 and go on sale at 9 a.m. tomorrow. The dates are part of a 135-concert international tour that will take the band to 30 countries in support of their latest album, “;The Circle.”; The last time they played on Oahu was 1989 ... Word also came last week that Brian McKnight will return to Honolulu for a Valentine's Day concert at Blaisdell Arena. Tickets are $45, available at all Ticketmaster outlets; HI Rise Entertainment, Homebase Live and Lycast Productions are the promoters behind this show ... Actor/comedian Hal Sparks has announced a Feb. 28 appearance at the Pipeline Cafe. Sparks is the former host of E! Entertainment's “;Talk Soup,”; star of the Showtime series “;Queer as Folk”; and the voice of Tak in the animated Nickelodeon series “;Tak and the Power of Juju.”; Tickets for this one are $38 and $55 and are on sale now ...

CLUB NEWS: Thai Sweet Basil kicks off a new weekly Friday party tonight at Manoa Marketplace. “;The Sweet Bar”; will feature a mix of hip-hop, reggae and house by DJ Billy G, plus drink specials all night and two dance floors. Limo service to this 18-and-over party is available; call 554-2556 ... Chinatown's thirtyninehotel revisits the golden era of hip-hop with “;HI Note”; every Wednesday. Resident DJs Fame and Bumble B launched the new party last week with guest performances by the Concrete Circuit and others; cover is free before 10 p.m. and $5 afterward ... The bar formerly known as King St. Cafe is back as Cheers and now features a dedicated “;Models' Night”; on Thursdays. Partymasters Hawaii and Brandon Kristopher co-hosted last week's opening night; working models with comp cards will be given “;special consideration”; after 7 p.m. every Thursday. Call 478-2985 for more info ...

WEEKEND PICKS: Old-school music meets new-school mixing tonight at Bar 35 during “;Back to the Future,”; an evening of '80s music videos mixed by resident DJs Sovern-T, Audissey and G-Spot. The monthly party is hosted by DJ Vegas Mike and offers a $5 discount off the cover charge if you're dressed in '80s gear ... Hollywood-based rapper Mickey Avalon returns to Honolulu for an all-ages concert at the Pipeline Cafe tomorrow. He'll be joined on stage by Andre Nickatina; tickets are $25 at the door. Avalon is back in town after a successful tour here in 2008 ... The Manifest brings back “;Sun-Daze,”; its monthly afternoon electronica party, for another installment this weekend. DJs Ms. Angel, Badmouth and Haboh will spin a mix of deep house from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday, with no cover charge all day. A Bloody Mary bar will also be in operation from 4 to 6 p.m. that afternoon ...

I'M ON vacation next week. “;In the Mix”; returns to HiLife on Dec. 25 ...