[ STUFFS ]
VIRGIN
David Byrne performs Feb. 8.
Get Strokes, Byrne tix
Tickets go on sale Saturday for a couple of important rock concerts being held early next month.
On Feb. 7, the critically acclaimed band of last year, The Strokes, makes its Hawaii debut. The New York band's major label debut album, "Is This It," made best-of lists in Time, Rolling Stone, College Music Journal and Entertainment Weekly magazines.
The prep-school buddies' sound and look has "hip" draped all over it. The Strokes first got major buzz in the U.K., with its Velvet Underground and glam-rock influences. The Strokes are the most highly touted band to emerge from the downtown New York scene in two decades. "We have more of the attitude than the sound of New York, I think," guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. has said.
It'll be interesting to see how a local audience responds.
The following night, Feb. 8, another representative of the NYC scene (although from several decades back), David Byrne, returns to Honolulu after a 21-year absence since leading the seminal post-punk band Talking Heads in a memorable two-night gig at Gussie L'Amour's.
While the remaining Heads have recorded and toured since the '90s, Byrne has gone on to pursue his own idiosyncratic career apart from the band. His latest album, "Look Into the Eyeball," continues in the vein of arty-rock music reflecting Byrne's intellectual curiosity. And he's always an engaging, quirky musician to watch.
Both all-ages shows will be at World Cafe, 1130 N. Nimitz Highway, and tickets are $20 general. Tickets will be available at the club's box office, all Tower Records and Video locations, all Foodland stores, Cheapo Music at Puck's Alley and Pearl Kai, Hungry Ear in Kailua, Pearl Harbor Bloch Arena, ITT Kaneohe MCBH, Schofield ITR and the UH-Manoa Campus Center.
Charge tickets by phone at 526-4400. For more information, go to www.goldenvoice. com.
Isle disc up for Grammy
A Hawaii compilation CD has made the final ballot for Best Reggae Album in this year's Grammy awards."Island Warriors" -- featuring Fiji, O-shen, B.E.T., Baba B, Natural Vibrations, Mana 'Ohana, Sean Na'auao, Jamin the Chief Ragga, Ho'onu'a, Typical Hawaiians, Brimstone and Roots Odyssey -- was selected as one of five nominees.
"Only five reggae albums nationwide are selected for this prestigious honor, and we are so excited that 'Island Warriors' was recognized," said Suzi Mechler of The Mountain Apple Co., distributor of the disc. "Island Warriors" is on the Hobo House on the Hill record label.
The other nominees in the reggae category are "Music is Life" (Beres Hammond), "A New Day" (Luciano), "Halfway Tree" (Damian Marley) and "Many More Roads" (Ky-Mani Marley).
The Grammy winners will be announced on Feb. 27 from the Staples Center in L.A. The ceremony will be carried by CBS.
Layers of flavor
for the new yearSome foods you should just let somebody else make. Your contribution should be simply to eat it.
Iwakunizushi, the lovely layered Japanese rice specialty, falls in that category. To make it you'd need not only a traditional wooden mold and a heavy weight to compress the layers, but also a mind-numbing list of ingredients, from broiled eel to chrysanthemum leaves.
Or course, Iwakunizushi is very much worth eating. Luckily, it will be served up in quantity at Sunday's New Year Festival at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii in Moili'ili.
Traditional foods for the event will be prepared by various kenjinkai, or prefecture alumni clubs whose members trace their families to various prefectures in Japan.
The Yamaguchi kenjikai will prepare the elaborate Iwakunizushi, layering sushi rice with shiitake mushrooms, lotus root, eggs, gobo, carrots, unagi (eel), pickled ginge and shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves).
Other foods include regional specialties such as dango jiru, oden and zenzai, and local favorites beef curry and andagi.
The festival takes place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center, 2454 S. Beretania St. Mochi-pounding will be held at 11 a.m. Admission is free; $25 coupons will be sold that include a free Year of the Horse T-shirt and souvenir, plus discounts on food. Call 945-7633.
Big Island bounty
Big Island chefs and their restaurants will be showcased Jan. 20 at Taste of Hilo IV.Presenting cooking demonstrations using Big Island produce will be Daniel Thiebaut of Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant, Colin Nakagawa of Seaside Restaurant and Ryan Vargas, formerly of the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows.
Along with these chefs, a host of restaurants will offer their specialties: the Hilo Hawaiian hotel, Big Island Bistro, Hilo Yacht Club, Orchid Village Restaurant, Café Pesto, Honu's Nest, Tsunami's Grill and Tempura, Cronies, Island Infusion, Island Natural, Dotty's, Fiasco's, Kuhio Grille, Hawaii Naniloa and Nori's Saimin.
The benefit for the Hawaii Community College Culinary Arts Program takes place 1 to 3 p.m. at the Hilo Hongwanji. Tickets are $35, available at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and the Hawaii Community College Provost Office. Call (808) 934-0177.
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