CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Alan Arato, left, Tom Moffatt and Yemun Chung take a break poolside at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel, where they'll be hosting "Dance Fever" parties beginning Saturday.
Funky return planned
for Waikiki party
Gee, what a novel idea for Waikiki: Dance music for adults, plenty of easily accessible parking, inexpensive admission and drink prices, and marketing directed toward locals as well as visitors.
"We believe there's a need for this in Waikiki, where people out of their teens can dance and have a good time dancing to music of the '80s," said promoter Tom Moffatt who, along with Yemun Chung of Impact Events and Alan Arato, will produce "Funky Town" dance parties beginning Saturday. House bands Aura and Pacific Jamm will perform at the newly christened Big D's nightclub (formerly The Laugh Factory) at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel.
FILE PHOTO
Yvonne Elliman will be a special guest at "Dance Fever."
'Dance Fever'
With Yvonne Elliman, Aura, The Reformers, The J. Michaels Band, Pacific Jamm and host/comedian Bo Irvine
Showtime: 8 p.m. Saturday, doors open at 7 p.m.
Place: Big D's, Queen Kapiolani Hotel
Tickets: $12.50 in advance and $15 at the door -- available at Big D's, Harry's Music Store in Kaimuki, Hungry Ear Kailua, Jelly's in Pearl City and Cheapo Music in Puck's Alley
Call: 593-8333
The third-floor nightclub is being outfitted with a state-of-the-art sound system and lighting, Arato said.
The new club opens Saturday night with a "Dance Fever" event featuring performer Yvonne Elliman, whose hits including "Love Me," "Hello Stranger," "I Don't How to Love Him" from the "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack, and her disco hit, "If I Can't Have You," from the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack.
Aura will perform hits of the '70s and '80s, including songs from Kool and the Gang, Sister Sledge, The Commodores, A Taste of Honey, The Stylistics, Cameo and The Miami Sound Machine. The six-piece Pacific Jamm band will perform a mix of R&B, funk, Top 40 and rock.
The Reformers feature front men Zanuck Lindsey and Mark Caldiera, while The J. Michaels Band will perform more '70s and '80s hits, with a touch of Las Vegas.
The regular "Funky Town" opens next Friday in Big D's and there'll be a cover charge of $5 for those 21 and over.
"We're really trying to get people back to Waikiki and make it as easy, comfortable and inexpensive as we can," producer Arato said. "The hotel is right on Kapahulu Avenue, away from the busiest areas, with plenty of hotel parking and at the Honolulu Zoo across the street, and an incredible view of Diamond Head."
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calendars and events.
