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Aloha Tower will jump
on the weekend

Memorial Day weekend is generally regarded as the official kickoff to summer, and this year is no exception.

The biggest event takes place on Saturday, when four restaurants at Aloha Tower Marketplace team up to present the "Summer Sunsplash Music Festival and Block Party."

Reggae fans will want to hang out at the Ewa end of Aloha Tower, as Chaka Demus and Pliers headline the stage at Kapono's, along with Humble Soul, T.H.C., O-Shen, Red Degree, Maka and the I-Sight Band, Whitelines and The Ionz. Jamaican dancehall star Tanya Stephens will hold it down at Don Ho's, with Ooklah the Moc, Isa Ako, Bamboo, Irie Souls and Isouljahs opening things up.

Gordon Biersch is going to be off the chain as well, with Natural Vibrations, B.E.T., Neken, X-Factor, Quadraphonix and Paradise XS playing before San Francisco-based Afro-Cuban band O-Maya takes the stage. And hip-hop heads will want to check out DJ Malik (yes, that guy from MTV's "Real World") outdoors at Chai's Island Bistro, where he'll be on the decks alongside Trace and Kimo James. Inside, Las Vegas DJ Joey Mazzola will spin house music with G-Spot ...

OVER AT The O Lounge, general manager Roni Yurong has tapped Moguls Entertainment to host a new Thursday night weekly at the nightspot.

Doors open at 10 p.m. tonight for "Top Billin'," with DJs XL, Mixmaster B, Mr. I.N.C., FortyFive, Compose, Charles Lee and James Allen all taking turns in the mix ...

IT'S ANOTHER good weekend for underground hip-hop in the islands, following last week's One.Be.Low concert at the Wave Waikiki.

This time around, Los Angeles collective The Shapeshifters make the trip for a pair of shows hosted by Unity Crayons. The first is an all-ages show at Pink Cadillac on Friday at 7 p.m., with Dead Monkeys, Jundax and Malosi, Prosapience, Apopcobev and Black Empty serving as opening acts. DJs DanniOne and Oliver Twist will spin between sets.

The fun moves to Anna Bannana's on Saturday, where Black Square, Omega Cix, NoMasterBacks, Space Catalog and The Crud will kick off an 18-and-over show starting at 8 p.m. DJ Kavet the Catalyst will also be on hand. Cover is $8 for both shows ...

TAKE A walk on the wild side on Saturday at Fusion Waikiki, as Teighlor Armani hosts the return of "Freaks of the Sindustry." The club also hosts a summer kick-off party on Sunday, with DJ Troy in the mix ...

AND IF you make it to Sunday, don't sleep on DJ Mixmaster Mike at Pipeline after Da Hui's all-ages bash ...