Ain’t no doubt, it’s all about Gwen

Gwen Stefani has her own solo hits to sing as she arrives in Honolulu for two sold-out concerts

A word of warning to those attending Gwen Stefani's two sold-out concerts at the Blaisdell Arena this weekend: Please do not scream for any No Doubt songs.

Gwen Stefani With opener Hoku Ho On stage: Friday and Saturday at the Blaisdell Arena Tickets: Sold out for both shows

This time, baby, it's all about her and her solo career.

While Stefani and her ska-influenced musical cohorts have been regular visitors to the islands since late 1995, the news was out as early as August 2002 -- the last time No Doubt played here -- that Stefani was primed and ready to break out on her own. Big time.

Hawaii has always taken the fashion-conscious "girl next door" from California's Orange County to heart -- ticket sales demanded two shows from Stefani and her Harajuku Girls Friday and Saturday. Stefani's still hot, and now a top pop star in her own right.

HER STATUS was secured when she appeared on "American Idol" last season not once, but twice, as a "celebrity mentor" to the contestants, and as a performer on the two-night special "Idol Gives Back."

But Hawaii fans knew of her ascending stardom right off the bat, when No Doubt opened for 311 at the now-defunct After Dark nightclub on Nimitz Highway in 1995. It was just before the band's third album, "Tragic Kingdom" (originally released on the Los Angeles indie label Trauma Records), went national. Once songs "Just a Girl" and "Don't Speak" broke out, there was no stopping the charismatic Stefani and company.

The band returned the next year for a set at the Big Mele festival at scenic Kualoa Ranch, as part of a bill that included the Dance Hall Crashers, Cypress Hill and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Stefani, in her then-familiar street skate girl persona, commanded the crowd with ease.

In May of '98, No Doubt brought along one of its influences, the British ska band Madness, for a memorable show at Richardson Field.

Buoyed by the hits "Ex-Girlfriend" and "Simple Kind of Life" from the "Return of Saturn" album, No Doubt played the University of Hawaii's Andrews Amphitheatre in October 2000. And by the time August of '02 rolled around for the Blaisdell Arena show as part of the "Rock Steady" tour, Stefani and the band were at the top of their game.

One memorable image from that concert was seeing Stefani perched on the shoulders of her former beau, bassist Tony Kanal, their faces aglow as the audience heartily sang the band's lovers rock hit "Underneath It All."

"Princess Gwen" would marry the handsome Gavin Rossdale from the British band Bush the following month.

With the help of her monster hit "Hollaback Girl" from her first solo album "Love. Angel. Music. Baby.," and capitalizing on her love for the Japanese fashion scene, Stefani took a colorful and energetic show on the road throughout North America in 2005. (Highlights of the Harajuku Lovers tour is available on DVD.)

While Stefani had to tone down her dance moves and revealing stage wear for her Malaysian concert in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, due to protests from a Muslim student group, expect her to hit the stage in full glam and glitz in Honolulu, as she finishes up the current leg of "The Sweet Escape" tour.

Stefani also comes to town -- with year-old son Kingston in tow -- as a two-time nominee in this year's Teen Choice Awards. She's up for Best Female Artist and Best Single ("The Sweet Escape," featuring Akon, also is a MTV Music Video award nominee for Most Earthshattering Collaboration). The ceremony will be televised on Fox Sunday night.

In concert, expect a generous sampling from her two albums, including "Hollaback Girl," "Rich Girl" (with its "Fiddler on the Roof" swipe), "Wind It Up" (ditto "The Sound of Music"), "Luxurious," "What You Waiting For?," "Yummy," "Now That You Got It" and "4 in the Morning," a collaboration with Kanal.

Speaking of her No Doubt mate, she reportedly still wants to do another album with the band. In fact, they all did an encore together at her Irvine, Calif., shows in June.

So there's still some hope that No Doubt may return to the islands.