On the Scene

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARADVERTISER.COM
EMKE CELEBRATES AT HARD ROCK | 1. Teen rockers EMKE -- Mari Arakawa, left, mono-monickered Payton, Ezri Santos and Kira Santos -- celebrated the release of their debut extended-play recording, "Promises," with a concert and cake for the audience April 1 at Hard Rock Cafe in Waikiki. The concert set included the original songs from the EP and the quartet's "classic rock" medleys of Journey and Van Halen hits.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARADVERTISER.COM
'LOVE GAME' LAUNCHES AT BAR 35 | 5. Lance Rae congratulated Candes Meijide Gentry, center, and her mother, Condesa Azria Nora Meijide-Gentry, at the CD release party for the former's new extended-play release, "Love Game," April 8 at Bar 35. The six-song project is Gentry's first foray into original mainstream electronic dance music, and she did it with family support. Her mother was the photographer, and her sister, Corin Gentry-Balding, did her hair and makeup for the cover art.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARADVERTISER.COM
4. Sara Cate Langham (Gwendolen Fairfax), center, enjoyed the party with Tracy Olival, left, and Aerrin Liddell. Langham was breathtaking as a virtuous victim in HPU's production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons)" a year ago; she is equally appealing as a comedian in "Earnest."

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARADVERTISER.COM
HOPE DEBUTS LUCKY BRAND COLLECTION AT ALA MOANA | 2. Hawaii textile designer Dale Hope, left, talked with Marines Nick Oches and Eric Togami at the launch of Lucky Brand by Dale Hope on April 1 at Ala Moana Center. Party guests who spent more than $100 on aloha wear received an autographed copy of Hope's book, "The Aloha Shirt." Oches, proudly wearing a new aloha shirt, qualified for a book and got it signed.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARADVERTISER.COM
UNUSUAL 'EARNEST' AT HPU | 3. Hawaii Pacific University cast members Virginia Jones (Miss Prism) and Larry Bialock (Rev. Canon Chasuble), center, talked with David C. Starr at the opening-night reception for "The Importance of Being Earnest" April 6 at HPU. Director Joyce Maltby's decision to cast a man in one of the major female roles puts a very odd spin on Oscar Wilde's classic 19th-century comedy, but Jones and Bialock honor Wilde's intent with their masterfully calibrated comic performances.