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FRIDAY
Isle youths will take part in the “From the Top” public radio show
Young local musicians will take the first step toward national exposure today when “From the Top,” the popular public radio show featuring young performers, returns to Blaisdell Concert Hall.
Award-winning pianist and composer Christopher O’Riley returns to host the concert, which will be recorded and aired nationally on public radio stations in January. The concert features two local groups: the Hawaii Youth Symphony, conducted by Henry Miyamura, performing orchestral works by Hindemith and local composer Neil McKay; and the 4U Ukulele Quartet. The quartet consists of Ryan Nakagawa, 15, Taiga Benito, 18, Given Yagi, 18, and Chance Yagi, 16. Each has won solo ukulele contests and plays band instruments as well as uke.
Junior Menuhin Competition winner Yesong Sophie Lee, 12, from Seattle; clarinetist Javier Morales-Martinez, 15, from Los Angeles; and cellist Kevin Song, 13, from Irvine, Calif., also will perform.
O’Riley performs a solo concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at HPR’s Atherton Studio. His program includes works by John Adams, Anton Garcia-Abril and Thomas Ades, and some of his own arrangements. $15-$30. Visit hawaiipublicradio.org for details.
Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall
When: 8 p.m. today
Cost: $25-$45
Info: ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
Gopher State’s hip-hop elite come to Oahu
Minneapolis hip-hop duo Atmosphere brings its mix of acoustic instrumentals and rap to The Republik for two shows this weekend.
Rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and the rapper-producer Ant (Anthony Davis) met as high school students 27 years ago. Given their name, it’s not surprising that many of their creations have a climate-related theme, like their initial album, “Overcast!” and their popular tune “Sunshine.” Both feature instrumentation somewhat unusual for rap: The “Overcast!” song “1597” incorporates Beethoven, while “Sunshine” utilizes piano overlaid with heavy bass beats.
Their earlier work also frequently refers to a character named Lucy, who represents the various demons they’ve faced, such as substance abuse and the pressure of being performing artists. Their latest album, “Fishing Blues,” released in August, received mixed reviews but was praised for taking on politically charged issues like police brutality (“Pure Evil” is told from a police officer’s perspective).
The shows will give fans a healthy taste of Minnesota hip-hop. Performing with Atmosphere will be Brother Ali, a hip-hop artist from Minneapolis who spoke at the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize Forum; deM atlaS of St. Paul, known for drawing the individual cover art for more than 1,000 copies of his debut release, “DWNR”; and Plain Ole Bill and Last Word, who are featured performers at First Avenue, the Minneapolis club made famous by Prince.
Where: The Republik, 1349 Kapiolani Blvd.
When: 8 p.m. today and Saturday
Cost: $27-$32
Info: seetickets.com (formerly flavorus.com) or 855-235-2867
SATURDAY
Comedian Esposito’s routine riffs on her own sexuality
When comedian Cameron Esposito pokes fun at lesbians, she’s among kindred spirits.
Esposito is a Chicago native, now based in Los Angeles, who’s made her sexuality a topic of many of her bits. She made a splash on “The Late Show With Craig Ferguson” after she talked about dating the captain of the football team of her Catholic high school and teased Jay Leno, a guest on that episode, for wearing denim. On “The Late Late Show With James Corden” earlier this year, she joked about her recent marriage to a woman and the need for a sperm donor to have a child.
Praised by The New York Times, Variety, LA Weekly and other periodicals, Esposito appears regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles, a venue that has launched the careers of many comedians. Her album “Same Sex Symbol” debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes comedy charts in 2014. Her first comedy special, “Marriage Material,” was released earlier this year on the streaming service Seeso.
She’ll be joined by Rhea Butcher, her co-star on “Take My Wife,” a comedy series also streaming on Seeso.
Where: Hawaiian Brian’s, 1680 Kapiolani Blvd.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $15-$20
Info: hawaiianbrians.com or 946-1343
SATURDAY-JAN. 1
Tree lighting, parade begin holiday season
Honolulu City Lights, the city’s annual holiday celebration, kicks off Saturday with the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree, the popular Electric Light Parade and a concert.
Mayor Kirk Caldwell, University of Hawaii football coach Nick Rolovich and other guests are scheduled to help light the city’s 50-foot tree at about 6:30 p.m., but you might want to grab a spot along King Street between Aala Park and Honolulu Hale by 6 p.m. to see the parade. City firetrucks, garbage trucks, buses and other vehicles festooned with holiday decorations will be driven on the parade route starting at 6 p.m., and visitors are invited to view the vehicles close up at Honolulu Hale afterward.
Food booths and keiki rides will begin at 4 p.m. on the Civic Center grounds, and at 7:30 p.m. a concert at Sky Gate will feature Blayne Asing, Mailani Makainai, Sean Na‘auao and Hula Halau Olana, with DJs spinning tunes as well. Visit with Shaka Santa, Mrs. Claus and other favorite holiday figures, and Santa will be available for keiki photos at Mission Memorial Auditorium.
If you live on the west side or can’t make it downtown that weekend, check out the Kapolei City Lights next week, on Dec. 10. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with food trucks and vendors on Uluohia Street fronting Kapolei Hale and continue with a 5 p.m. concert featuring Na‘auao, Ahi Wela, Brown Bags to Stardom competitors and others. Starting at 6 p.m., decorated city vehicles parade down Kapolei Parkway from Fort Barrette Road to Kapolei Hale, where a tree-lighting ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Visit facebook.com/kapoleicitylights for information.
Where: Ceremony and activities, Honolulu Hale, Mission Memorial Auditorium and surrounding grounds; parade, from Aala Park to Honolulu Hale
When: Tree lighting and parade beginning 6 p.m. Saturday; grounds open 4 p.m. Saturday to closing Jan. 1
Cost: Free; free parking available in Civic Center parking lot
Info: honolulucitylights.org
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