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FRIDAY
>> Hawaii Theatre presents new First Friday event
First Friday returns to Chinatown in style this week, with a major block party welcoming artists and art lovers.
The Hawaii State Art Museum has become a focal point for the monthly celebration of art, and this edition will be no different. The evening features hip-hop artist Kero One, pictured, from the San Francisco Bay Area. His jazzy vibe made him one of the first prominent Asian-American hip-hop artists. Also at HiSAM will be DJ Leanski creating tunes indoors on the ground floor, slack-key guitarist Dayton Watanabe indoors on the second floor and singer/songwriter Evan Khay in the Sculpture Garden. Dance crew Breaks R4 Kid also performs in the Sculpture Garden. Printmakers April Sham and Eric Beyer will lead art activities. The program begins at 6 p.m.
New to First Friday is “Gradients,” a pop-up event that will offer DJs, drinks and food at 6 p.m. at the Pantheon Contemporary Gallery, an art space at 1121 Nuuanu Ave. Featured artists include photographers Lance Arinaga and Roger Bong, painters Bryce Yasuhiko Baker and Seal Paul Flores and Maui-based graphic designer Daniel Lint. A $5 donation is requested.
Another First Friday event of note is a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. for “Tanpopo Wishes” (“Dandelion Wishes”), a ceramics exhibit featuring works by Holly Oyadomori, Taryn Yamane and Ken Kang. It’s at the Louis Pohl Gallery, 1142 Bethel St.
In Chinatown, Hotel Street between Nuuanu and Smith streets will be closed for a First Friday block party between 7:30 p.m. and 3 a.m.
FIRST FRIDAY
>> Where: Chinatown, various locales
>> When: 6 p.m. Friday
>> Cost: free
>> Info: firstfridayhawaii.com
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
>> Supreme Mary Wilson brings memories and music of Motown
The Supremes were the biggest “girl group” of the 1960s and, by industry accounts, America’s biggest vocal group as well, with 12 chart-topping hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart between 1964 and 1969. The one woman who saw it all — from the group’s earliest days, when they performed as the Primettes, to their final tour in 1977 — is Mary Wilson, and she’s returning to Hawaii for three nights of music and memories this weekend at the Blue Note Hawaii.
The group started off as a quartet of high school girls who were the “sister” group to a male group named the Primes. They became the Supremes when they were signed by Motown in 1961. Shortly after that they downsized to the trio that would make music history — Wilson, Florence Ballard and Diana Ross.
Wilson kept the Supremes going until they officially disbanded in 1977. Ballard left the group under tragic circumstances in 1967. Ross, who was by some accounts the “diva” of the group, was spun off as a solo artist in 1970.
Wilson has had a prolific post-Supremes career as a recording artist, author and concert act. Her concert credits include an excellent performance with Matt Catingub and the old Hawaii Symphony Pops Orchestra in 2012. Her next book, “Supreme Glamour,” which documents in great detail the Supremes’ 32 most memorable gown ensembles, will be released in September.
— John Berger, Star-Advertiser
MARY WILSON
Presented by Blue Note Hawaii
>> Where: Outrigger Waikiki
>> When: 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday-Sunday
>> Cost: $45-$65
>> Info: 777-4890, bluenotehawaii.com
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
>> Tattoo festival deserves plenty of ink
We all know you’ve been waiting on pins and needles for the Pacific Ink & Art Expo, so it’s time to get some skin into the game.
This weekend’s celebration of the tattoo arts brings dozens of acclaimed tattoo artists versed in tattoo styles from around the world to the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Get a tattoo from Keli‘i Makua, pictured, practitioner of traditional Hawaiian tap tattooing and the only Hawaiian to be recognized as a Kahuna Ka Uhi, or priest of tattooing. Or if you have an old tattoo that doesn’t speak to you anymore, meet Big Gus, star of the TV series “Tattoo Nightmares,” where guests would relive the horror of a bad tattoo before having it redesigned into something fabulous.
If you think tattoos have to be dramatic and intense, check out the work of Mini Tattoo, an artist from Hong Kong who specializes in images of delicate images of flowers and animals. Her tattoos are temporary, so you can try one risk-free and see how you like it.
There will be contests every day of the festival. Friday’s contests start at 6 p.m. and focus on color and lettering; Saturday’s contest begin at noon and range from most realistic to Japanese style to full body suit tattoos; Sunday’s begin at 1:45 p.m. and include Best Portrait, Best Traditional Tattoo, Best Flash Tattoo and Tattoo of the Day, with the Best of Show tattoo announced at 5:15 p.m.
Entertainment includes Kapena and Kamuela on Friday evening starting at 8 p.m., with dance troupes Tevakanui, Heels Dance Crew and Filipino dancers on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. Musician Elijah Sky performs at 12:15 p.m Sunday. Visit hawaii tattooexpo.com for a full schedule of entertainment.
8TH ANNUAL PACIFIC INK & ART EXPO
>> Where: Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
>> When: 3-11 p.m. Friday, 11-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday
>> Cost: $25 daily; three-day pass $66
>> Info: 351-3314, hawaiitattooexpo.com
WEDNESDAY
>> Kevin Farley brings famous name to standup
Comedian Kevin Farley was born just 11 months after his brother, the late Chris Farley, so it’s not surprising that he shares the same manic presence.
Farley has parlayed a party-animal image into a nice career. In 2016, he appeared on “Hawaii Five-0,” playing a guy on vacation with two college friends (played by Pauly Shore and Jaleel White of “Urkel” fame) who go on a binge and wind up with a dead woman in their hotel room bathtub.
Not surprisingly, he’s had roles on “Drunk History,” and played a drunken Santa Claus on “Joey.” But he’s played a straight man too, as a parole officer playing opposite Billy Ray Cyrus’ parolee character in the Country Music Television’s “Still the King.” He is currently starring in the animated Netflix series “F is for Family,” where he voices several roles.
Farley appears at Blue Note Hawaii for just one set, the early evening show on Wednesday, so who knows, it could be a long one. Or maybe he’s planning to repeat the performance of his “Five-0” role, where his character took a deep dive into a vat of pit balls and blurted out corny pickup lines like the one he told a young woman at a pool party: “There’s a big sale back at my room. Clothes are 100 percent off.”
There’s sure to be some good stories about brother Chris as well. They both studied at the same college and trained at the famous Second City in Chicago.
KEVIN FARLEY
Presented by Blue Note Hawaii
>> Where: Outrigger Waikiki
>> When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
>> Cost: $25
>> Info: 777-4890, bluenotehawaii.com
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