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SATURDAY
>> Atlanta EDM duo ATLiens visits new haunts
Space out with ATLiens, the mysterious EDM duo that is bringing an out-of-this-world sound to The Republik.
Named for the 1996 album “Atliens” by Atlanta-based Outkast, who were paying tribute to their hometown, ATLiens, who are also from Atlanta, are known for heavy bass beats and a penchant for secrecy. They hide their identities under capes, hoodies and chrome masks with eery, glowing red eyes, and have never identified themselves in public.
“We’ve always been into the realm of the occult and other dark and mysterious things, so making heavy and creepy music only felt right,” they told DJ Times in a 2019 interview. “There’s something special about the feeling you get when you hear a sound that’s so unsettling and weird.”
ATLiens had a hit with their 2015 single “Chief,” which got the backing of major EDM figures Skrillex and Diplo and was picked up for a commercial. They’re touring with their latest EP “Ghost Planet,” which they told DJ Times “has sort of an apocalyptic theme running throughout it — all dark vibes.”
ATLIENS
Ghost Planet Tour
>> Where: The Republik
>> When: 9 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: $20-$35
>> Info: 941-7469, jointherepublik.com
TODAY
>> Awards to make waves in the surfing community
It was a great winter for surfing on the North Shore this year, and now we can relive it at the Wave of the Winter Awards ceremony.
More than 200 videos shot between November and February have been submitted for this year’s contest. Judges whittled the entries down to about two dozen, and the winner will be chosen at The Republik today.
This season, Jamie O’Brien, the 2015 winner, seemed to be dialed into the North Shore, with four of his rides among the top contenders for the $25,000 top prize. But plenty of surfers got great rides this year, which saw waves about 30 percent higher than normal in November. In December, there were so many good rides that judges chose seven contenders from that month, up from the usual five. Visit surfline.com to see all the videos.
This is the 10th annual contest, so there will also be a $10,000 Wave of the Decade award, selected from rides by O’Brien, Kalani Chapman, Reef McIntosh, Ricardo Dos Santos, Kelly Slater, Mikey O’Shaughnessy, Koa Rothman, Nathan Florence and last year’s winner, Keiko Matsuoka — whose mad dash through a heavy Pipeline monster is an odds-on favorite. See the evidence in this photo of Matsuoka on the wave by photographer Christa Funk.
Entertainment will be provided by Ron Artis II & The Truth; Artis’ brother Thunderstorm, who credits Ron Artis II as his mentor, recently got a four-chair turn during the blind auditions on the NBC reality show “The Voice.”
2020 WAVE OF THE WINTER AWARDS
>> Where: The Republik
>> When: 7:30 p.m. today
>> Cost: $15
>> Info: 941-7469, jointherepublik.com
SATURDAY
>> Don’t worry, be happy with comedian Ron Funches
Can comedians be happy? Ron Funches doesn’t know why not, and it shows in his sunny disposition and fun-loving persona.
The standup comedian finds a way to celebrate nearly every aspect of life, such as taking care of his autistic son. “Taking care of this child is like taking care of your verrry best friend after they’ve done waaay too many ’shrooms — while you yourself are on a moderate amount of ’shrooms,” he says during an appearance on “Comedy Central Stand-up.”
Funches’ genial presence would seem to belie his love for the tough-guy sport of pro wrestling. He actually took wrestling classes, telling Conan O’Brien on his talk show that he did it because “this standup comedy thing is getting too stable.” He then showed O’Brien some wrestling moves, eventually putting him in a headlock. “I always wanted to do that to a white man in a suit,” he said.
Funches was working in Oregon in the mid-2000s when he decided to give standup comedy a try at an open mic in Portland. Since then he’s landed television roles on, no surprise, “Portlandia,” as well as “Drunk History,” “Undateable” and other shows. He also made frequent appearances on Chelsea Handler’s “Chelsea Lately” and had a role in the 2015 Kevin Hart-Will Ferrell hit “Get Hard.”
RON FUNCHES
>> Where: HB Social Club, 1680 Kapiolani Blvd., 2nd floor
>> When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: $20
>> Info: 946-1343, hbsocialclub.com
SATURDAY
>> Calder Quartet brings eclectic tastes to classical performance
The Calder Quartet, an acclaimed group known for its probing performances of conventional and new music, performs Saturday at Orvis Auditorium.
The Los Angeles-based group has been widely praised for its innovation and skill. Over the years, the group has pursued programming with rock musicians, appeared on late-night talk shows and commissioned new works from contemporary composers.
Saturday’s program is a showcase for Calder’s diverse interests, opening with Mozart’s delightful “Spring” Quartet. They also pay tribute to Beethoven, whose 250th birthday will be celebrated this year, with his “String Quartet No. 12 in E-Flat Major, Op. 127.” It is the first of Beethoven’s late-period quartets, revolutionary in their time and now considered some of the most important compositions in history.
The quartet will also perform a modern work, Anders Hillborg’s lovely “Kongsgaard Variations,” which was dedicated to the owners of a California winery and has a Copeland-esque sensibility. It features a direct quote from Beethoven’s final piano sonata, the reverential “No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111.”
The group consists of violinists Benjamin Jacobson and Tereza Stanislav, violist Jonathan Moerschel and cellist Eric Byers.
CALDER STRING QUARTET
>> Where: Orvis Auditorium, University of Hawaii at Manoa
>> When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: $20-$45
>> Info: 956-8246, honoluluchambermusicseries.org
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