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Blue Dragon Musiquarium

21K views 56 replies 9 participants last post by  hakukani 
#1 · (Edited)
6/27/2008 a new live music venue opens in Kawaihae, Hawaii. After a
'soft opening' last week, the venue opens tomorrow as a live Musiquarium!

Mondays feature the Bill Noble Quartet playing swing dance music. Wednesdays feature local kine artists. Thursdays are instrumental jazz night. Fridays eclecticism reigns. Sundays, vocal jazz (and maybe a jam)... and Saturday nights feature the Olliephonic Horns, the Big Islands little Big Band!!! Featuring Ollie Mitchell on Trumpet and Slyde Hyde on Trombone/Euphonium and hakukani on lead alto sax.

The grand opening features us on Friday and Saturday nights. Here's a couple of pics from last Saturday's 'soft' opening.

Pictured with the Olliephonic horns are Bennet and Delphina, the owners. Bennet is the wizard behind the venue, and Del is his wife and an excellent bass player. (Thank god she's not a chick singer:D).

View attachment 6507

The second pic is after sunset during our second set. Live music is Happening. We're all SO excited!!!!!

View attachment 6509

(click the pic for size)
 
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#4 ·
Update:

Well, we got through the second full month with no casualties--and only got rained out once.

The Olliephonic horns have been extended for every Saturday Night for the month of September!
Here's the September schedule:

http://www.gokohala.com/business/dining/Blue_Dragon.html
 
#5 ·
Update 2:

We're on for each Saturday in October.

It's getting much darker earlier, so we start playing after it's gotten cool.
 
#7 ·
Well, cool enough that the drip of sweat going from your lower back to the nether regions occurs less often.:)
 
#9 ·
Update:

Playing a last minute three set jazz 4tet gig this evening at the BDM. It's good to be TBA and a replacement for a cancellation.:)
 
#10 ·
Update:

Had a bit of a scare; the neighbors thought the music was 'too loud'. They complained to the liquor commission. They had a hearing today. Here's the report I got:

"Outcome -- the Liquor Commission decided NOT to take
any action and NOT to impose any restrictions.
Rationale - there were no violations, there was good
faith effort to try to work with the neighbors, and
history indicates that prior establishments in the
same location had much louder music.

My 2 favorite quotes from the neighbors were that
"salsa and jazz are not cultural" and " (the old owner) was one
of us". "

How's that for racist/exclusionist attitude?

Victory for Live Music!!!!!
 
#11 ·
Against all odds, our band is booked for another month of Saturdays.:)

11/1-29.

The end of this month will be a half year of Saturdays.

Viva la live musique!
 
#12 ·
update:

For only the second time in six months, our gig got rained out. BooHoo!

The good news is that we're scheduled to start our seventh month of Saturdays, scheduled to play through December!
 
#14 ·
I wore my little necklace of Xmas lights and my 'Santa on the Beach and Harley' Tommy Bahama Aloha shirt.

Update:

The band is moving to Sundays. We have a loyal (if somewhat older) following, and the management figured that having Saturday night for a younger crowd would work out better. We packed them in in December!
 
#15 ·
Well, the Olliephonic horns, those dinosaurs of jazz, are still at it every Sunday through March. We've been playing for 'sold out' (meaning all tables are reserved) crowds, even on Grammy, Super bowl, and Oscar nights.

Still swingin' through March...

Some changes at the Blue Dragon, though. The restaurant decided that Monday and Tuesday were too light to stay open, so there is a bit fewer spaces for music, and that means a bit less jazz available.

They finally got their website up with more than a 'placeholder':

http://www.bluedragonhawaii.com/
 
#16 ·
We're still on for April!

This month's change is that starting tonight, I'll be playing the tenor chair. The regular tenor player wants a chance to play alto. We rotate four shows (so our regular 'fans' won't get bored), so we're switching to keep it fresh.:)
'
 
#17 ·
Continuing Sundays in May.

Mother's day should be schwingin'.

A bit of a scare, as we went on at the same time Pancho Sanchez's band was playing at the Kahilu theater. We had the smallest attendance all year. We all hope that things get back to 'normal' starting this weekend!

I'm still on Tenor, being featured as The Pink Panther, and Whatever Stan Wants, Stan Getz.

Also our quartet will be playing next Wednesday (see avatar).
 
#18 ·
Well, things got back to sort of 'normal', but Ollie and the management came to the conclusion that the snowbirds were gone for the summer. Soo, we're playing only the first Sunday of the month for awhile, starting the first Sunday in June. It's been a great run!

We'll see what happens in August...
 
#19 ·
The gang did once a month through September, but we're being bumped back up to twice a month for October. Yea!
 
#25 ·
Update: We're on for two Sundays in November.:)

Gary, buy your plane ticket, and come sit in.
 
#23 ·
Jaws is on Maui. I can see Maui (haleakola) out the window. It's about 50 miles away, but there's a deep ocean between.
 
#24 ·
I'm jealous. I've got to get some work so I can get back there.
Kehaulani
 
#26 ·
Still going for twice in December. First gig is rained out, though.
Next show the 20th. We'll see what the schedule is for January.
 
#27 ·
Continuing twice a month through January....
 
#28 ·
We're continuing to pack 'em in.

Played two Sundays in Febrary, scheduled 1st and third Sunday in March...
 
#30 ·
Still on for first and third Sundays.

This month (April), we're on for the third and four weeks, as the venue closed for Easter.
That means three Sundays in a row, as we careen into May.
 
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