Remove ImagesPicks of the Week
February 12, 2009
Friday (Feb. 13), 10pm, Mulligan's on the Blue
Saturday (Feb. 14), 6pm, Mulligan's on the Blue
It was a moral dilemma of Jurassic proportions: how do I highlight two very important nights that are occurring at the same venue without monopolizing Picks of the Week? After careful deliberation I determined that the best course of action would be to give them ink in the same entry. So, first we have Erin Smith, playing with her acoustic band and the BrownChicken BrownCow String Band on Friday. Both acts are extremely entertaining, to say the least. Plus: beer. For Valentine's Day types (don't worry I'll do some obligatory Valentine's Day bashing in a minute), or fans of phenomenal eclectic/Hawaiian music, Saturday's Valentine's dinner show, featuring the legendary Willie K, is essential. I'm probably supposed to wax poetic about treating your sweetie, or whatever, to this evening of tasty music, but I'd rather just let the fact that Willie K is playing speak for itself. Plus: beer and food. (Buffet & show: $55; Drinks, buffet & show: $75.)
Silky what now?
Friday (Feb. 13), 9pm, The Cellar 744
Okay, so there probably are some readers who don't think Valentine's Day is obnoxious. I can deal with that, I suppose. I have had a few tolerable February 14ths. My favorite Valentine's Day is the one I spent sipping Captain and Diet Coke and eating an obscene amount of maraschino cherries in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla. with my best chick friend, and having a lengthy discussion about Hunter S. Thompson with the bartender. This can be done anywhere, I suppose, if one can stomach all the Hallmark cheese, etc. The Cellar is high on the recommendation list, even though their celebration, entitled Silky Love, takes place Friday instead of Saturday. California-based DJs Richard Vission and Mars will be providing tunes, as will G-Spot and Daniel J.
Haters unite
Saturday (Feb. 14), 10pm, Santa Fe Cantina
Hmmm. It seems a second dilemma has burrowed its way into the folds of my brain. On one hand, I love making fun of Valentine's Day. But everyone bashes it these days. Anyway, I'm not sure declaring war on Valentine's Day is all that effective, but ignoring it hasn't really done much for the cause. Santa Fe Cantina has come up with a brilliant solution: cheap Jager. It surprises me that they're the only ones I've heard of so far to put on an Anti-Valentine's Day Party. The unattached would, after all, like some kind of alternative to spending the day at home drinking rum and watching 'Nam flicks. Saturday's anti-V.D. shindig features the sounds of DJ Mike Rozak and happy hour drink prices.
Food stuffs
Opens Saturday (Feb. 14), Maui Community College, Kai'ike Building
Cuisine is a key element of any regional culture, as one can plainly see on Maui. Not once during the five years I lived in Florida did I see Spam musubi or bags of poi being sold at a gas station. And you'd be hard-pressed to find gator (yes, frickin' gator!) tacos here. Key ingredients of every local cuisine are often closely related to a region's history; Spam is a case-in-point. This is the inspiration for the Smithsonian's traveling exhibit, "Key Ingredients: America By Food," which opens at Maui Community College this weekend. The exhibit not only explores food by region, but also changes in food preparation technology and the availability of certain ingredients. Think the microwave and the slew of plastic frozen food that appeared in the wake of its availability. This, of course, signifies our collective desire for convenience at any cost. So food, in turn, becomes an avenue by which we can examine culture as a whole. The exhibit will also be gathering info on the Maui food scene, which will then become part of it.
On the ground
Wednesday (Feb. 18), 10pm, Hard Rock Café
One of the easiest ways to unite people is to play Bob Marley. Whether one merely dabbles in Legend or is a connoisseur of the deep cuts, I have yet to meet a person who doesn't like Bob. To some his music can invoke generic tropical images and serve as the sonic component to a marathon grass-puffing session. To others, his tunes signify the havoc the West has wreaked on all the Earth's other cultures, and resistance to said havoc. That's why Groundation, the band that's bringing its Bob Marley tribute show to Maui this week, has it made. This reggae collective formed in the Sonoma State University music department. Soecial guests include Will Bernard and Leroy "Horsemouth"Wallace" (formerly of the Wailers and Burning Spear). I suspect that they'll draw a sizeable as well as diverse crowd this Wednesday. $35.