Ong-King Arts Center - Theatre, Dance, Music, Poetry Performances

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Art gallery opening 5pm-9pm, Performance 9pm-2am

FIRST FRIDAY: February 1st at Ong King Arts Center

The moment begins with your eyes, the sight of color form, raw original art vibrates from exposed brick walls, then sound, live music earthy drums, ethereal sitar, rhythms of the world, suddenly there are words your mind is engaged with soulful truths of lyrical poetry, finally a circus performer shifts the focus to wonder and amazement, something inside you says yes. Later you remember a dance, a meaningful conversation, and...kava?....yes, this is fIRsT Friday @ onG kING. 3 great bands combine, from California: Cerro Negro, from North Shore: SOLstiCE, and from Honolulu: Quadraphonix. 3 new visual artists. 2 gifted circus performers. A poet, an MC, a DJ. Truth in art, art as truth. love this.

LIvE MuSIC: SOLstiCE: With their roots stemming from Rapa Nui and Perœ, it was California that introduced Itto's Island voice and guitar to Enrique's Latin percussion. Coincidentally, two years later they were both living on Oahu, Hawaii - Laie and Waikiki. These two worlds - North and South, Island and Mainland, Town and Country - have proven to be the encompassing foundation for this eclectic band. Through two good mutual friends, Enrique met Matt and Don, and they instantaneously bonded to the music, the vibe, and most importantly, the vision:

the whole world dancing under one sun. With the essential additions of Matt's blues-inspired electric guitar and Don's punk-inspired bass, a unique fusion of Polynesian Latin Reggae Blues emerged as the underlying groove. Enter the last element, Matt's good friend Russ, to hold down the multifaceted rhythms derived from his jazz drumming. And Solstice arrivesÉ

Drawing on their traveling experiences, the lyrics are sung in English, Spanish, Rapa Nui and French. The rhythms celebrate several different cultures, always based on intense movement - seductive or festive. Whether it is high-energy drums and percussion, intricate melodies of guitars and bass or contemplative acoustic guitar and voice, Solstice strives to reach all the senses, all the emotions. The core of a performance is that positive vibe exchanged between the musicians and the audience - an abstract communication creating a euphoric energy, contagious and necessary.
And as much as nature is an inspiration for their music, it is also the temple that houses Solstice in their philosophies - so it was only fitting that the North Shore of Oahu was where they began.

CERRO NEGRO: Cerro Negro has been touring constantly in support of their latest CD “Where in the World?” What a fitting title for a group that since January has toured to over 13 states. There has been a huge response to the group's live show, which has expanded to include more stunning virtuosity, lyric beauty and back-shaking beats.
As this trio of young guns hones their craft, more instruments and musical styles are finding their way to the stage. Frank Giordano the group's rhythm guitarist is featuring new flamenco material on the piano, following pioneers such as Dorantes and Chano Dominguez. Lead guitarist Dusty Brough is shredding the fretless bass with the same mastery he's displayed on the guitar. Percussionist and singer John Martin III continues to expand his role as the group's lead vocalist adding songs in Portuguese and English. In the live shows the group has managed to strike a balance between all of these instruments, styles, and influences while never losing their easy-going, fun loving demeanor.
Quadraphonix: Crazy band leader and onG kiNG founDer Jonathan Heraux is back from a month of snowboarding in the Northwest, and running from the border police in Panama. He is joined by conga killah' Eli Clemens, sitar/guitar loop master Shree Saragopan, and the Uruguayan maverick bass player Javier.

CIRCUS PERFORMERS

MARY CHAPMAN: She is a gifted contortionist. After years of competing Mary is just getting into the art scene. She will be performing with a male partner doing their unique form of Acro-YoGA. Mary recently was featured in a Star Bulletin article, about her performance with Samadhi at the 2008 Starlight Ball.

THE AMAZING TJ: He has moved beyond simply amazing skills and technique and into a new realm of performance art. The Amazing TJ's show combines music, words, sound effects, and of course juggling, to create a unique surreal landscape, which is truly ground breaking in the world of juggling performance.

SLAM POET: A vibrant local slam'er or group...TBA

THE DJ: DJ JouLZ has been mixing for seven years now. His groove is from all over the world often mixing funk, break-beat, world, and hip-hop in the same set. He is sooo great.
“The rhythms....._they are like telescoping, slinky time dilations, sexy and sensual, sliding against my consciousness. Seducing me, tempting me deeper. Writhing wormholes phasing into and out of different time space realities.”
http://phamilygathering.com/Joulz/joulz.htm

THE MC: MC SeE paints pictures, spits sermons, makes mirth, gets giddy, in a lucid lyrical loose lipped language linking rap n' poetry, classic & karmic soliloquies.

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