Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Honolulu: February 23–March 1, 2022

Crossing Rain are live in Honolulu this weekend. Photo: Courtesy of Crossing Rain

Crossing Rain

Saturday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m.

The buzz is a-buzzin’ about Crossing Rain, your neighborhood boy band that’s got significant K-pop and J-pop vibes but with a cool local flair. The six-member group has a growing international fan base and has everything checked off on the boy band list: snazzy music videos, on-point hair and makeup (who knew perms are making a comeback?), runway-worthy outfits and killer choreography. The band’s next big performance is coming up this weekend, so you can watch Wyatt “Monarch” Kaneshiro, Asher Morgado, Jorden Kealoha-Yamanaka, Shotaro Takasawa, Evan “Haru” Doria and Teruya dance and sing on stage. Meanwhile, check out their album, Dreams, on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and Amazon music. Their songs “Come Back 2.0” and “If I Never Loved You” are criminally catchy.

$55–$85, Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave., crossingrain.com, @crossingrain

SEE ALSO: This is How Honolulu’s Resilient Arts Organizations are Performing Through the Pandemic

OhGeesy

Friday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m.

After that incredible Super Bowl halftime show, throwback hip-hop and rap are all that’s on our minds and on our Spotify accounts. But we still have love for more recent rappers, too, like OhGeesy. He was part of the band Shoreline Mafia back in 2017 with songs like “Nun Major” and “Whuss The Deal.” Now, he’s living the solo life after his debut album, Geezyworld, was released in 2021. You can see him swagger his way across the stage this weekend.

$35–$110, The Republik, 1349 Kapi‘olani Blvd., #30, (808) 941-7469, jointherepublik.com

Photo: Courtesy of University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu

Americans and the Holocaust

Through Wednesday, March 9

A traveling exhibit has made its way to the West Side. It’s a sobering portrait of American society and displays responses to Nazism and the Holocaust in World War II. It takes a look at what Americans actually knew about what was going on across the Atlantic and why rescuing Jews wasn’t a priority back then. UH West O‘ahu is one of 50 libraries selected to host the exhibition, which hails from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Visitors can swing by during library operating hours or book a Saturday appointment (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). There is also an online exhibit that is a companion to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Americans and the Holocaust exhibition, and a 39-minute YouTube tour.

Free, James & Abigail Campbell Library, UH West O‘ahu, 91-1001 Farrington Highway, Kapolei, (808) 689-2800, americansandtheholocaust-hi.weebly.com

Black Voices Matter

Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m.

Brandon Leake made his way to the top of America’s Got Talent by performing spoken-word pieces about his father, his departed sister and by addressing the Black Lives Matter movement. He’ll be onstage at Mānoa Valley Theatre this weekend, joining Volcanic Voices’ third annual “Black Voices Matter” showcase, which includes poetry, comedy and music. He’ll be joined by other poet legends including HI Grand Slam Champion Marc Marcel, Z from Baltimore and Poetic Prophecy, and host Temple Divine. VIP tickets get you a meet and greet before the show with Leake and other artists from 6 to 7 p.m. Drinks and pūpū will be served. Also, members of the military get 15% off with the code MILITARY.

$35–$45, Mānoa Valley Theatre, 2833 E. Mānoa Road, (808) 988-6131, manoavalleytheatre.com

SEE ALSO: A Hawaiʻi Man Remembers His Days as a Black College Student in New York

OTHER IDEAS

Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawai‘i

Tune in to PBS Hawai‘i

Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m

The new PBS series Home is Here launches today on PBS Hawai‘i. Each of the series’ carefully crafted stories is meant to highlight the people of Hawai‘i and showcase unique mo‘olelo that make Hawai‘i special. In the first episode, viewers are introduced to the Okami ‘ohana, who created the famous KoAloha ‘Ukulele more than 25 years ago; artist, game designer and rapper Daniel Kauwila “Wilz” Mahi, and the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center team on Hawai‘i Island. If you miss it, you can still watch the episode on YouTube and access digital extras this weekend on pbs.org and pbshawaii.org. The digital extras include videos on how an ‘ukulele is made, what you should do with an injured bird, information about wildlife conservation and a music video of Shawn Pimental performing the theme for “Home is Here.”

Free, PBS Hawai‘i, pbshawaii.org, @pbshawaii

SEE ALSO: “Artists of Hawai‘i Now”: Kauwila Mahi

Photo: Courtesy of UHM Kennedy Theatre

Watch scenes by a local playwright

Thursday, Feb. 24, to Saturday, Feb. 27, 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Directed by Tammy Haili‘ōpua Baker, “Hawai‘i Nō Ka ‘Oi: A Sakamoto Celebration” showcases Edward Sakamoto’s contributions to the local theater community. Sakamoto’s known for writing plays about life in Hawai‘i as a Japanese American. The show will present excerpts from a variety of Sakamoto’s works including “The Taste of Kona Coffee,” “Stew Rice,” “Obake” and “Chikamatsu’s Forest.” There will be a 15-minute intermission.

$8–$18, Kennedy Theatre, UH Mānoa, 1770 East-West Road, (808) 956-7655, manoa.hawaii.edu, @uhmkennedytheatre

SEE ALSO: The Blockbuster Musical Hamilton Heads to Honolulu in 2022

Photo: Courtesy of Teresa Bright

Listen to jazz

Jazz lovers, bend an ear to Teresa Bright’s new album, Blue Skies, launching this Friday, Feb. 25. This Hawaiian singer’s sultry voice perfectly complements the jazz genre, and is joined by Honolulu’s renowned musicians Sam Ahia Sr. on the guitar, Dean Taba on bass, Noel Okimoto on drums and vibraphone, and much more. Her original composition, “Sp-r-ing” shows just how much of a jazz natural she is, in addition to her popular Hawaiian standards.

Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Bicycling League

Take a free bike class

Sunday, Feb. 27, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

If you’ve never learned how to ride a bicycle, or you’re still iffy on two wheels, this weekend’s a great time to start. Hawai‘i Bicycling League is hosting a free workshop where instructors will get you comfortable on a bicycle. All ages are welcome and you can bring your own bicycle or borrow one of theirs. Space is capped at seven students per session, so register online. Note: There is a $20 cancellation/no-show fee if you don’t give them 24 hours notice, so email malia@hbl.org or (808) 457-4501 if you can’t make it.

Free, $10–$50 donations accepted. Meet at The Lock Up Self Storage, 1901 Kapi‘olani Blvd., (808) 735-5756, hbl.org/workshops, @hblridealoha