Hallowbaloo 2011 to light up Honolulu

The 4th Annual Hallowbaloo Music + Arts Festival presents a kaleidoscope of stimulation as diverse as the 20+ clubs, restaurants, galleries and boutiques that comprise its host neighborhood, the Honolulu Arts District. Entering its fourth year, the festival has already become one of the most anticipated and celebrated events in Hawaii with over 16,000 residents and visitors participating…and that’s just the beginning.

At the heart of Hallowbaloo is an incredibly propulsive jet fuel that burns hotter than anything NASA ever created: Hawaii Halloween passion. For as long as most can remember, Hawaii has celebrated Halloween with as much or more fervor than anywhere in the world, and now, Hawaii residents direct their fantasies, dastardly digressions and zany illusions to Hallowbaloo. When their creative escapades come to fruition in the form of other worldly costumes, and they walk the festival grounds, they’re greeted by the most popular and alluring entertainment district in all of Hawaii, the Honolulu Arts District. The neighborhood has nearly single-handedly turned Hawaii’s cosmopolitan culture into something as alluring as the island’s most pristine beaches. On Hallowbaloo night (Saturday, October 29th), patrons can purchase one Hallowbaloo wristband and enjoy a myriad of live entertainment at eight different eclectic clubs. The wristband is available for $10 when purchased in advance or onsite before 7:30pm; $15 when purchased after 7:30pm.

Music comes to life unlike any other night of the year with six stages featured throughout the district, showcasing musical and dance performances that are 100% free to the public. Add it all together and experience the largest live music showcase in Hawaii with more than 40 bands, DJ’s and theatrical groups from the shores of Hawaii and beyond.

Hallowbaloo’s 2011 line-up provides a mood to fit everyone’s fancy starting with the spellbinding, ambient sounds of Warpaint who will headline Hallowbaloo’s kick-off concert on Friday, October 28th at The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace. This four-piece, all women indie rock band from L.A. landed on the ‘star rising watch list’ of just about every tastemaker and major music media outlet at the end of 2010 with the release of their album, ‘The Fool’. Their star has further ascended this year thanks to their tremendous chops as live performers and a relentless tour schedule that will see them play over 100 shows in 2011. Whether performing on giant stages at mega-festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury and Primavera (the latter being two of Europe’s largest festivals) or intimate clubs, Warpaint has delivered in a big way – receiving gushing reviews from global media. With their destiny as mega-stars clear and their having never before performed in Hawaii, the band is perfectly suited to ignite Hallowbaloo 2011.

Following Warpaint’s performance, DJ/beat-maker Paper Diamond (Alex Botwin, formerly known as Alex Beats) will take over the reins of Hallowbaloo’s kick-off concert. Botwin’s career is on a similar trajectory as Warpaint’s. Pretty Lights, arguably the most popular electronic artist in America at the moment, recently selected Botwin to be Pretty Lights touring partner and release music under the Pretty Lights Music label. Botwin has also delivered standout performances at many of this summer’s most popular electronic festivals (Electric Forest, Wakarusa, Camp Biscoe, etc.) backing up his being selected by Relix magazine as a must-see emerging artist. At Hallowbaloo, expect Paper Diamond to show off his extensive range likely kicking things off with a celestial vibe, a la Warpaint who plays before him, before morphing his signature multi-layered approach into a more direct attack on your rhythmic soul.

On Saturday, October 29th, Hallowbaloo’s musical stylings shift gears with Man Man (Philadelphia, PA), The New Mastersounds (Leeds, UK) and Gaudi (Italy / London) all performing at Hallowbaloo’s free street festival on Nu‘uanu Avenue. When Man Man climbs aboard one of Hallowbaloo’s street festival stages expect the unexpected. Front man Honus Honus and fellow band members, Pow Pow, Critter Crat and Chang Wang, combine melody, theater and unfettered craziness to lead audiences on wild rides to chaotic exultation. Add Hallowbaloo revelry to that equation, and you have a show that is not to be missed.

Prior to Man Man, The New Mastersounds will endeavor to tingle your soul with the greatest breakbeat funk ever heard. Don’t be surprised if they blow through the charts as the band has been mesmerizing funk aficionados with their flawless grooves since the dawn of the 21st Century.

And while The New Mastersounds and Man Man light up a stage on one side of the street festival, Gaudi, an Italian instrumentalist, producer and DJ, will be spinning out Hallowbaloo fans at another corner of the celebration with his mix of global beats ranging from the hypnotic melodies of international Qawwali icon, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, to the timeless rhythms of Bob Marley. In addition to having the honor of being asked to remix the original recordings of Khan and Marley by both respective families, Gaudi has, through his more than 25-year career, also earned major accolades as a live performer landing him regular shows at Glastonbury and other major festivals, as well as a historic concert at The Coliseum in Rome. On September 14, 2004, he and Frenchman Michel Moglia (inventor of the Fire Organ) performed their original composition, Elemental, at the foot of The Coliseum and attracted and enthralled a crowd of 350,000!

Hallowbaloo 2011 is poised to once again illuminate the Honolulu Arts District brighter than any other weekend of the year and help the neighborhood and its wonderful cosmopolitan culture garner much deserved attention from people beyond Oahu’s shores. Hallowbaloo is also in position to fulfill its other missions: i) stoking people’s passion for music via exciting displays of live performances and ii) supporting the local music scene by giving Hawaii artists a grand stage that is commensurate to their great talent. Visit www.hallowbaloo.com for more details about Hallowbaloo 2011 and the euphoria that it is sure to elicit.

HALLOWBALOO 2011 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Friday – Oct. 28th: HALLOWBALOO Kick-Off Concert

• Artists: Warpaint (Los Angeles, CA), Paper Diamond (Boulder, CO), Kalalea Fire (Kapa’a, Kauai) and Clones of the Queen (Honolulu, HI)
• Venue: The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Phone: (808) 545-5900. Address: 1 Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu, HI 96813
• Doors: 8:30pm
• Ticket Prices: $25 Advance / $30 Door / $40 VIP. All ages. Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. VIP is 21 and older only.
• Tickets: HALLOWBALOO2011.eventbrite.com – on sale 08/05

Saturday – Oct. 29th: Free HALLOWBALOO Street Festival – 5pm-10pm

• Venue: Nu‘uanu Avenue (between King Street & Chaplain Lane), Honolulu HI 96817
• Artists: Man Man (Philadelphia, PA), The New Mastersounds (Leeds, England), Gaudi (Italy/London), Medicine for the People (Hamakua, Big Island of Hawai’i), All the Apparatus (Portland, OR), Kalalea Fire (Kapa’a, Kauai), The Deadbeats, Cherry Blossom Cabaret, Mike Love, The Jumpoffs, Giinko Marischino, dj mr. nick, Doolin Rakes, Sing The Body, Boomshot (Ma’alaea, Maui), Dancers Unlimited, Hell Caminos, MOTHxp (Haiku, Maui), Matt Ratt, DJ Nocturna, Professor Pandemonium
• Special Attractions: Haunted Garage, Showdown in Chinatown – Hallowbaloo Edition, The Octopus’s Garden, Zombie Alley, Glass Blowing by Oahu Glass Tubes and Costume Contest

Saturday – Oct. 29th: Club HALLOWBALOO – 10pm-2am

• One Wristband – Multiple Clubs
• Wristband Prices: $10 when purchased in advance or onsite before 7:30pm / $15 when purchased onsite after 7:30pm. 21 & older only
• Wristband Sales: HALLOWBALOO2011.eventbrite.com – on sale 08/05
• Venues: Soho Mixed Media Bar, Bar 35, NextDoor, Manifest, the Venue, Mercury Bar, Lotus Downtown, Loft Gallery and Lounge
• Artists: Kings of Spade, Freeradicals Projekt (Haiku, Maui), DJ Packo, ESKAE, Soul Revival Sound System, DJ Kittylee, DJ Delve, Black Square, Dj Monkey, DJ Revise, DJ Jon C, DJ Jet Boy, DJ Rhombus and more to be added

Sunday – Oct. 30th: Free HALLOWBALOO Kanikapila

• Artists: Guy Cruz, Medicine for the People
• Venue: Kaimana Beach Park, Honolulu, HI
• Time: 3-6pm

Monday – Oct. 31st: Waikiki HALLOWBALOO Halloween Madness

• Venue: Kalakaua Ave. (between Kaiulani Ave. and Kapahulu Ave.), Honolulu Hawaii
• Time: Sunset to Sunrise

ABOUT Hallowbaloo

The Hallowbaloo Music & Arts Festival was founded in 2008 by Mark Tarone, President of T-Rx Entertainment, LLC. The festival was founded with the intent of establishing an annual event that: i) draws attention to the Honolulu Arts District from people who live beyond Oahu’s shores, ii) stokes people’s passion for music via exciting displays of live performances by national and local artists and iii) supporting the local music scene by giving Hawaii artists a grand stage that is commensurate to their great talent. The festival continues to focus on those goals today and has become one of the largest sources of revenue for the Arts District Merchant Association (ADMA) with Hallowbaloo donating $5,000 to ADMA last year.

Prior to launching Hallowbaloo, Tarone worked as John Cruz’s manager in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Tarone was closely involved with the recording and release of Cruz’s award-winning 2007 album, ‘One of These Days’, and in reinvigorating Cruz’s national touring campaigns including facilitating performances by Cruz at Bonnaroo (Manchester, TN), New Orleans Jazzfest and Summer Stage in Central Park, New York. Halloween has always been a focal point of T-Rx Entertainment. The company sold out its first three Halloween shows in Honolulu – 2002’s ‘Bacchanal o’ Hawai’i’ at the W Honolulu, 2003’s Bayou Burnin’ at Studio One featuring Rebirth Brass Band (New Orleans, LA) and 2004’s Halloween High Steppin’ at Kapono’s featuring Ozomatli and 2,000+ costumed crazies. T-Rx Entertainment also drew a full house at 2006’s Halloween High Steppin at the Hyatt in Waikiki featuring New Orleans icon and funk innovator, Eddie Bo. Prior to turning his focus to music, Tarone served as a volunteer director of the Hawai’i Lacrosse Invitational tournament from 1999 through 2003. Under his watch, the event grew from 7 men’s teams to 32 men’s and women’s team from around the world with a national reputation as showcasing one of the largest collections of top players. In his final two years, the tournament raised $25,000 for Hawai’i youth lacrosse.

Hallowbaloo has been warmly received by Honolulu residents and visitors since its inception – drawing 8,000 attendees in 2008, 12,000 attendees in 2009 and 15,000 attendees in 2010. Approximately 20,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s Hallowbaloo festivities.