Honolulu Weekly

Ricky, what does Ong King have in common with curry, surf rock, jazz and slam poetry? (cue Cuban accent) What are you talkin’ abou’? I don’t know Lucy, what? Nothing silly, except a slamming party on New Year’s Eve that is going down under one well-known roof: the Ong King Arts Center.

It’s a shame that Lucy and Ricky won’t be on the bill, but just about every other big name in town is. The best Indian restaurant–yes, it’s that good–India CafÈ, is going to be serving up the rice and lentils and many other vegetarian favorites, putting the fire to this bash.

The Ditch Surfers from Madeline Island, Lake Superior, will be cranking out the surf tunes, even though they surf ditches instead of waves, and the Kevin Hughes Jazz Trio will smooth out all that distortion with some funky melodies.

And what Ong King show is complete without an eclectic bill featuring the talents of The Honolulu Underground Theatre Collective, a feisty mix of slam poets, hip hop MCs, actors and dancers.

Ricky and Lucy would have pushed their twin beds together after this kind of night.

Ong King Arts Center, 184 N. King St., Fri. 12/31, 8pm-2am, $15 show plus dinner, $10 without dinner, all ages, 306-7823