What A Trip, Back to the 80′s

This weekend was the Mega 80Z Music Festival was held at Aloha Tower and talk about a blast from the past! Three stages featured El DeBarge, Club Nouveau, Expose, Lisa Lisa and headliners, Klymaxx.

Under the leadership of General Manager Michael Maielua the team at Don Ho‘s were running a smooth and tight ship. Servers, bartenders, cooks, security – working in sync allowing their patrons to spend their money on alcohol and food (we dined on kalua quesadillas, fresh ahi poke and fried calamari). The line to the restrooms were expectantly long, but clean and flowing. Quadrophonix quickly got me in the mood for some dancing with their jazz infused funk.

We headed over to Gordon Biersch to watch Expose and Lisa Lisa – what a huge mistake! It was apparent that Management at Gordon Biersch was unprepared possibly breaking all sorts of fire code laws. The makeshift bar on the pier was stocked with everything, but water. The staff slaved over patrons, serving it up with a smile, but it was clear that there was no other support to replenish supplies. Inside the bar sardines swam around until it was packed so tight that the prick of a pin would cause a flood – or just a prick. There were no cleared walkways, patrons standing on chairs, tables and inside of potted plants. The restroom doors were jarred open to accommodate the long lines, however it could not have been an appetizing site for dining patrons. Despite the failure of Gordon Biersch management, Expose and Lisa Lisa more than delivered a delicious helping of 80′s pop music.

We made our journey to Stage 3 at the waterfront able to catch Klymaxx belting out “I Miss You” and ending the entire evening with an attitude filled “Men-All-Pause.”

I keep saying that this was my final concert and Gordon Biersch nearly confirmed, but like you totally never know!

If you weren’t privy to be alive during the 80′s, here’s a timeline history From the Mind of NEENZ.

1980 – The boob tube had millions wondering who shot J.R., the United States hockey team brought home the gold after defeating Russia in the winter Olympics, and the number one song was “Call Me” by Blondie from the American Gigolo Soundtrack. I was turning 10 years old, playing in my first all-star softball tournament, and won my team won our first school debate: Do you learn more from books or television? We took the television standpoint.

1981 – The Music Television revolution begins, President Ronald Regan fires striking air traffic controllers and is shot in an assassination attempt though the two are not believed to be related, and the number one song was Kim Carne’s “Bette Davis Eyes.” I was sadly wreaking havoc in Ms. Oshita’s sixth grade class.

1982 – Michael Jackson appears to be a normal effeminate African American man and releases his biggest selling pop album Thriller, Delorean Motor Company files for bankruptcy after launching its first vehicle in 1981, and the number one song was another soundtrack single, Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” I meet my friends for life in Ms. Epstein’s math class, learn that a scoop of rice covered in gravy and a piece of Zippy’s chicken is $2, and take my first trip to Maui.

1983 – The phenomenon of the Cabbage Patch doll is released unto humans, the camcorder is introduced to the same humans, and the number one song has Michael Jackson declaring what we all sort of suspected that “Billie Jean” was not his lover. I’m bitten by the video game bug and am an official teenager but unwillingly to grow up.

1984 – America is introduced to The Huxtables, some guy named Walter Mondale ran for President of the United States, Apple computer releases the first Macintosh personal computer (Guy Kawasaki legend begins) and the number one song was by the hottest androgynous Prince, “When Doves Cry.” I watch the movie Purple Rain once and buy every album, 45″ single, 12″ remix of Prince that was released.

1985 – Rock Hudson’s death scares the world into rethinking our sexual habits, Nintendo is the new addiction, and the number one song was “We Are the World.” High school was a time to talk about how great Elementary was.

1986 – The Challenger explodes, Len Bias dies of a drug overdose and “That’s What Friends Are For” is the number one song. I woke up early only to be shocked at the explosion of the Challenger, months later my heart is saddened by the news of Bias’ poor choices, and my life long friends and I record “That’s What Friends Are For” at Guava Lane in Ala Moana.

1987 – Gary Hart and Donna Rice sex scandal rocks the political world, and Jessica Hahn’s romp with televangelist Jimmy Bakker shakes up the church. Ironically, George Michael covered both topics with his number one song of the year, “Faith.” Isn’t high school over yet? I earn my first all-star honors in high school basketball, but was most comfortable spending my summer taking media courses at UCLA.

1988 – Things get worse for Jimmy Bakker as he’s indicted on fraud charges, some guy named Michael Dukkakis runs for President, and Aloha Airlines Flight 243 arrives at its destination without part of its roof and after taking the life of flight attendant, C.B. Lansing. Officially able to walk across the McKinley High School oval with a plan – or so I thought.

1989 – Arsenio Hall get us all barking late night in the dog pound, the Berlin Wall falls down, and the number one song was “My Perrogative” by Bobby Brown. The plan I thought I had was redone when I realized I rather surf than study.

In the spirit of Twitter, what were you doing?