Archive for the ‘News’ Category
Over 3,000 people lined up to buy tickets and see Get A Job during its limited run at the Iao Theater, January 27th – January 30th.
Courtesy of: The Maui News January 27, 2011 – Rick Chatenever
WAILUKU – Comic-turned-movie star Augie T is going check out his performance in “Get a Job” for the first time tonight when the rollicking made-on-Maui comedy opens a 13-show run in the Historic Iao Theater.
He’ll probably have something to say about it.
“There’s pretty much going to be a live entertainer before each show,” confirmed writer-director Brian Kohne about the weekend engagement of the film.
It stars musical headliners Willie K and Eric Gilliom in comedic roles -Willie plays a harried employment counselor, Eric plays an unemployable client – in a series of misadventure over the space of one madcap week.
The film also boasts a who’s-who of island musical artists, including Jake Shimabukuro, Henry Kapono, Willie Nelson, Pat Simmons and Mick Fleetwood in cameos, as well as local theatrical performers like Kathy Collins, Marcia Kelly and Vinnie Linares in supporting roles.
Maui audiences will also spot numerous friends and family as extras in the slapstick antics on-screen, filmed last spring at very recognizable locations around the island.
Produced by Stefan Schaefer, the film pulses to an original soundtrack full of music by the two stars in their Barefoot Natives days, as well as other island-produced music.
Kohne, who grew up on Maui and remembers attending films at the Iao as a boy, is turning the theater back into a movie venue, and will spread the fun across the street to a beer-garden, which will also include food and merchandise sales and an area for families (For event details, see Week at a Glance).
Members of the cast will be around all weekend to sign autographs, and Q&A sessions will follow screenings throughout the weekend.
“Get a Job” sold out when it premiered in Castle Theater in November, and Kohne anticipates that its special connections with local audiences will continue.
“From an audience standpoint, it’s going to be another one of those ‘Wow, this is cool’ events,” he says, promising to even show up in the film’s signature banana costume at some time during the fun-filled weekend.
Eric Gilliom joined forces with a slew of rock royalty to bring Maui some musical magic on New Year’s Weekend.
The first show, The Maui Celebrity Series, at the Maui Theatre in Lahaina, December 30th, a sold out crowd enjoyed the headlining act Grammy-nominated Mick Fleetwood Blues Band with Eric Gilliom and Gretchen Rhodes. The band includes legendary Mick Fleetwood, guitarist/singer Rick Vito, bassist Lenny Castellanos and keyboardist Mark Johnstone with special guests Mick Fleetwood’s Island Rumours Band lead-vocalist and guitarist Eric Gilliom and female vocalist Gretchen Rhodes. The event also featured Canadian Blues musician Colin James, Tom Arnold, William Shatner, Hal Sparks, Shawn Hatosy and Brian Evans.
The place to be the next night, December 31st, was MALA Wailea for the glitz and glamour all-star New Year’s Eve Bash. This was Eric Gilliom’s third year performing at the MALA Benefit Concert with proceeds supporting the Maui Food Bank and was a sold out show. Eric grooved with Mick Fleetwood and his fellow Island Rumours band-mates, plus Rick Vitto, Metallica’s James Hetfield, Mike Kroeger of Nickelback, Michael McDonald and Pat Simmons of the Doobie Brothers, Colin James, and Alice Cooper.
The rock stars morphed to form one mega supergroup and was nothing short of a crowd pleaser. Highlights of the evening included James Hetfield of Metallica belting out their hit song “‘Enter Sandman,” Michael McDonald and Pat Simmons of the Doobie Brothers with “Long Train Runnin,” Eric Gilliom singing “Signed Sealed Delivered” by Stevie Wonder, and in MALA tradition, the show closed with Gilliom and the other musicians joining Alice Cooper, singing his hits, “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “Eighteen,” and “Schools Out for Summer.”
“We’re happy to play and are all excited,” says Mick. “It’s become almost traditional (to play Mala Wailea). It’s the core band with Gretchen Rhodes and Eric Gilliom, so at the end of the evening we’ll become partially the Island Rumours.”Fleetwood has made a number of appearances at Maui events this year including recently jamming with John Mayall and drumming with Eric Gilliom and Dr. Nat at the “Get a Job” premiere at the MACC.
Eric Gilliom has shared the stage the previous New Year’s Eve MALA events with Mick Fleetwood and the Island Rumours Band, Carlos Santana, Dave Murray from Iron Maiden, Michael Bolton, John Mayall, and Chad and Mike Kroeger of Nickelback. The lineup always delivers a synergetic matchup of musicians and celebrities are always dropping into MALA, including Owen Wilson, Helen Hunt, Sharon Stone, Clint Eastwood, Mike Myers, Lindsey Lohan, Slash, Ronnie Wood, Zoe Deschanel, and Virginia Madsen to name a few… sure they come to enjoy the award winning restaurant but everyone comes to Maui for its tropical beauty and low key anonymous island lifestyle.
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
la
laThe love and support surrounding the high-spirited Maui film, Get A Job!, culminated with a celebration of colorful characters during a special premiere and benefit for the Maui Food Bank on Sunday, Nov. 28, at the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC). Tickets to the Maui premiere sold out and a line formed quickly to get into the theater and wound its way all the way to the street.
Fans who were unable to purchase seats before they sold out, happily forked over money for standing room only tickets that were made available last minute. All in all, the audience, both sitting and standing, hooted and hollered and roared with laughter throughout the film.
Written and directed by Brian Kohne, and produced by multi-talented delight Stefan Schaefer, Get A Job! is a motion picture comedy filmed and produced entirely on Maui starring local celebrities Willie K and Eric Gilliom, and an all-Hawai‘i cast and crew. The film, the first of many collaborations between Kohne’s Malama Pono Productions, Schaefer’s Cicala Filmworks, and Eric Gilliom’s Beachmaster Productions, was well-received during the recent Hawai‘i International Film Festival on O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island.
Two Hawaii icons tackle the lead roles of William (Willie Kahaiali‘i) and Merton (Eric Gilliom). It’s a pairing that Kohne calls “the dichotomy of two dudes.” Antipodal though the characters may be, their interaction and antics explore how no one’s journey can be mutually exclusive from another’s, especially once paths collide.
In the film, William (Willie K) plays a former musician who found success as an employment agent on Maui until he fails with Merton (Gilliom), a lovable surfer who will win audiences over with his silly charm and creative sophistication. Love, life and lunacy get in the way, and each layer of the film reveals more versatile characters that add to William’s stress. Kohne expects viewers to be amazed by “some serious acting” and antics from the well-known cast.
Along with satirical sensation Augie T and O‘ahu’s Carolyn Omine (a writer for The Simpsons), the film also stars an array of “who’s who of the top musical talent and personalities in Hawai‘i,” including Henry Kapono Ka‘aihue, Amy Hanaiali‘i, Kealoha, Kathy Collins, Charles Ka‘upu and Jake Shimabukuro.
International music legends living on Maui, like Mick Fleetwood, make special appearances throughout, and the soundtrack features a variety of Hawai‘i artists, including several songs from the Barefoot Natives—the Willie K and Gilliom musical duo.
“The songs are a much bigger picture of the Barefoot Natives’ music as a vision, and hopefully will wake up audiences to where our aspirations lie,” Kohne said.
Keeping with the spirit of Get A Job being a musical film, the audience rocked out to a concert that followed the screening with all-star guests and friends shaking their booties to the vibes of Dr. Nat & The Get-A-Job All-Star Band. Including performances by Eric Gilliom and his Grammy nominated sister, Amy Hanaialii Gilliom, Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood on drums, legendary Bob Harrison on bass.
To view pictures from the Maui premiere or learn more about the movie visit “Get A Job” on Facebook or “get your giggle on” at the groovy, interactive Website, www.getajobthemovie.com.
All the buzz lately around Get a Job the movie and its two stars Eric Gilliom and Willie K. actually started years before the duo hit the silver screen together…before they starred as Merton and William, they shared the stage as the critically acclaimed, award-winning musical duo, The Barefoot Natives.
The duo produced amazing music, delivered outrageous comedy, and presented an unparalleled series of concert performances. The concept of the show, a musical theater, has two Hawaiian musicians (Eric and Willie) trying to make it in the big time. And much like Gilligan’s Island, every time they are about to get their big moment, one half of the duo does something to blow it, and they end up playing back at the baby luaus and poolside at the hotel. “In the show you see us playing, and it’s incredible, but we just don’t know that it’s incredible because our image of success is much bigger – like going to Hollywood,“says Eric. “But really we have already made it because we are happy living in this perfect place with the incredible culture and music.”
In early 2007 the Barefoot Natives self-titled debut CD was nominated for five Na Hoku Hanohano awards, and went on to win “2007 Best Contemporary Hawaiian Album of the Year.” The album created magic with a solid nod to tradition and a fresh treatment. Even in the midst of two highly successful solo careers, Willie K. and Eric Gilliom could not ignore that together they ignite. The raw soul of Grammy nominee Willie K, complimented with the finely tuned voice of Eric Gilliom, together they blend remarkably. Throughout, both guitars splash and play like water rolling in the glistening sun. The magic was captured at the highest level by engineer Dave Russell, a Grammy award winner for his work with Steely Dan.
Later that year, The Barefoot Natives released ”Slack Key Circus” in late October of 2007, and the CD has enjoyed widespread critical acclaim. The Hawaii Academy of Recording Artists (HARA) honored the Barefoot Natives again with six nominations for the 2008 Na Hoku Hanohano awards. The categories included: Favorite Entertainers of the year, Engineer of the year (for Nick Fournier and Milan Bertosa), Group of the year, Song of the year (for “Ke Aloha A’u E Hali’a Nei”), Island music album of the year (formerly “Contemporary Hawaiian album of the year”), and Album of the year (for Producers William Kahaialii, Eric Gilliom, and Brian Kohne).
The Barefoot Natives exude a rare crossover appeal that promises to make waves in the Hawaiian music industry. People who would like to hear their CDs in their entirety can do so online at: www.barefootnatives.com.
The duo, a favorite amongst all ages, also appeared in the Audio CD of a children’s book: ”Old Makana Had a Taro Farm”, which was written by Kauai’s Dr. Carolan, illustrated by Joanna Carolan, and distributed by the Islander Group. For more information on “Old Makana”, please visit: www.bananapatchpress.com.
Eric Gilliom reunited with Jamie Foxx on stage at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in January, 2010. Gilliom opened Jamie’s hit song, “Blame It (On The Alcohol)” with fellow award-winning Hawaiian singer, and sister, Amy Hanaialii. The song was introduced in a surprising manner so powerful the audience was silenced when the Gilliom duo appeared on stage belting out an opening act of classic opera, not sure what was to unfold next, the room held its breath until Jamie Foxx turned around and the familiar music pumped his smash-hit track “Blame It (On The Alcohol)” and the whole crowd just goes insanely wild. As the song escalated, a crazy conductor whose back we had seen takes off his huge white wig to reveal T-Pain. The performance also included celebrated rap artist Doug E Fresh, and Rock-N-Roll legend, Slash with a classic guitar solo. A surprising choice of collaborative artists for Jamie’s hit song, all collectively rocked the stage, delivering an epic montage of musical talents and artistic expression for Blame It.
The union was more of a reunion for Foxx and Gilliom….Eric and Jamie have teamed up over the years for various creative projects. Prior to the Grammy’s, last graced the television screen together back in 2001 when Eric guest starred on Jamie’s sitcom, The Jamie Foxx Show (1996-2001). The two have always fueled the other’s comedic imagination, and had a blast creating Eric’s character, Fluffy, the fabulously gay wedding planner hired for Jamie’s wedding to Fancy.
While filming the movie Alii in 2000, Jamie collaborated with Eric on a vision for a new television show reminiscent of the In Living Color sketch comedy style. Both lovers of wacky slapstick humor, and masters of comedic facial manipulation, the pilot was originally titled, These Nutz, with Eric as a feature writer and performer on the show. After the pilot was shot, the series was renamed, The Jamie Foxx Variety Show and some hilarious comedic sketches were filmed; Tyra Banks even dropped in for a guest appearance…Unfortunately, the network did not air the series but Jamie and Eric continue to collaborate on projects.
Local boy favorite, Eric Gilliom, was the chosen one to open the sold out John Legend concert on Maui this past September 10th, in Castle Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. His funky, acoustic, soulful sound brought the crowd to their feet and kicked off what was to be one heck of an evening for all in attendance. Everyone sang along to his hits, “Beach Boys and Hula Girls” and his beloved island song, “Honopo” which was sang with an undeniable tenderness. The less shy audience members, exhibited dance moves for all to see when he unleashed a funky dance version of Van Morrison’s “Moondance”. Gilliom shares, “It was such an honor to open for John. Having spent so much time these last few years as a contributing collaborator to other bands (Barefoot Natives and Mick Fleetwood Island Rumours Band), it was an exhilarating experience to play some classic soul and modern flavor to a sold out concert venue like the Castle Theater.”
