Post #117661 by Kanekila on Sat, Oct 2, 2004 9:04 AM

I think the problem with this bar is that it is in a location which is going to draw a young, fired-up crowd on the weekends no matter how bad the drinks are, whatever crappy music they play, or whoever the assholes are that manage it. The decor just doesn't matter, unfortunately.
Wai-tiki was absoltuely jammed to the rafters last night by people who could have given a rat's tail about tiki, the art or the tropical drinks. Plus, you know its out-of-control when the area starts swarming with cops and security guards.
I know some of us complain that the scene at Trader Vics and some other places is too mellow, mostly business types sipping beers and watching television... in my opinion that kind of environment is preferable to a mob of rowdy 21-year-old kids.

This was the Haole Kats!!! experience with Wai-tiki, unfortunately. I had my steel all set up to play some hapa-haole material, and but after the place filled (and I mean FILLED) up to sardine level with 21-somethings, we looked around and realized hapa-haole tunes would have gone over like that proverbial lead baloon. So, down the steel came, and we just did swing, R&B and surf.

The club is tiki in name and decor only, not in spirit. We figured afterward that if we wanted the crowds of kids, fighting and disorder of Ybor City, we can go there (and we don't want to play there, either). It's really too bad. We had nothing but high hopes and genuine excitment about the place when we heard it was opening!

Joe, definitely tell the manager of your experience. They NEED to know this. They also need to know what TC'ers think about what's going on. Of course, they're making money hand-over-fist, so I'm not sure that they really care all that much.

Sigh...

Kanekila