Waitiki: I Belli on Friday

It's great to have a place nearby doing that Tiki Thang.

IBD Waikiki will be performing there on Friday night.

Waitiki is at Wall St. in downtown Orlando.

Since Hurricane Hukilau hit Ft. Lauderdale, we've been lucky in Central FL to get "the outer bands" and experience all this great music. Dig it while you can.

I'm there.

I was so busy flapping my gums the whole weekend I don't remember seeing one band play.

The only performer I remember seeing was Billy Muir, which was awesome!

Pablus, I know your going Thursday are you going on Friday as well.

Could be.
Have to see if I've got the funds after tomorrow night.

I like IBD Waikiki - but I just saw them last night and the King IS the King, after all.

Hopefully, I'll see you tomorrow.

Wonder if Trader Trick and TikiBree are back from Mammoth?

I think I'm in for both nights. Marian just flew off to Atlanta. I'm sure she'll be drinking Zombies at Trader Vics, so I might as well hang with my bro's from TC while she's away.

Pablus, I just talked to Joel and they are definitely open.

Just talked to Beki Coombs. She and Wayno are going to be at Wai-tiki on Friday night as well. We'll probably get there around 9 pm.

I'll definitely be going - picking up the drumkit and guitar amps we loaned 'em.

Glad you can make it Mark. Other than seeing you on stage at Hukilau, we never really got to visit with you there. It seemed like a lot of people were saying how great the Vodkanauts sounded. We agreed with them. It sure would be nice if we could arrange for you to play at the Hawaiian Inn in January. Would you guys be willing to do it? Pablus, Flounder, Ben, NeptuneTiki and us are thinking of doing our Daytona party again. We can talk more at Wai-tiki.
KG

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff on 2004-09-30 13:55 ]

Hello all...
I'll be there!
One of my co-workers is leaving to go to another job, so we had already planned to go there as a going-away party for her. Later, I found out IBDW would be playing there! All the better.
It will be good to see everyone in the Florida gang there....

Mark,
Tell I Belli di Waikiki "Buon Viaggio" for me. also, I hope Paolo's bass holds together
:D
John

[ Edited by: Joe V. on 2004-10-02 12:01 ]

OMG joe... that is unfreakingbelieveable...

stranger than fiction... just consider it fuel for some future artistic inspiration, i guess???

Sorry to hear about your bad experience at the Waitiki last night. I've never been there yet and am looking forward to performing at the joint for the first time. Did they say why they wouldn't let you back in? Well, All I could say is I hope it doesn't happen to you again where ever you go. However, people, please check it out one more time when the Vodkanauts play there and maybe we can all change the vibe.

Marian and I talked to Joe as we were leaving and apparently just before this happened. He was already upset because he had been treated very rudely by some jackass that tried to take his bar stool, and then wanted to fight about it.
After he went outside they wanted to charge him a cover, then this shit happens. How awful...
The art and decor in this bar is great. On Thursday when King Kukulele played it was fairly quiet and a core of us -- including Joe, Pablus, Flounder and some friends and wahines -- enjoyed our time. Friday night was much different.
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.
Overall, I have to say we want to go there on Oct. 22nd when the Vodkanauts are supposed to play, but that will be to support Tweedtone and his mates. Otherwise, we'll stay away until Joe gets a formal apology from management and a reserved table with a security escort anytime he wants to show up.
KG

Joe, Your story belongs here as well:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=4228&forum=6

[ Edited by: Kailuageoff on 2004-10-02 08:52 ]

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

I could see if it was me or Flounder they threw out... we're kind of... magnets for that sort of thing.

BUT JOE?!?!
We just met him the night of the King's performance and what a friendly, engaging gentleman.

Angela was just repeating "Oh My God" over and over again as I read this story to her.

"After all, it IS Orlando," was her final comment on it.

I'll say this: I personally dropped $200 bucks in there on Thursday and that's $200 I'll just spend on more Joe Vitale mugs and premium rums and long distance phone calls to my Orlando Ohana to come on over for drinks and music.

I really can sing and play, Joe, I promise... and the Lagoon Lounge (™AlnShelly Productions) is ALWAYS available for a REAL Tiki Time. Bring your swimsuits. Hot Lava, warm up that fluke.

(Plus we could probably pitch in and get the Haole Cats to come over.)

Bye Bye Waitiki.
Hope the Justin TImberlake and Brittany Spears clones with 22 bucks to spend are just the crowd you were looking for. Cause you got 'em.

[ Edited by: pablus on 2004-10-02 09:20 ]

Okay guys here's the deal....... I spoke with the owner of WAITIKI today and he was FURIOUS about the way his staff acted. I also have gotten phone calls from the bar manager apologizing for what happened. I think it may be unfair to hold the whole bar responsible for what a few of thier bonehead employees are up to. The owner of this place is a great guy, and he assured that he will do all he can to make sure that his customers are treated with respect.

Everyone is right about the location of the bar. That's just the crowd it attracts. Weekends are extremely crowded, and there is a ton of security out there. So I guess you should sort of expect that kind of thing??

It was real cool to see and meet a bunch of you guys down there.

I really do believe you can play Pablus....

i slithered down to orlando friday night to check out the waitiki. i belli di waikiki lit up the stage and after half-a-dozen mai tai's the stage wasn't the only thing that was lit!

check out some photos http://www.troikastudio.com/hukilau/waitiki.html

i can see what you guys mean about the lack of tiki appreciation among the patrons though. but you can't expect much else on a friday night in o-town...

it was good talking with you tweedtone, can't wait to see you guys on stage again!