Do It! Arashi, DJ Rusko, ‘Hairspray,’ Ron White

(Courtesy Arashi)

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 & 20

Scream-worthy boy band Arashi blasts onto Oahu

They could have done it off the coast of Somalia with heavily armed Somalian pirates handling security. Or maybe somewhere off the coast of North Korea? But no. When Japanese talent management group Johnny & Associates announced the creation of a new “boy band” named Arashi back in 1999, they did it with a press conference on a cruise ship off the coast of Oahu.

Fifteen years later Arashi — Satoshi “Rida” Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya and Jun Matsumoto — is returning to Hawaii for “Arashi Blast in Hawaii,” a two-nighter at the Ko Olina Resort which will be the quintet’s first concerts here. Thousands of Japanese fans will be on Oahu for the shows, expected to seat approximately 15,000 people each night, but a portion of sales have been reserved for local outlets and limited to residents of Hawaii, the mainland and Canada. Tickets were still available in Hawaii at press time.

It will be, as Ed Sullivan would have put it, “a really big shew.”

Arashi will be performing on a stage promised to be the largest ever used here. The “Arashi Blast in Hawaii” could be an event comparable in overall magnitude to the Aloha Stadium concert by Tube, a Japanese supergroup that performed in 2000.

With 15 years of hits, from its eponymous debut single to the latest, “Daremo Shiranai,” the group has plenty of music to choose from in assembling its anniversary concert set list.

The celebration will continue this fall with a series of arena concerts in Japan, the release of a new album and a movie.

— John Berger

» Where: Ko Olina Resort
» When: 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
» Cost: $150; $75 for ages 3 to 15
» Info: (866) 448-7849, ticketmaster.com
» Note: Ticketmaster sales are limited to residents of U.S. and Canada; photo ID required to enter

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19

British DJ will deliver fresh dose of dubstep

“Don’t pay for my music. Download it all for free.”

(Courtesy Jesse DeFlorio)

That’s not something you hear many artists say. But that’s exactly what British producer-DJ Rusko is telling his fans.

The Los Angeles-based dubstep DJ would rather his fans spend their hard-earned cash to see him live, where he reveals new music that you won’t find online.

Hawaii fans will get the chance to experience a Rusko set Friday night at The Republik. The 18-and-over show, presented by Electric Palms Hawaii, comes three days after the release of Rusko’s much-anticipated “! Vol. 2″ EP.

Over the years, Rusko, 29, whose real name is Christopher Mercer, has become a leader in dubstep. He’s remixed artists such as Adele, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, and even collaborated on an EP with Cypress Hill in 2012.

» Where: The Republik, 1349 Kapiolani Blvd.
» When: 10 p.m. Friday
» Cost: $30
» Info: (855) 235-2867, flavorus.com

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19-SUNDAY, OCT. 12

Paliku Theatre cast will belt out a cheery version of ‘Hairspray’

For Paliku Theatre’s first production of the season, director Ron Bright wanted to break from a recent trend.

(Courtesy Tom Holowach)

“The last five big shows that we’ve done all involved heavy drama and a lot of heartfelt emotional things, like ‘Les Miz’ and ‘Phantom of the Opera,'” he said. “So we thought this year we’d go light — something that’s fun, that’s exciting, that’s full of energy, lots of dance, lots of singing, where everybody leaves the theater dancing and singing on their way out.”

Mission accomplished. “Hairspray,” which opens Friday, is full of energy, with number after number that will make the audience want to get up and dance right along with the cast — from the sunny “Good Morning Baltimore” and “Welcome to the ’60s” to the dance-filled finale, “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”

“It’s just a delightful, enjoyable romp through the ’60s,” Bright said.

Although the show has a bubble-gum surface, it explores serious issues. Set in 1960s Baltimore, the musical centers on spunky, plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad, a girl who can shake it with the best of them and is ready to prove it by trying out for the local TV dance program, “The Corny Collins Show.” She also wants to win the heart of the show’s star, Link.

But Tracy faces challenges to her dream — first from her concerned, unconfident mother, Edna, and then from mother-daughter duo Velma and Amber, who hate the idea of a pleasantly plump girl joining the cast.

In addition to body image, racial discrimination is another theme. While “The Corny Collins Show” is all-white (and Velma intends to keep it that way), once a month the TV station has a “Negro Day,” hosted by the “Big, Blonde and Beautiful” Motormouth Maybelle. But the days of segregation are quickly coming to an end.

The musical, winner of eight Tony Awards including best musical in 2003, is based on a 1988 film starring Ricki Lake. The screen adaptation of the musical, released in 2007, boasted an all-star cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron and Queen Latifah.

The Paliku production, choreographed by Marcelo Pacleb, stars Pomai Lopez (Tracy) and Kaimana Ramos (Link), pictured, Chris Gritti (Corny Collins) and Johnny Reed as Edna, a role traditionally played by a man in drag.

While Bright raved about all his cast and crew, he was particularly excited about Reed’s turn as the big-haired, full-figured, scene-stealing Edna.

“When he was tapped to come to an audition, he said, ‘Oh my gosh, don’t even ask. This was on my bucket list. I’ve always wanted to do it,'” Bright said of Reed, a two-time Po’okela Award winner. “He’s a scream. He’s just wonderful.”

— Stefanie Nakasone

» Where: Paliku Theatre, Windward Community College
» When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 12
» Cost: $22-$29 general admission, $35 VIP
» Info: (808) 235-7310, etickethawaii.com

SATURDAY, SEPT. 20

Comedy comes in the form of Southern storytelling

While country music superstar Miranda Lambert rocks the Blaisdell Arena on Saturday night, another star from the South will be performing just a few yards away.

(Courtesy Ron White)

With his glass of scotch in one hand and his cigar in the other, Ron White is bringing his Texas-size sense of humor to the Blaisdell Concert Hall during a stop on his Nutcracker tour.

The comedian, aka Tater Salad, is best known as a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, joining Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy in the early 2000s. With his hilarious knack for storytelling, White gained fans around the world and went on to make five best-selling solo albums and DVDs.

His last release, 2012’s “A Little Unprofessional,” is White at his best. Like listening to your drunk buddy tell stories, White goes from one deadpan observation to another, making jokes about his life as well as random news items. In one bit he talks about a recent news story about an animal trainer who was killed by a killer whale.

After letting out a mocking sigh, he quips, “Turns out there’s a reason they didn’t name ’em ocean ponies.”

» Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave.
» When: 8 p.m. Saturday
» Cost: $35-$65
» Info: (866) 448-7849, ticketmaster.com

TICKER

Indulge in German beer, wine and sausage at Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki’s Oktoberfest on Saturday, 6-10 p.m.; $49; 952-4789, princeresortshawaii.com.