The dark and climate-controlled Sports Page has been a Kihei fixture on Game Day for years. But when I got the call that they will soon start a concert series, I thought, more power to them, but where will they fit it in?
Turns out the bar is getting a mini-makeover. A new stage is being built, complete with a new sound system and extra insulation, and they plan to pump it. The Sports Page Concert Series is all about highlighting up and coming local rock artists, and they plan to put on shows about once a month or so with local bands you may not have heard of.
Their first band, The Kittinger Jump, is the perfect example. In fact, when manager Darren Sarno told me their name, I said “Who?” and asked him to spell the name.
Their name should be familiar–they were the 2013 champs of the Battle of the Bands at the Hard Rock Cafe. They’re named after US Air Force Colonel Joe Kittinger, who set the world record for the longest free fall skydive in 1960, jumping from a high-altitude balloon more than 19 miles up into the stratosphere. Kittinger’s record remained unbroken until 2012 when he helped Felix Baumgartner with his jump as part of Red Bull’s Stratos Project.
It seems only fitting that Red Bull is jumping on board this project, as well as Jagermeister and Jose Cuervo. Special guests at the show will include Black Ocean and DJ Carone. Presale tickets are available for $10 at the Sports Page, Aloha Discount Liquor in Kihei and Request Music in Wailuku.
To find out more about Kittinger Jump, I sat down with drummer Michael Russell.
MAUITIME: So who’s part of The Kittinger Jump?
MICHAEL RUSSELL: The Kittinger Jump is Chad Kaya (vocals, guitar), myself–Michael Russell (drums), Ryan Sawtell (bass) and Chris Sendrey (lead guitar). We consider ourselves a progressive rock band focused on writing original music that is melodic, yet heavy.
MT: What other bands have influenced you?
MR: We’ve been compared to Incubus and The Deftones, which are some of our biggest influences. Other influences include Jimi Hendrix, Guns ‘n Roses, Foo Fighters, Circa Survive,and the list could go on and on…
MT: Are you on Soundcloud?
MR: As of yet we don’t have a Soundcloud account. We’re still waiting on our finished recordings. We do have our Facebook page though which you can access some of our music as well as some YouTube videos.
MT: Tell us about being a Battle of the Bands winner. How has winning affected you?
MR: Winning Battle of the Bands 2013 was such an honor for us. The competition was definitely nerve-wracking as it was our first show ever. We had been writing and rehearsing heavily in the months prior to the competition. In the end though, we walked away with a great learning experience as well as gained confidence in our band as a whole. Winning also helped us get a head start with our recordings (Ola Shaw, W.A.M. productions), as well as getting our name out on Maui.
MT: Since the win, you haven’t played a lot on Maui. What gives?
MR: We’ve been really focused on our recordings with Ola and working very hard on writing new material. As a band, we’re our toughest critics and from our past music experiences we all feel that taking our time and doing things right the first time is more important than our volumes of shows. Quality over quantity, if you will. The Sports Page Concert series will be our final show of 2013 on Maui, and we’re honored and excited to be chosen as the first band to kick off this series. The Sports Page is gonna surprise a lot of people with the new venue set-up. Misha Vosburg and Darren Sarno at The Sports Page have really come up with some great ideas and it’s definitely gonna change the face for live music in South Maui.
MT: Tell us what the future has in store for The Kittinger Jump?
MR: Mid-December will be our first off-island show on Oahu for Underworld Events’ “Metal Fest” with “We came as Romans” and “Crown the Empire” at Hawaiian Brian’s, which should be a mental show. 2014 should be a busy year for us with many more shows on Maui as well as more recordings and hopefully a small Mainland tour.
MT: Describe your ultimate gig and show.
MR: I guess playing for as many of our friends, family, and fans as we could possibly fit in a room. In the end, that’s what it’s about.
THE SPORTS PAGE
2411 S. Kihei Rd.
808-879-0602
The Kittinger Jump plays Wednesday, Nov. 27
Doors open at 9pm
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