My recent trip ended in Honolulu. I had been stationed on Oahu 1973-1976 as a young Navy Petty Officer. Having just completed a tour of duty in Okinawa and having gotten newly married enroute to Hawaii, my bride and I were excited to begin our married life on an exotic Pacific island. However even with both of us employed full time, life in paradise is not cheap. Going out to enjoy the Hawaiian nightlife had to be budgeted for and was not a daily or even weekly occasion.
When we were able to go out we had discovered a place in Waikiki named “Crow’s Nest”. The Crow’s Nest was a beloved second-story nightspot in the heart of Waikiki, immediately above the iconic Jolly Roger Coffee Shop. The establishment sat on the mauka (inland) side of Kalakaua Avenue, right between Seaside and Royal Hawaiian Avenues. In 2000, the original building was torn down in the name of Waikiki’s modernization. Today, the footprint of that legendary site is occupied by an ABC Store.
The Crow’s Nest house band, Blue Kangaroo, enjoyed an astonishing 21+ year run at the Crow’s Nest alone, delivering folk music and famously raunchy comedy that got wilder as the night progressed. The Blue Kangaroo was a two man band of Jay Cook (Banjo/Bass/Vocals) and Mike Drager (Guitar/Vocals). There is a photo (below) of Jay and Mike that I lifted from the internet. Sadly I heard that Jay passed away in 2004 (?) and no one that I talked to had any idea where Mike was.
While I was stationed there, my little sister came to visit us and we took her to The Crow’s Nest. So here are me and two girls walking in and I was immediately verbally assaulted (good naturedly of course) by the Blue Kangaroo for bringing “two dates”!
Memories can be sweet, and I am thankful that I have plenty!
