Return to Waikīkī – A Lū’au and Cocktail Show
Return to Waikiki celebrates the incredible story of how Hawaiian music came to be, from its pre-Western contact roots of Hula Kahiko to the Hawaiian music renaissance of the 1970s and beyond. A vaudevillian-style presentation combines masterful musicianship, comedy, theatrics, dance and story telling to entertain, inspire and enlighten the audience to this rarely told tale.
Just steps from most hotels in Waikīkī, this lū’au set under the canopies of banyan and palms trees of the famed International Marketplace will take you back to the spirit of the grand lū’aus and entertainment of the 1940s and 1950s. Master slack key guitarist Makana showcases traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music in a sophisticated production that pays tribute to Waikīkī’s past and present.
Please join us for our VIP Opening Night on Saturday August 7, 2010 at 6pm.
Individual $125
Table of (4) $400
Table of (8) $800
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Kanu Hawaii and the Surfrider Foundation.
International Marketplace, Waikīkī Beach
(808) 542-6567 or visit www.ReturnToWaikiki.com to make reservations.
Return to Waikīkī – A Lū’au and Cocktail Show
Return to Waikiki celebrates the incredible story of how Hawaiian music came to be, from its pre-Western contact roots of Hula Kahiko to the Hawaiian music renaissance of the 1970s and beyond. A vaudevillian-style presentation combines masterful musicianship, comedy, theatrics, dance and story telling to entertain, inspire and enlighten the audience to this rarely told tale.
Just steps from most hotels in Waikīkī, this lū’au set under the canopies of banyan and palms trees of the famed International Marketplace will take you back to the spirit of the grand lū’aus and entertainment of the 1940s and 1950s. Master slack key guitarist Makana showcases traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music in a sophisticated production that pays tribute to Waikīkī’s past and present.
The outdoor facility sits over 300 people for a dinner buffet show from 6:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Dinner and show tickets range from $95 to $125 per person. Children 4-11 are $55 and children 3 and under are free. Call for KAMA’AINA pricing.
In addition, there is a cocktail show from 8:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. following the lū’au where many Hawaiian entertainers from other shows may stop by to jam the night away. No cover and two drink minimum.
International Marketplace, Waikīkī Beach
(808) 542-6567 or visit www.ReturnToWaikiki.com to make reservations.
Read full article HERE
Makana’s all original slack key guitar record “Venus, and the Sky Turns to Clay” has been nominated in the SLACK KEY category of the Hawaii Music Awards!
To cast your vote:
1) click HERE or go to www.hawaiimusicawards.com/voting
2) enter your email address (1 vote per valid email address)
3) go to the SLACK KEY category
4) select the artist you wish to vote for, then click “SUBMIT”. Makana’s album is called “Venus, and the Sky Turns to Clay”
5) *Important* – you must click “Review and Submit Your Vote” on the right side of the page. The submit page will confirm your vote and ask you to enter a validation code. If you do not complete this process your vote will not be counted.
Mahalo for your support!
On December 8 2009 I was invited to perform at the White House during a holiday reception that included the President and First Lady, White House staff, and various diplomats. It was a great honor and rare opportunity to walk the halls and rooms of what really is a museum of American presidential history. Upon my arrival, I was escorted to Eleanor Roosevelt’s Situation Room, which doubled as a map archive room, adjoining the ovular Diplomatic Reception Room, where the Obamas were receiving a select few guests, mostly entertainers and their associates. I was assigned a marine, who shortly thereafter made the introduction between myself and the Obamas. My first word was “aloha”, and the President immediately responded with, “alright, a guy from Hawai’i!” He and Mrs. Obama displayed an immediate change in demeanor, toward a very “local, laidback, easy going” vibe. It was beautiful to be there with them in that moment, in a space beyond politics and policies, just to know that some essence of our Hawai’ian culture, some aloha spirit, has found its way into the seat at the bow of America. We exchanged a few pleasantries (I was sure to make it clear that I am originally from Pearl City), and then posed for a photograph (of which I am still awaiting its approval and post!). I threw a “shaka” and after a few snaps of the camera Barack looked over and noticed and said “let’s do one more!” And then he and Michelle both threw shakas. It was a classic moment, as if we three had all forgotten where we were.
The event was a casual cocktail party with around 800 guests. I performed in one of the wings of the White House, near a bar (which turned out to be the most popular spot). The crowd seemed to really enjoy the music, and picked up on the unique sounds and language of Hawai’ian Slack Key. I played for over 2 hours, sharing mostly Hawaiian music, with the occasional original composition as well as ballad of peace.
Here’s a letter I received from the Social Secretary of the White House following my performance there:
This came as a wonderful surprise, thanks to my friend Eric Petersen who called to tell me after getting the mag in the mail. I had no idea! My heartfelt gratitude to the journalist Matt Blackett, who is a huge supporter of both slack key as well as my music. This is a dream come true, to have a piece that talks a little about slack key in a mainstream, primarily rock guitar publication. I even got to mention Uncle Sonny and the other ki ho’alu masters! Here’s a scan of the article (click on the image to enlarge). You can get it on stands now.
By Wayne Harada. “• Male star: Makana. He reinvented himself, from kī hō’alu wizard to well-versed singer-entertainer, breaking out from lounge shadows to The Royal Hawaiian’s Monarch Room. That White House command performance didn’t hurt, either. Expect a bigger Makana year.”
by Wayne Harada. “5 — Makana, the singer and ki ho’alu artist, distinguishes himself twice during the year; first, as a showroom-potential, innovative performer, as the first of a series of Thursday-only cultural attractions at the Royal Hawaiian hotel’s Monarch Room, and as a singular sensation as a singer-strummer at a White House one-nighter.”
HONOLULU: DECEMBER 7, 2009 — Honolulu & Los Angeles-based slack key guitar virtuoso, Makana is en route to Washington DC to perform at a holiday reception hosted by the First Family at the White House. The 800 invited guests include friends, diplomats, and White House staff.
Makana said, “Inspiring the aloha spirit through music is my passion. I’m honored and very excited to have the opportunity to share my art and the unique heritage of Hawai’i at the White House during this holiday season.”
This is Makana’s third visit to the East Coast and his second to Washington DC in 2009. His April 3, 2009, concert in New York’s Sage Theater garnered a rave review in the New York Times; “Makana provided a textbook illustration of slack-key style … dazzling originals…” — as did his sold out concert at the National Geographic Society on April 18th; “He has taken this centuries-old tradition and blasted it into the 21st century”.
This latest honor comes on the heels of Makana’s two-month engagement at Waikiki’s Royal Hawaiian Hotel reopening the legendary Monarch Room, which inaugurated the hotel’s new “Curators of Hawaiian Music” series.
Makana’s recently-released CD, Venus, and the Sky Turns to Clay: The Instrumental World of Makana celebrates his 20th anniversary as a slack key artist and is his first all-instrumental, all-original solo guitar collection. Once again, Makana exhibits his creativity and diversity in this timeless display of slack key’s limitless potential.