Being isolated on a rock in the Pacific, we’re lucky when we get top-notch entertainment that comes through our towns. Kahilu’s Artistic Director Chuck Gessert had the foresight to bring in the great vocalist Lisa Fischer last Friday. He’s been raving about her show for about a month and even screened the Oscar-winning documentary she stars in, 20 Feet from Stardom, to get folks excited, too. But all the pre-show hype and pre-recorded footage don’t even compare to seeing Lisa Fischer and her band Grand Baton live.

A Celtica Pipes Rock (CPR) concert features rock music with a Celtic/Scottish twist. It has become a nearly annual tradition in Honokaa, thanks to promoter Les Hershorn, the band’s lively performances, and the loyal fans who fill the venues. Last Friday’s show marked their fourth appearance on the Big Island. 

Zakir Hussain is not only recognized as one of the world’s top fusion artists and greatest percussionists, but he has also built a long list of genre-crossing collaborations. Hussain performed with Grateful Dead’s drummer Mickey Hart on the Grammy-winning project Planet Drum. In 1999, he formed the musical group Tabla Beat Science with visionary bassist-producer Bill Laswell. Virtuoso jazz guitarist John McLaughlin teamed up with Hussain in Shakti, a pioneering ensemble that explored the early fusion of Indian and jazz music. Last Friday, for 100 minutes, the Kahilu Theatre audience experienced a memorable auditory and visual performance unlike any other in the venue’s 38th season. 

Tomáš Kubínek is not only an acrobat, storyteller, magician, and comedian, but he’s also one of the most dedicated performers and kindest humans I’ve met in a long time. In addition to his thrilling solo shows, Kubínek does a lot of pro bono work at detention centers and performs for young audiences – he did a morning show for Big Island school kids at Kahilu before an evening concert last Wednesday.

There’s a certain retro coolness that happens at a Bill Kirchen concert. From his twang-centric Telecaster guitar made from reclaimed wood salvaged from historic New York buildings, to his nostalgic setlist, filled with honky-tonk tunes about wine, weed, and speedy hot rod races, Kirchen’s Saturday show at the Honokaa People’s Theatre was a night to remember. 

Straight No Chaser (SNC), the talented nine-man a cappella group, had the Kahilu Theatre crowd on their feet last Saturday, and the packed house brought them back for two encores. Not only was it SNC's Big Island debut performance, but it was also the last show (61st) of their One Shot 2018/2019 tour.

It was the last night of their 2018 tour, and Alsarah and her band The Nubatones delivered a mesmerizing performance that had Kahilu concertgoers on their feet—cheering, clapping, and shouting. Their unique “East African retro pop” music might be new to the Big Island, but it was received warmly with aloha.

The Kahilu Theatre opened its 2019/2020 season with a nearly three-hour concert featuring the Jimmie Vaughan Trio. The show sold out weeks ahead, and when the house lights came on, you could see groups of people dancing in the corners, clapping along, and generally having a great time on a Saturday night in Waimea.

An energetic aging hipster shouted, “He’s Hendrix Reincarnated!” to a young man wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt. I guess there was a Hendrix resurrection here at the Fillmore, since Trower played on the same stage where a young Jimi Hendrix performed back in 1965, when the wild guitarist tried to outshine Little Richard at every turn.

B.B. King is a living blues legend. His first Nashville recordings date back to 1949, and his stage name comes from his days as a disc jockey when he was known as the Beale Street Blues Boy. He’s still on the radio with his own music channel on SiriusXM, where he frequently shares anecdotes from his multi-decade career. He also owns a chain of blues-themed restaurants in several major cities that offer nightly entertainment.