Traditional Hawaiian music in Waikiki

[Cliff Scholle]

Hi All -

I'm going to Waikiki this weekend for the first time in 50 years. I'd like to spend my evenings listening to traditional Hawaiian music. I'd like some suggestions where I might hear some good bands with a good lap steel player. Thanks very much.

Cliff

[Bill McCloskey]

Too bad you missed the Waikiki Steel guitar festival last weekend. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdy5-s ... OhHVuS6Phg

[Nic Neufeld]

Oh man, you were so close!



I watched some of it streaming. Great players! Unfortunately I don't know of anyone regularly playing Waikiki, at least lately. Up on the North Shore I think the Polynesian Cultural Center has Steve Cheney playing for stuff, and I don't know where and when Kapono Lopes and Jeff Au Hoy play. I do know Alan Akaka is mostly too busy teaching, he used to play at Dukes on the weekend but the pandemic interrupted a lot of things (for instance, Bobby Ingano's regular gig at Dots in Wahiawa).

I shot a note to Alan and will let you know if he has any leads to share. I'm sure there is good music there somewhere but if my experience holds true, if you want to hear Hawaiian steel guitar in Waikiki, you're better off bringing your own!

[Cliff Scholle]

That sounds like it was fun. I have some commitments, though, so I couldn't have spent a day at a festival. What I'm looking for is a band playing in the evening somewhere in Waikiki. If I have to drive a bit, I will, but I'd rather walk.

[Nic Neufeld]

Well, if I were going to guess on where you might stand a chance of hearing more traditional Hawaiian (as opposed to the pop/jazz/acoustic top 40 type stuff that seems to pervade everywhere), these are my uninformed guesses...some of them used to be notable places where the "greats" would play...may not be any more so much but you have a better chance of hearing Hawaiian music, and -maybe- steel guitar there I'd think:

House Without a Key at the Halekulani:
https://www.halekulani.com/dining/house-without-a-key/

Don't have details on their current musical roster but the thumbnail at least shows a steel guitar:


Mai Tai bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel:
https://www.royal-hawaiian.com/dining-o ... i-tai-bar/

The Banyan Tree "Beach Bar" at the Moana Surfrider:
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/h ... ch/dining/

I did a "recent video" search of the Beach Bar and this is all I could come up with. I'm afraid this will be the general rule...mainland pop music on an 'ukulele or acoustic guitar with drunk tourists singing along. Funny to think this is the spot Hawaii Calls was often recorded from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyI4e9-wuzo

This is four years old, no steel guitar, but the Halekulani seems (from videos) to hew pretty close to trad Hawaiian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcMDxU2f6Lg

Good luck and enjoy...even if you have to provide the kika kila yourself as I did. I'll update if I get any details from Alan.