A Weekend of Live Music in Kona, Hawaii

After a day of boogie boarding and snorkeling at Kua Bay,


Went to the Veranda Bar in the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort to listen to Bula and his band performing Hawaiian music and some hula to a full house.


Then it was off to Huggo's On The Rocks for a couple of sets of the girls of Hot Lava 808, as they played to a pack house. Even Eric, the owner of the place, was present entertaining some friends who had just flown in. (They were drinking one of those big bowl flaming drinks.)




Caught a set next door at Huggo's Restaurant of LT Smooth rocking with a frettless
bass player and drummer doing a 20 minute version of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and a 4 song medley. I heard from my sources that later on the bartender got up and joined in on a smashing version of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition."

Saturday morning I was off to the Keauhou Shopping Center Farmer's Market, where I listened to Matt and Jamison and all playing Hawaiian music on stage from 8 to 10am,



then off to the Kahalu'u Beach clean-up to the sounds of Sam, Leonard, Jamison, and their barrel bass player performing as even the Island of Hawaii's Mayor Billy Kenoi and his family picked up cigarette butts and trash.









Saturday evening I drove pass Hale Halewai where a local motorcycle club had some guitar band, maybe featuring Dylan on guitar, on my way to seeing Aloha Aina perform at the Veranda Bar their old-style Hawaiian music as even I danced a few moments of a hula before departing.

Once home I could hear the after paddling competition concert at the pier put on every year by Tui Tonga on Saturday night from 8 to 10pm. (I felt sorry for the wedding reception at the luau grounds next to the pier, it was loud.)

And tonight at the Sheraton I stumbled on The Salsa Latinos performing for a private party as 6 huge manta rays were feeding in the water down below.
On the way home I saw Dave Toland with a hot guitar and sax players performing his country rock to a pretty full house at Bongo Ben's.

Not a bad weekend for live music lovers in the Kona area.


(photos by Randy Magnus)

At The Beach in Kailua Kona, Hawaii

A nice day to be at the beach, here at Magic Sands.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

Kaleiula Celebrating Her Birthday

An image of Kaleiula from last Friday, as we danced the night away. (I love the tones and colors of the above photo.)
The next day she and Noe Noe were off to Las Vegas to see Cher in concert.
Its all part of a month long celebration honoring her birthday.
Well, Happy Birthday Kaleiula....

(See more of Kaleiula on the Hot Lava 808 blog.)
(photos by Randy Magnus)

Paddling Seasons Began in Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Saturday was the start of the Paddling races at Kailua Pier, bringing out hundreds and hundreds of paddlers, awaiting their competition times.
Grinds (food) was available for purchase by the sponsored canoe club, and it was indeed a warm, sunny, blue-sky day for the day-long event.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

3 Of The Colors in Making Chocolate in Hawaii

The cacao beans after being in the sweat box for one week.

Sun-drying the beans for 21 days.


Bob of the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Company inspecting his freshly roasted cacao beans.



(photos by Randy Magnus)

CandyLand Studio Art Gallery in Old Industrial

Sharon Olson and Sean Simon have taken over the old starter/alternator repair shop and turned it into a tiny artspace. I thought at first that the space was being used as a recording studio, but after meeting the couple and attending the reception on Saturday, it was good to see a location for changing art and performance exhibits, located on Lehua Street on right hand side pass Bamboo II.
They have a website at CandyLandStudio.com.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

A Calm Day - Paddle Skateboarding

Driving down Ali'i Drive today one can find a calmness in the air, gentle or no waves, sitting on the rock wall for the best view, Magic Sands, and then there is 350 pounder Big Dave who has adapted paddle boarding into paddle skate boarding, as he's scooting down the road.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

Homemade Chicken Soup

Just got back from the farmer's mkt in Keauhou.
Making homemade chicken veggie soup.....chicken thighs, potato, carrot, onion, garlic, ginger root, bok choy, asparagus, ..... brown...

Add chicken stock, and simmer.
Yum good.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

Hula Girls in Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Heidi and Joy posing with plumeria leis.

Kula and Kaleiula performing a hula on a Sunday evening at Huggo's On The Rocks.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

A ReefTeach Appreciation Evening

Went to a dinner party put on by The Kohala Center honoring the Reef Teach volunteers at the spacious home of John Pace right on the Keauhou Bay. In attendance was Wally Lau of the Mayor's office, Sara Peck of UH Sea Grant, Greg Chun of Kamehameha Investment Corporation, and many others. The inventor of the heart pace maker, Earl Bakken, was present and commented that somewhere in the world a pace maker is being installed every 4.5 seconds.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

From the Archives: Photos of Past "May Day is Lei Day" Celebrations in Kona, Hawaii

Images of past May Day celebrations, where they honor the history of Hawaii with a presentation of a Royal Court in the schools.

They spread the celebration out throughout the month of May, with each school choosing a different day, that way the depletion of the flowers to make the leis and for decorations doesn't happen all at once.

(photographs by Randy Magnus)