PCC continues its concert series
Hawaii’s premiere special events venue, the Gateway at the Polynesian Cultural Center, will once again welcome Hawaii’s brightest artists with a live dinner concert featuring acclaimed artists John Cruz and Na Leo Pilimehana on Friday, November 2, 2012.
Guests will enjoy the ultimate “Island Style” experience with a spectacular Island Feast combined with the live melodies of Cruz and Na Leo.
Distinguished as one of the most talented artists to ever come out of Hawaii, Cruz is known worldwide for radio hits including Shine On, Sitting in Limbo, and Island Style. In 1995, Cruz joined his brother Ernie in the popular band, Kaau Crater Boys, and later released his first album, Accoustic Soul, which received two Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. His original song Jo Bo’s Night, which was featured on the compilation CD, Slack Key Guitar Volume 2, received the first Grammy ever awarded in the category of Hawaiian music. His well-earned reputation became even more solidified when he released his long-awaited second album, One of These Days in 2007, which debuted firmly at #1 in Hawaii, #2 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, and #6 on the Billboard World Chart. One of These Days also received a Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Contemporary Album of the Year. Cruz will premiere a new album in 2013.
Na Leo Pilimehana, which in Hawaiian means the voices blending together in warmth, is the most popular, award-winning and successful all-female Hawaiian group in the world.
Na Leo consists of three childhood friends, Nalani Choy, Lehua Kalima Heine, and Angela Morales, who experienced their first hit as high school seniors when they entered Hawaii’s youth talent contest, “Brown Bags to Stardom,” with their original song, Local Boys. The tune blasted onto the local music charts and ruled as #1 for months.
Na Leo Pilimehana released their first hit album, also called Local Boys, which received the prestigious Na Hoku Hanohano Award and became the best selling single in Hawaii’s history, a record that still stands today. Later down the line the group released Friends, another Na Hoku Hanohano Award recipient. Over the course of their career, Na Leo has released 18 albums, received over 20 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, and has been ranked in the top 20 AC charts nationally. Na Leo celebrates the release of their first DVD later this year titled I Miss You My Hawaii.
“We’re very proud to be able to offer top-notch dining and entertainment options to Kamaaina at such an affordable rate,” said Raymond Magalei, PCC’s director of marketing. “Artists like John Cruz and Na Leo Pilimehana are at the forefront of Hawaiian music and we are very honored to host them in our Gateway special events venue, which has really established itself as one of Hawaii’s premiere concert venues, especially on the North Shore. The success of past concerts held at the Gateway, including Anuhea, Irie Love, Nesian N.I.N.E., Rebel Souljahz, Natalie Ai Kamauu, Kapena, and Aotearoa artists Maisey Rika and Ria Hall, has shown us that there is a great demand for dedicated Polynesian entertainment. We look forward to announcing more concerts in the very near future.”
The dinner concert will take place in the PCC’s Gateway special events venue; Island Feast buffet dinner starts at 7 p.m. and closes at 8 p.m.; John Cruz takes the stage at 8 p.m. and Na Leo Pilimehana will perform starting at 9 p.m. The 24,400-square-foot venue provides a spectacular location for concerts and features shell torches that provide ambient lighting and state-of-the-art sound system.
Tickets are $25 general admission for residents with a valid Hawaii ID. Seats are limited and advance reservations are highly recommended; book early for a special rate. To make reservations, call the PCC ticket office at (808) 293-3333. For more information, visit PCCKamaaina.com.
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