As he walks into my office, Ryan Serrano wonders aloud about the wooden beams that run above the courtyard of my building. It might be interesting, the frontman for Upcountry-based rock outfit Highly Unlikely says, to do a tune from up there during the band’s First Friday show (which, due to noise complaints from those who’d like the event to be more tame, has … [Read more...] about Highly Unlikely
Maui Band
P.O.R.T.A.L.
I’d seen their intriguingly ambiguous name on various fliers, but I had yet to check them out. Then I found out P.O.R.T.A.L. is an acronym for People of Revolutionary Thought and Living. That got me a little closer to understanding what they do, but I still couldn’t peg them. Ahead of the release of their new self-titled EP, I decided it was time to unravel the mystery. A … [Read more...] about P.O.R.T.A.L.
The Cities Love You
Call it prog-mo. Slow mathcore. Devise any portmanteau of two or more musical genres that fall under the moodier side of the rock umbrella and you’ll nail down their sound—maybe. Yet like any musician who’s doing it for the right reasons, the young men in The Cities Love You can’t categorize their sound under a single genre. It’s what would … [Read more...] about The Cities Love You
Pac Vibe
They occupied the small stage with an air of humility and reverence. Most of the members of heavily R&B-influenced reggae outfit Pac Vibe seemed unusually young to be playing at a bar on Lower Main in Wailuku. In fact, bass player and super-versatile vocalist Josh Tatofi, 17, had to have his dad (Tiva of the highly influential Kapena) sign a form so the he could legally play … [Read more...] about Pac Vibe
Karen B
It was a Sunday, late afternoon when she swaggered in, looking like a cross between a cute cowgirl and a fierce blues diva. Her stage? A pool cabana in the shadow of a sprawling Haiku mansion, adjacent to a bar serving only mojitos. Her band? Whoever wanted to pound on one of the assorted instruments that were strewn about. Her sound? Well, to call it innovative would be … [Read more...] about Karen B