Center announces extension of free ‘Live @ the MACC’ streamed events
KAHULUI — The Maui Arts & Cultural Center recently announced a continuation of its “Live @ the MACC” series.
This new set of events consists of a diverse set of rock, pop and Hawaiian music concerts taking place in the Castle Theater, as well as another special focus on visual arts in the MACC’s Schaefer International Gallery.
Each event will continue to be aired Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m., but instead of the audience coming to the MACC, the events will be streamed on the center’s website and Facebook and YouTube pages.
The additional “Live @ the MACC” events include performances by Andrew and Jay Molina, Jeff Peterson, Greg Sardinha, Tsun-Hui Hung, Gretchen Rhodes, Lily Meola with special guest Lukas Nelson and Matt Meola, Tavana, Kaleo Phillips, and Anthony Pfluke. The lineup also includes a special film feature on an exhibit in the MACC’s Schaefer Gallery, “Abstractionx3,” featuring a visual tour and talk story with the participating artists.
The series is made possible by the generous support of the County of Maui and the Office of Economic Development. The series is designed to bring much-needed opportunities for many of Hawaii’s performing artists and art forms, in a combination of live/virtual or safe/live in-person events that meet or exceed current COVID-19 guidelines.
All these “Live @ the MACC” events are free of charge. Donations and support for the MACC are welcome and can be made online at www.mauiarts.org/donate.
On Saturday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m., enjoy “Across the Sea” featuring Jeff Peterson on guitar, Greg Sardinha on steel guitar and Tsun-Hui Hung playing the erhu.
Their “Across the Sea” CD was the first recording where the steel guitar, Hawaiian slack key guitar and ukulele were accompanied by the Chinese erhu.
The Gretchen Rhodes Band will perform on Saturday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. Singer/songwriter Rhodes recently released her first EP, “The Space In Between,” showcasing her unique, soulful blend of blues and rock. While trained in the classical tradition, Rhodes has found her passion fronting rock and blues bands.
She has collaborated on stage with an impressive list of music industry heavies, including George Clinton, Steven Tyler and Pat Simmons, and has toured with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and founding member of Traffic, Dave Mason, along with guitarist and founder of The Blues Brothers, Steve Cropper. When not touring, Rhodes fronts Mick Fleetwood’s Band with the legendary Fleetwood Mac drummer.
On Saturday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m., the lineup includes Lily Meola, Lukas Nelson and Matt Meola.
Another Maui favorite, Lily returns to the MACC for a special evening of music from the Castle Theater stage with her special guest, Nelson, and also featuring Matt. Accomplished as both a singer and songwriter, Lily has evolved from playing the lead in “Man of La Mancha” at age 11 to being a jazz-loving kid performing covers at local cafés on Maui to becoming an artist-on-the-verge.
It involves her being mentored by super-producer Bob Rock, touring with the likes of Willie Nelson, being taught to write songs by Jackson Browne, and performing in duets with Steven Tyler, Kris Kristofferson and Sammy Hagar.
Currently, she has been in the studio with various co-writers crafting the bluesy, soulful pop songs that will make up her debut release for later this year.
Nelson balances his work as the front man of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real with his regular gig as Neil Young’s band leader and lead guitarist, along with the never-ending road alongside his father in Willie Nelson & Family. In song after song, on stage after stage, Lukas has sharpened the edges of his singular sound.
His band’s most recent CD, “Turn Off The News (Build A Garden),” arrived on the heels of his collaboration with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper on 2018’s blockbuster film and soundtrack, “A Star is Born.” Lukas co-wrote and co-produced much of the film’s multi-platinum, Oscar-winning soundtrack.
And on Saturday, March 27, Tavana will perform at 7:30 p.m. Always an audience favorite, the MACC brings Tavana back to entertain virtually in a one-man show.
Tavana is a multi-instrumentalist from Honolulu who uses electronic drum triggers to lay down a variety of grooves with his feet while simultaneously playing guitar, banjo, lap steel or ukulele and singing soulful, island-inspired rock and blues. He performs everything live with no looping in his performances.
He has toured with Alabama Shakes, Shakey Graves, Xavier Rudd, Jenny Lewis, Julian Marley and the band Kaleo, among others.
For more information, log on to MauiArts.org.