Pō & the 4Fathers

Saturday| January 27, 2024

6:00 PM: Doors Open
7:00 PM: Pō and the 4Fathers

The Palace Theater

Fresh off opening for Big Mountain and Groundation on Kaua’i, The Hilo Palace Theater, is happy to present Pō and the 4Fathers as they return home to Hawai’i Island. Kainani Kahaunaele will open the evening. Kainani is a mele (Hawaiian song) enthusiast, singer, songwriter, teacher, and musician. She was born and raised in Anahola, Kauaʻi, and has lived in Hilo, Hawaiʻi for 27 years as an advocate for Hawaiian language revitalization and the perpetuation of Hawaiian music through education and performance. She has recorded with many artists from Hawaiʻi including Kealiʻi Reichel, Kaumakaʻiwa Kanakaʻole, Kekuhi Kanahele, Manu Boyd, Shilo Pā, Moemoeā, and with her former band Kahikina. Also known for her warm dynamic vocal abilities, Kainani’s charming voice amplifies the imagery of the songs, enabling delightful encounters with the poetry she delivers.

Come and enjoy an evening of music, family, and friends!

Groundation w/ Pō & the 4Fathers

Saturday| January 6, 2024

About Groundation

Created in the fall of 1998 by Harrison Stafford, Groundation began on the campus of Sonoma State University’s Jazz Program. Harrison formed the initial group by calling in bassist Ryan Newman, keyboardist Marcus Urani, and drummer Jason Bodlovitch who were fellow students under the Jazz Performance department. Between 1999 and 2001, Harrison Stafford taught the first course on the History of Reggae Music at the University. In 1999, Stafford teamed up with Kris Dilbeck to found Young Tree Records and release Groundation’s debut album ‘Young Tree. “Groundation” comes from the Rasta term “Grounation”.

Big Mountain w/ Pō and the 4Fathers

Thursday| January 4, 2024

Big Mountain is an American band known for its remake of Peter Frampton’s “Baby, I Love Your Way”, which became a top 10 hit single in the US in early 1994, reaching No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the Mainstream Top 40 and No. 2 in the UK.

The evolution of the Big Mountain band started in 1986 as the San Diego, California reggae band Rainbow Warriors. In 1988, future Big Mountain frontman Joaquin “Quino” (pronounced Keeno) McWhinney joined as the lead singer of the band Shiloh. Quino is of Mexican/Irish heritage, and several members of his family were mariachi musicians. His interest in reggae began after seeing a documentary about Bob Marley and Rastafari. In 1989, Shiloh secured their first record deal and put out one album titled California Reggae. In 1991, the band changed the name to Big Mountain which was the name of a Native American reservation in Arizona. The original line-up was a sextet consisting of Quino (vocals), Lynn Copeland (bass), Gregory Blakney (drums), Jerome Cruz (guitar), Manfred Reinke (keyboards), and Lance Rhodes (drums).