6 Can’t-Miss Honolulu Concerts to Check Out in April 2018
From hip-hop to Hawaiian music, there are plenty of great shows to see this month.
GoldLink
April 3
Photo: Courtesy of GoldLink
This 24-year-old rapper from D.C. has been making a name for himself with his mixtapes ever since the start of his career in 2013. Though still pretty new on the scene, he drew the attention of big names in music. His first mixtape ranked No. 19 in Spin’s 40 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2014, and Clash Magazine had it at No. 7 in its Top 10 Mixtapes of 2014. He received his first Grammy nomination this year and is definitely someone to watch in the hip-hop scene.
$32.50 ($37.50 day of the show), 8 p.m., The Republik, 1349 Kapiʻolani Blvd., #30, (808) 941-7469, jointherepublik.com
Freddy Cole
April 5–7
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Note Hawai‘i
Freddy Cole sounds just like his brother, the legendary Nat “King” Cole. Yet, Freddy is an accomplished jazz pianist, singer and entertainer. In 2007, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and his album Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B was nominated for a Grammy in 2010. His easygoing brand of jazz is feel-good food for the soul. If you’re a serious jazz fan, you won’t want to miss this show.
$34 to $45 (kama‘āina discounts available, minimum $10 food or drink purchase per person), 6:30 and 9 p.m., Blue Note Hawaiʻi, 2335 Kalākaua Ave., bluenotehawaii.com
Sleeping With Sirens
April 18
Photo: Courtesy of Sleeping with Sirens
These guys are on tour promoting their new album Gossip, the latest in a line of successful releases that have made them pretty big in the pop rock scene. Their style has been described as “post-hardcore” and makes for a fun, energetic live show.
$39.50 ($44.50 day of the show), 8 p.m., The Republik, 1349 Kapiʻolani Blvd., #30, jointherepublik.com
Eugene Onegin
April 20, 22 and 24
Photo: Courtesy of hawaiiopera.org
A famous Russian novel brought to life with Tchaikovsky’s dramatic and passionate music, Eugene Onegin is a classic love opera, complete with unrequited love, loss and missed chances. You will be able to follow along with the English translations projected above the stage, while still enjoying the songs in their traditional Russian.
$34 to $135, 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 24, 4 p.m. April 22, Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave., hawaiiopera.org
Strfkr
April 21
Photo: Courtesy of Strfkr
Straight out of Portland, these guys are a standout among the new wave of indie rock bands. Besides ample radio play, their songs have been featured in the shows Weeds and Skins, and films that include Chronicle (2012) and 21 & Over (2013). With a sound like a garage-band-gone-electronic, their music is upbeat, fun and refreshingly modern.
$27 ($32 day of the show), 8 p.m., The Republik, 1349 Kapiʻolani Blvd., #30, (808) 941-7469, jointherepublik.com
Hapa
April 29–30
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Note Hawai‘i
The original members Barry Flanagan and Keli‘i Kaneali‘i will reunite on the Blue Note Hawai‘i stage for the first time in 17 years. In our June 2017 issue, an esteemed panel of judges selected the 50 greatest songs in Hawai‘i music history. Flanagan’s original song “Lei Pīkake” was ranked as the No. 33 greatest song. They are an ideal modern Hawaiian band, with new takes on traditional rhythms, incorporating pop and worldbeat elements into their songs. A number of Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, including multiple “Contemporary Hawaiian Album of the Year” and “Album of the Year” awards, means they are definitely worth a listen.
$15 to $35 (kama‘āina discounts available, minimum $10 food or drink purchase per person), 6:30 and 9 p.m., Blue Note Hawaiʻi, 2335 Kalākaua Ave., (808) 777-4890, bluenotehawaii.com
