Henry Kapono Ka'aihue has a new spot to play music on the Islands. Kapono’s at The Lounge is a collaboration between Kapono, the Henry Kapono Foundation, and The Lounge at Island Sound Studios.
Kapono’s at The Lounge includes three performance spaces — The Lounge, The Velvet Monkey and Studio B — and will hold its debut performances on New Year’s Eve. Starting Jan. 9, the space will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Kapono, who has won more than 20 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, started as half of the legendary duo, Cecilio & Kapono, before embarking on a solo career. Growing up, Kapono regularly walked Waikīkī with his father and brother where they would surf and say hello to the beach boys, including Duke Kahanamoku’s family.
“It’s amazing to see life come full circle,” said Kapono, in a written statement. “Twenty years after closing Kapono’s at Aloha Tower, we’re opening a new space that celebrates what Hawai‘i’s music is all about — connection, creativity and community.”
Bryan Spicer, one of the co-owners of Island Sound Studios, was co-executive producer and director of “Hawaiʻi Five-O” (2012-2018) and Magnum P.I. (2018-2020), among other credits. He was also executive producer for the music video for Iam Tongi’s “Why Kiki?” (2023), as well as the films “Chaperone” (2024) and “Shaka: A Story of Aloha” (2024), among other recent projects, according to IMDb.
“For decades, Island Sound Studios has been a creative home for chart-topping and Grammy-winning artists,” said brothers Bryan and Kyle Spicer, who are the co-owners of Island Sound Studios, in a written statement. “Kapono’s at The Lounge expands that legacy into a live venue and creative hub for Hawai‘i’s music community.”
On New Year’s Eve, Kapono and his band will perform shows at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Kapono’s at The Lounge, a downstairs 50-seat venue with two open lanais. The show includes gourmet dinner and appearances from Alx Kawakami and The Marksmen. Upstairs at The Velvet Monkey, a 17-seat speakeasy venue with a private waterfront lanai, Tavana will give performances paired with a gourmet dinner at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. In Studio B, which is also upstairs, Ambrose and his three-piece band will perform from 10:30 p.m. until midnight. VIP passes are available for partygoers who wish to move between the three spaces from 10:30 p.m. until midnight.
“This partnership is more than a venue launch,” said Lezlee Ka'aihue, Kapono’s wife and the executive director of the Henry Kapono Foundation, in a written statement. “It’s about creating a true home for Hawai‘i’s music — a place where artists and audiences can come together to celebrate, uplift and inspire.”
The Henry Kapono Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to helping “elevate Hawaiʻi’s music industry to its highest potential,” according to its website. The nonprofit was founded in 2018 by Kapono and his wife, Lezlee Ka'aihue. The foundation’s On the Rise program mentors Hawaiʻi’s next generation of artists, giving them career guidance, performance opportunities and more. Interested in being an On the Rise musician? Apply here through Jan. 5.
Learn more about New Year’s Eve events at Kapono’s at The Lounge.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
