Kona Steel Guitar Festival Part 1 - March 25, 2023

The Kona Steel Guitar Festival Ho‘olaule‘a was presented in two segments. The first segment began at noon, ran to 3:00 PM, and featured Pomai Brown, Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz, NextGen Makamae Lyu-Napoleon and Isabella Bertelmann, Kapono Lopes, and Alan Akaka. The second segment began at 5:00 PM, ran to 8:00 PM, and featured Greg Sardinha, Dwight Tokumoto, NextGen Enosa Lyman and Pono Fernandez, Al Greene, Jr., and Bobby Ingano.

Daniel Tremblay conducted the hands-on experience and displayed an inexpensive guitar that he converted to function as a steel guitar. This guitar and the process he uses were presented at the Friday workshop, and Kapono Lopes was so impressed with the guitar that he asked to play it during his performance. The guitar, autographed by all participating musicians, was auctioned off with proceeds going to HIMELE to support its activities.

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• Guests awaiting the start of the concert.
• Festival emcee Kimo Kahoano.
• Featured steel guitarist Pomai Brown who started off on the guitar.
• Backup musicians Helene Woodward and Joseph Zayac.
• Pomai Brown.
• Pomai switched to the Hawaiian steel guitar.
• Backup musician Kaipo Asing.
• Helene Woodward on upright bass.
• Josepjh Zayac on guitar.
• Featured steel guitarist Geronimo ''Geri'' Valdriz.
• Geri with backup musicians Helene, Joseph, and Kaipo.
• As with his custom, Geri plays barefoot.
• Geri Valdriz.
• NextGen steel guitarist Makamae Lyu-Napoleon with Alan Akaka.
• NextGen steel guitarist Isabella Bertelmann with Joseph Zayac.
• Isabella and Makamae perform a diuet with Joseph Zayac and Alan Akaka assisting.
• Helene, Joseph, Isabella, Makamae, Alan, and Kaipo.
• Isabella with Joseph. She performed ''I'll Weave A Lei of Stars for You.''
• Featured steel guitarist Kapono Lopes. He was so impressed with a project guitar converted by Daniel Tremblay to become a steel guitar that he asked to use it for his performance. Kapono was assisted by Bobby Ingano.
• Helene, Joseph, Kapono, Bobby, and Kaipo.
• Another look at the converted guitar. The guitar was auctioned off at the end of the program.
• Makamae danced a hula for Kapono.
• Featured steel guitarist Alan Akaka joined Kapono.
• Alan Akaka with Joseph Zayac and Bobby Ingano.
• Alan Akaka.
• Alan playing an Asher Akaka Signature 8-string steel guitar.
• Helene, Joseph, Alan, Bobby, and Kaipo.
• As with tradition, Kimo dances ''Boy from Laupahoehoe.''
• Joseph Zayac.

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Photography by Don Touchi Photos ©2022 by Don Touchi and HIMELE.