Cecilio and Kapono: Back in the Day [PICS]
Jason Genegabus photos
It was quite a walk down memory lane at the Waikiki Shell last weekend, as two living legends from the local recording industry celebrated 35 years of making music together.
Cecilio Rodrigues and Henry Kapono Kaaihue have weathered their share of ups and downs over the decades – including a dwindling tour schedule at one point, and even a temporary split to pursue their own solo projects.
But thanks to the efforts of Kaaihue’s wife, Lezlee, in recent years, they’ve returned to the studio and gone back out on the road to perform for loyal fans around the world.
There are more pictures from Sunday’s “Back in the Day” anniversary concert after the jump; you can also check out my Flickr page for another 20 images that didn’t make it into the blog.
I wasn’t at the Shell for this year’s “Birthday Bash,” so I can’t compare the two shows, but the scene in and around the park on Saturday reminded me of attending the “Bash” back in the late 90’s.
Traffic on surface streets in the area was bumper-to-bumper when I got there about 45 minutes before show time. Luckily, my secret parking area had plenty of room left.
There were lots of tents in the park, as well:
Inside, KUMU morning duo Frank B. Shaner and Mandy Suganuma got the audience ready for the time warp that was about to take place:
Uncle Willie K was first to perform. Like his recent opening set for Augie Tulba at the Hawaii Theatre, Uncle Willie kept it short and sweet with a number of his classic hits:
It was at this point that I knew I was in for a long afternoon with the camera crew hired to film the concert for an upcoming DVD.
During numerous other concerts this year at the Shell, I’ve been able to peacefully co-exist with other still photographers and those shooting video.
Not this guy:
As I stood just feet away, I thought I could hear him complaining about my presence to someone on his radio.
It was also quite the coincidence that whenever I would reposition myself in the pit, dude would end up rolling his camera in front of me a few seconds later.
Too funny… can’t we all just get along?
After Uncle Willie’s set, Sista Robi Kahakalau came out to perform:
She had Jeff Rasmussen on stage with her for backup, but I was a little salty when they didn’t play “Leather and Lace,” one of the most popular local tracks ever recorded back in the 90’s:
Kahakalau also brought a bunch of students from her Keiki O Ka Aina Learning Centers to help with background vocals:
By this time, I was starting to melt from being in the sun too long. So I retreated to the backstage VIP area for a bottle of water and some people-watching.
Saw the Stadium Authority’s Alan Arato near the entrance, enjoying a cold beverage and rocking quite a stylish hat:
He informed me it cost him just $10 in Las Vegas. Shows how much I know about fashion.
Back on stage, Frank De Lima dusted off some of his classic material. He’s blowing a “conch shell” in this shot:
As De Lima delivered his jokes from the side of the stage, a handful of sound techs scrambled to get things ready for the next act.
While they all looked like they could have been random audience members picked from the crowd, once the guys from Summer started playing you could see the memories flooding back into the minds of their peers at the Shell:
Up next was Andy Bumatai, who slayed his audience with a solid mix of old-school memories and observations about growing old:
Then the tributes started. As someone who has also worked in radio, I was blown away by the willingness of so many competing station groups to come together in tribute to C&K.
I’m not too sure if it’s still the case, but just five or six years ago it was virtually unheard of to see competing station jocks in the same place at the same time.
But on Saturday, as Shaner and Suganuma hosted the concert, KINE-FM held a VIP luau in a separate area of the Shell. After they finished, KINE jocks Randy Hudnall and Braddah Wade were brought on stage to lead a toast to the men of the evening:
Uncle Sam Kapu was there, too. Can you see the logo on his cup?
Then it was Uncle Tom Moffatt’s turn to say a few words:
Followed by KSSK’s Michael W. Perry and Larry Price. As always, Perry was on the left, with Price on the right:
The strange part about all the tributes?
C&K were nowhere to be seen. I would have thought at least one of the guys would have come out to say thank you.
If you got up to grab a drink or use the restroom at this point in the evening, you probably would have missed Kalapana’s set:
I’m not sure if it was a scheduling issue or budget concerns, but they only played two or three songs before leaving the stage. Luckily, they came back for a hana hou.
Before C&K performed, however, Augie Tulba came out dressed like Cecilio. According to Tulba, the outfit was just like one he wore on Halloween back in the day:
And then it was time for the main event.
C&K’s set began with a pre-recorded intro, followed by a performance of “Sailing” from the lawn area:
Then they proceeded to the stage, where a full band waited for them to plug in and continue:
A few more performance shots:
C&K went the kanikapila route towards the end of the night, inviting friends like Robi Kahakalau and Na Leo on stage. They also had help from the Honolulu Boy Choir:
Don’t forget – for more pictures from the concert, visit my Flickr page.
August 25th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Really good work Jason!!!! You have some terrific shots, even of the little camera dude!!!!! Keep it up…
August 29th, 2008 at 10:21 am
In response to Jason, I am the video director for the C&K 35th Concert. I will tell you that my cameramen are focused on getting shots and don’t have time to “block” nor “interfere” with photogs. You know, and I want everyone else who reads this to now know, that is the deal. With an IMAG show the photog ALWAYS has to work around the video camera. Video ALWAYS gets priority. Get over yourself and get to know one of the nicest guys in video, the one cameraman you decided to slander.
August 29th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
To “The Director” (since he doesn’t want to use his real name):
As I said before, I’ve been able to peacefully co-exist with other still photographers and those shooting video countless times before this incident.
The first time this guy wheeled his camera directly in front of me and blocked my shot that day, I thought it was an innocent mistake. Despite the fact that I’m six feet tall and there was plenty of empty space in the pit area, I figured he just didn’t see me standing there taking pictures.
The second time he did it, I figured he must have really wanted to capture a shot from the same angle I had. Again, no big deal since I already got the pictures I needed.
The third and fourth times he did it? And the comments I heard him make after ignoring my earlier attempt to introduce myself?
That’s when I knew he wasn’t interested in being polite.
I understand the video crew was under a lot of pressure that night to deliver quality results. That’s what the producer of the concert hired them to do.
But we both had the same All Access passes around our necks. I had just as much right to be in that pit, regardless of what “The Director” thinks “the deal” is.
I have experience working in much tighter spaces than what I saw that night, where the photo/video guys involved showed plenty of aloha and allowed everyone get the shots they needed.
It was funny, to me at least, to see such a blatant display of unprofessionalism at the C&K show.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
To Jason,
Like I said, we (the video crew) are TOTALLY involved with getting our shots. We don’t have time to mess with photogs by blocking their shots. I have 20 years of experience in the television/film industry and never once met a photog who takes it as personally as you do. And I’ve worked some of the most “insistent” photogs from New York, LA, Japan, and Europe in the most critical press situations. Get over yourself please. You assume too much.
Rebuttal point A:
We don’t care where photogs are. In am IMAG situation, video gets priority. So photogs need to work around video. Period. Doesn’t seem like you know that.
Rebuttal point B:
I am sitting in a truck far away from the stage calling shots to 5 cameras and operating 2 robotic cameras and rolling a DVD to play back and recording the show and shading/color correcting cameras and listening to the production line and reading a cue sheet given to me by Henry Kapono to see where the next solo is and working with the engineer to remedy some problems that pop up. I don’t have time tell my cameraman to “block” a photogs shots.
Rebutall point C:
You are right. I won’t put my name in there because of the childish issue you have with the video crew.
If you still feel strongly about this, lets all get together and talk. But I feel it’s one of those situations where “if you have to explain it, they still won’t get it”
August 30th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Please excuse my ignorance but I’d like to know if you’re a photographer or a writer…
You see I’ve known many staff photographers who have worked for the newspapers here in Hawaii and most if not all of these people are photographers first not writers.
Yes they may write a special report every once in awhile but they usually take photographs and don’t write stories or reports. They also don’t get upset about someone who may have blocked there shot by accident.
Here’s my problem, I’ve been on both sides of the fence, you see at one time I was a news cameraman with the local news stations here in Hawaii.
As a news cameraman I understood that when I was at a function like a concert, I was simply there to document the event for the news and the cameramen who were recording the event for IMAG or a possible DVD production had the right of way…
Yes, they basically have the right to stand in front of me if they chose to do so. That’s just the way it is…
For the last 18 years I’ve worked as a freelance cameraman and now I’m one of those cameramen that has to, once in awhile make a decision to block someones shot if they are unfortunately in the position that I need to be in.
I don’t necessarily do this to be a BAD GUY, it’s just something that happens.
When I’m doing my job as a cameraman at these events I have “Tunnel Vision” and I’m so focused on getting the shot that I don’t see someone standing in the pit with me. That’s just how it is…
(No I’m not the cameraman from the C&K concert)
Running a video camera is a lot different than shooting stills. You don’t take a shot and relocate, you need to get the shot and stay focused on what you’re doing until you’re no longer LIVE to screen.
This creates a situation were you don’t necessarily see everything around you, you don’t have that freedom.
Anyway, my point is, there are times when you need to just say alright, I got my shot I’ll get out of the way…
By the way, I know the cameraman in your article. He’s a great guy and he wouldn’t do anything to impede you from getting your job done. In fact if he knew he was getting in your way he probably would have apologized…
Like I said earlier, as a video cameraman I get “Tunnel Vision” and sometimes don’t have any idea that I blocked another photographers view. It’s not done intentionally and I’m sure the cameraman who blocked your view at the C&K concert didn’t do it intentionally.
Yes, we all need to work together but there are situations were one person has the right of way and we need to let them do their job…
August 30th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Looks like some folks are letting my opinions get to them. Please keep in mind that abusive language and/or personal attacks will not be tolerated in the comments, so please keep things civil.
To be clear: I am not mad or upset about what happened to me that night. Never was.
The whole situation was, and continues to be, FUNNY to me. A couple of people from the Shell and the concert production team who I mentioned the entire incident to got a good laugh out of it as well.
I understand the pecking order at live events such as these, and not once did I get in the way of the video crew or make any attempts to sabotage their operations.
You can also be sure that the lack of aloha in the pit did not keep me from doing my job.
If anyone else would like to share their thoughts on this matter, please contact me directly.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:14 am
Back to the show…
I thought everything was perfect that
night…not really sure of the attendance but it was PACKED!!
I wish I could have heard more
Kalapana that night. If Perry and
Price stayed backstage, Kalapana
could have played one more song…
and if Frank DeLima stayed with P&P
then Kalapana could have played
2 more songs…
Back in the 70’s, there’d be a lot
more smoke in the air…30 years
later and locals are saying ‘No’.
Broddah Jason took some great shots.
I hope the video is available soon.