Gates open at 6:00 pm

Also featured tonight, Benny Uyetake.

THIS IS A FREE LIVE @ THE MACC DRIVE-IN (advance registration required) AND LIVESTREAMED CONCERT EVENT

Born and raised in Hawai’i, Makana is an internationally recognized master of the rare Hawaiian art of slack key guitar. Not to be confused with steel (slide) guitar, slack key is older than the blues and was created by Hawaiians in the early 1800s as a way of simulating three guitars in one by playing bass, rhythm and melody in beautiful “open” tunings unique to the islands. A protégé of various Hawaiian slack key legends, Makana uses over a hundred tunings to fashion a massive, resonant, symphonic sound without use of loop pedals or other trickery. His repertoire is diverse and accessible.

Out of slack key, Makana has fashioned a hybrid style of slack key, blues and bluegrass he calls “Slack Rock”. He has supported acts ranging from Santana and Sting to Jason Mraz, Joe Walsh of The Eagles, Bad Company, Leon Russell, Chris Isaak, Chris Botti, Elvis Costello, Common, Gotye, Jack Johnson and many others. His music has been featured on three Grammy-nominated records including the soundtrack for the Academy Award-winning film The Descendants. Makana's sound ventures into the folk/ bluegrass/ acoustic rock realm. His voice is reminiscent of Tracy Chapman/ Jeff Buckley. Guitar Player magazine voted him one of the top three guitarists in America in 2008, and Esquire said "Slack key guitar, indigenous to Hawai'i, is older than the blues, and Makana is considered the greatest living player."


The Live @ the MACC series is made possible by the generous support of the County of Maui and the Office of Economic Development. The series is designed to bring much needed opportunities for many of Hawai‘i's performing artists in a combination of live/virtual or safe/live-in-person events that meet County of Maui Covid-19 guidelines. Artists are tested negative prior to their performances. Masks are removed only during their socially distanced performances.