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Amuro a
crowd pleaser for
locals, visitors

By John Berger
Special to the Star-Bulletin

THE most poignant moment in Big Wave Honolulu's Namie Amuro concert at the Waikiki Shell last night had nothing to do with the reclusive Japanese pop star. When Kalapana hit the first notes of "The Hurt" and Maurice Bega began singing lead on behalf of the late Mackey Feary it was impossible not to get misty thinking of Feary and at the same time marvel at how well Bega and the band performed Feary's song.

"We love you, Mackey," Bega called out when the song was over and Kenji Sano smiled and pointed toward heaven. It was a beautiful moment.

Amuro had two hot local acts with ties to Japan opening for her. Jake Shimabukuro was the other and it was a great night for him as well. Shimabukuro plays ukulele with a unique intensity and imagination. His short but amazing set included arrangements of "Europa" and "Misirlou" that offered a glimpse of where the uke is headed in the new century -- in his hands, anyway.

Danny Kaleikini's beautiful Hawaiian a capella performance of "The Doxology" (followed by greetings to the crowd in Hawaiian, Japanese and English) added yet another dimension to the program. It was great to see him on stage again.

But the significance of Bega singing "The Hurt," the promise in Shimabukuro's work, and the import of Kaleikini's invocation was likely missed by most of the crowd. They were there for Amuro's first American concert. (Most of the reserved seat tickets were presold to fans in Japan through Japanese travel agencies.) Amuro didn't disappoint the thousands who had come from Japan to see her.

She included all the songs that serious fans would most logically expect. She did a one or two from her early days as a member of the Super Monkeys, an assortment of her solo hits, and songs off her current "Genius 2000" album.

Amuro took brief breaks for several costume changes as she worked through a 90-minute potpourri of musical styles that included rock, African-American gospel, Latin, disco, funk, pop and light rap.

Kalapana's Sano, also Amuro's bassist/musical director, backed her with an international coalition of musicians and singers that included Michael Paulo on reeds and Sheila E on percussion. All three helped Amuro work the crowd, along with guitarist Carlos Rios and vocalists Kiki Ebsen and Will Wheaton, who added a gospel edge on several numbers. "Respect the Power of Love" was one of their finest numbers.

A dance squad completed the crew. The choreography may have been more impressive if viewed straight on but appeared to consist of basic urban-style music video moves seen here for years. Amuro's fans went ape anyway.

Amuro's stage persona was more interesting. Despite her age (22, old enough to legally drink alcohol and buy cigarettes in Hawaii) and marital status (married, with a son who turns 2 next weekend), she appeared sweet and wholesome, certainly more wholesome than Britney Spears. Her costumes were relatively conservative. So was the show's choreography. Although she's been compared to the Material Girl, Madonna she is not.

Amuro closed with "Love 2000," returning 5 minutes later for encore performances of two more of her big hits, "Can You Celebrate" and "Don't Wanna Cry." Maybe next time she'll be able to fill Aloha Stadium.

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