On the Scene

By John Berger

LUCKY DUBE AT KAPONO's

HE'S MAACHO, MAN!: Tina Valentine and Jewel McDonald shared a table Saturday with Hawaii's one-name roots reggae master, Maacho, as they waited for South African reggae superstar Lucky Dube to take the stage at Kapono's at the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Concert promoter Tom Moffatt presented the charismatic and politically acute Dube for two nights at Kapono's, and the open-air club proved a perfect venue for reggae.

THE SOUND OF HOME: Lesedi Kemelo Gare and Nina Fokumlah got the band's attention with a distinctive high-pitched African cheer of approval. Gare, who is from Botswana, and Fokumlah, from Cameroon, attended the show with Gare's sister, Pearl, and two gal pals.

AFTER A GREAT SHOW: Lucky Dube, center, relaxed with Tom Moffatt and Henry Kapono after a tremendous high-energy performance that went well past midnight. Dube's band -- five male musicians, two female singer-dancers and a female singer-percussionist -- was excellent, and Dube reaffirmed his credentials as one of the all-time top talents in international reggae. All in all, it was one of the year's best concerts in any genre.

John Berger has covered the local
entertainment scene since 1972. Contact
him at jberger@starbulletin.com.