It’s been nine years since the three original members of Kapena — Kelly “Kelly Boy” De Lima and brothers Tivaini “Tiva” Tatofi and Teimomi “Timo” Tatofi — last played a concert at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell. That makes the trio’s 40th Reunion Tour concert Saturday at the outdoor venue a major milestone in local entertainment. A few general admission seats on the lawn were still available at press time.
“This is the original (group),” De Lima said recently as the trio was preparing for a rehearsal at HB Social Club/Hawaiian Brian’s. “We are doing just what people are asking for, just the old-school Kapena, broken down to where it all started.” “We just did a radio interview the other day and we were singing ‘Baby Blue.
’ Tiva and Timo belong to big (Polynesian) churches, and if you ever go to Tonga or Fiji, the choirs’ harmonies are phenomenal. It’s a different style of harmony. We sat down and we’re singing ‘Baby Blue,’ and we put it out on social media and thousands and thousands of people were commenting.
And even for me, I missed the old-school Kapena.” Tiva Tatofi marveled modestly that the trio’s popularity has grown beyond their original “island music” fans of the mid-1980s. “Last time (in 2015), I was shocked to see the aunties had kids.
Our classmates have kids!” he said. “Now for the 40-year anniversary, I’m pretty sure they’ll bring their children and their grandchildren. “But what makes this really.