Get ready to boogie down when Kauai Voices sings the ‘70s! Celebrating the decade’s diverse music, Kauai Voices — the island’s highly popular, 50+member auditioned choral ensemble — will present concerts in venues across the island over two weekends: June 15 and 16 in Lihue, June 22 in Kilauea and June 23 in Waimea.
“The decade of the ‘70s was one of significant change,” said Randy Leonard, Kauai Voices artistic director. “It evolved away from the hippie culture of the 1960s and brought a new focus to women’s rights, the environment, the growth of video games and computers and expanded into new genres of music to which rock and roll laid the foundation.”
Heavy metal rock and disco were born, which along with the diverse genres of funk, Motown, jazz, smooth jazz, soft rock, R & B, soul and pop became all the rage. Karaoke got started, 8-track and cassette players fought for supremacy and portable synthesizers were common in music performances.
“And in 1979, with the debut of the Sony Walkman, we could carry our music anywhere!” Leonard noted.
This season Kauai Voices will sing some of the 70’s greatest hits in all the beloved genres of the decade. Disco comes alive with “Boogie Fever”, “Funky Town”, “I Will Survive”, “Boogie Wonderland”, “You Should Be Dancing”, and the legendary Village People hit, “Y.M.C.A.”
“Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain and Tennille taps into the softer side of the 70s, as well as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Our House”. And who doesn’t remember Elton John’s “Your Song”, or the opening lyrics “Jeremiah was a bullfrog” from Three Dog Night’s Joy To The World.
Audiences can take the drive down memory lane with these and many other great songs with the choice of four performances, which will be held over two weekends in June.
Lihue shows will be held at the Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center on Saturday, June 15 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 16 at 3 p.m. The following weekend, concerts will be held in Kilauea at Anaina Hou Porter Pavilion on Saturday, June 22 at 6 p.m., as well as in Waimea at the historic Waimea Theatre on Sunday, June 23 at 3 p.m.
“After last season’s total sellout shows with overflowing audiences, we are pleased to move into larger performance venues,” Leonard explained. “You can be sure that ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ in this amazing showcase of the music of the 70s. Remember ‘The Way We Were’ as you slip back in time enjoying these great songs, which are more than ‘Dust In The Wind’.”
Tickets for Kauai Voices Sings The 70s are $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $30 for VIP Early Seating. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.KauaiVoices.org or call 1-800-838-3006.
Kauai Voices, a nonprofit, was founded in 2011 and produces two seasons of concerts each year. The shows feature a different theme each season with many different styles and genres of music. The group typically is accompanied by piano, an instrumental ensemble, and also highlights soloists, duets, and small vocal groups.
