For an interview with Pe’a on his return to CMU, click here.
It was a night of reunion and remembrance when Kalani Pe’a, Colorado Mesa University (CMU) alumni, returned to the school as part of the No ‘Ane’i We Belong Here Tour.
Kalani Pe’a, a CMU Alumni and two-time Grammy winner returned to CMU, which Pe’a referred to as his second home, on Nov. 21 to host a concert bringing together an audience of all ages. The concert proceeds went to benefit scholarships and a portion of the other proceeds from the concerts on his tour were donated to the Alzheimer’s Foundation – a cause close to his heart due to his maternal grandmother being sick with the illness.
Pe’a performed a variety of original songs from each of his two albums, as well as songs from “Les Miserables,” “Just My Imagination” by The Temptations and a number of others.
Accompanying him was a finger-picking bassist/guitarist, picking guitarist, and local pianist and Pe’a’s longtime friend, Amy Long-Markakis. Pe’a sang through a case of bronchitis, even joking that he does not have the financial ability to cancel a concert like Beyoncé can when he is sick, and entertained the audience up to 10p.m.
The evening was filled with laughter due to Pe’as quips about his $20 sequin jacket from amazon, puns regarding his number one fan which gave him a breeze on stage, alterations of lyrics to reflect his Maverick spirit and bantering with audience members he knew from his time as a student at CMU.
Pe’a also brought tears to the audience, as well as himself, when he re-united on stage with four of his cousins to sing a song that their grandmother had taught them all as children.
Pe’a sang along with guest dances from the Ho’olokahi Polynesian Alliance, taught the audience Hawaiian words to aid the understanding of the lyrics of the songs he wrote and wrapped up the evening with several Motown songs, the Hawaiian anthem and chants.
