The first anniversary of the Lahaina wildfire has been observed and the 102 lives lost memorialized. But as the historic seaside town moves toward a new future, the basic needs of many residents still need to be met.
Some still don’t have a place they can call home, while access to healthy food remains a problem for many.
That’s where Gary Grube comes in.
Grube, owner and CEO of Hua Momona Farms and founder of the Hua Momona Foundation, has been providing Maui residents with food since 2020. This week Grube is presenting the Maui Music & Food Experience, a three-day fundraiser at three locations on the Valley Island.
Speaking recently from his mainland residence, Grube described the three-day event as “massive.”
“It may be one of the biggest that Maui’s ever seen. In my circle we have a lot of musician friends and producers and key talent. I’m not, myself, deep in that as the farm owner and the president of the foundation, but I know how to bring people together, and they’ve done a great job coming up with a theme,” he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
The theme is “Experience” — as in “Jimi Hendrix Experience.” One of the musicians participating this weekend is Billy Cox, known to trivia experts for having been a friend and musical associate of Hendrix before the days of his group the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and also for being a member of Hendrix’s later group, the Band of Gypsies, after the Experience broke up.
“We purposely looked for a theme related to Maui for extraordinary music,” Grube explained. “The Band of Gypsies ended up in Hawaii in 1970 in Maui for a concert, and so Billy Cox ties into Maui, and so (on Saturday) we’re remembering Jimi Hendrix and that concert back in 1970. I’ve run into two people who live in Maui now that were at that concert. There was only a couple hundred people there.”
“We haven’t published a set list, and we probably won’t,” he continued. “Not in advance of (the concert), but I’ve already given away that ‘Voodoo Child’ will be the last song on Saturday, and the tribute to Jimi Hendrix starts with ‘Purple Haze,’ with Bernard Fowler leading, and of course ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ like Jimi played it at Woodstock, with Howard Lovey leading.”
Although the three-day event is a fundraiser, and raising money is the mission, Grube and the foundation are giving free tickets to Lahaina residents who lost their homes in the fire.
He said while Lahaina will eventually be rebuilt, food insecurity has no “end by” date.
“I would love to do this every year to keep raising money for what we’re doing,” Grube said. “I keep telling the community, ‘We’re here for the long haul. Count on us. We’re going to be feeding you!’ We want to help fill the cracks where we can.”
“This is also a great way to bring some energy back to the island so that the people on the island and people on the other islands of the state come see it. Another demographic for us, of course, is the West Coasters, all the way from Vancouver to San Diego. A lot of people have affinity with Maui.”
Maui Music & Food Experience
THURSDAY
>> “Night at the Farm”
>> Where: Hua Momona Farms, 246 Keoawa St., Lahaina
>> When: 5 p.m.
“An intimate gathering consisting of chef stations paired with world-class wines and music” featuring the finalist celebrity chefs from the culinary competition reality show “Next Level Chef.” Some of the celebrity musicians playing Friday and Saturday are also expected to be there to mingle. $15,000 platinum sponsorship includes admission to all three events.
FRIDAY
>> Gala Celebration at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
>> Where: The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
>> When: 4 p.m.
>> Tickets: $450 for one person, $850 for two
A food and music gala designed for mingling. Expect chef stations manned by celebrity chefs from Hawaii and the mainland, music and a live auction with items including at least one of four custom-made, left-handed guitars.
“They’re beautiful,” Grube said. “They have Hawaiian koa wood on the front, our foundation logo burned into them. Everyone’s gonna sign them, especially Billy Cox. A couple of guys have played them already, and they love them. These musicians might get them (if they make the winning bid).”
SATURDAY
>> Music at the MACC
>> Where: Maui Arts & Cultural Center
>> When: 4 p.m.
>> Tickets: $150 for one person, $275 for two
Includes musical performances by Mick Fleetwood, Bernard Fowler, Billy Cox, Ernie Isley, Howard Lovey and Hawaii resident musicians including Jason Arcilla, Marty Dread, Gretchen Rhodes, Brian Santana and Paul West. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
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More information: huamomonafarms.com/pages/maui-music-and-food-experience.
