Kolohe Kai bring sound of Hawaiian reggae to town

Kalohe Kai.

Hawaiian band Kolohe Kai will bring their reggae sounds to Rotorua.

The group will perform at the Kalah Bar in Ngongotaha tomorrow night as part of their New Zealand tour promoting their new album Paradise.

Lead vocalist and songwriter Roman De Peralta said their music and lyrics were youthful and energetic which resonated with a lot of Kiwi listeners.

"Kolohe Kai is a band I started in high school. Because I was only 15 when I started writing, the music and lyrics are naturally youthful and energetic.

"Our style of island reggae music has a pop twist to it and is never designed to make a person feel low. The upbeat positive vibes need to be infectious, so people can be encouraged and feel good," he said.

"Our shows are very lively. We engage the crowd to feel a part of the show by a lot of audience participation.

"We have been working very hard to make this tour's performance very different from the last two New Zealand tours."

Kolohe Kai took a break for a couple of years before reuniting. De Peralta said they were "super excited" to be on the road again.

"I would like all our New Zealand fans to know that we sincerely apologise if we broke their hearts when we broke up the band. Although it may have felt negative and a turn for the worse, [but] the time away really revived the true inspiration of Kolohe Kai."

Kolohe Kai is presented by Pato Entertainment, who will also bring New Zealand rapper Sid Diamond to Kalah Bar on August 15.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the venue. A bus has been hired from Rotorua city centre to Kalah Bar for all ticketholders.

For more information go to the Kalah Bar Facebook page.