23 upcoming · checked by a human
Live Music in Honolulu
From a free slack-key set on a Waikīkī lawn to a Broadway soprano at the Hawaii Theatre — every live music date on Oʻahu we can verify, checked by hand against the venue's own page. Recurring shows roll forward automatically, so tonight is always tonight.
FreeFRIDAYS · 12–1 PM · FREERoyal Hawaiian Band ConcertʻIolani Palace · DowntownFreeDetails →Ala Moana Center
FREEDAILY · 3 PMDaily Hula Show at CenterstageAla Moana Center · DowntownFREEDetails →Royal Hawaiian Center
FREETUE–SAT · 5:30 PMLive Hawaiian Music at The Royal GroveRoyal Hawaiian Center · WaikikiFREEDetails →Blue Note Hawaii
FRI, OCT 16Josh TatofiBlue Note Hawaii · WaikikiTicket $55-$75Details →Waikiki Beach Walk
FREETUESDAYS · 4:30 PMKū Haʻaheo Hawaiian Music & HulaWaikiki Beach Walk · WaikikiFREEDetails →Royal Hawaiian Center
TUESDAYS · 5:30 PMKawika Trask Trio PerformanceRoyal Hawaiian Center · WaikikiSee listingDetails →Royal Hawaiian Center
WEDNESDAYS · 5:30 PMPuʻuhonua Trio PerformanceRoyal Hawaiian Center · WaikikiSee listingDetails →Blue Note Hawaii
THU, OCT 22Justin Kawika YoungBlue Note Hawaii · WaikikiTickets $25-$35Details →Hawaii Theatre
THU, OCT 22TAIMANE: Li‘ulāHawaii Theatre · DowntownSee listingDetails →Blue Note Hawaii
$25-$35MON, OCT 26Mike Lewis Big BandBlue Note Hawaii · Waikiki$25-$35Details →Blue Note Hawaii
THU, OCT 29Ka'au Crater Boys – The Second ChapterBlue Note Hawaii · WaikikiTickets $25-$45Details →Hawaii Theatre
SAT, OCT 31Who's Bad – Thriller NightsHawaii Theatre · DowntownSee listingDetails →Blue Note Hawaii
$35-$50THU, NOV 5The Wailers – Rastaman Vibration 50th AnniversaryBlue Note Hawaii · Waikiki$35-$50Details →Waikiki Beach WalkSUN, NOV 8Mele Hali'a (To Recall Fondly)Waikiki Beach Walk · WaikikiSee listingDetails →Plantoem
FREE3RD THURSDAY · 7–9 PMJazz & Poetry Night at PlantoemPlantoem · Southeast OahuFREEDetails →Plantoem$0.003RD THURSDAY · 7:00 PMJazz & Poetry NightPlantoem · Southeast Oahu$0.00Details →Capitol Modern
FreeFRI, NOV 20Island PulseCapitol Modern · DowntownFreeDetails →Hawaii Theatre
THU, DEC 10An Evening with Debbie GibsonHawaii Theatre · DowntownSee listingDetails →Capitol ModernFreeFRI, DEC 18Island PulseCapitol Modern · DowntownFreeDetails →Hawaii Theatre
SUN, DEC 27Rocky Mountain High Experience – A John Denver ChristmasHawaii Theatre · DowntownSee listingDetails →Hawaii TheatreTHU, DEC 31DARK SIDE OF THE BEACH NYEHawaii Theatre · DowntownSee listingDetails →Hawaii Symphony Orchestra
FRI, JUN 4Hapasymphony: Kolohe KaiHawaii Symphony Orchestra · DowntownSee listingDetails →Tonight, for free
The thing visitors miss about Honolulu is that live Hawaiian music is free most nights if you know where to stand. The Royal Grove at Royal Hawaiian Center has music Tuesday to Saturday at 5:30 PM on the lawn — no ticket, no minimum. International Market Place's O Nā Lani Sunset Stories runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 PM under the banyan. Waikiki Beach Walk hosts Kū Haʻaheo on Tuesdays at 4:30 PM. On Saturdays the Kūhiō Beach Hula Show puts musicians and dancers on the sand at 6:30 PM. And every day at 3 PM there's the Daily Hula Show on Centerstage at Ala Moana. Nine of the live-music listings on our calendar are recurring and free; the hula shows guide arranges them by weekday.
Then there is the Royal Hawaiian Band — founded 1836, the only full-time municipal band in the United States — playing the ʻIolani Palace lawn most Fridays at noon, free, bring a mat. And in Kaimukī, Plantoem's jazz and poetry night on the third Thursday is the one recurring free jazz night we track.
Ticketed
The Hawaii Theatre on Bethel Street is the touring-act room: this autumn alone brings Brian Culbertson & Friends, Geoff Tate, Kelli O'Hara, Who's Bad on Halloween, Debbie Gibson in December and an Undertale orchestral concert in January — 29 events booked through February 2027, the busiest performance venue on our calendar. Out on the Windward side, Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College hosts the Candlelight series — string quartets by candlelight playing Bruno Mars, Joe Hisaishi, neo-soul and Coldplay vs. Imagine Dragons, from $32, sold through Fever. The Hawaii Symphony's season appears here as dates are published.
At a glance
- Free tonight, most nights
- Royal Grove Tue–Sat 5:30 PM · Sunset Stories Mon/Wed/Fri 6 PM · Kūhiō Beach Sat 6:30 PM
- Free every day
- Daily Hula Show, Centerstage, Ala Moana Center, 3 PM
- Biggest touring room
- Hawaii Theatre, 1130 Bethel St — 29 events booked through Feb 2027
- Cheapest ticketed
- Candlelight at Paliku Theatre from $32; Royal Hawaiian Band is free