Troy Fernandez is bringing the Ka‘au Crater Boys back to the stage this month, with three performances at Blue Note Hawai‘i in Waikīkī under the banner Ka‘au Crater Boys — The Second Chapter. The shows are set for 7 p.m. on October 29 and 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on October 30, giving longtime fans three separate chances to catch the revived sound in person.
According to Blue Note Hawaii, the Ka‘au Crater Boys were formed in Pālolo Valley in the early 1990s by Fernandez and the late Ernie Cruz Jr. As KHON2 reports, the two emerged from Pālolo and helped shape the sound of Hawaiian music during that decade, blending island music, contemporary influences, and distinctive ‘ukulele playing that connected with audiences across Hawai‘i. Not every account agrees on exactly when the group came together, however — AllMusic describes the band as having formed during the mid-1990s, while the Ukulele Review states that Fernandez teamed up with Cruz in 1991, kicking off what it calls a seven-year run as one of the islands’ most successful groups.
A Catalog Built on Landmark Albums
Whatever the precise starting point, the duo’s output left a lasting mark. Blue Note Hawaii’s own account lists landmark albums including Tropical Hawaiian Day, Valley Style, On Fire!, and Making Waves as part of the group’s catalog. The band’s active years are generally bookended between 1991 and 1997, and according to Ukulele Magazine, that stretch of success included a 1995 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Best Contemporary Album for On Fire. AllMusic notes the group disbanded in 1997, closing out a run that had reshaped how a generation of listeners thought about the ‘ukulele.
Fernandez himself grew up in a low-income housing project in Pālolo Valley, per the same Ukulele Magazine account, a detail that roots the Second Chapter shows directly in the neighborhood where the original sound was born. He has since become a three-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner, according to Blue Note Hawaii, a distinction that underscores just how far his playing traveled beyond those early Pālolo days.
An ‘Ukulele Renaissance That Outlasted the Band
Fernandez’s fingerprints on Hawai‘i’s music scene go well beyond the Ka‘au Crater Boys’ original run. Blue Note Hawaii credits his innovative playing with sparking an island-wide ‘ukulele resurgence and inspiring generations of players, including virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. The Ukulele Review similarly describes him as a major contributor to the ‘ukulele renaissance of the early 1990s, noting that his distinctive style inspired many other players and encouraged children to pick up the instrument.
That ripple effect is central to how KHON2 frames the Second Chapter shows: as a continuation of an influence that never really stopped. The band, the outlet reports, continues to affect Hawai‘i’s music community, and Fernandez’s playing has influenced countless musicians in the years since the original lineup split. The upcoming Waikīkī performances are being positioned as both a celebration of the partnership between Fernandez and Cruz and an opportunity for longtime fans to revisit the band’s catalog while introducing it to a new generation.
Looking for a Bass Player
Alongside the show announcement, KHON2 reports that the Ka‘au Crater Boys are seeking a bass player who knows the band’s songs, with those interested directed to call 808-721-4130. It’s a practical detail tucked inside what is otherwise a nostalgia-driven return, suggesting the Second Chapter lineup is still taking shape even as the Blue Note dates approach.
Tickets and additional information for all three shows are available through Blue Note Hawaii at bluenotehawaii.com, and the venue’s box office can be reached at 808-777-4890. For a sound that first took root in a Pālolo housing project more than three decades ago, the return to a Waikīkī stage this month marks another chapter in a story that, by multiple accounts, has never fully closed.
