Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Kona Kai relaunch

Talent-buyer Aguirre hopes to revitalize port resort Kona Kai.
Talent-buyer Aguirre hopes to revitalize port resort Kona Kai.
Place

Kona Kai Resort & Marina

1551 Shelter Island, San Diego

Shawna Aguirre learned a lot during her years (2003–2012) as talent buyer for Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge. She spearheaded weekly blues and singer/songwriter nights. She gave a lot of local jazz, rock, and acoustic artists a chance to play regular gigs, and she continued the practice of using the 180-seat room as a showcase for national touring artists such as Guitar Shorty, John Lee Hooker Jr., and Jackiem Joyner.

Aguirre (who acted independently from the Humphrey’s outdoor concert series) is about to make a major move that could have an impact on local musicians. And it will be adjacent to her former Shelter Island employer.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Aguirre is putting together a live entertainment lineup for the lounge/restaurant at the Kona Kai resort and at its outdoor beach.

“In the ’60s and ’70s, Kona Kai was one of the more exclusive places in San Diego,” says Aguirre. “JFK and all kinds of celebrities would stay there. The nightclub was exclusive, high-end. Over the years it kind of lost its limelight.”

Aguirre is now the entertainment director for Noble House Hotels, which purchased Kona Kai in December. “The goal is to revive a legend and bring it back to its roots. They are investing millions into it.” She says Kona Kai restaurant “relaunches” July 4 after a remodel. “Phase two of the remodel starts in September,” she says.

Aguirre notes that Kona Kai will have the same asset shared with Humphrey’s: a marina view. “We also have one of the only private beaches in San Diego.” She says a concert series on that beach for 300 to 400 guests at a time is being booked. “It will not have the level of headliners like Humphrey’s [Concerts by the Bay]. But we will bring in artists like Coco Montoya.”

Aguirre says she would like to hear from local blues, jazz, acoustic, rock, or flamenco artists who may want to play at the Kona Kai: [email protected].

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Dating Sites For Little People: Best Platforms & Tips

Next Article

Will L.A. Times crowd out San Diego U-T at Riverside printing plant?

Will Toni Atkins stand back from anti-SDG&E initiative?
Talent-buyer Aguirre hopes to revitalize port resort Kona Kai.
Talent-buyer Aguirre hopes to revitalize port resort Kona Kai.
Place

Kona Kai Resort & Marina

1551 Shelter Island, San Diego

Shawna Aguirre learned a lot during her years (2003–2012) as talent buyer for Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge. She spearheaded weekly blues and singer/songwriter nights. She gave a lot of local jazz, rock, and acoustic artists a chance to play regular gigs, and she continued the practice of using the 180-seat room as a showcase for national touring artists such as Guitar Shorty, John Lee Hooker Jr., and Jackiem Joyner.

Aguirre (who acted independently from the Humphrey’s outdoor concert series) is about to make a major move that could have an impact on local musicians. And it will be adjacent to her former Shelter Island employer.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Aguirre is putting together a live entertainment lineup for the lounge/restaurant at the Kona Kai resort and at its outdoor beach.

“In the ’60s and ’70s, Kona Kai was one of the more exclusive places in San Diego,” says Aguirre. “JFK and all kinds of celebrities would stay there. The nightclub was exclusive, high-end. Over the years it kind of lost its limelight.”

Aguirre is now the entertainment director for Noble House Hotels, which purchased Kona Kai in December. “The goal is to revive a legend and bring it back to its roots. They are investing millions into it.” She says Kona Kai restaurant “relaunches” July 4 after a remodel. “Phase two of the remodel starts in September,” she says.

Aguirre notes that Kona Kai will have the same asset shared with Humphrey’s: a marina view. “We also have one of the only private beaches in San Diego.” She says a concert series on that beach for 300 to 400 guests at a time is being booked. “It will not have the level of headliners like Humphrey’s [Concerts by the Bay]. But we will bring in artists like Coco Montoya.”

Aguirre says she would like to hear from local blues, jazz, acoustic, rock, or flamenco artists who may want to play at the Kona Kai: [email protected].

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Gilbert Castellanos, Buddha Trixie, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Shane Hall, Brian Jones Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival

Grand Socials, gigs, and record releases in Del Mar, City Heights, Solana Beach, Little Italy, and Ocean Beach
Next Article

Mid-range fleet scoring bluefin limits off Ensenada

Rockfish to open at all depths April 1st (no foolin’)
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.