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| Photo courtesy of Sean Hower |
Nicholas Tremulis is no stranger to benefit concerts. His first taste of it was in 1999 when he organized The First Waltz, a series that benefitted the Neon Street program and homeless teenagers. The event was inspired by The Band’s final concert film, The Last Waltz, and featured a lineup spanning from local Chicago musicians to national acts. Five years and $250,000 later, he created a lasting impression.
After working on a project for Collaboraction Theatre Company, artistic director Anthony Moseley introduced Tremulis to the owner of Hua Momona Farms, Gary Grube. There was an idea floating around about creating a music festival to benefit the community of Maui, and they believed Tremulis could be the person to bring the festival to life.
Hua Momona Farms is located on 25 acres in West Maui, where they grow fresh, organic microgreens and more from their elevated oasis. The Hua Momona Foundation supports on-island charitable efforts through agricultural activities, providing hot meals, distributing fresh local produce, facilitating housing replacement, supporting mental healthcare programs and recently launched the Hua Momona Youth Ukulele Ensemble and Music Program with teenagers from Lahaina. To date, the foundation has served over 80,000 hot, fresh meals to those impacted by the Lahaina fires.
The Maui Music & Food Experience launched in 2024 with an objective to provide food for those in need, accelerate the Lahaina rebuild and cultivate the new youth music program. The first event raised more than $250,000 over the course of three days while featuring world-class music and culinary experiences.
This year, in addition to their Maui event, the Maui Music & Food Experience is making their way to Chicago. Headlining the night is soul icon Bettye LaVette, who will be joined by Grammy winner Lisa Fischer and Naiwi Teruya, a rising star from Lahaina who amazes audiences with his ukulele skills. Performances also include Nicholas Tremulis & the Prodigals, featuring The Rolling Stones collaborator Bernard Fowler, and Hawaiian native John Cruz.
When Tremulis first met Grube and heard about what he wanted to accomplish after the devastation of the Lahaina fires, he knew that he wanted to help in any way he could.
“The guy’s heart is in the right place,” Tremulis said. “He’s a self-made man, but his idea to give back has always been there. In music and the community of music, we always come together for something and this is a great thing to come together for.”
Tremulis is what some might call a secret weapon in the music industry. Not only is he a secret weapon, but he knows other secret weapons. When several of them came together for a worthy cause, they recognized that they had become part of something special. The inaugural event included Mick Fleetwood and Ernie Isley, who returned for the second year, and Bernard Fowler has become a staple at each show.
“One thing I learned about Maui is the bar is raised very high when it comes to musicianship,” Tremulis said. “It became infectious the second time through. It hooked me, and I started to see what this was. Instead of being something I wanted to shake off, I wanted to keep it with me.”
Bringing aloha to Chicago will involve more than just legendary musical performances. Zach Laidlaw, resident chef at Hua Momona Farm, will highlight the island’s signature flavors, using Hua Momona’s microgreens and sustainable ingredients. Joining him is Maui-born chef Nate Domingo of Da Local Boy, the acclaimed Hawaiian restaurant in Highwood.
“The love of great music and great performers is always wonderful, but the eating of great Hawaiian food and the attitude they’re greeted with when they come to this show is going to be a primordial Maui experience. We just want one night of peace, love and music, and it goes to a good cause. It helps people that are struggling but know that we got their back.”
More information and tickets for the Maui Music & Food Experience can be found here.










