After a break of a year, Shauna Aguirre returns to the Kona Kai Resort as general manager of the venue’s Vessels restaurant. This is of course a boon for area diners, but more importantly also for music lovers, as Aguirre has increased the focus on musical entertainment at the scenic location.
In addition to the excellent food, the Kona Kai is a great spot to hear acoustic music in particular, the patio setting intimate enough for a great date night but spacious enough for you to let loose a little should the urge to dance strike during your visit. Mix in the great view and ample parking, with no cover for most music events, and it’s hard to beat. “We’re kind of revamping the whole music program,” Aguirre said. “We’re bringing in more national and international acts and planning for a summer concert series. ” A clear indicator of the bigger events ahead is the recent Smooth Jazz Holiday Brunch, featuring Canadian saxophonist Warren Hill. “We are definitely looking to do more private listener styled concerts in conjunction with radio stations and things like that,” Aguirre remarked. New additions to the calendar include brunch shows on both Saturdays and Sundays as well as a Thursday night, “Locals Know,” event featuring local beers on tap as well as area music and performers. “We’ll be featuring bands who don’t get a chance to play here regularly, that are a little off the beaten track, but that deserve to be heard,” Aguirre stated. Upcoming shows include duo Doug and Jenny, featuring former Rockola bassist Doug Booth, performing at brunch on Jan. 9. Meanwhile, blues/rockabilly rising star Wyatt Lowe will perform special acoustic shows Jan. 9 and 10, with other highlights this month set to include blues singer Missy Anderson on Jan. 15 and two great performers on Jan. 16: country tinged troubadour Sara Petite for brunch and classic rock favorites Private Domain for the dinner show. Artists perform right on the patio, overlooking the beautiful boat docks and the venue’s private beach, but for Aguirre it’s about more than the view. “It’s wonderful to be sitting outside listening to live music,” she said. “For me, it’s really special because I grew up in Point Loma, so a lot of the clientele are club members and people from the area. Being able to provide some really unique music in the neighborhood is a really nice thing.” While the entertainment is always scheduled for outdoors, in the rare case of inclement weather, the bands simply move a few feet indoors.
Aguirre points out that although she loves music, it’s actually not the focus of her bookings. However when it’s the right mix of artist and venue, everybody wins. “When I book bands, the intention is for it to increase the food and beverage revenue of whatever place I’m booking,” she said. “It’s not just for the fun of booking bands; it actually has another purpose to it. So seeing that be a success and seeing people to respond to it and show up and listen to the music is really rewarding.”
For her part, Aguirre is thrilled to be back at the Kona Kai and is busy with plans to really put the resort on the San Diego entertainment map. “(We’re working toward) making the Kona Kai synonymous with having really great talent, really great shows, featuring some up-and-coming artists as well as highlighting the best of the local bands,” she said. “I just want people knowing that when they go to the Kona Kai to hear music, they’re going to see somebody great.”