There was a time when you could see Society of Seven in Waikiki almost anytime. SOS headlined the Outrigger Waikiki Main Showroom for more than 30 years, and for many of those years it did two shows a night, six nights a week, with a late show on weekends.
As with so many other things we longtime Hawaii residents remember about "the good old days," that was then and this is now. SOS has been based in Las Vegas for more than a decade, and the Main Showroom no longer exists as an entertainment venue. When Society of Seven plays Honolulu these days, there’s no way of knowing when — or whether — it’ll be here again.
The good news is that the group is in town Saturday for two back-to-back shows at the Ala Moana Hotel — a notable date in local entertainment.
"We’re excited to be back home. We haven’t been home in quite a while," said Tony Ruivivar, founder and leader of SOS, calling from his home in Las Vegas. "Hoku (Low), Bert (Sagum), me, Wayne (Wakai) — we all miss Hawaii."
Ruivivar has kept SOS on track for almost a half century. He was introduced to Sagum in Hong Kong in the early 1960s; with several other musicians they created the Fabulous Echoes. ("We had a couple of hits," he remembered.)
The Fabulous Echoes moved to the United States several years later and eventually settled in Hawaii, becoming Society of Seven in 1968. SOS opened at the Outrigger Main Showroom the following year.
Low celebrated his 37th year with the group in August. Multi-instrumentalist Wakai has been part of the lineup for 25 years.
Ruivivar’s insights as a producer and his eye for talent have been the foundation of the group’s success through it all. As a producer, Ruivivar perfected a winning formula that includes celebrity impersonations, tightly synchronized choreography, cross-dressing comedy, the current hit songs on Broadway and contemporary pop hits.
A lot of talent has passed through SOS since 1969. Each time a stellar talent departed for one reason or another — "Little Albert" Maligmat, Roberto Nievera, Jun Polistico, Eddie Ramirez, Terry Lucido and Gary Bautista, to name six — Ruivivar found an equally stellar replacement and carried on.
The current SOS is no exception.
Ruivivar, Sagum, Low and Wakai are coming to Hawaii with Roy Venturina, Michael Laygo and Jun Estanislao.
The special guest female vocalist is Lhey Bella.
"Everywhere we go she fits in just like one of the boys, but she’s got such a talent," Ruivivar said. "She’s a terrific singer. When she was in the Philippines, they always referred to her as ‘the Whitney Houston of the Philippines.’"
Hawaii saw Venturina on keyboards when SOS played the Outrigger in 2010, and again when SOS returned with Martin Nievera in 2011. Vocalist Laygo has worked with the group in Las Vegas. Count on the "new guys" and Bella to deliver just as their predecessors over the years always have.
Speaking for the four old-time members, Ruivivar said nothing compares to playing Waikiki.
"There’s nothing better than performing in Hawaii, at home; that’s where we started. To us, that is the thing, to see all our friends, and we’re excited to show some new guys (to Hawaii) and show them Hawaii and say, ‘This is the place that we’re from.’
"If we could have gone back to the Outrigger, we would, but there was no way," he continued. "And at the Ala Moana there’s not a problem with parking."
Doing two shows back to back is like it was in the old days for the SOS except for one thing:
"We’re only going to be there for one night, two shows, then this is it," Ruivivar said. "We want to see all our friends and have fun."
SOCIETY OF SEVEN
>> Where: Ala Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson Drive
>> When: 6:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: $55
>> Info: societyofseven.com or 944-4333
