World-Class Music in Our Backyard

By Maria Sherow

Some music entertains you for an hour, while some music follows you home and changes how you hear the world. On Saturday, July 18th, 2026, Puna’s own Roy Dahan brings the second kind of music to Kalani’s Blue Moon Room for an intimate evening of original songs and live collaboration. From 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, this performance offers a rare chance to experience a world-class artist right in our backyard, with music that is honest and impossible to forget.

If you have not heard Roy Dahan yet, this is your invitation. Born in Israel, Roy has taken his music across the globe, touring Europe and performing at venues in Berlin, Vienna, London, and Luxembourg. He made his name in Tel Aviv, where his 2011 debut Some of This Life was named Best Album of the Year by TimeOut Tel Aviv.

That record produced two major radio hits, “Does Anyone Know” and “State of Mind,” introducing listeners to a voice that critics called “beautiful and tough to explain but easy to love.” Two more albums followed: The Man in My Head (2013) and Through the Woods (2016), leading up to his latest project, Roy’s Piano Tunes (2023), which features 22 original compositions and a three-volume book of sheet music.

Today, Roy lives on the jungle side of Hawaiʻi Island, writing and composing from the very same soil we walk on. His work refuses easy labels, moving gracefully between singer-songwriter, composer, and storyteller.

Before music took center stage, Roy spent years as a gardener, his hands in the soil, growing food. That same patience shapes his songwriting. Nothing is rushed. It is music that was given time to grow slowly and honestly. He is also a nature photographer with exhibitions in Luxembourg and California. The attention to light and detail that you see in his photos is the same attention you hear in his melodies.

When you step into the Blue Moon Room, you are not just sitting in a crowd; you are joining a real community moment. Roy’s shows are known for “talk story” sessions between songs, for laughter, and for the kind of shared silence that only happens when a whole room listens together. For this special night, he will be joined on stage by several special and surprise guests. While he won’t have a grand piano or harp with him for this show, he brings the full depth of his presence and a living room style warmth. Every set is unique, shaped by the energy of the room and the night itself.

Live music in Puna thrives when we show up for it. While advanced registration is required to reserve your spot for free online, a suggested donation of $15 to $35 at the door directly supports local artists and venues like Kalani that make these gatherings possible. Register by scanning the QR code from the poster above, or go to https:///bright-cocada-0b8e06.netflify.app/

Before the show, you can explore Roy’s catalog on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube to hear why his debut earned Album of the Year. Then, join your neighbors on July 18th to hear what those songs sound like live, with the coquis starting up outside and the jungle just beyond the door. Register online to save your seat and get ready for music that will move you.