Created by Eric Gilliom, “Mele” is a 360-degree visual masterpiece paired with award-winning music, showing at the Maui Ocean Center on Tuesday and Saturday evenings. For The Maui News/Jon Woodhouse

One of Maui’s most creative artists, Eric Gilliom, has once again produced another remarkable show with “Mele: The Hawaiian Music Experience” at the Maui Ocean Center.

Presented in the center’s Maui Sphere Theater, “Mele” is Hawaii’s answer to Las Vegas’ Sphere, capturing the majesty of the islands with brilliant 360 degree visuals, enchanting dancing and memorable live music by Nā Hōkū Hanohano winners Gilliom and ukulele virtuoso Vince Esquire.

A spectacular, intoxicating aural and visual treat, Gilliom, Esquire and hula dancers Sanoe Elf, Kehulali Douglas, Gerilyn Hewahewa received a standing ovation at the close of the show on the evening this writer attended.

“People are flipping out,” Gilliom said. “There’s literally a thunderous standing ovation every show. There’s nothing like it in the whole state. It’s the best thing I’ve ever created.”

This innovative experience, unlike anything else offered on Maui, will undoubtedly be a major draw for the center.

A versatile entertainer, Gilliom’s career has included performing with Willie K in the Barefoot Natives, staring in Brian Kohne’s film “Get a Job,” singing with Mick Fleetwood’s Island Rumours Band, teaming with Hapa’s Barry Flanagan, and presenting his hilarious one-man show, “White Hawaiian,” at the ProArts Playhouse.

A scene from a performance of “Mele.” For The Maui News/Jon Woodhouse

Gilliom had been wondering about the possibility of staging something at the Maui Ocean Center’s Sphere for a while. “I’ve always thought it was an amazing venue,” he explained. “When I started seeing what was going on with the Sphere in Las Vegas, I thought, well, we’ve got a sphere here. I watched the whale movie there, and it hit me to do a show that’s the music of Hawaii with incredible visuals, songs about waterfalls and rainbows and surfing with hula. And I put a bunch of my original songs in there as well.”

Before entering the sphere, guests are offered free pūpū and soft drinks in the Seascape Restaurant. Once in the theater, they are immersed in spectacular footage of Maui’s dormant volcano to the rousing sound of “Haleakalā,” before heading to the ocean depths with songs about marine plants and wayfinding navigation.

“I flew a drone into Haleakalā, and shot spectacular footage,” he said. “Then we go under the ocean, and we took a film crew to the backside of Molokini and shot 360 imagery. It’s just beautiful, with whale sharks, and we shot in some of Maui’s valleys and did some waterfall shots. The show is really psychedelic too. Each song has beautiful 360 imagery.”

Songs range from Willie K’s “Waterfall,” the Hawaiian Style Band’s classic “Rhythm of the Ocean,” and Gilliom’s lovely signature song “Back to Honopo” to Don Ho’s hit “Tiny Bubbles” (with a hilarious impression of the Waikiki icon), “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” from “Lilo & Stitch,” the Ka’au Crater Boys’ “Surf” (to very groovy artwork), and Olomana’s beautiful “Ku’u Home O Kahalu’u.”

Enhanced by amazing visuals, Gilliom and Esquire perform live to backing tracks recorded by an array of stellar musicians. “There’s about 40 musicians that played on it,” he said.

They include Mick Fleetwood, Steely Dan drummer Keith Carlock, James Taylor bassist Jimmy Johnson, drummer Tris Imboden from Chicago, Prince band bassist Andrew Gouché, Hawaii’s brilliant bassist Nathan Aweau, Maui’s Anthony Pfluke on slack key and 12 string guitar, Gilliom’s sister Amy Hanaiali’i on backing vocals, and the Kamehameha Middle School Choir.

Gilliom teamed with Michael Ruff, known for collaborations with Lionel Richie and Chaka Khan, on the project, drawing on input from Clifford Nae’ole as cultural advisor and Douglas DeBoer for his visual magic.

“I’ve worked on a lot of music projects with Michael,” he said. “We’ve done a lot of film scores together. Doug DeBoer is a wonderful visual artist on Maui, and that was the most complicated part because there was nothing that was off the shelf for 360 content to fill a space like the theater. So we had to build it from the ground up.”

A scene from a performance of “Mele.” For The Maui News/Jon Woodhouse

The three dancers are an essential element in the show’s success. Gilliom has known Gerilyn Hewahewa (Emata) since she was a child. “Her father, Gilbert, and I played in a band together in the ’90s,” he said. “Now she’s a powerhouse dancer and vocalist.”

“(Sanoe Elf) was the first person I hired for this show,” Gilliom recalled. “I grew up with her father. Originally, I planned to have only two dancers, but the moment I saw Kehulali Douglas dance, I had to make room for one more. Her presence is undeniable.”

Among the highlights, Gilliom pays homage to the memory of Lahaina. “I do a beautiful tribute to Lahaina with Loggins and Messina’s song, ‘Lahaina,’ which I got with the blessing from Jim Messina. He told me, ‘I love the idea. Fantastic.’ We took a lot of the art of Jim Kingwell, an amazing artist, and used his imagery to remind people what was so beautiful and magical about Front Street and Lahaina. That’s a really powerful moment in the show.”

“Mele: The Hawaiian Music Experience” is presented at the Maui Ocean Center on

Tuesday and Saturday evenings. Check-in begins at 5 p.m. Admission is $97 with a 30% off Kama’āina discount.