The iconic Samoan Punialava'a Band performed in a historic first for Savai'i at the Don Bosco grounds in Salelologa on Wednesday evening this week.

The live performance on the big island attracted a euphoric crowd that danced and sang along to many of the band's popular hit songs. 

Salelologa resident, who only identified himself as Gili, told the Samoa Observer that he was elated that they did not have to travel far or even pay to watch the concert. 

"We are so glad to be witnesses of this show. I am very grateful that I did not have to pay a lot to watch this but it is so moving," he said. 

Children and their parents sat on the lawn while others were seated on chairs enjoying the music. Some of the adults, wooed by the live concert performance, began to sway to the music. 

Local TV personality and comedian, Young Sefa (Iosefa Domingo) was the MC for the evening and entertained the crowd with humorous quiz games. 

One of his first questions to the crowd asked for the name of the new Miss Samoa with a child responding: "O lo'u tina (its my mother)."

Another question queried details of the new Digicel car with the response from the crowd, "Fox Ranger." 

Children danced around Young Sefa, who touched by the gesture asked the local DJ to play a song for them to dance to. 

Some of the stalls that were erected were for the use of the audience in the open field, creating an air of camaraderie amongst the concertgoers. 

The main sponsors of the Punialavaa Band's performance in Samoa to coincide with the independence celebration were the STA and Lava Hotel with the associate sponsors Taula Beverages, Digicel Samoa and Fiji Airways.

The group travelled to Samoa from Auckland, New Zealand over two weeks ago to kick start Samoa's 60th Independence anniversary celebrations.