When the Society of Seven performs this weekend at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, it'll be the Society of Nine, sort of.

Philippines songstress Lani Misalucha, a regular with the Tony Ruivivar-led Las Vegas-based SOS, will be aboard, providing glamour and a plateful of impersonations.

Guest singer Jasmine Trias, Hawai'i's No. 3 finisher in Season 3 of "American Idol," who previously performed with the SOS at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, gets to show off her vocal pipes and stripes.

And two new SOS regulars — singers Marc Escueta and Vince Mendoza — will make their public Hawai'i debut with the SOS, though they appeared at The Royal Hawaiian hotel's Monarch Room when the SOS was saluted as a Lifetime Achievement winner in this year's Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

The Advertiser chatted with Ruivivar, who's having too much fun to even consider retirement; Trias, who still tours across America and the Philippines; and Misalucha, who is a vital part of the SOS pulse but maintains a solo career in the Philippines.

JASMINE TRIAS

Trias was approached by Tony Ruivivar to spell Misalucha when the latter had commitments to promote a new solo album in the Philippines.

"It was like this new career dropped out of the sky," said Trias, 20. "I've wanted to perform like her one day. I've often imagined how it would be, performing with the SOS."

Despite initial fears and spells of intimidation, she's doing just that.

"When I met with Tony, he asked me what I wanted to sing, so I gave him my ideas. Well, he had set in his mind what I was going to do, what I was going to sing, and I thought he was crazy," she recalled.

He mapped out an "American Idol" medley, impressions and "big, belting numbers" such as Broadway show tunes "I'll Give My Life for You" (from "Miss Saigon") and "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" (from "Dreamgirls") as well as emotional pop pieces such as "I Know I'll Never Love This Way Again."

"I was so scared, but by opening night with the SOS, everything I said I couldn't do, I was able to do," Trias said. "I was so happy, I cried; my parents, who were in the audience, were crying, too. It was like a college crash course, and I graduated."

The experience has been the highlight of her learning curve.

She still itches to get into collegiate mode. "With so many friends graduating, it makes me jealous," Trias said. "I've explored online classes; but college will always be there, so I want to make the best of my (show-biz) opportunities. Vegas has inspired me to go further, think big. Anything is possible."

TONY RUIVIVAR

Change is constant with the Society of Seven. The group is ever evolving, with new elements and new personnel.

"And new material," said Ruivivar, group leader for nearly four decades. "About 60 percent of what we'll do will be new to locals."

Escueta and Mendoza will be fresh to Hawai'i fans as well, Ruivivar said.

Escueta is a singer, keyboardist and percussionist based in Vegas and previously associated with the San Fernando Band of Guam. Mendoza, a singer, saxophonist and percussionist, is a former member of the Hawai'i- and Las Vegas-based group Aura.

The pair reflect key membership changes since the fatal heart attack on Jan. 30, 2006, of Gary Bautista, the beloved crooner and impersonator.

"It's hard to replace Gary, who was with us for 22 years, but Marc and Vince are doing a great job," Ruivivar said. "It's like having young blood in the group."

The SOS also plan a musical tribute, via "I'll Remember You," to Don Ho, who died April 14 at age 76. "We've been a close friend to Don; he's the one who gave us a break in Hawai'i."

In the gambling capital, the SOS is the top-rated afternoon delight on the circuit, performing in a 3 p.m. slot Tuesdays through Saturdays. "It's worked out well for us, doing the daytime shows," he said of the two-year run. "They're talking about yet another extension through Jan. 1."

This means Ruivivar isn't contemplating retiring soon. "I'm having too much fun, and as long as it's fun, I'll be here," he said.

LANI MISALUCHA

Lani Misalucha feels like the luckiest songstress in Las Vegas.

"Tony (Ruivivar) has been such a good mentor," she said. "He's the one who thinks of concepts and ideas for the Society of Seven show. I've definitely learned a lot from him. And this kind of show — with impersonations and Broadway tunes — has brought out new aspects in me. While I've done impersonations in the Philippines, they've been nothing like on this scale."

The SOS repertoire always includes a range of sound- and look-alikes, but when Misalucha became the first female to join the SOS ranks, the group shelved most guys-as-gals impersonations to have Misalucha tackle the likes of Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand and Madonna.

"There are always new ones, so it's never a matter of getting bored, just moving on to something else," she said. "The one that I've not been fully comfortable with is Mariah Carey; she has (vocal) curls here and there, and they drive me a little crazy."

The singer has found Vegas life wonderful. "This is the heartbeat of show biz, and it's really laid-back for me, compared to the Philippines, where my schedule is unbelievable," Misalucha said. Last February, she went home to promote her latest album amid concerts and a media blitz.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.