Heartbreakers Cricketers Arms, Wellington

Rip It Up, Issue 5, 1 October 1977, Page 15

Heartbreakers Cricketers Arms, Wellington

Glenn Barclay

If you had been listening to the radio over the last few weeks of summer, you might have heard a revamped version of the old rocker ‘Romeo & Juliet”, over the airwaves. Wellington’s Heartbreakers were the band that belonged to that song. The Heartbreakers have been playing Wednesday to Saturday nights at the same Wellington pub for over a year now, and have built up a regular following. Despite their occasional T.V.appearancesand record release, it is when performing live that they are at their best. They have developed a great rapport with their audience, combining a good line of patter with goonish antics to advantage.

Their material has plenty of appeal to a refugee from the nineteensixties like myself, but also to those who can enjoy the pure energy of the music from that era. A whole range of old favourites are covered, from the Beatles through the Kinks, Beach Boys, Yardbirds, and Hollies, to a cover of an early Dusty Springfield number. The occasional original tune, usually written by lead singer

Don Wilson, adds variety to their repertoire, while the nineteenseventies are not completely ignored with the inclusion of some 10 c.c., and Sailor’s “Girls, Girls, Girls!” On my last visit they had also added a tight version of Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown” to their act.

The band's lineup consists of the standard two guitars, bass, drums, and lead vocalist who doubles occasionally on rhythm guitar. Familiar faces are Simon Morris (guitar) exTamburlaine, Don Wilson (lead vocals) ex Ebony, and drummer Danny who had a stint with the Bulldogs Allstars Goodtime Band. Besides good musicianship, their main strength lies in vocal arrangements. Although a shade weak individually, they put together some decent harmonies, that are heard to best advantage on their versions of “Mr Tambourine Man”, “Good Vibrations” and others.

Anyway, suffice to say that if you are in Wellington with nothing to do any Wednesday through Saturday night, go and take in the Heartbreakers over a beer. You’ll find it extremely worthwhile.