Terry and the Pacemakers

There’s always a great vibe when Terry and the Pacemakers are in the house. A seven-member band with plenty of heart and soul, these musically minded Greenwich Gardens residents really know how to bring the beat.

The band was formed nearly four years ago when Terry Dew, Pat Colon and their late friend Ray Ryan sparked up a conversation about guitars during a game of pool. Now, every Monday and Wednesday you can find the band practicing classics like ‘Little Ole Wine Drinker, Me’ and ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’. Since Terry and the Pacemakers hit the stage, there’s been no looking back!

“We are now a group of two guitarists, a drummer and four vocalists. Some members came along to help out and never left – that’s how much fun we have,” says Pat.

“We’ve all come from different musical backgrounds so there’s a lot of diversity and experience between us.”

Terry, the band’s namesake, was playing bass guitar in a rock band in 1965 when he met wife Trisha, one of the group’s vocalists.

“It was all very rock and roll back then, so it’s great to get together with everyone and relive the glory days,” says Trisha.

Drummer, Alan Dunn, has an impressive and unique musical history of his own. As a member of the Royal Airforce Bagpipe Band for 18 years, he performed multiple times at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and even for the Queen! Meanwhile band members Anne Sturgeon and Laurie Milham are accomplished vocalists who have spent plenty of time singing their way around New Zealand and beyond.

“We are very lucky to have such talented individuals that each bring their own flair to the group,” says Pat.

Over the years they have built up a repertoire of more than 157 songs, so come performance time Terry and the Pacemakers can belt out plenty of crowd favourites.

“We’ve got a bunch of classics from the 50s, 60s and 70s. We get the lyrics up on the screen so the crowd can sing along if they want to, and they always do.”

Other Auckland villages, The Poynton and The Orchards, have been lucky enough to experience the band first hand, and calls for encores always come thick and fast. But for Pat, there’s more to Terry and the Pacemakers than entertaining a crowd.

“Sure, the atmosphere and applause from the crowd is great, but it’s the camaraderie and having a laugh with the band that really makes you feel good. It gives me a sense of belonging, that’s why I really love it.”