Besides European football memorabilia, The English pub is draped with Fab-Four photos and collector's items, such as the skin to one of Ringo's drums. Hello Goodbye enjoys the venue because they usually get to play for such a lovely audience of jokers and smokers, ranging in age from their thirties to sixties. Occasionally, Hello Goodbye gets a younger crowd that blends right into the scene. By virtue of mere music, many generations come together on Hello Goodbye's dance floor for almost fifty Beatles songs during their three-set evenings.
It is usually around 10 p.m. when the band begins to play. Dressed in all black, Hello Goodbye may open with "Hard Days Night." Guitarist Brian Hinton serves as John Lennon on vocals, adding his electric keyboards to the jam. The native Floridian in his mid-twenties is the only band member who didn't grow up with Beatlemania. After "Ticket to Ride" is played, dozens clap and sway their hips to The Beatles' first number 1 single, the 60's doo-wop number, "Love Me Do." Coming from a little town in South Africa, George Van Dyk performs the role of Paul. McCartney plays the bass with his left hand, as does Mr. Van Dyk, adding his own spark of energy. "I just wanna have lots of fun. So what if Paul never really went that wild onstage," Van Dyk explained to me.
One evening, George asked the crowd if anyone liked The Beatles, and introduced his fictional "Beatlettes." Conceivably the greatest part of a Hello Goodbye show is hearing unfamiliar tracks, as there are dozens of unsung Beatles classics, such as "I'll Cry Instead" and the blues number, "Baby's in Black." Hello Goodbye wraps up just about every set having played almost twenty songs before the boys disperse to the bar. By 11:15, Hello Goodbye gets back onstage to perform "She Loves You." With each set, more and more space becomes occupied on the dance floor. Sitting in an English pub, waiting for the band to sing the track "Hello Goodbye," the room gets packed with over one hundred bar-goers dancing to the familiar "Sgt. Pepper." The boys harmonize a slow version of "Norwegian Wood" with a little help from the audience, and Joe's guitar gently weeps during "Hide your Love away." Filling the late George Harrison's shoes, Joe sports a "Beatles" guitar-strap that hangs over his shoulder. Years ago, the boy from Staten Island played the Wall Street game for a few months, but the executive position is now long gone as Joe has found his niche in music.
Some evenings, the boys sing the Mighty Mouse theme and "99 Bottles of Beer." A highlight of evenings is always when the room lets their knickers down to tumble blindly to "Twist & Shout," as well as "Hey Jude." There is fantastic interplay between George and Joe onstage, as the two of them bounced around like The Beatles.
"Hello Goodbye has nothing but fun onstage and it shows," said Michael Levy, a 28-year-old executive from Boca Raton who swayed in his seat most of the night. Some Beatles favorites are often saved until the third set, where the crowd gets to experience "All you need is Love," "Rocky Raccoon" and "Revolution." Hello Goodbye will take you on a "Magical Mystery Tour" and they'll sing about how lucky they are "Back in the USSR." Blair King, the percussionist from Philly, smiles from ear to ear behind a pair of shades and a set of percussions with a psychedelic woman painted on the outside. Never wanting to spoil the party, the cordial George answered an audience member's request to sing "Michelle" one evening, and he was a fool unto himself on the crowded dance floor. Some nights the spectators get to hear "Helter Skelter," and others they hear the popular cover tune, Lennon's post-Beatles "Imagine."
Guitarist Chad Taylor of Live said John's son, Sean, toured with his band earlier this year, and claimed to be appropriately overjoyed that they were covering "Imagine." "Sean said the crowd would totally crucify him if he ever tried," Taylor explained to me after a set in Miami last year. Similarly, the mighty Pear Jam has performed Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth" on the road this year, and recently released "Hide Your Love Away." The evening wrapped up with "The End," leading into "Dizzy Miss Lizzy," followed by the number "Rock & Roll."
There is a possibility of new material being released soon, as each member of Hello Goodbye writes his own music. But for now, The Beatles gig is working. Hello Goodbye is currently negotiating possible shows in the near future throughout Ft. Lauderdale and its surrounding venues. The boys have not discussed their long-term aspirations, but Hello Goodbye's latest news and show dates can easily be checked on their web-site, http://www.hellogoodbyethe band.homestead.com. "We hope to play around South Florida a little more. Maybe there'll be some corporate-type things," said Bonilla.
Currently, Hello Goodbye is one of the best bands in South Florida, as millions of folks want to see a Beatles cover band. Each member of the band possesses the voice of the original artist whom he represents. One can see the festive time these guys have each fortnight onstage, possessing and caressing their audience. The show is exciting and inviting. Until these birds have flown, Hello Goodbye is going to shine on Ft. Lauderdale, like the moon and the stars and the sun. You'll dig it.
