The Sharps

For the past few weeks Dino's wine bar has been the residence of a new Wellington group. The Sharps. So far their publicity has been low key and their performances advertised only by word of mouth, but, if you can find out when and where they're playing, they're an act worth catching.

The Sharps centre around Simon Emsley's dynamic singing and guitar playing, with Martin Wilson on guitar and bass, Paul Emsley on piano accordian, electric piano and occasional guitar, and all three combining on vocal harmony. This is specially good on gospel—type songs like 'Dark end of the street' or Ry Cooder's rocking 'Smack dab in the middle'.

Their line up may seem unusual in these days of disco and giant amplification, yet, even without drums they manage to create a tight and at times, really funky rhythm. Apparently they are looking for a drummer but know of only one in Australasia who will do and he currently spends his time between hospital and jail in Sydney.

The Sharps' repertoire is not the usual pub standards played by every band in town, but a real variety of material ranging from Elvis Presley to Little Feat, Bob Marley to Randy Newman. Perhaps the only positive result of Wellington's lack of venues for rock bands is that really good smaller bands like The Sharps will have a chance to be heard.

Judicial correspondent