Rolling Heartbreakers to play Summer Twilight Concerts event in Del Mar

Known for their Rolling Stones and Tom Petty covers, the Rolling Heartbreakers will perform on Tuesday, Aug. 23 at Powerhouse Park in the Del Mar Summer Twilight Concert series.

“We’re not a traditional tribute with actors trying to emulate rock stars, we’re more interested in getting the music right,” said Galen Cram, singer and guitarist. “The focus we have on these two bands allows us to bring in little touches like Keith Richards’ open-tuned five-string Telecaster guitar, Tom Petty’s 12-string electric and stuff like that.”

Other bands that have performed in the Summer Twilight Concerts include the Sully Band, which held a living room concert series shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the Mighty Untouchables, a cover band known for performing at weddings and other events.

The Rolling Heartbreakers came together about seven years ago. In addition to Cram, the band consists of Rob Hanzlik on lead guitars and vocals, Jim Malkiewicz on bass and vocals, Randy McClintick on keyboards, Peter Arcidiacono on tenor sax and percussion, and Troy Cockrell on drums. Cram and Hanzlik also play in an acoustic guitar duo called the Setting Sons.

“We’re all veterans of the San Diego music scene,” said Cram, who is originally from the Bay Area but came to San Diego in the 1980s to attend San Diego State University. “We’re particularly looking forward to this Del Mar Powerhouse Park concert. We were originally slated to do that back in 2020, but the pandemic shut it down. As Tom Petty says, the waiting is the hardest part.”

He added, “We don’t feel like we’re limited to just playing the Stones and Petty, but that’s really the major focus.”

The nonprofit Del Mar Foundation has been holding the Summer Twilight Concerts for about 30 years. The band has also played local venues such as Peabody’s in Encinitas and The Landings in Carlsbad.

“Del Mar is really one of my favorite places on the planet,” Cram said. “The more traveling I do, the more I come to realize how special that place is.”

The Rolling Heartbreakers performance will start at 7 p.m. at the Aug. 23 Twilight concert event. The Twilight event’s Zel’s opening act, Folklorick, will kick off the evening at 6 p.m.

For more information about the concert series, visit delmarfoundation.org/programs/twilight/. For more information on the Rolling Heartbreakers, visit facebook.com/RollingHeartbreakers.