The Searchers - Regent Centre, Christchurch

ON arrival at the Regent Centre, I was pleasantly surprised at the diverse range of age groups that were attending the concert. The talented quartet launched straight into Sweets For My Sweet and set the tone for the rest of a very enjoyable evening. Bassist and vocalist Frank Allen welcomed the audience and divulged plenty of insider information with colourful anecdotes from The Searchers long career.

Musically the delivery and performance was spot on, as you would expect from the talented and gifted showmen. I was totally entertained all the way through the evening, also looking around I could say the same was being felt by the audience.

After the interval or the ‘comfort break’ as Frank Allen referred to it, The Searchers went straight into full-on 1960s mode. No big numbers were left out, by the penultimate song the whole audience were standing, singing and clapping.

I was really impressed by seeing young and old brought together through the music, as if they were back in the Beat Clubs of the Sixties. I’m looking forward to the return visit of The Searchers on December 11 at the Tivoli theatre in Wimborne.

Brian Sullivan