You may remember The Searchers pop group from Liverpool played the Harcourt Park Stage 3 or 4 times courtesy of a grants from the Rimutaka Community Trust ( who also funded the stage there )

Well they play their final concert in June at Glastonbury Music Festival in UK -probably their top festival there

You can watch an UK TV interview with them via the link below.

“The Searchers ‘live in Upper Hutt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmxZsHrRN1A

Press release from Saturday 9th of December, 2006

The Liverpool Sound of “The Searchers” live in Upper Hutt
Harcourt Park is a great place to be when the music is good! “The Searchers” from Liverpool return to play there on Wednesday 17 January. The concert starts at 7pm with Shaun Preston, Upper Hutt’s own singer, songwriter on piano. “The Searchers” have played extensively worldwide since their concert here last January.

Upper Hutt has scored their only Wellington region concert and they may not even reach the South Island! The Rimutaka Trust supported the building of the Soundstage at Harcourt Park and this concert. A special feature of the concert is that it is located in the middle of Mary Archibald’s stonecarving week.
So patrons will be able to enjoy viewing artists with their Oamaru Stone as well. Patrons will be encouraged to make a gold coin donation for the Expressions Arts and Entertainment Concert Grand Piano fund. Patrons should really be in the mood when they see Shaun Preston’s piano on stage.

A “thank you” to Paul for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

28/03/25