The Searchers: Still rockin’ after 40 years

Hip-hop fans gathered across town at the CCP Open Grounds, swinging to the beat of the Black Eyed Peas. Meanwhile, Baby Boomers flocked to the Araneta Coliseum to watch popular British rock band The Searchers in a two-hour show that was less frenetic but not less lively. It was like Manila was split down the middle that night of May 29. The Black Eyed Peas held court on one end, and The Searchers on the other. They played to completely divergent crowds.

In 1966, the Searchers performed in four packed shows at the Big Dome. They were at the height of their stardom, rivaling The Beatles for supremacy of the pop charts. That was the Beatboom era when the British Invasion bands held sway in musicdom. Manila wasn’t spared from the craze as The Zombies, Dave Clark Five, Peter & Gordon and Freddie & The Dreamers took turns singing to swooning Filipino fans in live concerts.

Apparently, the Manila tour made such an impact on The Searchers that frontman and bassist Frank Allen devoted an entire chapter on the trip in his book Travelling Man – On the Road with The Searchers.

It took 38 years for the Searchers to stage what promoter Steve O’Neal, disc jockey Danee Samonte in real life, called their "homecoming."

Two of The Searchers who performed here in 1966 were back for a nostalgic trip. Allen and founding rhythm guitarist John McNally – both now in their 60s but not looking a day over 40 – returned with lead guitarist Spencer James and drummer Eddie Rothe. They were joined by sound engineer Phil Hayes and lighting engineer John Semark.

O’Neal and Solar Entertainment combined forces to promote The Searchers shows at the Hard Rock Café in Makati last May 28 and the Big Dome the next night.

Fans packed the Hard Rock Café for the first performance, which drew five encores. Greggy and Irene Araneta, as well as Joaqui Trillo, were among the music enthusiasts in the audience. Hard Rock Café general manager Ceso Calison didn’t expect the huge turnout and immediately thought of contacting his counterparts in Asia to book the band.

Then came the Araneta Coliseum show.

The competition from the Black Eyed Peas was stiff, so filling up the Big Dome was a challenge. But over 3,000 fans came to celebrate The Searchers’ return and they all left with smiles on their faces.

Front act Ramon Jacinto and Friends warmed up the audience.

In a cloud of smoke, The Searchers stormed the stage and quickly got the crowd in the mood with Sweets For My Sweet, one of their three UK No. 1 hits. And the hits never stopped rolling. Don’t Throw Your Love Away was followed by What Have They Done to the Rain?

In between songs, Allen told the audience how pleased the group was in coming back. "It took us 38 years to return," he said. "We must’ve been so bad. But seriously, it just took 36 years. The last two years, we were held up in traffic. I hope it doesn’t take another 38 years for us to come back because by then, we’ll be over 100."

The crowd loved Allen’s banter. He kept the fans in stitches with jokes about geriatrics and nurses on standby in case elderly fans rush the stage to mob the band. Allen said if Westlife is the standard for boybands, then The Searchers are the "afterlife." But his reference to their age only established the timelessness of their sound.

Now in their 40th year on the concert circuit, The Searchers’ sound just like they did in the ’60s, if not better. James’ vocals are powerful and emphatic. The three-part harmonies are still as melodious. The jingle-jangle strumming from McNally’s 12-string Rickenbacker guitar remains a wonderful trademark.

Rizal Governor Ito Ynares and Mrs. Ynares were in the audience, as were the British and Mexican Ambassadors, all singing along to Searchers tunes. Joey de Leon had a front row seat and said The Searchers were fabulous and talked about the concert on Eat Bulaga the next day. Former Tarlac Rep. Hermie Aquino was there, too. Felix Flores, ex-cager turned successful politican in Iloilo, was also in the crowd. Bobong Velez, Elmer Yanga and Purefoods basketball team manager Rene Pardo came with their wives.

The amazing thing was The Searchers never grew tired. They did a straight two-hour show, singing 24 songs and playing four encores.

Sugar and Spice, Da Doo Ron Ron, Beach Baby, Goodbye My Love, Farmer John, Somebody Told Me, Love Potion No. 9, Ain’t Gonna Kiss Ya, Someday We’re Gonna Love Again, Saturday Night Out, When You Walk in the Room and Needles and Pins were in the set list.

The ballad Till I Met You, which McNally sang accompanied by an acoustic guitar was well-applauded. Also drawing much applause was a surprise rendition of The Byrds’ hit Mr. Tambourine Man. The crowd sang along to Twist and Shout and the band’s version of the Union Gap’s Young Girl.

One of the encores was the English football anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone and The Searchers ended the rousing show with a medley of Sweets For My Sweet, Sugar and Spice, Don’t Throw Your Love Away, and Needles and Pins, as fans got on their feet and danced.

After the show, The Searchers stayed behind and signed autographs on CDs, album covers, posters and T-shirts. A table was set in front of the stage and a kilometric queue formed as they accommodated every request for an autograph.

"They were just great," said columnist Al Mendoza. "Very humble. Real pros. Wholesome to the hilt – from attire to their decorum. Very unselfish. The medley of their hits to cap the show was one for the books. No band has ever done that."

The Searchers enjoyed themselves immensely during their five-day stay and are hoping to be back soon for more concerts, perhaps in Cebu and Bacolod.

The Searchers bring back the good, old days of rock when musicians wore coats and ties on stage, sang beautiful ballads without using profanities, kept melodic rhythm and invited audience participation to share a common love for music. The secret of The Searchers longevity is their passion for what they do, and they do it with impeccable style.

After 40 years, The Searchers are still a class act.