Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

When the Cat’s Away to headline Napier’s free Christmas concert

Hawkes Bay Today
14 Oct, 2024 11:40 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
When the Cat's Away – Annie Crummer (left), Debbie Harwood, Dianne Swann and Kim Willoughby – are rehearsing for their Christmas concert in Napier as part of the city's 150th-anniversary celebrations.

When the Cat's Away – Annie Crummer (left), Debbie Harwood, Dianne Swann and Kim Willoughby – are rehearsing for their Christmas concert in Napier as part of the city's 150th-anniversary celebrations.

After months of planning, anticipation and rehearsals, the cat’s finally out of the bag.

Legendary female supergroup of the 80s, When the Cat’s Away, are making a triumphant return for a special one-off free concert to mark Napier’s 150th anniversary following the Harcourts Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 7.

Best known for hits such as Melting Pot, Free Ride and Asian Paradise, original band members Debbie Harwood, Annie Crummer, Kim Willoughby and Dianne Swann will light up Napier’s Soundshell for an unforgettable afternoon filled with all their iconic hits.

Vocalist and founding band member Debbie Harwood, who is Napier born and bred, says it’s incredibly special for the band to come together for such a significant occasion, following the death of beloved band member Margaret Urlich.

“I am so excited to be coming home for a rare When the Cat’s Away concert. It’s going to be a beautiful celebration and I couldn’t think of a better place and reason to perform.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Sadly, our dear friend Margy can’t be with us, but we’ll be singing for her too, with a set list of much-loved songs including some of hers. When we walk on stage the crowd’s smiling faces bring us pure joy every time. I can’t wait for that feeling again – it’s magic.”

Like the cat that got the cream, Napier City Council event manager Kevin Murphy says he’s thrilled to welcome When the Cat’s Away back to Napier for their first gig in Hawke’s Bay since their Mission Concert in 2008.

“This band has deep ties to our community, making their return especially fitting as we celebrate Napier’s 150th anniversary. Music has always been an essential part of Napier’s identity and this commemoration wouldn’t be complete without a concert.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“I expect it will bring back great memories for a lot of people.”

When the Cat’s Away will be supported by a nine-piece band who, Harwood admits, are astounding in their own right and feature four players who were in the original 80s line-up of When the Cat’s Away:

• Brett Adams – guitarist (The Mockers/When the Cat’s Away/Tim Finn)

• Gary Verberne – guitarist (DD Smash/Legionnaires/When the Cat’s Away)

• Barbara Griffin – keys (Holidaymakers/When the Cat’s Away)

• Mike Russell – trumpet (Netherworld Dancing Toys/Midnight Oil/When the Cat’s Away)

• Nick Atkinson – saxophone (Supergroove)

• Anthony Grey – keys

• Hayden Wharewaka – drums

• Brinnie Nepia – bass

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• Gail Tipene – backing vocals

The festivities will start at 2.30pm on Saturday, December 7, featuring local bands Spitfires and Deep Fried Funk as the opening acts.


Save
    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Premium
Hawkes Bay Today

Battle of the Bays: Stage set for an NPC cracker

Premium
Hawkes Bay Today

'Truly talented': Hawke's Bay designers shine at bathroom and kitchen awards

Hawkes Bay Today

Two youths in custody after Napier liquor store ram raid


Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Premium
Premium
Battle of the Bays: Stage set for an NPC cracker
Hawkes Bay Today

Battle of the Bays: Stage set for an NPC cracker

Game on: Bay of Plenty fourth, the Magpies fifth, both coming off big wins.

08 Sep 03:59 AM
Premium
Premium
'Truly talented': Hawke's Bay designers shine at bathroom and kitchen awards
Hawkes Bay Today

'Truly talented': Hawke's Bay designers shine at bathroom and kitchen awards

07 Sep 10:10 PM
Two youths in custody after Napier liquor store ram raid
Hawkes Bay Today

Two youths in custody after Napier liquor store ram raid

07 Sep 09:00 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP