LIVE REVIEW : THE ZOMBIES ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALLS 26/09/2012

This year sees The Zombies celebrating  the 50th anniversary of their 1st get together in St Albans. After touring America this summer, they did a UK tour in September followed by a short visit to Japan. A rather hearty touring schedule for a band whose members are nearing seventy !!! I had seen them in 2008 performing Odessey and Oracle in its entirety at the Hammersmith Apollo with Chris White and Hugh Bundy from the original line-up.This show at the Islington Assembly Halls featured the touring version of The Zombies that includes founding members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, Jim Rodford on bass guitar, Steve Rodford on Drums and Tom Toomey on guitar.

The set list featured quite a few numbers from their latest LP "Breathe Out, Breathe In" which sounded really good early sixties hits and songs of Odessey and Oracle. All the material from that album was grouped together in the middle of the show (played in that order : "A Rose for Emily", "Care of Cell 44", "This Will Be Our Year","Beachwood Park", "I Want Her She Wants Me" and finally "Time of the Season"). Songs from Argent's and Blunstone's post-Zombies material were also included in the set. It blended well with the rest on some occasions ("Old and Wise", "I Don't Believe in Miracles") and less well on others ("What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" and the repetitive "Hold Your Head Up"). The band was genuinely pleased to be there and kept thanking the crowd for coming over to see them. The only mishap of the evening was when Rod Argent made a rather insensitive reference to original guitar player Paul Atkinson's passing while introducing new recruit Tom Toomey. The gig finished with an energetic version of "Just out of Reach" and their cover of George Gershwin's "Summertime".