Following a BBC interview in 2010 where Paul Weller sites his favourite band as The Zombies and covered one of their hits “Time Of The Season”, Paul Weller is finally set to realise his dream and will join the iconic 60’s band on stage at The Barbican 7th June 2024. Along with special guests that include Irwin Sparkes (The Hoosiers) and Sarah Brown (Simple Minds) plus more to be announced in the New Year.
Zombies at the Tivoli Theatre 2023 (credit Quiz Britain)
2023 has been a whirlwind year for The Zombies. They released a new album, ‘Different Game’, to widespread critical acclaim, curated their first-ever home town festival & started the year with a 23-date tour that received stellar reviews for their sold-out UK shows. The Summer saw them win back their catalogue and perform at festivals such as Wilderness, Wickham & New Day.
Today The Zombies announce their 2024 UK Tour, Celebrating 60 Years on Tape – from ‘She’s Not There’ to ‘Different Game’, marking the anniversary of their remarkable and influential recording career. Culminating at London’s Barbican on June 7th, the band will be joined on stage by an amazing lineup of special guests, including Paul Weller, Irwin Sparkes (Hoosiers) & Sarah Brown, with others to be announced in the new year.
Expect plenty of surprises on the night for another first-of-its-kind show for this iconic band, whose career has now spanned over 6 Decades!
Colin Blunstone & Rod Argent – Photography by ALEX LAKE insta @twoshortdays WWW.TWOSHORTDAYS.COM
The 2024 Tour band members are the current line-up of: Rod Argent (Keys and vocals) Colin Blunstone (Lead Vocals), Steve Rodford (Drums), Tom Toomey (Guitar) & Søren Koch (Bass)
The Zombies formed in the historic Cathedral city of St Albans in 1961 with Argent and Blunstone, alongside Chris White (Bass), Paul Atkinson (Guitar) and Hugh Grundy (drums).
Their first single ‘She’s Not There’ on Decca Records, rocketed to the top of the charts in 1964 on both sides of the pond. They were the second UK band following The Beatles to score a #1 hit in America, infiltrating the airwaves with sophisticated melodies, breathy vocals, choral back-up harmonies and jazzy keyboard riffs.
The original line-up disbanded just before achieving their greatest success – the worldwide chart-topping single ‘Time of the Season’, from their swan-song album ‘Odessey and Oracle’, ranked in the Top 100 of Rolling Stone’s ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time.’
To this day, generations of new bands have cited The Zombies’ work as pop touchstones, and the band continues to be embraced by new generations of fans.
Following the break-up of the original band, lead singer Colin Blunstone went on to develop an acclaimed solo career, while Rod Argent (writer, keys, vocals) rocked arenas in the 1970s with his eponymous band Argent, but the legend of The Zombies continued to take on a life of its own.
By the start of the new Millennium, Blunstone and Argent were inspired to resurrect The Zombies, which has led to several critically acclaimed new albums and 2 decades of worldwide concert performances. In 2019 the original line-up was inducted into The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.
See the Paul Weller ‘Time Of The Season’ Youtube video HERE
THE ZOMBIES 2024 TOUR – Celebrating 60 Years on Tape
21-May-2024 Lighthouse Poole
22-May-2024 Corn Exchange Exeter
24-May-2024 Opera House Buxton
26-May-2024 RNCM Manchester
27-May-2024 City Varieties Leeds
28-May-2024 Town Hall Birmingham
30-May-2024 The Playhouse Whitley Bay
1-Jun-2024 Queen’s Hall Edinburgh
4-Jun-2024 St. Georges Bristol
7-Jun-2024 Barbican Centre London
14-Ju -2024 Brewery Arts Centre Kendal
For tickets, go to www.thezombiesmusic.com/tour