The Zombies News

(2/17/99, 1 a.m. PST) - Colin Blunstone, the former Zombies singer renowned for his hauntingly beautiful vocals on "Time Of The Season" and other hits, played his second of two sold-out New York City shows Sunday. The pair of gigs marked his first appearance in the city since 1973.

The shows, at the classy East Village nightclub Fez, were arranged by Zombies superfan Ed Rogers, who masterminded Epic Records' 1995 compilation Some Years: It's The Time Of Colin Blunstone. In assembling Blunstone's backing band, Rogers took the unusual step of hiring local indie rock musicians, most of them already Blunstone fans. The resulting group was extraordinarily authentic, right down to the violin section, which was led by Tracy Bonham.

From the moment Blunstone took the stage to the sound of the opening notes of his solo tune "Wonderful," he owned the room. The audience broke the East Village's code of coolness, showing unabashed admiration--even 1964-style high-pitched screams. The still-handsome Blunstone, as slight and suave as ever and wearing a modest black suit, repaid their enthusiasm with a truly stunning performance.

By the look of the crowd, it was possible that many of them could have attended Blunstone's last area show, in 1973 at Max's Kansas City. At the same time, there was no shortage of younger fans, many of them mop-topped '60s revivalists. Blunstone's setlist was well-calculated to please both camps. He did early-'70s solo gems such as "Caroline Goodbye," "I Don't Believe In Miracles," and "Say You Don't Mind" (successfully hitting its notorious high note), as well as all three of the Zombies' top 10 hits--"She's Not There," "Tell Her No," and "Time Of The Season." Added surprises included two of the Zombies' grooviest big-beat numbers, "Just Out Of Reach" and "Indication," and no less than four tracks from their classic 1968 album Odessey And Oracle. The band had clearly taken pains to rehearse the songs' original arrangements; complex Odessey numbers such as "Care Of Cell 44" and "A Rose For Emily" were done so perfectly that they could have come off the original record. Fortunately, Blunstone's awe-inspiring voice, which still glides seemingly effortlessly between breathy whispers and soaring crescendos, was a passionate reminder that the tunes remain timeless.

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-- Dawn Eden, New York

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