The Zombies have always had a little piece of my heart, the legendary sixties band were on epic form at Poole Lighthouse and it was a magical evening exploring both their fantastic back catalogue as well as showcasing their critically-acclaimed latest album ‘Different Game’ which attained a position of 15 in the UK Charts.
Their latest album showcases a band at the top of its game and it’s their first release since 2015’s ‘Still Got That Hunger’. Their set was a delightful combination of both the old and the new with The Zombies effortlessly navigating from songs from their first ever recording session, deep cuts and of course, some serious fan favourites!
The Zombies kicked off proceedings with some of the material from their early years, all of which sounded as fresh and vital as ever. From ‘I Want You Back Again’ to the beautiful ‘Summertime’, the band and the audience were transported back to the swinging sixties when the band first released their debut album ‘Begin Here’ which was a mixture of covers and original material.
One particular standout was the jubilant ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me / Bring It On Home’ (which was originally sung by Smokey Robinson and Sam Cooke respectively) as well as ‘Hold Your Head Up’ which was originally sung by Argent (Rod Argent and Chris White from the band.
Despite the original band breaking up in 1967, you can’t imagine the 60’s without some of their most-loved hits which were included in the third part of their storming set. The tracks were taken from the first ever album they produced – ‘Odessey and Oracle’ which was the last album the band released.
They performed one of my favourite ever tracks ‘This Will Be Our Year,’ which was a touching and tender rendition elevated by Rod’s beautiful piano playing. The track was covered by OK Go in 2021 and their version helped reignite attention for this stunning song.
The psychedelic vibes continued with ‘A Rose For Emily, ‘Care For Cell 44’ and of course the ‘Time Of The Season’ which had the audience singing along. Three of these tracks were written by Rod Argent (with ‘This Will Be Our Year’ being written by Chris White, who during the group’s initial heyday was their original bassist and, along with Argent, one of its two primary songwriters).
Of course, one of the highlights was the magnificent ‘She’s Not There’ where the band had the audience in the palm of their hands. Everyone was utterly transfixed and for me, this is one of the best songs of the sixties.
This was a mesmerising and evocative performance from the 2019 Hall Of Fame inductees who charmed the audience and showcased why The Zombies musicality and songwriting that still stand the test of time.
Photo Credits- Joe Flanagan and Emma Harrison
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