More than 50 years after landing their first two singles on the Billboard chart at the height of the British Invasion, “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No,” and with the golden anniversary of their landmark album Odessey and Oracle coming up next year, The Zombies have announced a new North American tour and the release of a coffee-table book commemorating that classic album. (Order the album here.)
The spring 2017 trek across the U.S. and Canada, which will continue to England and Europe later next year, includes the final full-album performances of Odessey and Oracle reuniting all four surviving members of the group: Colin Blunstone on lead vocals, Rod Argent on keyboards/vocals, Chris White on bass/vocals and Hugh Grundy on drums. Along with founding members Blunstone and Argent, the current lineup of the Zombies, celebrating their current release Still Got That Hunger, includes bassist Jim Rodford, guitarist Tom Toomey and Steve Rodford (Jim’s son) on drums.
Recorded in 1967, Odessey and Oracle ultimately produced the classic rock group’s biggest hit, “Time of the Season,” but the single did not take off until 1969, after the Zombies had broken up. The book, which will be published by BMG in March, will be an album-sized (12” x 12”) volume of the lyrics of Odessey and Oracle, as well as many of their other popular songs, handwritten by the authors. Original artwork will accompany the lyrics—from both Terry Quirk who created the iconic cover artwork for Odessey and Oracle, and Vivienne Boucherat, who created individual works for each O&O song, inspired by both the songs and Quirk’s original work. The book’s text will include anecdotes behind the songs and their recording, all from the original members.
Related: Read BCB’s review of an Odessey and Oracle show from 2015
The Zombies 2017 Tour Dates
March 17 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside (Philadelphia), PA
March 18 – Penn’s Peak – Jim Thorpe, PA
March 20 – Carolina Theatre of Durham – Durham, NC
March 21 – Sandler Center for the Performing Arts – Virginia Beach, VA
March 23 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
March 25 – Town Hall – New York, NY
March 28 – The Wilbur Theatre – Boston, MA
March 30 – The Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT
March 31 – Calvin Theatre – Northampton, MA
April 1 – Imperial Cinema – Montreal, QC
April 2 – The Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON
April 4 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak (Detroit), MI
April 5 – Lorain Palace Theater – Lorain (Cleveland), OH
April 7 – Golden Nugget – Biloxi, MS
April 8 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
April 9 – Tennessee PAC James K. Polk Theater – Nashville, TN
April 11 – Sangamon Auditorium at University of Illinois Springfield – Springfield, IL
April 13 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL
April 15 – Barrymore Theatre – Madison, WI
April 17 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
April 18 – Club Regent Casino Concert Bowl – Winnipeg, MB
April 21 – Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
April 22 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
April 23 – Aladdin Theater – Portland, OR
April 25 – The UC Theatre – Berkeley, CA
April 29 – (to be announced) – Los Angeles, CA
Related: BCB speaks with singer Colin Blunstone
Watch the Zombies perform “Care of Cell 44” from the Odessey and Oracle album in 2015
