Monday, August 27, 2012

Zombies/Left Banke show review

Zombies/Left Banke
Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
August 5 & 6, 2012
from forthcoming post of Big Takeover website

One always dreams of seeing two of their favorite bands in the same show, teaming up for a great double-bill. In the case of the Zombies and the Left Banke, it took a few decades for this dream pairing to happen. And now that it has come to fruition, I want to see this again, very soon.

I have been lucky enough to watch and photograph the Left Banke's return to the stage, beginning with their triumphant reunion shows at Joe's Pub last year. The band, led by original members Tom Finn and George Cameron, has fully succeeded in bringing the multi-layered sound of their recordings to the stage. Keyboardists, a string section, and fantastic lead vocals from new vocalist Mike Fornatale all help bring out the sound of the band that you know, and love. The band powered through 14 songs in 40 minutes, and received standing ovations on both nights. And they deserved it. Believe the hype, and believe again in this band.

What can I say about the Zombies? This was the first time that I've seen the current band in four years, and their vocals are still spot-on. Both Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent sound better than when I last saw them. When Blunstone starts hitting the high notes of their opening song, "I Love You," my first thought was, "How can he still DO that?" And then Blunstone and company proceed to do just again for two hours. The six-song set of songs from Odessey and Oracle was a welcome highlight, and the songs from the band's new album, Breathe Out Breathe In, sound even better in a live setting.

There is talk of more shows with these two titans of 60s pop, and I really hope that this happens. Both bands bring out the best in each other, and give fans what they've been waiting for. Be it 1966, or 2012, the Time Of The Season has truly come for both bands.
-Daniel Coston

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