Gig review: COLIN BLUNSTONE – The Sub Rooms, Stroud, 14 May 2026

May 15th, 2026 by GRTR! HQ

Colin Blunstone represents that rare and sadly dying breed of consummate performer, with six decades of trial and tribulation in the music industry. A real trooper.

As Colin recounted tonight his period of chart activity with The Zombies was short lived in the late 1960s and since that time – as a solo artist – he’s experienced the highs and lows, waiting for the phone to ring with a new project or opportunity. As he said, if you experience similar take a bath, the phone is bound to ring. He even referred to some half-remembered TV and radio commercials work.

Tonight’s sortie was characterised by Colin’s engaging between song banter, a real honest professional. But six decades on, more importantly the voice is still intact and the tunes still resonant.

Backed with an excellent band who gave full flowering to the back catalogue, the gig started in retro Zombies-related mode with Dave Bainbridge’s Hammond a real highlight as it was throughout.

But it wasn’t long before the big hitters were brought out with ‘I Don’t Believe In Miracles’, ‘Say You Don’t Mind’ and ‘What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted’ all hitting the mark. An acoustic interlude had Bainbridge pick up guitar and together with guitarist Soren Koch enhanced ‘Keep The Curtains Closed’ and ‘Misty Roses’.

It was, though, Bainbridge’s Hammond playing that was the quiet (or maybe loud?) revelation in this set: I’d always thought of him as a guitarist in bands like Iona and more latterly The Strawbs.

The killer app was his superb orchestration of the evening’s highlight, the song that Blunstone performed with the Alan Parsons Project on ‘Eye In The Sky’ back in 1982. This rendition of ‘Old And Wise’ was topped off with a powerful solo from Koch and indeed the song’s import could well be the singer’s (and most of the audience’s) epitaph giving it added poignancy.

For the finale, it was back to the sixties and that Hammond delighted again on ‘She’s Not There’.

As far as the setlist goes, there was perhaps too much emphasis on Colin’s debut solo album ‘One Year’ (understandable as it is a more recent expanded reissue) and whilst he is now the keeper of The Zombies flame that era can sometimes sound a little dated and cultist. It’s a shame that selections from his more contemporary albums (mainly the superb ‘On The Air Tonight’ but also ‘The Ghost Of You And Me’) were omitted.

Our recent feature in the “GRTR! Greats” series will reveal the wealth of material to further investigate.

A sixty year-plus career peppered with great stuff is an amazing achievement and with “that voice” and charm still present and correct.

Review and photos by David Randall

Setlist:

Indication/I Really Do Love You/Tell Her No/I Remember When I Loved Her/It’s Alright With Me/If It Don’t Work Out/I Don’t Believe In Miracles/Say You Don’t Mind/What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted/Time To Move/This Will Be Our Year/Hung Up On A Dream/Time Of The Season/Let Me Come Closer/Keep The Curtains Closed/Misty Roses/Any Other Way/Caroline Goodbye/Andorra/Old And Wise/She’s Not There/Just Out Of Reach

GRTR! Greats (March 2026)

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 26 April 2026.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). First broadcast on 21 April 2026

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Power Plays w/c 11 May 2026

BREITLER Sentinel (El Puerto Records)
FIRE IN HER EYES Too Late To Change (indie)
KING FALCON Wait (indie)
BEAUTIFUL SKELETONS Come What May (indie)
KARIN PARK Shadow (Size Records)
HARSH Don’t Mess With Me (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 11 May 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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