Founding Zombies frontman Colin Blunstone is taking part in a series of special events that will feature a screening of his band’s new documentary, Hung Up on a Dream. The events will be held at venues in seven U.S. cities this summer.
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The screenings will begin on July 9 in New York City and wind down on July 19 in Los Angeles. After the film, Blunstone will participate in a Q&A with the movie’s director, Robert Schwartzman. He also will take part in an acoustic performance with Schwartzman’s band, Rooney. Rooney is an L.A.-based power-pop group that toured with The Zombies in 2022.
The screening events will mark the first time Blunstone will perform live with Schwartzman. The filmmaker and musician considers The Zombies a major influence on his own music.
Blunstone said in a statement, “It’s been an emotional journey seeing The Zombies’ story brought to life in Robert’s beautifully-made film, and I’m looking forward to sharing the experience with audiences at these special events. And it will be good fun to join Robert and Rooney on stage for some live music!”
Added Schwartzman, “We’re in a time of great transition in the film industry and it’s very exciting to get a chance to shake up the theatrical experience. We’re taking Hung Up on a Dream: The Zombies Documentary to music venues around the country, pairing the screenings with live music performances. This will be a one-of-a-kind film & music event for fans.”
A Few Screening Events Also Are Taking Place in the U.K.
Meanwhile, a trio of special screening events are scheduled to take place in the U.K. prior to the U.S. screenings. At the U.K. events, all four surviving original Zombies members—Blunstone, keyboardist Rod Argent, bassist Chris White, and drummer Hugh Grundy—will be on hand to chat about the film with Schwartzman.
These events are scheduled for June 24 at the Finsbury Picturehouse in London, June 26 at the Hackney Picturehouse in London, and July 5 at the Odyssey Theatre in St Albans, U.K. St Albans is the hometown of The Zombies.
More About The Zombies
The Zombies initially enjoyed major success as part of the British Invasion. In 1964, the band scored two Top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100—“She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No.”
Shortly after they recorded their second album, Odessey and Oracle, though, The Zombies broke up. The album, which now is considered their masterpiece, was released in April and July 1968, respectively, in the U.K. and the U.S.
Odessey and Oracle included “Time of the Season,” which became a surprise smash in the U.S. in 1969. By that time, though, The Zombies’ members had moved on to other musical endeavors.
The group reunited briefly in the late 1980s and early ’90s. Then, in 2001, Argent and Blunstone re-formed The Zombies as a full-time band again. This began an improbable new chapter in the group’s history. In the ensuing years, The Zombies’ popularity and recognition soared again as they toured extensively and released several new studio albums. In 2019, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Zombies continued to tour until July 2024, when Argent announced his retirement from live performances after he suffered a stroke.
More About Hung Up on a Dream
Hung Up on a Dream got its world premiere at the 2023 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. The film got its wide theatrical release in May 2025.
The documentary tells the band’s unusual story via archival footage and performances, and new interviews with the group’s members. The movie also features appearances by some contemporary artists who are fans and/or were influenced by The Zombies. Among them are Dave Grohl, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Harry Styles, Finneas, Haim, and Paul Weller.
Hung Up on a Dream U.S. Screening Events:
July 9 – New York, NY @ The Gramercy Theatre
July 11 – Somerville, MA @ Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre
July 13 – Falls Church, VA @ State Theatre
July 15 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
July 16 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
July 18 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
July 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether
(Photo by Lorne Thomson/Redferns)
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