Story & Photographs by Diane Fleischman
The legendary British band, The Moody Blues, performed Tuesday night at the Sands Event Center before a sold-out crowd. This tour celebrates the 50 year anniversary release of “Days of Future Passed”. And while 50 years may have passed, The Moodies, Justin Hayward, John Lodge, and Graeme Edge, took the stage with great stride, as they appeared in great shape for three men in their seventies. Edge, the oldest of the group is 76 years old this year.
The concert was broken down in two sets, first, the hits. They opened with “I’m Just a Singer (for a Rock and Roll Band)”, followed by “The Voice”. Both of these songs transported the crowd back to yesteryear, as they were played as close as one could imagine to the original release. It was a time when music and lyrics were paramount. It was a time where the lyrics shaped who we became. “Make a promise, take a vow, and trust your feelings, it’s easy now. Understand the voice within, and feel the changes already beginning.”
Other classics included, “Steppin’ in a Slide Zone”, “Say it With Love”, and “Nervous”. Then they jumped to their 1986 release, a true gem, “Your Wildest Dreams”. The set closed with “The Story in Your Eyes”, which offered classic harmonies of the Moody Blues sound, and the audience clapped along.
After a brief intermission, the second set began with a narrative by Jeremy Irons, which swept into the beginning of “Days of Future Passed” with “Dawn is a Feeling”. Lodge told the crowd, “In 1967 we went into Decca Records in London and made a record that changed our lives forever.”
The beloved classic, “Tuesday Afternoon” full of spiritual joy, received the first standing ovation. And while the band’s vocals remained remarkably intact for each song, they also brought along a great lighting scheme and graphic production, which enhanced each song as we were visually whisked through the meadows to the oceans, with plenty of flashback photos of the Moodies.
The set closed with “Nights in White Satin”, the one song where the audience could not get enough, and brought another standing ovation. It was in fact an amazing vocal performance from Hayward, the vocals deep, rich, and recreated that sense of longing.
The Moody Blues returned to the stage for a two-song encore, “Question”, and “Ride My See-Saw”.
“Days of Future Passed” continues their celebration tour. The 50-year anniversary of it’s release is slightly shadowed by another 50 year release anniversary from The Beatles “Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” album. As many fans left The Sands.
Moody Blues Links
 |
 |
 |
 |
