All the original members of the Moody Blues have sadly passed away but seeing as the two new boys that joined the band in 1966, as it effectively transitioned away from an R‘n’B band to become a Progressive Rock band, were an indispensable and key component of the music that most people associate with the distinctive Moody Blues sound, it would be churlish to regard those new boys, John Lodge and Justin Hayward as anything other than 100% authentic representatives of the Moody Blues legacy. They perform the Moody’s music separately these days so a performance by John Lodge on his current UK tour was about as good a chance to hear an authentic rendition of the classic Moody Blues sound as you can currently get (at least until Justin Hayward tours the UK in the Autumn!).

The supreme quality of the songs, the excellent sound quality in the G-Live auditorium (it has to be said that this is a really welcoming venue to visit, with friendly staff and excellent amenities) combined with the brilliant musicianship of the band made this a really memorable evening. John Lodge, a sprightly figure resplendent in Rock star, not quite leather, not quite PVC strides (the sort you might wear during a serious mid-life crisis if not a musician) commanded the stage with his bass and was casually charismatic as he added a bit of a background to certain songs in his mild brummy accent. He was in fine voice too, particularly for someone in their 81st year, but sensibly was joined by current Yes vocalist Jon Davison on some songs to do the heavy lifting in the upper register.

The performance was split into two sections, an opening one that included a selection of classic Moody Blues numbers, focusing on John Lodge compositions, and, following an interval, a second half in which the seminal album ‘Days Of Future Passed’ was played in its entirety. The first set kicked off with the moody slow opening of ‘Steppin’ In A Slide Zone’, synths and guitar lines overlapping before the rollicking groove of the song really got going. ‘Talking Out of Turn’, ‘Isn’t Life Strange’, ‘Legend of a Mind’ all followed; big tunes, anthemic choruses, with memorable instrumentation. Jon Davison joined and took the lead on ‘The Voice’. The harmonies on this by Lodge and the band were excellent, providing the full Moody style multi-layered vocal delivery. The first set ended with the classic song that says it all ‘I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock ‘n’ Roll Band)’. Duffy King on guitar was excellent and joined Lodge for several moments of twin guitar posturing (which as a photographer I was eminently grateful for). Billy Ashbaugh on drums was a little hidden behind perspex baffles at the back of the stage but performed his role admirably as part of a highly proficient band.

The second set (as the first had been) was preceded by footage of Graeme Edge intoning mystically on the back projection, to further cement the nostalgic atmosphere. The recreation by the six piece band of the orchestra driven ‘Days Of Future Passed’ was just superb. A big shout out has to go to Alan Hewitt on keys, a long time associate of Lodge’s, who in his role as musical director was playing multiple parts on different keyboards most of the time, without seeming to break sweat. Equally prominent was the role of Jason Charboneau on cello. The combination of his amplified playing and the orchestral and other synths created a huge sound that beautifully recreated the classic album. This was lovely music, which you could sit back and just let wash over you. Jon Davison returned to take the lead on ‘Tuesday Afternoon’, which has a gorgeous melody and typifies the Moody Blues sound, the main vocal melody soaring into a unique harmonic space that other bands never seem to venture into. The evening ended with a majestic performance of ‘Night In White Satin’, Jon Davison back on lead vocal and a rousing encore of ‘Ride My See Saw’. Great songs, a great performance and a great night.

Simon Green