Nov. 19, 1978 review: The Moody Blues in the Aud

 


A blast from the not-too-distant past.

Nov. 19, 1978 review

Like Fine Wine, Moody Blues Have Aged Well

         The Moody Blues returned to Memorial Auditorium Saturday night for the first time in five years and took 16,000 devotees on a magic carpet ride back to the nights in white satin, back to when the giddiness of the 1960s was turning into the fantasies of the ‘70s.

         During their long layoff, everyone in the British-bred group has married and had children, but they’ve survived very well indeed.

         The front line – Justin Hayward, Ray Thomas and John Lodge – was more hale and hearty than ever. The harmonies were in place. The new songs were brisk and agreeable. The one ones throbbed with fresh life. In fact, they rocked out gloriously.

         Substituting for Mike Pinder, the man who gave the group the sound of a thousand violins via the mellotron, was Patrick Moraz, formerly the keyboardman with Yes.

         Moraz replicated Pinder’s sound to a point, but his sophisticated touches with organ and synthesizer were evident all along, especially in the rollicking “I’m Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band.”

         He and flutist Thomas gave a playful duet to illuminate “Legend of a Mind.” Moraz was introduced as “our new brother” and got a sustained cheer.

         Another revelation was Graeme Edge’s liberal use of electronic drums, which added a ricocheting “Star Wars” element to the music and pleased fans no end.

         Playing under a horseshoe-shaped bank of speakers suspended above the stage, bathed primarily in red and yellow light, the Moodies played a 100-minute set which included eight songs from their reunion album, “Octave,” and virtually all their old favorites except “Go Now.”

         “I’m Just a Singer …” drew wild cheers and the final “Question” ended with fans lighting matches, candles and fireworks in a mighty ovation. “Ride My See Saw” from the 1968 album “In Search of the Lost Chord” was the encore. It seemed as fresh as ever. Could it be the Moody Blues have found the secret of eternal youth?

* * * * *

IN THE PHOTO: Concert program photo from the 1978-79 Moody Blues Octave tour.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTE: The Moody Blues plunked down into a very different world from the one they left when they took their extended break in 1974. Furthermore, they had to make their reentry  without keyboardist and creative force Mike Pinder, who left in the middle of the sessions for "Octave," their first album to be recorded outside the U.K. It wasn't easy. When they got to the Aud, they were two weeks into the North American part of the tour and they'd found their footing. Here's what setlist.fm says they played that night:

Steppin' in a Slide Zone

Tuesday Afternoon

Twilight Time

The Day We Meet Again

The Story in Your Eyes

I'm Your Man

Top Rank Suite

Isn't Life Strange

Driftwood

I'll Be Level With You

Gypsy

Survival

The Balance

I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)

Nights in White Satin

Legend of a Mind

Question

(encore)

Ride My See-Saw

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