A NIGHT AT RED ROCKS WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (DVD)

It is surprising to notice that this dvd gets such a low rating. I rank it among the best I have seen, for the simple fact that the Moody Blues is in excellent shape, both vocally (Justin!) and musically, and that their classic songs blend perfectly in ths classical setting. Add to this that the venue is awesome (a natural amphitheatre in really red rocks) and the well chosen songs and there is your splendid show. The Moodies are not afraid of getting back in their own history when the orchestra sets off for a beautiful evening. The opening is absolutely great and can be seen and heard here in full length (it is really a shame that this piece of music was edited on the cd). When this is followed by 'Late lament', presented in his unique way by Ray Thomas, and the beautifully sung 'Tuesday afternoon' the evening is only at its beginning but promises to be unforgettable. 'For my lady' is a hardly ever played song from 'Seventh sojourn' and was the b-side of 'I'm just a singer...'. I personally like it very much for its simpleness and real British folky atmosphere and it is performed here flawlessly. The next song. 'New horizons' is a absolutely highlight. I rank it as the best song they ever recorded because of its melancholic melody and stunning orchestration, both on the studio album and in this live rendition. Actually this song alone is worth the purchase! It seemed impossible to keep up the high quality level the start of the show promises so it is no surprise trhat some weaker moments follow. 'Lean on me' and 'Gemini dream' are two of those weak moments, really simple songs without orchestra that can be considered fillers. But the Moodies pick up after that dip and perform some of their 'more recent' songs like 'The voice' and 'I know you're out there somewhere' which blend very well among their older work. Towards the end these old songs dominate again and rightly so, with another peak moment with 'Nights' and 'Question'.

Of course the band is not as dynamic as many seem used to and of course they are supported by some additional mjusicians, but that is their choice to make this a memorable evening!! And rightly so for the show lasts almost two hours and has so many highlights musically that I can watch it over and over again. This really is The Moody Blues at their best; it is too bad they don't perform more often with a full orchestra.