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

This film was originally released in 1992 and as it is stated at the back of the box 'it's been more than twenty-five years since The Moody Blues began weaving their uniquely melodic spell on rock 'n' roll'. Now it has been another 17 years since this video was released. These guys are as old as The Beatles, The Who, Procol Harum and Pink Floyd and were already touring America when the likes of Yes, Genesis and King Crimson were just starting out making music.

On this DVD we get a full live performance by the band together with The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, filmed and recorded at Red Rocks in Colorado. The set list features songs from the 60's, 70's, 80' and 90's. The show starts with an overture played by the orchestra alone. The overture is interrupted by Graeme Edge reading Late Lament - a piece of poetry. Then the band is introduced and start the show proper with Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon). Personally, I think that this is a far too slow start of the concert. And this is not helped by the fact that they continue with Ray Thomas' slick For My Lady, Justin Hayward's New Horizons and John Lodge' Lean On Me (Tonight) - a symphonic overture, a piece of contemplative poetry and four ballads is not a very good way to start a rock concert in my opinion! Lovely To See You raises the tempo somewhat, but it isn't until Gemini Dream that the show really takes off. After this very late take off, the show is pretty good from then onwards.

I got this DVD at the same time as another Moody Blues DVD called Lovely To See You Live - a filmed show from the new millennium. The set lists are very similar. There were some songs that were new to me at the time like Lean On Me (Tonight), I Know You're Out There Somewhere, Say It With Love and Your Wildest Dreams. Of these I Know You're Out There Somewhere and Your Wildest Dreams are as good as anything from the band's classic period. The Voice from Long Distance Voyager is my personal favourite here, though. This album was the first Moody Blues album to feature Patrick Moraz. But Moraz is sadly nowhere to be found on this DVD.

The rockier side of the band - the side I much prefer - is further represented by The Story In Your Eyes, I'm Just A Rock & Roll Singer (In A Rock & Roll Band) and Question - all good rock songs. But there is hardly anything about them that I would say is progressive.

An annoying thing about this concert film is that Ray Thomas feels largely like the fifth wheel, spending most of the concert just sitting there and only occasionally playing a bit of flute or tambourine and singing a couple of songs.

The ending of the show suffers from the same problem as the start of the concert. After the eternal Nights In White Satin and the more up-tempo Question, which would have been a perfect place to stop, they insist on playing Ride My See-Saw, which for me is something of an anti-climax.

The Moody Blues is not one of my favourite bands, and this DVD, like the other Moody Blues DVD I mentioned, though both enjoyable, will not chance that.

Good, but non-essential.

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