Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

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

The Moody Blues

Crossover Prog


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

The Moody Blues A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (DVD) album cover
3.34 | 26 ratings | 4 reviews | 27% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

Write a review

Buy THE MOODY BLUES Music
from Progarchives.com partners
DVD/Video, released in 1993

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Overture (Ride my see-saw/Tuesday afternoon/Nights in white satin)
2. Late Lament
3. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)
4. For My Lady
5. New Horizon
6. Lean on Me (Tonight)
7. Lovely to See You
8. Gemini Dream
9. I Know You're Out There Somewhere
10. The Voice
11. Say it With Love
12. The Story in Your Eyes
13. Your Wildest Dreams
14. Isn't Life Strange
15. The Other Side of Life
16. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)
17. Nights in White Satin
18. Question
19. Ride My See-Saw

Total running time 95 minutes


Line-up / Musicians

- Graeme Edge / drums
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, vocals

WITH:
- Spencer Allen / keyboards
- Paul Bliss / keyboards
- Bias Boschell / keyboards
- June Boyce / backing vocals
- Matt McShane / guitar
- Sue Shattock / backing vocals
- Allan Terry / drums
- The Colorado Symphony Orchestra



Releases information

Universal Records 440 086 761-9

Released on Video and DVD

Thanks to easy livin for the addition
and to SouthSideoftheSky for the last updates
Edit this entry

Buy THE MOODY BLUES A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (DVD) Music



THE MOODY BLUES A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (DVD) ratings distribution


3.34
(26 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(27%)
27%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(46%)
46%
Good, but non-essential (12%)
12%
Collectors/fans only (15%)
15%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

THE MOODY BLUES A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (DVD) reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Easy Livin
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
4 stars Hope it doesn't rain

Red Rocks, for those who have not had the pleasure of visiting it, is a natural amphitheatre near Denver in the USA, into which an outdoor concert arena has been built. A number of artists have released live albums recorded there, usually inspired by the favourable acoustics. Here, the generously sized stage at Red rocks copes easily with the band and the large orchestra which supports them.

This concert by the Moody Blues is available both on DVD and CD. While the DVD does not offer any extras it does contain the complete audio/visual experience of the concert. The DVD also scores over the original single CD release through its running time. Here the show lasts for over 95 minutes.

For anyone of a "certain age", you will be all too aware of the fact that these days if you go to a gig by the Moody Blues, Yes, etc., the same people who were at the gig 30 years previously seem to be there again. So it is here, the audience are generally a bit greyer and/or a bit balder, as indeed are the band!

The songs included in the concert are largely predictable, their live repertoire showing relatively minor variations over the years. There is no criticism in this, the tracks selected are among the band's best, and cover a good cross section of their albums.

The performance is as might be expected from such an accomplished group of musicians, and the songs are in the main faithfully recreated. The addition of an orchestra does enhance the overall sound, but they are kept firmly in check in terms of the mix, with the band very much to the fore. There are some notable exceptions, such as the wonderful orchestral break on "Isn't life strange", which helps to give this majestic song an impressive new dimension.

In all, a good "Best of" package which manages to recreate the original studio performances well in a live environment. The DVD adds a welcome extra dimension to the experience.

Review by Tarcisio Moura
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars After hearing the excellent CD recording of this specific concert I decided I had to have this DVD. Upon on playing it I was very disappointed. Not with the songs, they are all top notch. But the group stage perfomance... well, I heard they were never a really good live band and now I found they did not got any better with time. Those guys stand there playing with absolute no charisma, looking almost like amateurs in front of an audience: no stage moves, rarely speaking and genewrally looking awkward. Hey, if they did better shows I donīt know of any. This time they just were not convincing, even with their sound beefed up with the help of 3 keyboards players, 2 backing singers, add guitar and drums and even a full orchestra!

Itīs really a shame that such a fine collection of songs, some of them all time classics, are perfomed so dully. Better stick to the CD, which I always hear with pleasure. The DVD I sold as quick as I could. My rating: 5 stars for the repertoire, 1 star at the most for the perfomance. 2 stars overall, a good DVD to hear, not to watch. Buy the CD, itīs better and cheaper.

Review by SouthSideoftheSky
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Team
3 stars Nights in red rock

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.

Latest members reviews

4 stars 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 t ... (read more)

Report this review (#832400) | Posted by Theo Verstrael | Wednesday, October 3, 2012 | Review Permanlink

Post a review of THE MOODY BLUES "A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (DVD)"

You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.