The Moody Blues Sing "Tuesday Afternoon" on a Monday Night

The Moody Blues / Jubliee Auditorium / Edmonton, Canada /October 3, 2011

The crowd that came out to see the iconic Rock band The Moody Blues perform at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada’s Jubilee Auditorium on October 3^rd was for the most part middle aged and seniors, but that did not stop them from forming a mosh pit in front of the stage, dancing to the music and reliving memories. Although, the concert was often marred by a poor sound mix, the performers overcame the challenge, as they frequently brought their fans to their feet, only moments into several familiar songs.

An offstage voice offered this simple introduction to the concert, “The Moody Blues,” and the band led by original members Justin Hayward (guitars and lead vocals), John Lodge (electric bass and lead vocals) and drummer Graeme Edge, took the stage, as they launched into the quick tempo song “The Voice,” from their 1981 album Long Distance Voyager. Stage left, Alan Hewitt was on organ and electric keyboards, while on stage right Julie Ragins was also on keys, as well as guitar and background vocals. The two remaining members of the band, drummer Gordon Marshall (yes there were two drummers) sat on a raised platform, several feet to the left of Edge and flautist / guitarist and background vocalist Norda Mullen joined Lodge and Hayward at the front of the stage and to their right.

Hewitt introduced the slower “The Day We Meet Again,” with electric keys, as the screen at the back of the stage burst into a kaleidoscope of colors and the stage was bathed in bluish-green light.  Wearing a long black and red dress, Norda Mullen’s flute introduced us to the 1978 release “Steppin’ In A Slide Zone,” as John Lodge took the lead on vocals. The song which is heavy on drums and features synthesizer vibes got the crowd in the mood to party. With the stage now dressed in green and violet light to match the swirling kaleidoscope behind the The Moody Blues, Lodge and Hayward drove this song with a spectacular display of guitar playing.

“Tuesday Afternoon,” a hit single from the band’s 1967 album Days of Future Passed, was barely a couple of bars old when an electric current ran through the audience, as they recognized the tune.  As good as the original cast for The Moody Blues still is, we must give Norda Mullen and Julie Ragins their due for providing some delicious vocal support and this writer cannot recall being at another concert when the audience served up almost as much applause for the flautist as they did for the guitarists, drummers and keyboardists.

Other highlights from the first set included the 1960’s rocking “Peak Hour,” and the rock missive “The Story In Your Eyes.”

In 1986 Justin Hayward penned “Your Wildest Dreams,” and he took the lead on the vocals for this beautiful song that wishes for a reuniting with a past love and the singer wonders aloud if she still thinks about him once in a while “in your wildest dreams.” For this song, Hayward turned in his electric guitar for a black acoustic.

Organ and flute introduced the meandering “Isn’t Life Strange,” another hit song, this time from their 1972 album Seventh Sojourn. Bassist John Lodge who served as the lead singer also wrote the song and in the slower parts, as he did on the original recording he let his voice linger on the phrasing, giving the listener time to ponder the words that rival the lyrics of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

The band performed the surrealistic “The Other Side of Life,” and for the Celtic infused Rock song “Higher and Higher,” Graeme Edge came out from behind his drum kit to dance across the front of the stage while playing the tambourine.

As The Moody Blues unleashed their 1973 hit single “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock and Roll Band),” the crowd which by now had been standing for almost the entire second set, clapped enthusiastically to the music, often singing the words back to the band. John Lodge’s bass solo was scintillating.

Graeme Edge again moved out from behind his drums, this time to read the introduction to the song that is most synonymous with Moody Blues, “Nights In White Satin,” (Days of Future Passed) and both during his recitation and the playing and singing of the song, time seemed to stand still.

For an encore The Moody Blues performed “Ride My See-Saw.”

Riveting Riffs Magazine would like to thank Live Nation for making it possible for us to review this concert

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