Customer Reviews

Moody Blues - Live at Montreux 1991

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The 1991/1992 "Tour of the Kingdom" by The Moody Blues was one for the history books. Those who are concerned that this is just another "A Night at Red Rocks," let me assure you that it is not. This is the concert that was broadcast in part on ABC's "In Concert 91" in August of 1991. The Keys of the Kingdom album had just been released earlier that summer, and the band was on fire now that they'd dumped most of their 80s style synth-programming. They still had energy performing "Say it With Love" (something lost by the time the Red Rocks show was filmed in September of 1992), they performed a full band version of "Bless the Wings" (completely unlike the pathetic attempt on Red Rocks)

And just TRY to tell me that the version of "Tuesday Afternoon" performed at this show doesn't beat the crap out of all the other live renditions. Yes, the Moodies were a *ROCK BAND* during this tour. You'd never imagine they'd follow it by doing a handfull of orchestral tours, releasing more greatest hits packages than they have studio albums, waiting another 9 years to release another record, release two chopped up live dvds, top it all off with a Christmas album, and STILL be playing roughly the same setlist (with just a little tweak here and there) 14 years later.

No. This was before all that. Before the lawsuits, before the endless casino tours, before the orchestras, before the weekly greatest hits album releases, before the signature wine series, and before their fans became the middle-aged equivalent of a high-school clique' (don't take my word for it, check out Higher and Higher magazine's message board . . if you can find someone to "sponsor" you). No, this was back when you could wear a Moodies concert T-shirt with pride. And the show on this DVD will remind you of WHY. It'll remind you of just how great it was to see a Moodies show in the early 90s. This was one of the greatest rock bands giving one of their best performances ever.

I've been waiting 14 years since to see this show again. Trust me: When you see this concert, you'll be a fan.

I had no idea that The Moody Blues "Live in Montreux 1991" had even been released on DVD, when my wife and I stumbled upon it at a local bookstore. I saw the band three times in 91, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I must sat the track list is pretty impressive copared to some of the heavily-edited Moody Blues concerts already available on DVD. This one, thankfully, includes all of the tracks that were played at the Montreux Jazz Fest that night (if only that were true of the excellent "Hall of Fame" DVD, which is far superior in terms of sound and picture quality.) And although it is great to see a Moodies show in all it's unedited, unretouched glory, more picky fans will find this show to be less than perfect.To put this concert in some historical perspective, it was one of the earliest dates on The Moody Blues 1991 "Keys of the Kingdom" tour. They had just fired long-time member Patrick Moraz (a keyboard genius who is underappreciated by far too many Moodies fans.) Joining them for the first time were four new (backing) players; keyboardist Paul Bliss, percussionist Gordon Marshall, and female back-up singers Sue Shattock and June Boyce (Ahhhh, the lovely Shattock is a sight to behold!) Also onstage, in Moraz's old spot, stage left, was Bias Boshell, who had previously backed up the Moodies as a secondary keyboardist on their 1986 and 1990 tours. (Boshell was also, interestingly enough, a veteran of Barclay James Harvest, a British progressive rock band who are often compared favorably to the Moodies)...Why is all this important, you ask? Because it explains a few of the flaws in the concert. There are a few missed vocal harmonies, some loose arrangements, and even one or two flubbed lyrics. It is also quite obvious that Boshell and Bliss had not quite nailed the intricate keyboard arrangements of "Your Wildest Dreams" and "The Other Side of Life" when this show took place...But in their defense, this was an early gig for a band who had just introduced four new players into the fold, and it is easy to forgive a great band like the Moodies for a few on-stage warts. All of these things would eventually be smoothed over with more rehearsals/shows, and by the time this Tour hit the US several weeks later, the new line-up were playing like a well-oiled machine...Hopefully this review is not sounding too critical, because aside from these few flaws, there is much to enjoy here. The show is presented in "Letterbox" format, with gives some good views of the whole stage. Justin Hayward, Ray Thomas, and John Lodge are all in great voice throughout (with Ray's harmonies loud and clear in the mix), and they blend well with the female backing vocals. It may also be notable to guitar fans that Justin's guitar is cranked up a little louder than usual here, giving a chance to really appreciate how underrated he is as a soloist. Some standouts tracks are the (then) newer fare like "Bless the Wings (That Bring You Back)" and "Say It With Love", and the classic "Legend Of a Mind". Ray Thomas fans will be happy to note that the full extended flute/keyboard duet between Thomas & Boshell is left intact here (it was unfortunetly edited-down on the otherwise excellent "Hall of Fame" DVD). Even the old concert warhorse "I'm Just A Singer" (played at every Moodies show since 1971!) manages to thunder with some palpable fun and energy. All in all, if you are a Moody Blues fan who can forgive some techical & performance imperfections, then you can buy this one today with no further hesitation. If you are an audiophile looking for perfect picture and sound quality, then you may be better off with the "Hall of Fame" DVD.

Initially I was disappointed with the DVD concert. The audio started out horrible (in PCM or dts or DD5.1), however it wasn't the DVD's fault, it was the mixing engineer at the time. As the concert progresses, you can tell when each microphone or instrument input gets adjusted to the correct level, and by the time the concert is 45 minutes or so old, the audio is fine. Unfortunately, that first handful of songs has very poor mix, and that ruins the concert, at least at the beginning. The video is good, not pristine, but good, and in 16:9 though not anamorphic. Overall, unless you're a Moodies fan, you probably won't be impressed with it. If you are a fan, then it's worth the price.

For any Moody Blues fan, there is no bad DVD. For the casual fan, you would still be charmed by this live performance. Void of the sometimes overbearing orchestration, the Moody Blues prove they are truly a rock band that can perform on their own. Remember that this is 1991 and 5.1 DTS was not available, so the sound quality is not perfect, but is more than adequate. The visual quality is not up to the par of the "Albert Hall" performance, but it is in letterbox format, which makes a world of difference. Ray Thomas gives a truly standout performance with a great version of his "Legend Of A Mind" and "Tuesday Afternoon" never sounded so true to the original. This concert was to promote the "Keys To The Kingdom " album, which, I must admit, is not their strongest album. However, "Bless The Wings (That Bring You Back)" is a great song. This DVD set is great in that it doesn't seem to have been heavily reedited nor have the sound distorted, other than a very crisp and loud Hayward guitar. Granted, these are the big standout hits, unlike the more recent "Lovely To See You", but it is a grand performance. It feels and sounds raw and real!

This is a great DVD for fans of the Moody Blues. The sound quality isn't exactly top notch but the video truly captures the band in concert. The Moodies are having fun during this set, and it carries over to the viewer. I especially enjoyed Ray Thomas's "Legend of a Mind" and Justin Hayward's superb guitar playing. The sound problems, through half of the DVD, provide a few windows of John Lodge's bass work. Graeme Edge shows why he is such an outstanding drummer. The background singers also are showcased as well as the other musicians.

The Moody Blues have been two bands during their career; a polished studio band, and a much rawer band onstage, at least until they starting playing with orchestras... While not perfect, this DVD captures them playing with an energy and conviction that is quite different than you see on Red Rocks or Hall of Fame.. This is the Moodies as they once were, and this DVD should be a part of your collection if you enjoy their music... Now, if they'd release one from the Mike era.... One can only hope!

Certainly not the audio/visual production quality of either Red Rocks or Royal Albert Hall, this is more like seeing the Moodies in a small local venue than in a concert hall. The mixing is very uneven, which reveals flaws but also gives the viewer a more raw experience that might appeal to some, especially those that eschew the thought of their high-school rock bands playing with synphony orchestras. A more annoying audience here, yelling gibberish at the artists, giving the ambiance of a biker club (and causing you to yell "Shut the *&$#!@ up" at your 60" screen. For true fans, you should probably get it to round out the collection; for those interested in getting a more polished single sample of the Moodies, get one of the other concerts mentioned above. As another reviewer notes, the mixing does improve as if the sound engineers suddenly wake from a state of dazed stupor to realize that there may be some people actually interested in viewing what they've bother to record.

I actually bought this at the same time that I got their latest "Lovely To See You" so it was interesting to compare them. The Montreux DVD was recorded back in 1991 whereas the "Lovely..." DVD was more recent in about 2005 and at the Greek Theater in LA. "Lovely..." has the lovely Norda Mullen standing in for Ray Thomas and the DVD features twenty songs rather than the fifteen on the Montreux DVD. More Moodies is always a good thing. Either DVD is a good choice, but I really like the "Lovely To See You" DVD, I'm not sure exactly why. It could be that the sound quality seems a bit better ... but then figure that it was made fourteen years later with all the digital advances.

I recently purchased this DVD and I have to say I am a bit puzzled at some of the negative comments that I have read here. I have to wonder do I have the same DVD as these folks do? I thought it was great!! Yes there seemed to be some sort of technical stuff going on with the mics on a couple of the early songs, but it straightened itself out and sounded fine the rest of the show. But overall I thought it was a wonderful concert. I especially loved seeing John "show-off" his incredible rhythm while dancing about the stage before & during the encore of RMSS. IMO, this version of 'Ride My See-saw' is the best "modern" live rendition I have yet to see/hear. Justin was his usual great self throughout the show and it was so nice to see dear Ray still enjoying himself on stage.

I would definitely recommend this DVD!

I loved this DVD. I've seen The Moody Blues live in concert probably a dozen times and have not seen them as "animated" as they were on this DVD. Justin Hayward was the best I have ever seen him. This version of Nights In White Satin is breath taking. Absolutely wonderul. It's a must for any "true" Moody Blues fan.