Customer Reviews

A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphony Orchestra

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Moody Blues have always presented fantastic concerts, even when they had not produced an album in a few years. This masterpiece was deftly recorded in one of the most acoustically natural outdoor arenas (Red Rocks is a natural geological formation in Colorado). The concert takes pieces of their best cuts from all their albums and showcases them with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The 'Overture' is classic and an exciting beginning to this concert. Never overwhelmed by the symphony, the Moody Blues perform effortlessly. Greame Egde performs the spoken word with backing orchestration giving spirit to the evening. Every song is a highlight. There is no comparing this with the 1977 'live' release of "Caught Live + Five". This was an event. Also available here as a video on VHS.

Like their American cousins, the Beach Boys (with whom they shared a manager, Tom Hulett), Britain's Moody Blues became a group maintaining its fan base through rehashing classic material in concert and on disc. From 1989-99, the group recorded two CDs of new material (not counting solo efforts) while releasing two one-disc best-ofs, a 2CD anthology, 4CD box set, and this live LP, each with the same core group songs. "Senior citizens wish they were young," indeed.

But fortunately, this concert caught the band at its most energetic before PBS cameras, an enthusiastic crowd and the 100-piece Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Larry Baird's symphonic arrangements are spacious and tasteful, relieving the band of having to match the originals' classical blast. "For My Lady," "Tuesday Afternoon," and the standard "Nights In White Satin" receive harmonic depth, while Graeme Edge's drumming is more pronounced against the orchestra's swing on "The Other Side of Life," and "I'm Just A Singer." Many of these versions trump the trippier renditions on "Caught Live + 5" from professionalism alone.

The group subsequently became a prized concert attraction, touring with symphonic backdrop and becoming as much a summer ampitheatre regular as Steve Miller, CSN, James Taylor or, until recently, the Beach Boys. The CD and video (which still turns up on PBS around pledge time) are a feature-length infomercial for a Moodies' concert tour. And isn't that all they wanted, anyway? Recommended.

I have gone to see the Moody's three times in the last ten years, the first time with the full blown orchestra ala Red Rocks. I've always enjoyed their music and was excited to see the concert come out on CD. Then I listened to the CD and scratched my head, granted they never were a "heavy" group but John Lodge's bass lines were a foundation for their songs and it is missing in action. I tried cranking up the bass control but there's nothing there! What a disappointment! Did I just get a bad copy or is everybody else reviewing this album listening on a 2 inch speaker. I don't listen to it anymore because I find such pansy sonic quality irritating. Tiny Tim on the mixing board!

Every time I've seen the Moody Blues Justin Hayward was playing acoustic guitar madly through the intro to "Question" but was completely drown out by the grandiose pseudo-orchestral synthesizer doing the melotron part from the album. I always wondered what he was playing in that part, but I never expected to hear it at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony.

Imagine my surprise when I went to the concert and the mix with the orchestra was done to feature the incredibly complex guitar work he had always been playing. When the CD came out, I wondered if it would still be audible in the mix. If you like "Question," this adds immeasurably to a brilliant song.

The concert was divided into three sets, as is the recording: a first set with the CSO; a strictly Moody Blues middle set; and the final set. The first features some interesting journeywork arrangements, but nothing spectacular. After the orchestra left, I thought that was going to be it: interesting as an exercise, but not outstanding, especially when the second set was uninspired.

But the third set showed how much the conductor was into the project and really became everything you ever wanted in a Moodies concert. The CD reproduces the music, but the video does a better job with the third set.

The Moody Blues have been a musical "institution" for 35+ years now and are still going strong in the 21st Century (a fall 2002 album is planned for release). One of the first bands to successfully mix symphonic orchestration with rock and roll, they definitely show off their stuff in 1993's "A Night At Red Rocks" (with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra).

Most of their well-known favorites are present included strong versions of "I Know You're Out There Somewhere", "The Other Side Of Life", "Question", and "Ride My See-Saw". The high notes are a little harder to hit and the harmony is not quite as impressive as in the old days, but Lodge, Hayward, Thomas and Edge still play with energy and fervor and act as if they are enjoying themselves.

The Colorado Symphony Orchestra holds up their end of this concert well, and while, they aren't the London Festival Orchestra (from the original "Days of Future Passed") they are certainly skilled musicians who help make this a memorable album.

And, while I agree with one of the other reviewers about the quality of the CD (it IS hard to pick up some of the bass and drum work), as live albums go, this is a keeper and should be part of your collection! A definite "must-have" for Moody Blues fans!

I remember being enchanted by the music on this live album when my dad brought both the video and audio cassette tapes of it when I was only in the eighth grade. I later bought the CD when I got my first CD player for my 15th birthday! Red Rocks is the first CD I ever owned and its still one of my all time favorites! Now, I am younger so I have to admit I'm more accustomed to their more contemporary releases ("The Other Side Of Life", "Sur La Mer", and "Keys of the Kingdom" are my favorite studio albums by them, which I know would get me excommunicated by many fans of the core 7). But really, this collection has it all. Overall, a compilatoin of many of their greatest hits from 1967 to 1991, featuring a full, powerful enchanting sound backed up by an 88-piece orchestra. Songs like "Your Wildest Dreams", "I Know You're Out There Somewhere," and "The Voice" are superior work to almost anything being produced, whether live or in studio, today. Still, I'm also a fan of many of their older works too and I've recently begun exploring the core 7 albums more intricately. "Tuesday Afternoon", "I'm Just a Singer In a Rockn'Roll Band", "Question", and "Ride My Seasaw" are certainly outstanding hits also and not to be missed. "Nights In White Satin" has never sounded so beautiful and sensuous and the ever haunting "The Other Side of Life" is at its most perfect form here. Whether you're a long time MB's fan or just interested in getting into on e of the most awesome classic rock groups of all time, I highly recommend this CD. For more contemporary fans I also recommend the three albums I mentioned above and for older fans "Seventh Sojourn" and "Every Good Boy Deserves Favoure" are just awesome. (Like you didn't know that already, I'm sure you're thinking you should tell me this) Anyways, rock on, Moodies! I'll always love you and your inspirational music!

The most WONDERFULL MOODIES CONCERT of ALL TIME! All of the classics in One evening and all at Redrocks ! For True Moody fans an album come true . The Moody Blues are timless and this recording solidifies that fact . I only hope they record the newest concert tour live and make it available to fans across the world. A Truely SPECIAL Album that is a must have for all Moodies fans.

Recorded live at Denver's famed outdoor venue, Red Rocks on September 9, 1992. As far as the Moodies performing with an(y) orchestra, I could take it either way. Sound quality here is pretty good and all - with their gems present like the timeless "Tuesday Afternoon", the '80's Mtv hit "I Know You're Out There Somewhere", "The Other Side Of Life", "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)", the FM radio favorite "Question" and my personal Moody Blues favorite "Ride My See Saw". Only pet peeve I have about this CD is that there's a brief gab of silence between each song. Who do record labels do that when an ENTIRE show as such comes from the same gig? Other than that, 'A Night At Red Rocks' is fine.

I love the Moody Blues. Rock with an orchestra. Really unique, intricate, beautiful, creative music. Interestingly, the music stands the test of time. "Nights In White Satin", is as relevant and modern today as it was when I was in college in 1967. A great classical piece, which should be viewed in that context. The concert contains all their popular songs as well as three from the "Keys Of The Kingdom" disk, and an overture. The music is 15 stars and I am listening to it over and over. Justin Hayward and John Lodge are great writers. The lyrics are poetic and lovely and it's just great music. Period. It's just great music. There is very little crowd noise on the disk, which is also a plus. The orchestra is womderful, and the interaction between the band and the orchestra is appropriate and tasteful. The songs where the orchestra is omitted are great and the band stands alone. There is only one thing wrong with this disc. The sonics are not good. The rhythm section really suffers. Graeme Edge and John Lodge just don't show up here. The drums sounds like it was miked from a distance and the bass doesn't appear. It really makes the listening experience uncomfortable. It makes the disk sound cheesy and cheap at spots. Too bad. However, I would still buy the disk. The band and the orchestra are just great. I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE. You know who.

I have gone to see the Moody's three times in the last ten years, the first time with the full blown orchestra ala Red Rocks. I've always enjoyed their music and was excited to see the concert come out on CD. Then I listened to the CD and scratched my head, granted they never were a "heavy" group but John Lodge's bass lines were a foundation for their songs and it is missing in action. I tried cranking up the bass control but there's nothing there! What a disappointment! Did I just get a bad copy or is everybody else reviewing this album listening on a 2 inch speaker. I didn't think it would bother me too much at first, but I don't listen to it anymore because I find such pansy sonic quality irritating. Tiny Tim on the mixing board!