Customer Reviews

Night at Red Rocks [VHS]

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Moody Blues fans have long enjoyed and admired the group's unique ability to capture visual imagery in music. In this respect, Live at Red Rocks is a crowning achievement.

The beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheater provides a uniquely appropriate setting for the Moodies' haunting blend of rock melodies and classical accompaniments. The video does an excellent job of incorporating the scenery into the musical flow of the presentation.

Several facets of this production are noteworthy. The film masterfully captures the interplay between the band and the audience, long one of the group's touring trademarks. It also does a wonderful job of documenting the three generation span of Moody Blues enthusiasts, scanning the attendees to reveal middle aged grandparents in casual clothing, twenty-something hippee wannabees, and some fully involved pre-teens, all lost in the rapture of a major Moodies event.

Viewers with a good ear will notice that many of the vocals have a slightly strained quality, not sounding quite as good as one might expect from the likes of Hayward, Lodge and Thomas. This is because Justin was fighting a nasty case of laryngitis the night the video was filmed. Even with that disadvantage, the music still manages to be far beyond ordinary.

So far as the music, the normal repertoire is here. Standard stage versions of classics like Nights in White Satin, Lovely to See You, Story in Your Eyes and their traditional closer, Ride My SeeSaw are included. A true highlight is a magnificent version of New Horizons, powerfully enhanced by a dynamic orchestral background score.

When all is considered, A Night at Red Rocks is a true five-star experience. Don't miss it!

...Well, actually the Moodies never went away...

This 1992 performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater (outside Denver, CO) re-established the Moody Blues as a prime touchstone for ageing Boomers; so many of the artists that carried the 60's flame have burnt out, sold out, broken up or, in the most unfortunate cases, died. The Moodies, however, avoided most of the snags that undo older "legacy" rockers and gracefully moved with the times, while still maintaining the heart of their sound. Indeed, their latest studio album ("Strange Times") is their best since the Mellotron era. "A Night at Red Rocks" features most of the tunes that casual fans know as well as a few from their 80's period; played with love and appreciation for the huge and loyal fanbase that's kept them going into the 21st century...Not really needing the money, they keep the spark true.

Note: this DVD features more tracks than the "Hall of Fame" (Albert Hall) disc, so it's perhaps a good place to start your Moodies video collection. However, the Albert Hall DVD has better sound and visual "look".

Clocking in with nearly 20 full length songs, this video contains the best live recording the Moody Blues have done to date - including the Royal Albert Hall concert. The vocals are much tighter (it was 10 years ago) and the orchestra is fantastic. Given that this is recorded in a natural amphitheater adds much more to the Moody Blues emphasis on spiritual/ethereal music.

Unfortunately, this is only dolby sound, as surround sound came much later, but it sure beats anything of that time period. However, there is now a DELUXE REMASTERED Edition available with two discs. It is sure to be a major improvement. Highlights are "Knights In White Satin" and "Question". Lighting is perfect and the orchestral introduction and Graeme Edge's vocal readings are superb!

this was an epic show....filmed and recorded well and i was delighted to see it appear on DVD....unitl I watched it. In the close-ups it appeared fine but the more distant shots of the band and orchestra are pixelated and not smooth....I wondered if it was my imagination so I dug out my laserdisc and what a shock..the laserdisc is much better! The laserdisc not only features a higher resolution picture but a better color saturation ....and sound!
It is shocking when companies release DVDs which do not improve on previous video or laser releases but even MORE shocking when they are a step back...alas this is the case on this DVD. I would rate it lower if the content were not as strong as it is...and it is 5 star.

Owning this concert on DVD seemed like a promising prospect, as Moody Blues fans have only been treated to two previous DVDs (Legend of a Band and Hall of Fame). While there is no questioning the overall significance of this concert, or its importance to fans of the group, the weak sound quality on this DVD leaves much to be desired.

Others have mentioned "pixelated" shots of the orchestra and sometimes grainy long-distance views. Compared to the weak audio track, the occasional visual imperfections are nothing to worry about. The audio on this DVD sounds as though it was lifted straight from the VHS master of the concert, with no remastering or special treatment. In terms of sound quality, there is no improvement over previous versions of this concert (CD, VHS, etc.).

In terms of content, however, this concert is definitely first rate. Included on this disc are a variety of hits, from "Nights in White Satin" and "Tuesday Afternoon" (of "Days of Future Passed" fame) to the group's 1980s chart-toppers, such as "Gemini Dream" and "Your Wildest Dreams." When you take 17 classic Moody Blues songs, add an orchestra and a beautiful setting (The Red Rocks Ampitheater), you wind up with an excellent DVD.

Despite the slightly lacking sound quality, this DVD is worth purchasing, especially for those who have yet to see the Red Rocks performance.

I had the privilege of seeing/hearing the Moody Blues in Concert this summer and the Red Rocks video helps me recapture a great experience! They have always struck a unique balance between the symphonic and rock and roll. Multi-talented and gracious to their audience, they continue to give a powerful performance year after year. Vocals are better and stronger than ever with each member showcased well.

This is an excellent recording of a live Moody Blues concert. I was at the concert that was recorded and the video accurately captures the excitement of the night. It contains all of their classic favorites with outstanding camerawork. There are close-ups of all the members of the band and occasional audience shots showing their complete involvement. The music is similar to the original recordings (no new arrangements). If you are a Moody Blues fan, this is an must-buy.

I've been a fan since 1967, and this is definitely one of the great music videos of all times; chock full of great memories of great music. If you love the Moodies, this is a MUST! My 74 year old father watches this every time he comes to visit and each visit stirs more memories.

The whole point of music DVD is to enjoy excellent sound and secondly, great picture quality. I expect surround sound with a music DVD, yet this Moody Blues doesn't deliver this. It only comes with 2.0 stereo. This is disappointing because producers can do tricks and create 5.1 remixes these days, even to the oldest 2 channel soundtracks. Purists may say "urgh" to this, but I really don't care.

While this DVD boasts a great long tracklist, I strongly urge fans to purchase the far superior "Moody Blues - Live at Royal Albert Hall". It was filmed in 2000, and features a totally beautiful DTS surround sound! On top of that, the image is almost crystal clear. Even with its shorter tracklist, it is a much wiser purchase - one which you will return to time and time again to watch! It will also give you what music DVD is supposed to give you - otherwise you may as well hang on to your old HI-FI music videos and live back in the 80's and 90's!

Clocking in with nearly 20 full length songs, this DVD contains the best live recording the Moody Blues have done to date - including the Royal Albert Hall concert. The vocals are much tighter (it was 10 years ago) and the orchestra is fantastic. Given that this is recorded in a natural amphitheater adds much more to the Moody Blues emphasis on spiritual/ethereal music.

Unfortunately, this is only dolby sound, as surround sound came much later, but it sure beats anything of that time period. Highlights are "Knights In White Satin" and "Question". Lighting is perfect and the orchestral introduction and Graeme Edge's vocal readings are superb! No typical DVD extras.