Moody Blues still a class act after five decades

They’ve been making music since the mid-1960s, but the Moody Blues proved on Monday that they are still one of the finest acts in the world.

The sell-out crowd at the Ipswich Regent were treated to two hours of the finest music to be produced in this country since 1967.

Justin Hayward and John Lodge still have very strong voices – I was slightly worried at the start of the set with Gemini Dream, but I assume that was simply because the engineers were finding the right level. Once the set really got going the sound was fantastic – with a set full of the group’s greatest hits from Nights in White Satin onwards.

What was particularly enjoyable about this tour is the band have gone back to their roots and are bringing in some numbers from their earliest albums, from the late 60s and early 70s, that haven’t been heard live for some time.

Tracks like You and Me from Seventh Sojourn I hadn’t heard for years – since I failed to replace my vinyl LP when I switched to CDs!

It’s been some time since the Moody Blues produced a full album of new material, but their back catalogue is extensive enough to produce a set of both familiar and “fresh” songs.

These days there may be only three members of the “classic” line-up on stage, but the seven-piece band still makes great music.