Moody Blues live at the Heineken Music Hall

-Wednesday 15th October 2008-

"it's always lovely to be here"

From reading Justin's comments and what he said on the 15th of October in the HMH, it seems that he and the band has a special place for The Netherlands. Of course the Moody Blues are still very popular here and both the concerts at the Heineken Music Hall were sold out. Justin once remarked that the concert building had great acoustics. Indeed the sound Wednesday was again fantastic, and  I wouldn't mind a live cd coming from a concert at the HMH. The light show was great and the graphics seen on the screen was also very well done. Many old pictures of the band were shown. Jacq and I only went to the first concert.

I don't know if it's because it's just the most recent concert and it's still fresh, but I do think that this was the best performance of the band I have seen so far.

Even though there were little surprises in the set list, there were still enough surprises in the performances, and the band played fantastic. Besides I love hearing all these songs live. Even "Stepping in a slide zone" a song I would like to see retire from the set, sounded brilliant. No rushing through the vocals, and an very good performance. "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" was again an highlight for me, and last night was an especially beautiful version. No matter how many times I heard the studio version, or see it perform live, it's a shiver down the spine moment. Norda was great as usual especially on the songs she can really shine on like "Are You Sitting Comfortably" or John's "One More Time To Live". Both sounded beautiful.  "The Voice" and "The Story In Your Eyes" also were both great to hear again.

Unfortunately Justin didn't play "Forever Autumn" this time, though we will be seeing "War of the worlds" next year so that would take care of it. A little surprise was the return of "Late Lament" before "Nights In White Satin". Another highlight of course was "Higher and Higher". Even though we get the same joke from Graeme about the days when his hair was brown and teeth white, it's the little things that makes it again an surprising and fun performance. Like Graeme calling out "Hold on I'm coming", Norda helping him coming to the stage, Graeme in an Elvis sort of style getting hold of the mike and doing some scat singing.

Question was very much an audience moment. The singing along was great to hear and Justin again seems a bit lost, for a moment he stopped singing to listen to the audience.

There was a standing ovation after Question and Ride My See Saw. Mixed feelings after the concert had ended. At first I thought seeing them once every year or two is enough, but now I wish I had gone and see them on the second night also, not only because they played Voices In The Sky on the 16th. However Jacq and I had a fantastic time and no doubt we'll see them again when they are in The Netherlands, or perhaps earlier then that. 

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