One would think the 50th anniversary of landmark rock ‘n’ roll albums from the 1960s would prompt more iconic bands to go on the road in celebration. But illness and death have left their marks on septuagenarian rock stars, including the Moody Blues, who are now down to three surviving members. This 2017 concert filmed at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto finds the British progenitors of "art rock" reviving their beloved 1967 Days of Future Passed, an early concept album that fused trippy pop with symphony-scale orchestral music. With a couple of hit songs still playing on classic rock radio, the record has never lost relevance. Here, Justin Hayward (guitars, vocals, songwriter), John Lodge (bass and vocals), and Graeme Edge (drums) perform Days in its entirety, backed by a large orchestra. But the show begins with memorable chart hits spanning the band’s long career ("Isn’t Life Strange?," "The Story in Your Eyes," " I Know You’re Out There Somewhere") before the orchestral players, Moodies, and sundry accompanists tackle the dreamlike romanticism of Days’ dawn-to-midnight theme. An encore includes two more radio staples ("Question," "Ride My See-Saw"), capping off this two-dozen-plus song set that is a satisfying and often magical experience. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include a retrospective featurette with band members. Recommended. (T. Keogh)
The Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed Live
(2017) 135 min. DVD: $14.98, Blu-ray: $19.98. Eagle Rock Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 4
The Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed Live
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