Features
The Moody Blues’ ‘Days Of Future Passed’
Ralph Notaro / Hard Rock International – The Moody Blues
The Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, Fl.
Days Of Future Passed was an incredible leap forward for The Moody Blues and marked the band’s transition from its R&B roots into something … different. The London Festival Orchestra’s presence on the album along with keyboardist Mike Pinder’s adaptation of the Mellotron made for an LP that sounded years ahead of its time and sparked other musicians’ imaginations as to what could be accomplished in the studio.
The roots of the album, however, were somewhat more technical than most discs. The band’s label, Decca Records, asked the group to make an album in order to test stereo recording. Specifically, Decca asked The Moody Blues to record “Dvorak’s 9th Symphony.” The band then decided to fuse classical music with its own compositions, and worked with the London Festival Orchestra to craft an album that sounds as magical today as it did a half century ago.
But the album wasn’t exactly an overnight sensation.
“Little did we know when we made Days Of Future Passed that it would eventually change our lives – it took five long years to make it to the top of the charts,” Justin Hayward said. “But we mustn’t take all the credit for this remarkable project – there were many creative minds who contributed at the time, and who believed in us when we were young and inexperienced. We just wrote the songs – about every-man. My dearest wish is that maybe the album has made the world a better place. It will be a joy to return to it, live.”
The outing will be the first time The Moody Blues has played Days Of Future Passed from start to finish. Expect the group to focus on a collection of hits during the first half of each evening’s concert, with the album filling up the second half. Here are the dates:
June 3 – Rancho Mirage, Calif., The Show At Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa
June 4 – Pala, Calif., Pala Starlight Theatre
June 6 – Saratoga, Calif., The Mountain Winery
June 7 – Saratoga, Calif., The Mountain Winery
June 9 – Troutdale, Ore., McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater
June 10 – Woodinville, Wash., Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
June 11 – Woodinville, Wash., Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
June 17 – Los Angeles, Calif., Hollywood Bowl
June 18 – Murphys, Calif., Ironstone Amphitheatre
June 20 – Englewood, Colo., Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
June 27 – Minneapolis, Minn., Orpheum Theatre
June 28 – Milwaukee, Wis., Summerfest
June 30 – Highland Park, Ill., Ravinia Festival At Ravinia Park
July 1 – Kettering, Ohio, Fraze Pavilion For The Perf. Arts
July 2 – Northfield, Ohio, Hard Rock Live
July 6 – Toronto, Ontario, Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
July 7 – Toronto, Ontario, Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
July 9 – Wallingford, Conn., Toyota Oakdale Theatre
July 10 – Boston, Mass., Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
July 12 – Wantagh, N.Y., Northwell Health At Jones Beach Theater
July 13 – Holmdel, N.J., PNC Bank Arts Center
July 15 – Philadelphia, Pa., Mann Center for Performing Arts
July 16 – Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 18 – Bethlehem, Pa., Sands Bethlehem Event Center
July 19 – Baltimore, Md., Pier Six Pavilion
July 20 – Vienna, Va., Filene Center At Wolf Trap
July 22 – Nashville, Tenn., Ryman Auditorium
July 23 – Atlanta, Ga., Chastain Park Amphitheatre
Onsales vary depending on venues. Visit MoodyBluesToday.com for more details.