Sadly, I never got to see the Moody Blues live. But thanks to the near-constant stream of top-class visiting legends we seem get down here in Hastings and Bexhill, this is the third time I’ve been lucky enough to see Justin Hayward performing solo in recent years.

Rather than try and replicate every aspect of the full Moody’s set-up, Hayward has devised his own unique approach with an established touring band that comprises Mike Dawes (guitars), Julie Ragins (keyboards) and Karmen Gould (flute).

Dawes is an absolute guitar genius and is hailed as one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle guitar performers – so before the main event we are entertained with a solo acoustic set packed full of guitar wizardry and some hilariously deadpan introductions.

After a short break, Hayward and the band hit the stage with a stunning rendition of ‘Tuesday Afternoon’. These Moody Blues classics are so well-written that you can do pretty much what you want with them arrangements-wise but as long as you have the unmistakable sound of Hayward’s vocal and those equally unforgettable flute melodies, you are immediately transported right to the heart of what the Moody Blues were about.

And the band are insanely talented. We’re soon on fabulous journey through a succession of Moodies’ masterpieces (‘Blue World’,  Voices in the Sky’, ‘Nights in White Satin’ and many more), along with some well-chosen highlights from Hayward’s solo back catalogue, together with a mesmerising version of ‘Blue Guitar’ (the hit he had with Moody Blues bandmate, John Lodge) and, of course, not forgetting the Jeff Wayne / War of the Worlds  classic, ‘Forever Autumn.

Along the way Hayward tells a few nicely self-effacing anecdotes, about growing up with Buddy Holly as his musical hero and finally getting to visit his birthplace, about rehearsing in the presbytery of his local Catholic church and once feeling a presence behind him in the room – but it was just someone wanting to know where the kitchen was…

As we reach the final encore with a stunning rendition of ‘I Know You’re Out There Somewhere’ I can’t help feeling a tinge of sadness that so many chapters on the Moody Blues story have closed in recent years. With the death of Mike Pinder earlier this year, none of the original ‘Go Now’ line-up of the Moody Blues are still with us. And only Justin Hayward and John Lodge now remain from the classic ‘prog-era’ post-1967 line-up. But the music they leave remains with us and Justin Hayward does a hugely impressive job in celebrating the band’s legacy with affection, panache and good humour, along with some incredible musicianship on stage beside him.

https://justinhayward.com/

Set-list:

Tuesday Afternoon

Driftwood

Blue World

Living for Love

Hope and Pray

The Day We Meet Again / One Lonely Room / Out and In / In My World / Meanwhile

Voices in the Sky

The Voice

Forever Autumn

Never Comes the Day

Your Wildest Dreams

Question

Nights in White Satin

Blue Guitar

The Story in Your Eyes

I Know You’re Out There Somewhere

Related posts:

Interview with Alan Hewitt of the Moody Blues and One Nation

Live review: Justin Hayward at De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill 18/9/19