by Bruce Eder

Having succeeded in the '80s by drawing on '60s nostalgia with a song ("Your Wildest Dreams") and video, the Moody Blues in the '90s began tailoring entire shows to recapture their '60s glory days -- and they succeeded. Performing on tour with a series of regional orchestras, they brought the majesty of their old studio sound onto the stage for the first time on songs like "Nights in White Satin" and "Tuesday Afternoon," and audiences reponded by turning them into one of the top concert draws of the decade. This album and the accompanying video is beautifully recorded (and the video looks gorgeous, too) and performed, and the group -- caught amid the splendor of one of the prettiest outdoor concert venues in the West (Stevie Nicks has also done a video there) and with the orchestra backing them up on half the numbers, rise to the occasion with a drive and eloquence that they haven't shown on-stage in many years. An essential recording and video for any fan of the group.