John Lodge From The Moody Blues Plays Area Show This Week
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Just after the Covid pandemic, John Lodge was one of the first performers to hit the road. He did a blistering show back in March of 2022 at the Sellersville Theater. He’s all set to do it again in Collingswood NJ at the Scottish Rite Auditorium. That show is on July 23. “What I wanted to do, for this tour is to concentrate on Moody Blues songs only,” Lodge said during a phone interview this week.
“We’re keeping the Moody Blues music alive, it’s difficult because I’ve released four solo albums and I’d like to play material from there, but we’ve decided to play all Moody Blues,” Lodge said. “John Davison from Yes is going to sing a bit, he will join me onstage for a bit, I think everyone will be pleased with the choice of songs we do, :Lodge said.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo Delaware Valley News.com John Lodge at a recent show in this area.
When asked about the record, “A Night At Red Rocks”, which is an amphitheater in Colorado. “We were approached about doing a concert with The Colorado Symphony Orchestra. “We hummed about it for about a year or two and then we met with the conductor, and we all decided to try it”. The result was spectacular night of music forever preserved on record.
This area is no stranger to John and to the Moody Blues. He related a fascinating story, He played Philly and was going to fly out of Newark Airport so after the show, he got a rideshare. “The driver looked in the mirror, saw me and asked if I was John Lodge. he said, you’re not gonna believe this but I was at the Spectrum when Ray Thomas fell off the stage and broke his flute. He asked if there was anyone in the crowd that had a flute with them. My friend did, he walked onto the stage and gave Ray Thomas the flute. The chances of me getting a driver that was at my concert 35 years before,. was incredible”, Lodge said.
Lodge said the Moody Blues were the first band to use Clair Brothers sound systems before they were Clear Brothers. “That was back in 1969,” he said. Claire Brothers also worked with Yes in their early days, as well.
When he is on the road, Lodge said he can walk around a city and see what is gong on. “I remember standing in line for a cheesesteak in Philly, that’s what I like about touring”.
A few tickets remain for the show July 23,2025.