Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

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I remember when going to see a rock band in concert meant a few things. It meant sitting in a crowded stuffy venue with the aroma of pot all around you. It also meant a lot of drunk people bumping into you with the stale stench of booze on their breath. As soon as the band started, everyone in the place stood up, which meant you had to stand up … for the entire show. Well, on this past Saturday night, most of that changed. It was different because my girlfriend, Michele, and I went to see The Moody Blues in concert at The Boston Convention Center on Summer Street. We bought the tickets months ago, and the day finally arrived. The concert was sponsored by AARP, and that was who was in the audience: a lot of retired or soon-to-be retired people coming out to see a band that were pretty much the same age.

The Moody Blues have been together for over 50 years, which made them very popular when I was in high school. My late sister had every one of their albums, and they are still at our house. They had such hits as Tuesday Afternoon, Nights In White Satin and Ride My See-Saw. When I heard these tunes I was magically transported back to my youth, and apparently so was everyone else. When we were in line to go into the auditorium, I noticed most of the people were like me. We were all in our 50s, 60s and 70s. Not your typical rock concert age, but we were like kids again. We heard that The Moody Blues were coming, we got excited and ordered tickets, and now the big night had arrived.

Michele and I actually snuck down (just like in the old days) to some empty seats halfway to the stage. We could see and hear everything perfectly. There was a guy in front of us who was using his cane to play air guitar during some of the songs. As the Moodys played, there were large screens that showed the band live, as well as flashback photos of when they were younger. The three original members had plenty of hair still, and it was white or grey. They had the same energy they had when they were younger. They played off the vibes sent by the audience and vice versa. One song, I Know You’re Out There Somewhere, actually brought tears to my eyes because it reminded me of my sister, their number 1 fan. I felt that she was there in the next seat. Once Upon A Time In Your Wildest Dreams, which came out in 1986, and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere (‘88) were their comeback hits. Imagine that? A comeback in in 1988!

As they began each song, you could hear oohs and ahhs from the nearly sold-out crowd. They did two encores. We were especially impressed by the way their voices had remained just as they were way back when. We thought that it might have been because unlike Led Zeppelin and The Who, their songs weren’t a lot of screaming and screeching. It was also great to see men in their late 60s and early 70s rocking out to the max. It gave me hope!

The Moody Blues concert featured original members Graeme Edge on drums and vocals, Justin Hayward on guitars and vocals, and John Lodge on bass and vocals. Every time I looked around, I saw grandmas and grandpas clapping and swaying and singing along to the songs that we first heard when we were kids. There were smiles in our hearts and on our faces. Some were wearing flowers in their hair, tie-dyed shirts and headbands. Some had oxygen tanks and walkers, but we were all youngsters again while they performed. Some even brought teenagers to the show. Who knew that when they wrote the song I’m Just A Singer In A Rock ‘n’ Roll Band they would still be singers in a rock ‘n’ roll band over 50 years later.

All in all, The Moody Blues concert was a home run. I left smiling and humming the songs that made up some of the backdrop of my teenage years. I found out something that night: The only thing that really ages is our bodies. Our hearts can stay young forever. It’s the music and the memories that keep us young. There was something that reminded me of today’s rock concerts, and that was the long lines at the restrooms. But at The Moody Blues concert Saturday night, it was for reasons other than too much beer!