I just wanted to express my disappointment with Brent Israelsen's review of the Moody Blues with the Utah Symphony concert. About the only negative item pointed out by Israelsen that I agreed with was that the sound mixing at the Delta Center was quite faulty.
First, let me get this off my chest. To compare the Moody Blues with the Utah Symphony and to say that the symphony is obviously "the better band" is like trying to compare an apple to an orange. The Moody Blues are great at what they do best, rock 'n' roll; and the Utah Symphony is great at what it does best, classical music.Now to say that the Utah Symphony came out the better of the two is nonsense. The synergistic effect of bringing the two together was what made the concert very exciting. Both groups came out winners.
To state that the first half hour or so of the concert was mediocre and that the Moodies "wallowed through" some of their songs obviously shows that Israelsen didn't grow up with the Moody Blues and doesn't know or appreciate the "obscure" songs of "For My Lady," "Gypsy" and "New Horizons," three of their classics.
For me and other Moodies, those songs were wonderfully played and well-received. They were not cause for any disappointment. I was thrilled to hear some of their oldies. To call those songs mediocre because the fans were not up and dancing is silly.
For me, the concert was a wonderful experience from beginning to end, and I look forward to more concerts in which many of their "obscure" as well as their more well-known songs are sung.
Steve Jensen
West Jordan