Customer Reviews
Flawed but worth a few listens - By: Hawk, 09 Oct 2008 
Having heard Live Plus Five, I had a good idea of what to expect from this CD as the set list was similar having been recorded about a year later.
A mixed bag, & I agree with the negative & positive reviews of the album.
Yes, the vocals are strained at times & the harmonies a bit wobbly. Yes there are times when the mellotron goes wobbly (either that or the master tape is at fault. I think it's the mellotron though!)
The sound quality is alright but not pristine.
and yet. . . & yet. . .
Where this scores over the later live albums of the 1990's & 2002 is that this captures the Moodies at a time when they were at their creative peak & the songs were new & fresh (the oldest songs here were only 3 years old at the time). This means that the songs still feel fresh & as though the artists are actually meaning what they sing. The later recordings are pristine but somewhat colourless (and also contain some of the later MOR songs from their later albums). This recording also has Mike Pinder on & therefore includes some of his songs which the later albums lack.
So, on reflection, I would say if you are a starter or casual Moody Blues listener, avoid this album. However, if you really like the band & want another perspective of them its well worth the listen & getting hold of.
How was this MIXED??!!! - By: Poddy, 26 Sep 2008 Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Moody Blues fan, & I have been way back to to 60s (I was even at the recording that spawned the "Caught Live +5" album at the RAH, & also the Christmas BBC recording includedin the "To Our Childrens..." set [although this was at the Playhouse theatere, NOT the Paris as quoted]).
All that said, I have had a few bones to pick recently. Previously I have beenin conversation with the team responsible for overseeing the remastering of the "In Search.." deluxe set, & also its cut down reissue (I notified Universal of two issues with the remasters - it even has a small SKIP on one track, & this was not put rightin the subsequent cut down reissue).
On this CD, I want to know how much mixing for CD issue could have taken place on this pretty rough live recording. Mixing (or REmixing) involves the balancing of individual parts on a song track... & THIS CD is inherently MONO from its source tape (with a modicum of ambience added just to make you think it has a stereo feel). This is obviously how it was, else it would surely have been remixed to stereo (with some of the rougher bits hiddenin the mix wherever possible). To say on the cover that mixing has taken place "at Logicalbox" is very misleading - preparing crossfades of tracks for mastering, YES; EQ & ambience added, YES... mixing NO!
It's a historical document & I acccept the CD on this basis ("Question" live is absolutely brilliant), although the mellotron is gut-turningly badin many places, & especially so on "Tortoise & the Hair".
I have far worse things by other artistsin my collection, & am glad to hear this CD, but whether it warrants a full price release when it is being issued as a DVD next year makes me go "kerrrrching" (ie the sound of cash(in) registers).
I'm glad that I got this CD through an Amazon third party seller for far less, it's not one I'll play right the way through very much. I shall return to "Caught Live +5" every time.
bad sound or different sound ? - By: Ray, 09 Sep 2008 
the recording do not sound very well, the equipment? the recording?, also some songs as Justin says "I noticed that the band had started to fiddle around with songs & get away from the original recorded versions"... anyway the moodies are a great band & this is a must for every fan of them, it is really a shame that do not exist a very good recording of the original band, the seventh sojourn band, with all his strength live, the insert says there will be also a dvd edition of all this concert, we are waiting for...Thank you Justin
WELL I WAS THERE - By: ageing rocker, 08 Sep 2008 
38 years ago I saw the Moody Blues coming on as the sun was setting & creating a beautiful backdrop to the stage.
idiosyncrassy re sound quality / vocals from other reviewers may well be justified, but to me this album is a PIECE of MOODY BLUES HISTORY
A LIVE recording from 1970 as it WAS.
Maybe it will only be for the staunch Moodies fans BUT I for one am grateful it was released.
Have you heard? - By: Bodhi Heeren, 28 Aug 2008 Like the Beatles, the guysin Moody Blues were popmusicians who turned into visionaries, thanks to their experientments with entheogenic drugs. Even writing a tribute to the illustrious (and reckless/irresponsible) Timothy Leary. And like the fab four they found their true environmentin the studio, writing complex, yet catchy & engaging songs with intelligent, often spiritual lyrics.
But whereas Beatles never tried to recreate their works live, Justin Hayward & co. did their best. And as this recording from Isle of Wight demonstrates, they didn't really succeedin recreating their music on the stage (probably they should have had some extra musicians on board), &in truth none of the tracks sound as good as the studio versions.
The playing is sloppyin places, the vocals ragged. On the other hand there is a beautiful, optimistic, purple hazy atmosphere, & the songs, except the downright embarrasing "Minstrel's Song", have stood the test of time very well. Justin H.s are of course classics: "Tuesday Afternoon", "Night's In White Satin", but also his lesser known songs like "Never Had A Dream" & "Are You Siting Comfortably" are lustrious gems. Mike Pinder's "Melancholy Man" & "Have You Heard" sound moving & relevant. "Legend Of A Mind" of course a psychedelic classic.
The tapes have been mixed by Justin H. himself, which unfortunately hasn't been able to compensate for all defects of the masters.
For fans only - or for anyone interestedin 'the hippy era' - but they will get an intersting historic document with definite glimpses of still artisticly relevant music. And an enjoyable hour of pleasant, high aiming music.
