Moody Blues legend and rock and roll hall of fame inductee, John Lodge, is returning to the Isle of Wight – 50 years after a triumphant appearance at the legendary 1970 festival – to headline the Experience 1970 golden anniversary event.
The John Lodge Band will showcase many of the Moody Blues’ classics in their climactic Saturday appearance during the 3-day celebratory festival at the site of the iconic 1970 festival near Freshwater. The event will take place on 4th, 5th and 6th September 2020.
The Moody Blues played the closing day of the 1970 festival and took to the stage just as fans without tickets tore down perimeter fences and forced the promoters to declare it a free festival. The melodic rock of the band is credited with helping keep order as the massive crowd swelled to record numbers.
Now John Lodge’s ‘10,000 Light Years Band’ will bridge the decades to perform his ‘Classic Moody Blues Hits and More’ show at East Afton Farm. He is already looking forward to an emotional return to familiar turf.
John says:
“The iconic 1970 Isle of Wight Festival has become a legend in British rock history. I am really excited to return, 50 years later, with my 10,000 Light Years Band and share with you some classic Moody Blues songs and recapture the Spirit of 1970 at the return of The Last Great Event in September 2020.
“It was a magical time for us then as I’m sure it will be again!”.
John Lodge has also had a successful career outside the Moody Blues and formed a successful duo with fellow band member Justin Hayward. He is keen to see his return to the Isle of Wight help spread the music to a new generation. He says:
“I want to keep the Moody Blues’ music alive. Music is my life and I can’t wait to get on the road with the 10,000 Light Years Band. I am a Moody Blue, I always will be and the fans and I have travelled this road a long time so I hope they will continue with me as we keep the Moodies’ music alive.”
His band will feature long-term collaborators such as Alan Hewitt (music director and keys); Bill Ashbaugh (from the Moody Blues touring band) plus Duffy King (guitars) and Jason Charboneau (cello) alongside the man himself, of course, on bass and vocals.
During his amazing 52 years with the Moody Blues, John Lodge has sold more than 70 million albums including the ground-breaking ‘Days of Future Passed’ and has composed or jointly composed some of their biggest hits. Their ‘Seventh Sojourn’ album topped the Billboard charts for 5 weeks and Lodge wrote both the hits singles to come from it – ‘I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)’ and ‘Isn’t Life Strange?’.
The anniversary festival bill for Experience 1970 is now really taking shape with an impressive list of original 1970 performers returning, supported by some top-class tribute acts set to recreate the sounds of many of the other original performers, who included the late greats Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison of The Doors, plus The Who, Emerson Lake and Palmer and Free.
Tickets are now available online at £180 (plus £15 booking fee) at www.experience1970.com.
Oooooh, those “Nights in White Satin”……………………
sorry,doubt John will do that one,don’t think Justin will be there sadly
do hope youngsters will get a taste for Moodies,one of the best groups we ever produced,along with Floyd,Cream etc