FAMILIARITY, they say, breeds contempt. Not when the familiar music is this good and the performances so polished it doesn't!

FAMILIARITY, they say, breeds contempt.

Not when the familiar music is this good and the performances so polished it doesn't!

The Moody Blues are one of those bands that can really justify the tag legends. Over four decades the amount and the quality of the music they have produced is quite outstanding.

And they can certainly still produce the goods. The Moodies may be getting long in the tooth these days but the sound is still there - and just as important, so is the enthusiasm.

They certainly give their fans value for money - more than two hours of great music split by a 20-minute interval. There is no need for a support band.

The singing is shared between Justin Hayward and John Lodge, although Justin still gets the lion's share and is even given the opportunity to delight the fans with a version of Forever Autumn to start the second half of the show.

The band's entire career is covered during the concert, from Nights in White Satin through to December Snow from just three years ago.

It is about time that the band produced a new studio album - they still have the creative energy needed.

It is difficult to pick highlights from such a high-quality concert. For me “I Know There's Someone Out There” and “The Voice” were real first-half highlights while the second half built to a crescendo with “Question” and the encore “Ride My SeeSaw”.

The Moodies promise that this isn't a farewell tour, that they will be back.

A full house at the Regent last night will be delighted at that news!

PAUL GEATER