On This Day 12/12/1965 Moody Blues

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On this day 12 December 1965, rock band Moody Blues played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre. They were part of a package headlined by The Beatles. The band featured the recently departed Denny Laine, who later joined Paul McCartney in his Beatle break-up band Wings.

Formed in Birmingham in May 1964. The band initially consisted of drummer Graeme Edge, guitarist/vocalist Denny Laine, keyboardist/vocalist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Ray Thomas, and bassist/vocalist Clint Warwick.

Originally part of the British beat and R&B scene of the early–mid 1960s, the band came to prominence with the UK No. 1 and US Top 10 single "Go Now" in late 1964/early 1965. Laine and Warwick left the band by the end of 1966, being replaced by guitarist/vocalist Justin Hayward and bassist/vocalist John Lodge.

Earlier in the year the band had realeased their debut album The Magnificent Moodies. The album is a mix of rhythm and blues covers, including "Go Now" which had been a Number 1 hit single for the band earlier that year, and original songs by Laine and Pinder which show more of a Merseybeat influence. Also included is a cover of the George and Ira Gershwin standard "It Ain't Necessarily So".

On This Day 14/01/1965 The Moody Blues/Chuck Berry

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On this day, 14 January 1965, rock ‘n’ roll legend Chuck Berry played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre.

The main support was the The Moody Blues, who had recently achieved the biggest hit of their career so far with a cover of Bessie Banks’s ‘Go Now’ reaching No 1 on the UK charts.

The Moody Blues had little success with singles after "Go Now!" in the mid-1960s, which led to singer Denny Laine’s departure from the band, later being replaced by Justin Hayward.

Bassist Clint Warwick had already departed the band at this time. Rodney Clark had replaced him for a while before they recruited John Lodge. With the new lineup, The Moody Blues continued to perform "Go Now!" for a short time, up until they began writing their own material.

Hayward sang the song during his first year with the band, and Ray Thomas attempted to sing it a couple of times.

Also on the bill that night was the Graham Bond Organisation, Winston G, The Five Dimensions and Long John Baldry.

The Moody Blues Setlist

Time Is on My Side

(Kai Winding & His Orchestra cover)

Pretty Thing

(Bo Diddley cover)

It Ain't Necessarily So

(George Gershwin cover)

Bye Bye Bird

(Sonny Boy Williamson cover)

(Bessie Banks cover)

I'll Go Crazy

(James Brown & The Famous Flames cover)