Justin Hayward

I have been a Justin Hayward and Moody Blues fan for a long time, but never saw any of them until now. Justin Hayward still puts on a great show! I was amazed at how full and rich every song sounded. Justin is a fantastic songwriter, singer, and performer. His band members are all super talented - Mike Dawes, Julie Ragins, and Karmen Gould are all amazing and perform so well together! My husband and I had to make an 8-hour drive to go to their Clearwater, FL show, but I am so very glad that we did. I thought the show was fantastic!

This was the fifth show i have been to and it just keeps on getting better. Justins voice is at the top of his game and Mike is absolutely wonderful .And lets not forget Julie and karmen , who,s musical talents, accompanying Justin ,made the night magical. This was an awesome night and i would like to thank Justin for the many memories his music has been to me. From the lows to the highs ,from sadness, loneliness ,heartaches and finding ones true love , your music has been there for me .Thank you once again .

Glad I was able to make this performance, a bit outside my local radius, but decidedly well worth the drive. How could I take a pass. It’s inconceivable. Yes, the encore leg of the Harmony Tour was a surprise but of the most pleasant sort. The Carnegie of Homestead is a lovely venue; the audience was more than ready to be transported to its youthful salad days, and leapt to its feet to express how thankful it was after several songs. Justin’s 14-tune setlist was perfectly ordered and delivered: Tuesday Afternoon, The Actor, Hope And Pray, The Western Sky, The Voice, Living For Love, Blue World, Forever Autumn, Never Comes The Day, Your Wildest Dreams, Question, Nights In White Satin, The Story In Your Eyes, and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. Very nice to hear Blue World makes its debut to the solo setlist. The Present album had been under-appreciated for too long; there were a number of standout tracks on the LP. Justin’s catalogue of compositions runs deep indeed, a most singular oeuvre that was strong from the onset and continues to grow and refine over the years. Very much look forward to future live performances, as well as new music from him. He has an appetite for both, and is a man of his word. We’re counting on ‘when the music plays,’ and will be there for it.

Justin never disappoints - great show. Only problem was I had the largest man in the theater sitting directly in front of me. Had to look around him all night. Infinity Hall should set the seating so as to have a bit of a stagger in the alignment to avoid that situation. Have been to Infinity hall many times and never noticed that before. Must never have had such a huge person right in front of me!

The 1st time I saw Justin Hayward perform in person was nearly 45 years ago with The Moody Blues. So I don’t expect him to sing like he did then at age 32. But I thoroughly enjoy his stripped down solo show that he’s been performing for the past 10 years, accompanied by virtuoso guitarist Mike Dawes (who also performed a jaw dropping 5 song set to open the show), former Moodies touring multi-instrumentalist Julie Ragins on keyboards & vocals, and, for the last 5 years or so, dynamic flautist / vocalist Karmen Gould. As a lifelong Moody Blues fan, I would be thrilled if Hayward played an entire show without a single hit single. But that’s never going to happen, and he didn’t disappoint the casual fan, starting the show with Tuesday Afternoon and wrapping up the show with the hit parade of Your Wildest Dreams, Question, Nights in White Satin (which, laughably, was almost an afterthought, in my mind), The Story in Your Eyes (which included a “fire” performance by Gould) and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. In between was a wonderful mix of solo material, including a beautiful new song Living For Love, 2013’s wistful The Western Sky, and the international hit Forever Autumn, which is always a high point of Justin’s show, classic Moody Blues favorites The Actor & Never Comes the Day, and rarely or never played Moodies songs, Blue World (not performed live since 1984) and 1991’s Hope & Pray (which should have been a single). Toss in the 1981 hit The Voice, on which Hayward & Ragins effectively traded off vocals, and I was one happy fan. If I had any complaints, I’d say it was that 5 of his 6 solo albums were completely ignored, and I wish he hadn’t shortened “Never Comes the Day,” as it is a favorite of mine. He also ignored the 1975 album Blue Jays, recorded with his Moody mate John Lodge. But he’s performed at least 3 songs from that album on previous tours, and I have a glimmer of hope that the duo will reunite in 2025 to celebrate its 50th anniversary! 😀

Finally getting to the last review. Was waylaid after Lancaster, better late than not at all. The American Theatre was my sole co-bill experience, novel but nonetheless very enjoyable. The venue is lovely and Justin Hayward was genuinely pleased to return to it with his solo Harmony Tour. The setlist was abbreviated to 12 tunes: Tuesday Afternoon, The Actor, Hope and Pray, Living for Love, The Voice, Forever Autumn, Never Comes the Day, Your Wildest Dreams, Question, Nights in White Satin, The Story in Your Eyes, and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. Delivered at a quick clip but earnestly so, Justin and his trio of musicians wrapped their segment by 8:43 to make way for the Christopher Cross crew to set-up for his larger, equally entertaining, troupe. That said, Justin took his sweet time exiting the stage, genuinely appreciative of the multiple standing ovations and affection the audience demonstrated for him… nearly a minute and a half, plus a return to the far side, the center, then the right, before a final wave and exiting to backstage. Second to the last performance, he seemed a tad nostalgic, sorry to see the 5-week itinerary come to an end. Kudos to Mike Dawes, Julie Ragins, and Karmen Gould… all brilliant in their own right and getting tighter, collaborating more easily with each tour. Compliments to the entire crew, smaller perhaps, but their logistical contributions keep the enterprise running flawlessly. It’s been tough post-pandemic, on venues, artists, crews, and promoters. Thankfully, from theatre volunteers to artists willing to absorb the higher costs of touring,; from roadies whose livelihoods were on hold to promoters willing to risk events would sell well, there’d be no reschedules or cancellations due to illness; and, last but not least, the fans in the seats who didn’t mind the pricier ticket prices… were simply elated that the shows were finally resuming. It takes a village. What a community we are! Music is the bond that moves us, recalls our halcyon days of youth. The beat goes on. Ready for another round. Lancaster was exceptional.

So overdue for a return to The Birchmere; in fact, a 42-month absence thanks to Covid-19. The last appearance occurred on 24th October 2019. (Gary Oelze was alive, writing his ‘All Roads Lead to the Birchmere’ opus.) Still cheery to hear Mike Dawes reminisce that it was precisely The Birchmere where he made his debut with Justin Hayward in 2013 on the 14th and 15th of August, 2nd to the final show in Atlanta. There’s a milestone! Darn pleased they continue to pack the music hall. It was a sellout but they sold a few more tickets; it made for an electric night. Julie Ragins and Karmen Gould round out the touring quartet, each bringing a singular element that adds polish to Justin’s now classic oeuvre. There’s a clear simpatico, a love bordering on reverence for both his new and timeless compositions. It’s that ‘voice’ again… his hallmark. It was the full 15-tune setlist again: The Eastern Sun, Driftwood, Tuesday Afternoon, The Actor, Hope and Pray, The Western Sky, The Voice, Living for Love, Forever Autumn, Never Comes the Day, Your Wildest Dreams, Question, Nights in White Satin, The Story in Your Eyes, and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. The Full Hayward—how lucky were we?! The honorary homeboy found his way back to our local storied stage at last. The exuberance was palpable. Nothing compares to a Birchmere homecoming. Fabulous night… the 1st I can recall when there were actually police at the exit directing drivers to turn right only to facilitate traffic flow. And, yes, Justin’s name was in lights on the new digital sign. Stage Door realized. Made me smile the entire long way home. He brought the house down and savored every moment, as did we.

It may have been a dark and stormy day in Annapolis—the latest and wettest in a string of abysmal, hazardous air alerts in the region—but the crowd at Rams Head On Stage came to enjoy the tavern and a rollicking night with Justin Hayward and his sweet touring trio… Mike Dawes, Julie Ragins, and Karmen Gould. They’re a tight quartet, enthusiastically collaborating on fresh arrangements of Justin’s classic tunes, just as sprightly on complementing his newest composition, Living for Love. The Rams Head locals and regulars were there, lively and appreciative. Even the collie from their last appearance on 22nd September 2021 was in the house, well behaved and contented. Where else but Annapolis?! The 15-tune setlist was ideally sequenced: The Eastern Sun, Driftwood, Tuesday Afternoon, The Actor, Hope and Pray, The Western Sky, The Voice, Living for Love, Forever Autumn, Never Comes the Day, Your Wildest Dreams, Question, Nights in White Satin, The Story in Your Eyes, and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. An interesting chronology that follows a now familiar and well-loved theme. Mike Dawes launches the evenings with his own 5-tune setlist. Ever cheeky and just the lead-in to engage the audience, he’s fond of reshuffling his tunes each night. All are drawn from an 8-tune mix of covers and 2 early original compositions of his own, namely: Jump, Somebody That I Used to Know, Purple Rain, Me & You Together, Be My Mistake, All Along the Watchtower, Boogie Shred, and Somewhere Home. The Rams Head has been a regular stop for Justin’s solo forays since the initial Spirits of the Western Sky tours inaugurated in 2013. He’s ensured a packed house and genuinely appreciative audience in Annapolis. Sound was perfect, lighting lent ambience without being over-the-top, and crew kept everything running smoothly… no glitches. Justin’s no slouch when it comes to humor himself. He remains modest and self-deprecating, not cut from the cloth of preening or hi-jinks. Refreshing.

The Carpenter Theatre in Richmond is a beautiful old theatre. The performance was platinum, the audience lovely, and the staff simply friendly and superior—it was a mutual appreciation fest from start to finish. A brilliant setting for Justin Hayward’s return to Virginia. He was clearly pleased to be back, quite effusive in saying so, and those in their seats elbow-to-elbow reciprocated that pleasure. Justin clearly enjoys his solo forays with Mike Dawes, Julie Ragins, and Karmen Gould. Each brings a unique element to updated arrangements on tunes from his very singular and timeless catalogue, all of which continue to evolve with each revisit over more than 50 years. The 15-tune setlist included: The Eastern Sun, Driftwood, Tuesday Afternoon, The Actor, Hope and Pray, The Western Sky, The Voice, Living for Love, Forever Autumn, Never Comes the Day, Your Wildest Dreams, Question, Nights in White Satin, The Story in Your Eyes, and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere. Mike Dawes opened with 5 tunes of his own, but would shuffle his setlist regularly. Don’t recall the specific 5 this particular evening but they were gleaned from these covers: Jump, Somebody That I Used to Know, Purple Rain, Me & You Together, Be My Mistake, All Along the Watchtower, plus 2 of Mike’s own early compositions… Boogie Shred and Somewhere Home. Justin and his small but very talented and engaged touring trio were as loath to leave the stage as their audience was to have the evening draw to a close. Spirits were high. An altogether ace performance, another memorable night.

Justin Hayward and his band are just absolutely awesome! He manages to take the audience on a tour of yesteryear music, which everyone loves, and mix it up with his new music, also gems! Justin, at 76, still sounds as he did in his 20s — he has an extraordinary singing voice that’s untouched by the hands of time. And I love how he engages the audience as a story-teller who’s both humorous and candid. It’s amazing how four people can put out so much wholesome and full-sounding music without a drummer and a bass player. The four of them are outstanding together, and I hope they continue to collaborate for as long as Justin tours. The mastery of guitarist Mike Dawes was stunning in his solo performance and as backup to Justin. I’ll continue going to see Justin Hayward as long as he continues his musical masterpieces. Terri Moon Cronk North Beach, Md.

Justin Hayward and his incredible music never fail to delight his fans! His selection of songs brought back wonderful memories of the Moody Blues - Tuesday Afternoon and Nights in White Satin - which sounded awesome and were a major delight for the audience. Mike Dawes is an excellent performer who truly seems to enjoy every moment on stage. His flutist was amazing, and the keyboard player who I have seen many times before is excellent. The only bad part was that he shared the show with Christopher Cross. He is talented, but to have Justin as the "warm-up" seemed ridiculous. In addition, the band that CC had was extremely talented but WAY TOO loud so you couldn't hear the singer! Someone in the audience kept yelling out to lower the volume of his band but to no avail. We were one of MANY who left after only several songs. All in all, a great night!

This how I replied to a friend who asked about the concert:Just wonderful. Justin did some songs from his solo albums from the past twenty years and a lot of Moody Blues favorites going back to the sixties, seventies, and eighties. His backup guitarist, Mike Dawes, opened for him. What an incredible talent. I've never heard or seen anyone get that much sound out of a guitar. And Justin was in fine form. It seems his voice never ages & actually gets better with time. Overall a great musical night. And you were right about Del Lago being a great venue. I had a great seat just four rows back from the stage

Justin gave a great performance at the Danforth Music Hall. He was opened by Mike Dawes who played an interesting accoustic set first. He later joined Justin's band for the second set. Justin played many of the Moody Blue's classics such as Nights in White Satin, Tuesday afternoon, Driftwood and I Know you are Out there somewhere. In addition two other women played him on flute, keyboards and percussion. They were excellent too. I really enjoyed Justin's version of Forever Autumn from the War of the World's movie. It was the first time I had heard that song live. He also played about five of his own songs too which were great to here too. I recommend that you see him if you're either a Justin Hayward on Moody Blues fan.

Excellent as usual! We had a lovely, loud, fantastic musical evening! It turned my grandson into a guitar follower. Justin was fabulous, naturally, and Mike Dawes woke my grandson up with his acoustic genius. You should have seen that face. He got to take a goofy selfie with Mike and hasn't stopped talking about the concert, the venue, all the perfect band members, Justin, and Mike Dawes all day. He was a bit unnerved that his grandmother would run up to the stage singing LOL but this child was raised on rock n' roll so...

Having been a Moody Blues fan since 1986, I have always loved their work past and present. So coming forward to 2022 and able to see Justin Hayward in London last September was, for me, absolutely fantastic. The venue itself was awe inspiring and had amazing acoustics. I attended the concert with my partner and my brother, who also enjoyed it immensely. The whole “band” that supported Justin Hayward was fantastic, and in particular Mike Dawes with his unique guitar playing. It was such a great evening, one I will never forget. It would be amazing if Justin could return to London, especially to the Union Chapel.

It was so good to see Justin solo again. I was BIG fan during his Moody Blues days and I must admit I miss hearing him with the band, but Justin gave us a good sampling of his greatest hits plus newer material and solo faves. It was truly magical as his voice and playing are as good as the old days. His band is also excellent and provide much of the Moodies flavor on those tunes. I also appreciated his stories and song backgrounds. The super talented Mike Daws opened with his magical guitar hands. Not to be missed.

It was wonderfully awesome!! The music was extremely beautiful. Justin’s singing was so uplifting and absolutely perfect, deeply touching. All four band members were so amazing and wonderful. Truly heaven on earth. What a privilege to have been there. Although I have truly loved all of his concerts, this was one of his best concerts. The seating down close to the front was not very nice, but that was all forgotten by the beautiful music and musicians. Justin is one if the greatest people on earth, and his songs bring such happiness, peace, and healing.

It was a great show. Justin's shows always are. We had seats in front of the stage in the second row. He sang all the songs I love, but then again, I love all his songs. Maryland had just opened up from the Covid 19 virus. We did not even have to wear masks, but Justin requested that we wear our masks and we gladly accommodated. Justin packed the house and we all were ready for the show to begin. I hold a special place in my heart for Justin. He is a gentle soul, has written so many beautiful songs and loves to entertain his many fans.

Wonderful, sublime and magical! Beginning the concert was a solo performance from Mike Dawes, whose mastery of the fingerstyle acoustic guitar is mesmerizing. An amazing talent and it's no wonder he's been voted to the top 5 acoustic guitarists in recent years. After a short intermission, Justin walked out playing the first song of the set. At the same time the audience began serenading him with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" to acknowledge his 75th birthday on this day. Even though he notoriously has said that he does not choose to celebrate life events, he was kind enough to stop and wait for his fan base to finish. He then smiled and thanked his fans before restarting the song and the concert. A true gentleman. As the set list continued, he brought out each of his multi-talented backing musicians: Julie Ragins, Karmen Gould and Mike Dawes. It was wonderful music from both the Moody Blues and Justin's solo catalogs with related interesting and some humorous stories. By the end, we all walked out of the venue with smiles from the awesome performances we had just seen. Can't wait to see Justin & Company again hopefully in the near future.

So very ready for live music again. My last concert prior to this one was at the Carolina Theatre in Durham (NC) in late-October 2019. The Rams Head is a great little venue in Old Town Annapolis: friendly staff, excellent management, fab acoustics, and one that never fails to afford an intimate and entertaining evening. The September 22nd performance was fantastic from an inspired setlist to the exceptional performances from both Justin and his very talented trio of support musicians. They were engaging and brought some lovely new arrangements to the classic Hayward compositions. Justin added a few new stories to intro the tunes... relating that Vintage Wine and Hope And Pray shared a connection. Since COVID restrictions remain fairly stringent, a mask policy was in place, i.e., masks needed to be worn at all times except while eating or drinking. The audience had no issues with compliance; it was just lovely to be in the ‘house’ again and in the fine company of Justin, Mike, Julie, and Karmen. Even a Collie at stage right was on his best behavior; Scottie quite enjoyed the attention Mike lavished on him. The crowd was enthusiastic but respectful. Brilliant evening, good cheer, many smiles... ready for a return engagement, hopefully a two-nighter. This show sold out.