The Moody Blues at the Embassy

Last Sunday night we saw The Moody Blues at the Embassy Theater in downtown Fort Wayne. The Embassy is a stellar example of the fine architecture and craftsmanship that was prevalent in the old vaudeville theaters built during that time period, 1928. The Emboyd as it was christened was part of the Indiana Hotel until the hotel was torn down in 1971. Saving the Embassy which was converted into a movie house became one of the passions of its organist, Buddy Nolan.
The Embassy would have no doubt succumbed to the wrecking ball if not for the efforts of the Save The Embassy Foundation. It took time, lots of effort and imagination but funds were finally secured and the grand theater was resurrected. The intricate floor tiles, plaster work, gilding, heavy baroque crystal chandeliers, velvet curtains and balconies keep new visitors twisting heads to take it all in.

The old pipe organ sat in front of the stage and when I was a kid watching Saturday matinees rooting on the good guys Buddy Nolan would miraculously appear. Hands pounding the keys trying vainly to play louder than the screaming kids as the reels were changed. He sometimes caught our attention and we sat back in our threadbare velvet chairs feeling the hum and timbre of the great organ penetrating our bones and "skulls." Awesome for a kid.

The newly expanded stage which once hosted the likes of Bob Hope, Laurel and Hardy, Red Skelton and many others now is state of the art and expanded to accommodate orchestras, Broadway plays, popular music and icons such as The Moody Blues. The 2500 seat auditorium feels at once intimate and cavernous but all the seats are decent albeit being a bit small.

Three of the original band members from the sixties are still playing in The Moody Blues, they sounded great and got a lot of energy from their second younger drummer, keyboard player and the two young women who sang, played guitar, keyboards and flute. I saw them a few years ago with The Fort Wayne Philharmonic which was a wonderful show as well. I did snag a little illegal video but with the poor shot of the stage and sound quality it does not do the show justice.