They really don't make them like the Moody Blues anymore. If you can imagine Tinie Tempah, Lady Gaga et al still performing on stage in four decades' time, that's impressive and imaginative - but unlikely, let's be honest. In fact, there's a pretty good chance that Messrs Hayward, Lodge and Edge may live long enough to see the back of those pop pipsqueaks - despite forming as far back as 1964 (that's older than your parents, possibly), The Moody Blues seem to possess a boundless energy that has continued almost unabated. Sure, there's only three original members left from the early days and apart from a three year break in the '70s, the band have stayed as united as possible.

One swift glance at their chart-history suggests these guys have a had a fruitful career since the release of their relatively poor-selling debut-album "The Magnificent Moodies" in 1965. Just two years later they were hitting the Top 3 in the States and our own charts with the symphonic and (whisper it) conceptual follow-up "Days of Future Passed". But without one particular song on its track-list, they might not have become the eventual bearers of three #1 albums, nor the organizers of occasional cruise-ship concerts (we kid you not).

"Nights in White Satin", like "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Whiter Shade of Pale" or "Wuthering Heights", is something of a signature song for The Moody Blues - read an interview with any of the band members these days and talk turns to that song within minutes. Like the Queen, Procul Harum and Kate Bush epics, "Nights..." remains a grandiose, orchestral and timeless song from an era that got away with such glorious pomposity. Even punk-group The Dickies couldn't squeeze the whole thing into a cover version shorter than their customary two minutes when they covered it over ten years later.

And aside from "Go Now" (a #1 hit) and "Question" (a #2), "Nights in White Satin" provided bread on the table and bums on seats. And it will do so again when The Moody Blues head out on tour next summer - the band plan to perform selections from "Days of Future Passed" on a lengthy jaunt.

'The Voyage Continues' will hit Oxford on 5th June 2013, followed by Cardiff, Birmingham and many more until Bristol on 23rd June. In amongst the dates will be an O2 Arena show in London on the 22nd. We will have tickets for all shows from 9am Friday 28th September - tickets will cost from £29.50 to £47.50.