The 13-piece Electric Light Orchestra is on their farewell Over and Out Tour
Jeff Lynne brought ELO’s Over and Out Tour to Capital One Arena in DC on Wednesday (Sept 25th). Lynne brought a dozen musicians to create his one-of-a-kind, auditorily dazzling sound.
Lynne is billing the tour as Jeff Lynne’s ELO to distinguish this current iteration from the classic lineup. Still, this farewell jaunt celebrates the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band’s catalog. Every song except the opening “One More Time” was an Electric Light Orchestra number.
A one-two punch of “Evil Woman” and “Do Ya” delivered early hits. The three-chair string section added drama to “Steppin’ Out,” and the background vocalists added the signature depth of harmony notable on many of ELO’s beloved tunes, including “Don’t Bring Me Down.”
ELO members include Mike Stevens (Musical Director), Lee Pomeroy (bass), Donavan Hepburn (drums), Marcus Byrne (piano), and Milton McDonald (guitar). Jo Webs and Shannon Harris split duties on keys. Amy Langley, Jessie Murphy, and Jesse Cox comprise the string section. Background vocalists Melanie Lewis-McDonald and Iain Hornal round out the sound of the Electric Light Orchestra.
The mix was dialed in, with each band member having appropriate placement for their songs. On some, the string section was the star. On others, the guitars carrying the melody were pushed to the front. The latter was the case in “10538 Overture.”
The stage set included a massive blue-and-orange UFO as the border to the circular center screen, and plenty of lights to give the “L” in ELO its meaning. The audience traveled through laser wormholes, chasing the ELO spaceship on many adventures across the 90-minute set.
Lynne himself is soft-spoken, preferring to communicate through his compositions, which he belted with the confidence of someone who’s been at it for decades. When he did talk, he seemed almost shy, offering a simple “I’d just like to thank you for sticking with us for all of these years.” In his British accent, it was endearing.
This “Over and Out” tour is the last time ELO’s spaceship will land in DC. Lynne’s impressive list of hits have punctured pop culture and reached across generations. That’s the kind of music that will live on regardless of road dates. There were kids from 7 to 70 in the crowd, all enveloped in ELO’s Strange Magic for one final time.
