Long Road Out of Eden 2008 World Tour

The Long, Long Road Out of Eden Tour!

Welcome to our TourBlog for the Long Road Out of Eden Tour. If you take a look at the dates over there on the right, you'll see that this has been a very long tour!  To help you find things better in the multitude of reviews, photos and interviews we've got archived here, we've made a few adjustments.

We've reversed the order of posts. If you scroll down below this post, you'll see the things that have been added to the TourBlog most recently.  We've also added a link to the set list (that's one thing about this band that makes covering them easier...the setlist never changes) over on the right. Of course, you can always access all of the information about a particular show by clicking its name in the list of tour dates.

Gallery of Cindy's Hershey Photos

http://eaglesfans.typepad.com/photos/cindyhershey/

Henley Pours Music Into Earth

Citizen Henley pours music into Earth

Eagles singer finds success on many levels

By Nancy Sheehan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF nsheehan@telegram.co

“Did anyone ever tell you that you have an uncanny ability to ask multiple-part questions?” Don Henley asked, and he was right. Nevertheless, although it must have been about the zillionth interview of his long and celebrated career, Henley, drummer-vocalist-songwriter for the legendary rock group Eagles, thoroughly and thoughtfully answered each one.

That thoroughness is one reason Henley, 61, has been a music icon for decades, both as a founding member of one of the successful bands of all time and as a solo artist. The rest of his formula for enduring popularity? “A strong work ethic, dedication to the craft of songwriting, a respect for teamwork, good timing, a brilliant manager and blind luck,” he said.

It all adds up to some impressive statistics, all of which can be etched in platinum. The Eagles’ “Greatest Hits” (1971 to 1975) and “Hotel California” (1976) remain among the Top-10 best-selling albums ever, and the Eagles are still soaring and racking up sales with their latest, “Long Road Out of Eden.” “We are all very pleased about the success of the album,” Henley said. “It will soon pass the 3-1/2 million mark here in the States. Overseas, it’s pushing 3 million. Considering the fact that our last album of all new material came out 28 years ago, we are all quite happy about this outcome.”

And it’s not just the music. Henley, who will perform with the Eagles at the DCU Center Wednesday, is almost as well-known as an environmentalist. His efforts have included snatching the woods near Walden Pond in Concord, where transcendentalist and eco-pioneer Henry David Thoreau lived and wrote, from the brink of trash-strewn destruction and founding the Caddo Lake Institute to save an important wetland in his native Texas.

Here are the questions we asked Henley, and his answers:

Question: Your work sends a message that care of the environment is an important thing. How did you personally come to that realization? What was it about Thoreau or his work that spurred your efforts at Walden?

Answer: “Whatever environmental consciousness I have is a result of my ‘home place,’ which was rural (tiny Gilmer, Texas); my upbringing in that place and my education. It was a cumulative process that progressed through several cycles. My father, having been brought up on a farm, was a master gardener. He taught me, sometimes against my will, the magic of sun, dirt and water. He also taught me that my responsibilities didn’t end at our property line. My mother was a schoolteacher, and she made sure that there were always books in the house. Those influences were the foundation of my environmentalism, although no such terminology existed at the time.

“Another component was my academic life at two universities in Texas where I studied English and American literature. Nature, or ‘the elements,’ often played an important role in much of the poetry and literature that I read during those years — everything from Shakespeare to Yeats to Hardy; Faulkner to Dickinson to Twain. And then there were Emerson and Thoreau. I just thought that Thoreau’s work was elemental. Reading him was sometimes rough going, but the message was visionary and it struck a chord in me. This was around 1968 or ’69 when so many of the young people in this country — and around the world — were involved in the ‘back to nature’ movement. It was all part of the coming of age of the baby boom generation. Reading Emerson and Thoreau helped me to find my way through some confusing and tumultuous times. Their work was like an anchor for me.

“Walden is a definitive place in the American landscape. It is where the idea of conservation — or environmentalism, if you will — was first expressed on this continent by a person of European heritage. Thoreau’s work at Walden continues to be of enormous importance. Now scientists are using his notations to study climate change. If we can preserve other iconic American places — Gettysburg, Yellowstone, Yosemite — then surely we can preserve Walden Woods.”

Q: What does it mean to you to be able to help in this way? What might your next environmental project be? What does the Earth most need now?

A: “It’s very simple. I am known to most people as a musician — a songwriter, a recording artist, a performer — but I am first and foremost a citizen, and every citizen has a civic duty. The price of living in a civilized democracy is that we don’t just take. We are all obligated to put something back into the pot, to the extent that we can. That is what community is all about. I see myself as part of the community — not just my local community, but the national and even the world community. I can use my success in music as a tool to get things done for the community.

“I’m not contemplating taking on any more environmental projects. I’ve got my hands full. The Walden Woods project is in its 18th year, and my nonprofit in Texas, the Caddo Lake Institute, is in its 16th year. Between maintaining those two entities, parenting my three kids and working in the band, there isn’t any spare time at all.

“Well, this is somewhat controversial, but I think the Earth needs fewer people. It is a known fact that the planet does not contain enough natural resources to support unlimited population growth, especially with a high standard of living, which is what everybody wants. There are limits and, like it or not, we will have to address those limits, probably sooner than we think.”

On to the music …

Q: What have the trade-offs been? Are you happy?

A: “The trade-offs are many: less time with family, less time to maintain friendships, fewer opportunities, ironically, to be in nature; a loss of hearing in my left ear, constant neck and back pain, etc. But life is all about trade-offs. You just can’t have it all, although some folks try to give the appearance that they do. Am I happy? I’m happy enough. My life is certainly not without its troubles and sorrows, but on the whole, it’s pretty damned good. I am suspicious of people who appear to be happy all the time. That seems unnatural to me — it smacks of a lack of awareness or even denial. That’s not to say that we should all walk around with furrowed brows, but there should be some kind of balance. Basically, I’m happy when my children are happy, but I’m not obsessed with pursuing happiness or bliss at this point. I’ll settle for contentment.”

Q: Were you surprised at all by the degree of success you achieved back in the beginning with the self-titled album? What did that feel like? What event or occurrence told you that you had made it? Then again, so many years later, with “Long Road Out of Eden,” were you surprised it went so well yet again? Is the success still sweet? Did you enjoy making the album?

A: “That’s six questions in one. Let me see if I can answer them one at a time. First, in this fickle, uncertain world, success is never assured. We were surprised to some degree when the first album yielded three hit singles, but that strong start by no means assured our continued success. Nothing is a given in the music business. We were well-aware that success could come and go in an instant. So, the feeling was a strange mixture of euphoria and trepidation.

“In the summer of 1975, we were set to perform at one of Bill Graham’s Oakland Stadium extravaganzas called ‘Day On the Green.’ As we took the stage, I remember looking out at that sea of people and thinking, ‘Well, I think maybe we’ve arrived.’ I also remember thinking, ‘How long can we stay?’ ”

Q: How do you get ready for a tour or a show, in terms of staying healthy. The four of you are still looking quite fit and trim. Do you exercise, eat certain things?

A: “I try to eat right, but I don’t always succeed. I have a pretty comprehensive knowledge of nutrition, but that doesn’t always translate into dietary discipline. I do work out on a regular basis, both at home and on the road. I don’t smoke. I rarely drink alcohol anymore and I never touch it when we are on tour. It wrecks my voice. I have a wine collection, but we only get into it at holiday time or on special occasions. Moderation is the key, these days.”

Q: Touring, doing shows, is it still fun for you?

A: “Some days it is; some days it isn’t.”

Eagles Have Aged Well (Patriot News)

Review: Eagles have aged well

by KIRA L. SCHLECHTER, The Patriot-News

Sunday November 23, 2008, 10:10 PM

PAUL CHAPLIN, The Patriot-NewsThe Eagles, featuring Don Henley, left, and Glenn Frey, perform at the Giant Center.

PAUL CHAPLIN, The Patriot-NewsJoe Walsh

Singer-guitarist Glenn Frey wryly called the Eagles "the band that wouldn't die" at the start of their show at Hershey's Giant Center on Sunday.

And while he also called their "Long Road Out of Eden" tour "the assisted-living" tour in reference to their, um, longevity, they showed no signs of age -- or being anywhere close to death -- in a sparkling two-part set.

Starting audaciously with four tracks from "Long Road," the band's first album since 1979's "The Long Run," the four core members -- Frey, singer-drummer Don Henley, bassist Timothy B. Schmit and guitarist Joe Walsh -- delivered airtight takes on "How Long," "Busy Being Fabulous," "I Don't Want To Hear Any More" and "Guilty of the Crime," trading lead vocal duties.

Their signature brand of country rock, laden with effortless California harmonies, shone throughout the new songs and into a host of classics. In "Hotel California," every bit of eeriness and spookiness was intact.

The series of Frey's drifting "Peaceful Easy Feeling," Schmit's soulful but airy "I Can't Tell You Why" and Henley's creepy "Witchy Woman" circled back to Frey for his cheating tale "Lyin' Eyes." Henley showcased his best-known solo track "The Boys of Summer" to great effect, and Walsh led the way on a bold and brassy "In the City" before Henley wrapped set one with a swinging version of "The Long Run."

All were in fine voice: Schmit's delicate falsetto, Frey's warm mellowness, Henley's cutting tenor, even Walsh's nasal but charming delivery.

Set two began with mainly acoustic selections, and again, mainly new tracks. Chilling but sublime harmonies made "No More Walks in the Wood" and "Waiting in the Weeds" real standouts. Frey's "No More Cloudy Days" and Schmit's shimmering "Love Will Keep Us Alive" were romantic moments, and "Take It to the Limit" positively shook the rafters with perfect harmony.

If this is how late middle age sounds, bring it on; the Eagles have nothing to worry about. They're handling it beautifully.

Eagles Soar on New Songs and Classics

CONCERT REVIEW

Eagles soar on new songs and classics

Monday, November 24, 2008

BY KIRA L. SCHLECHTER

Of The Patriot-News

Singer-guitarist Glenn Frey wryly called the Eagles "the band that wouldn't die" at the start of their show at Hershey's Giant Center on Sunday.

And while he also called their "Long Road Out of Eden" tour "the assisted-living" tour in reference to their, um, longevity, they showed no signs of age -- or being anywhere close to death -- in a sparkling two-part set.

Starting audaciously with four tracks from "Long Road," the band's first album since 1979's "The Long Run," the four core members -- Frey, singer-drummer Don Henley, bassist Timothy B. Schmit, and guitarist Joe Walsh -- delivered airtight takes on "How Long," "Busy Being Fabulous," "I Don't Want To Hear Any More" and "Guilty of the Crime," trading lead vocal duties.

Their signature brand of country rock, laden with effortless California harmonies, shone throughout the new songs and into a host of classics. In "Hotel California," every bit of eeriness and spookiness was intact.

The series of Frey's drifting "Peaceful Easy Feeling," Schmit's soulful but airy "I Can't Tell You Why" and Henley's creepy "Witchy Woman" circled back to Frey for his cheating tale "Lyin' Eyes." Henley showcased his best-known solo track "The Boys of Summer" to great effect, and Walsh led the way on a bold and brassy "In the City" before Henley wrapped set one with a swinging version of "The Long Run."

All were in fine voice: Schmit's delicate falsetto, Frey's warm mellowness, Henley's cutting tenor, even Walsh's nasal but charming delivery.

Set two began with mainly acoustic selections, and again, mainly new tracks. Chilling but sublime harmonies made "No More Walks in the Wood" and "Waiting in the Weeds" real standouts. Frey's "No More Cloudy Days" and Schmit's shimmering "Love Will Keep Us Alive" were romantic moments, and "Take It to the Limit" positively shook the rafters with perfect harmony.

If this is how late middle-age sounds, bring it on; the Eagles have nothing to worry about. They're handling it beautifully.

Eagles New Stuff Doesn't Soar (Lancaster New Era)

It's a joke that's been around at least as long as classic rock groups from the '60s and '70s have been reuniting. When the singer says "here's a song from our new album," he or she might as well say "everybody go and get a beer now…."

So for a band like the Eagles to start each of their two sets with no less than four new songs from last year's "Long Road Out of Eden" would seem like a colossally bad move.

Knowing everything we do about Glenn Frey and Don Henley, it also might seem a brilliant tactical maneuver.

Interspersed between better-loved hits, the new tunes would surely suffer by comparison. And an audience not itching for the next old classic might be more likely to listen more intently to the new stuff that plays along with it.

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About that new stuff: It's not nearly as good as "The Long Run," the group's last studio album from 1979, but that's so long ago it's like comparing Ataris to iPods.

When the band took the stage just before 8:30 Sunday night at the Giant Center, all of them wearing nicely cut black suits like a corporate board, it seemed the audience was unprepared for a rock and roll show. Nobody stood up for the first 20 minutes.

Workmanlike songs such as "How Long," and "Busy Being Fabulous" sound more like Rascal Flatts than the Eagles, but are certainly better than the stuff tacked onto "Hell Freezes Over," their 1994 reunion disc.

But it was, oddly enough, the classic material that sounded weak at first. "Hotel California," which used to open the group's shows on a dramatic note, sounded thin and forced.

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Though a flamenco trumpet intro from one of the group's four back-up horn players established a sense of drama, it was robbed of its tension by the group's decision to lower the song's key over the years for singer Don Henley.

Glenn Frey's "Peaceful Easy Feeling" perhaps should have been lowered. As with almost all the songs Sunday night, the harmony vocals from everyone soared, but Frey seemed to struggle with what is a fairly relaxed melody.

Bassist Timothy B. Schmit, still the best singer in the group, turned in a seductive "I Can't Tell You Why," with extra sexiness layered on by support guitarist Stuart Smith's buttery R&B stylings.

But it was not until the spooky middle-eight of Henley's solo hit "Boys of Summer" that the band found its groove and was able to keep it, playing in front of black and white dreamlike images similar to the original groundbreaking music video.

Following quickly on its heels was Joe Walsh's "In The City," which let the singer/guitarist come alive for essentially the first time of the night. With added horns, searing slide and an extended ending, the song pushed the set to new heights. Consequently, "The Long Run" was raised as well.

Following a brief intermission, the group took to the stools for an acoustic set of new (and newer) songs: "No More Walks in the Woods," a predictably heavy-handed environmental statement from the pen of Henley that proved the four men could still harmonize flawlessly together; "Waiting in the Weeds," a notably better tune from Henley, comparing a dying romance to a dying town; Frey's forgettable "No More Cloudy Days," and Schmit's schmaltzy "Love Will Keep us Alive."

Then Frey nearly destroyed "Take it to the Limit." Originally sung by the soulful Randy Meisner, who exited the group in 1976, it was the only song of the night not originally sung by one of the four men on stage.

Henley's overwrought "Long Road Out of Eden," taking on the war in Iraq, economic uncertainty at home, and corporate greed — remember this is the band that made a deal to sell its disc exclusively at Wal-Mart to secure a better royalty deal — nearly stopped the show dead in its tracks.

Not satisfied, Frey's "Somebody" tried to do the same, but was rescued by some tasteful slide, again from Walsh, who brought things back down to earth with James Gang oldies "Walk Away" and "Funk No. 49," as well as his ode to the rock and roll lifestyle, "Life's Been Good."

As things began to work toward a close, the band pulled out all the stops for Henley's funky "Dirty Laundry," "Life in the Fast Lane," and "Heartache Tonight," all enhanced by horns and the dueling lead guitars of Walsh and Stuart.

Nine new songs, despite the fact that they were all spot-on vocally, is still a heavyweight. Coupled with Walsh's three solo selections and the same from Henley meant there was no room for non-hit fan favorites like "Ol '55," "Victim of Love," "Pretty Maids all in a Row," "Wasted Time," or even "Best of My Love."

Encores "Take it Easy" and "Desperado" reached back to the group's country-rock beginnings. Couldn't have made room for Schmit to do one of his old Poco tunes? Then of course we might have had to sit through "The Heat is On" from Frey.

If this is to be the last Eagles tour, as Frey has sometimes intimated from stage in between his disc jockey-like banter, the effort to prove their current music can stand next to their classic hits is a bold move. It didn't quite work Sunday night.

Eagles Pay Big Dividends to Fans (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Eagles pay big dividends to fans

Monday, November 24, 2008

By Scott Mervis , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Eagles took the stage last night at the Mellon Arena looking like Wall Street bankers coming to ask for their bailout.

The business suits were appropriate, though, because these gentlemen delivered in exchange for the high-priced investment and they did it with an accountant's precision -- at least till they stripped off their jackets in the second set and rocked out.

Nearly 40 years down the road, the Eagles still sound as pristine as the record, with every note in place, whether it's the high harmonies on "Witchy Woman" or the stunning solo on "Hotel California."

What's always so surprising about the Eagles in concert is how multi-dimensional the band really is. Don Henley still delivers the blue-eyed soul and hits the high notes in songs like "Boys of Summer" and "One of These Nights"; Glenn Frey carefully croons those flowing country-rock tunes from "Peaceful, Easy Feeling" to "Lyin Eyes"; and Timothy B. Schmidt mixes it up with a choirboy's voice on "I Can't Tell You Why."

And then there's Joe Walsh, killer guitarist and goofball with the helmet cam. Walsh was an obvious crowd favorite in Pittsburgh, dishing out the dirty blues of "In the City," getting the place jumping on "Funk 49" and cracking people up with his improvs on "Life's Been Good" -- "they send me e-mails, tell me Glenn's great."

Last year, the Eagles got a big monkey off their back with "Long Road Out of Eden," the first album since 1979 and a way to freshened the live set.

Frey gave us "How Long," an upbeat country-rocker so simple and catchy it could have come from the first album. Henley offered an inventory of our social ills on the slow, dramatic title track. And Walsh borrowed a riff from Dylan for grimy "Guilty of the Crime." Together, they took a page from CSNY with the beautifully sung "Now More Walks in the Woods."

The Eagles didn't skimp on the band, giving fans a four-piece horn section (which occasionally clashed with Walsh's leads), three keyboardists and guitarist Steuart Smith, who not only played every note, but captured every nuance from the classic solos.

Frey joked about this being the "assisted living tour," but folks in the packed house seemed pretty ecstatic that these old California rockers haven't taken the corporate buyout.

Eagles, Henley Soar at DCU (Telegram and Gazette)

Eagles, Henley soar at DCU

MUSIC REVIEW

By Nancy Sheehan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF nsheehan@telegram.com

Wednesday night wasn’t just Thanksgiving Eve. It also was Don Henley Night in Worcester, by the unofficial proclamation of thousands of his fans.

The illustrious environmentalist/singer/songwriter/drummer absolutely rocked a sold-out DCU Center and, oh yeah, we might mention that he did have a lot of nice help from a few friends with names like Schmit, Walsh and Frey. You guessed it. The Eagles were in town. Their DCU stop was part of the iconic band’s extensive road tour in support of “Long Road Out of Eden,” its first collection of all new material in 28 years.

Even though it is one of the most successful bands of all time, the Eagles are not taking it easy. They played for nearly two and a half hours, performing old and new songs, mostly old. It was an amazingly energetic and supple performance, especially considering all of them are now older than 60 (Glenn Frey was the last to cross over, reaching that milestone Nov. 6). An amazing number of people in the audience were in their 30s or even 20s, so they weren’t born when the Eagles self-titled debut album established the group as a country rock phenom in 1972.

It’s been a long time since then, but the vocals are better than they have been in years, maybe decades. Since it is the holiday season, we can come right out and say it: This show was joyful and triumphant. And yes, all ye faithful came out to sing along to their younger-day faves such as “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and the one Frey says “our wives call the credit card song.” That would be “Take It to the Limit.” (Ah ha. So maybe that’s why they are back on tour. Those credit limits probably are something like your salary and mine put together, then quintupled.)

And yes, the whole band worked together in generally seamless and wondrous ways to make the show an all-out smash.

But it was our man, Don, who got the biggest ovation when introductions were going around. It was positively thunderous, an honor that often goes to band clown and perennial crowd favorite Joe Walsh. It wasn’t just that Henley saved nearby Walden Pond in Concord from trashy doom by forming a foundation and a Web site (walden.org) and organizing fundraising concerts, several of which were staged right here in Worcester. The clapping actually died down just a notch — and only out of respect, we choose to believe — when he briefly plugged that close-to-his-heart topic. We would have to poll the audience to know for sure, but we suspect his popularity arises from that fact that, whether solo or banded with the Eagles, almost everything the man has ever publicly done, drummed, said or sung has helped us see the world more clearly or made us feel a tad better. Then there’s his integrity factor, a refreshing concept in our current collapsing era of greed and corruption. I’ll clap for that.

Now the Eagles don’t do encores at absolutely every show so, if we felt it was a special night, apparently they did also and we were treated to a two-tune nightcap. First, “Take It Easy,” and finally the slow-paced “Desperado,” with a solo spotlighted Henley standing there, singing ever-so-gently to us, trying his darndest to just calm us all down so he could get the heck out of there and go have some turkey or something.

Take it Easy? Not the Eagles (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Take it easy? Not the Eagles

Concert review

By Bill Thompson
bthompson@enquirer.com

The outfits were the first surprise. The Eagles took the stage in black suits and ties with white shirts, looking more like undertakers than desperadoes.

The second surprise was how vital the music sounds, more than 35 years after Don Henley and Glenn Frey teamed up to sing “Take It Easy.” The pair, plus longtime compadres Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, led an enthusiastic audience through their hit parade at U.S. Bank Arena Tuesday night, but also proved they have no intention of taking it easy during a tour that will take them around the world over the next year.

The group played for nearly three hours with a short break (not bad for a foursome whose youngest member -- Frey -- turned 60 on Nov. 6). The 28-song set featured nine from “Long Road Out of Eden,” the first record of original songs since 1979. Although they might not match the incredible string of classics from 1972-79, the band -- backed by three keyboard players, four horns, a drummer and guitarist extraordinaire Steuart Smith -- attacked the material with energy and kept the fans engaged throughout.

It’s unlikely, however, that the arena would have been almost full if the boys had spent the evening playing all 20 songs from the new album. After opening with four new tunes, it was time for another surprise: “Hotel California,” the band’s signature song with Henley’s haunting lyrics and the dueling guitars of Walsh and Smith (replacing the departed Don Felder).

It was remarkably early in the show for such a high-profile tune, but when your repertoire is replete with chart-toppers, you can follow one with another like “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” For most of the crowd (beer vendors didn’t have to waste much time checking IDs), it must have seemed like they had a full head of hair and their jeans hung loosely on their hips again.

As if the group doesn’t have enough gold to mine, it has the luxury of solid songs from the solo careers of Henley and Walsh. The two mismatched characters -- Henley defines intensity while Walsh might be the goofiest guitar virtuoso in history -- wrapped up the first part with “Boys of Summer” and “In the City,” respectively. After a fine reading of “The Long Run,” it was time for a break, and the opportunity to ponder what surprises might be in store after intermission.

One possibility that didn’t come to mind was that a mini-James Gang show would break out. But in retrospect, it wasn’t surprising. Although Henley and Frey are the soul and heart of the band, and Schmit still gets shrieks from the females when he steps to the microphone, the people’s choice is Walsh.

He gained fame with the James Gang while going to Kent State in the late 1960s, so when the band broke into “Walk Away” and “Funk 49,” it didn’t matter that the tunes had as much to do with the Eagles as Hannah Montana does.

Unlike young Ms. Cyrus, however, Walsh can make a guitar do tricks. After deferring to Smith in the show’s first half, he came to life with stinging solos on the Gang songs, plus a jump-up-and-down version of Henley’s “Dirty Laundry” that featured a wonderful video collage of every tabloid TV moron who has made a fortune by acting like a jackass.

But when all was sung and done, the name on the ticket was the Eagles. They finished with “Life in the Fast Lane” before an encore of “Take It Easy” and “Desperado.” The four principals took their time leaving the stage, graciously thanking the audience for their years of support.

The bond between band and fan was the least surprising moment of the night.

Soaring With the Eagles (Cincinnati Enquirer)

November 16, 2008 Soaring with Eagles For fans, band provides ''soundtrack to their life' By Bill Thompson bthompson@enquirer.com In 1978, the Eagles played for almost 52,000 fans at Riverfront Stadium. When the band takes the stage Tuesday night at U.S. Bank Arena, there won't be that many folks on hand. For those who show up, however, it's likely the band provided a portion of "the soundtrack to their life," as Glenn Frey told "60 Minutes" last year. That TV interview was timed to the release of "Long Road Out of Eden," the group's first release of new material since 1979's "The Long Run." Although it's unlikely that Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit will reach the level of popularity they did in their '70s heyday, don't discount their popularity: "Eden" has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide in less than a year. Henley, who formed the group with Frey in 1972, answered a few questions via e-mail before the band hit the road. Question: The band (and you especially) maintained a low profile during the presidential campaign. With your history of political activism, why weren't you more active? Don Henley: I was quite active in this campaign, but I focused my efforts more on various bids for House and Senate seats. And I didn't do any of that work in front of cameras. I kept it relatively low-key and private. That's what felt right to me this time. Q: The Eagles were arguably the most successful American rock band of all time by the time you called it quits in 1980. You had a solid solo career, with "The End of the Innocence" on many people's list of favorite albums. Why did you put the band together again, and were there any ground rules about how much disagreement or fighting anyone would tolerate? Henley: We put the band together again because there was a demand for it. We realized that maybe we had stopped too soon and that there were millions of people all over the world who wanted to see and hear this band again. There were no particular ground rules that I can recall. The fighting thing has been greatly exaggerated. Q: There's a rumor that you named the band as an homage to the Byrds. Your original guitar player, Bernie Leadon, was a member of the Flying Burrito Bros. Those two groups get a lot of credit for influencing the "alt-country" movement. Do you think the Eagles deserve more credit for their influence on younger musicians, and who do you hear that you can trace straight to the Eagles? Henley: We all have great respect for the Byrds and their legacy, but they had nothing to do with our choice of name. As far as what influence we may have had on younger musicians, it's not something we give much thought to. I think you can hear our influence in a lot of the stuff coming out of Nashville these days, but that's neither here nor there. Q: This would seem to be a tough market for a top concert ticket of $200. Do you have a feel for who is in the audience? Henley: Ticketing is our manager's job, and the track record shows that he has an incredibly good feel for it. As you may have heard, our manager (Irving Azoff) just became the new CEO of Ticketmaster, and he is changing the way that company does business. They are testing a single, all-inclusive ticket price for Eagles shows with no hidden fees. There will be truth in advertising. Q: "Long Road Out of Eden" was very successful, and you've been embraced by Nashville with a third Country Music Association Award nomination for vocal group of the year. Are there plans for a new record, and if so, would it emphasize the country in the country rock label that I'm sure you love? Henley: There are no plans, at this juncture, for another Eagles album. There are only plans for touring - lots of touring. The "Long Road Out of Eden Tour" still has a large portion of the world to cover. We still have to do the southern and western parts of the U.S., plus Europe, Asia and Australia. Q: How did getting married and having children change your outlook on making music? On a semi-related note, would you ever talk about who inspired the song "The Heart of the Matter"? Henley: Getting married and having children didn't change my outlook on music at all. Why would it? And on a completely unrelated note, the person who inspired "The Heart of the Matter" is still a good friend. She is happily married with two children. We communicate occasionally by e-mail and, every year or two, when we are in the same city, we have lunch and catch up on what's going on with our mutual friends and our families. We are both mature enough to know that, just because a relationship didn't work out 20 years ago, it's no reason to stay estranged. Quality friendships are hard to come by in this world.

They're The Eagles--What Can You Say? (Memphis Commerical Appeal)

Review: They're the Eagles -- what can you say?

Fans seem OK with uneven concert at FedExForum

By Bob Mehr

Originally published 04:08 p.m., November 17, 2008
Updated 03:38 p.m., November 17, 2008

How, or more accurately, why would anyone bother criticizing the Eagles at this point? Four decades and 120 million albums into their career, they're a group that has thrived on the slings and arrows directed at them by the press and their haters, actually reveling in the fact that they've been demonized far and wide for their rock-and-roll excess and success. Even the laid-back Dude, the protagonist in the Coen Brothers' "The Big Lebowski," famously ranted "I hate the (expletive) Eagles, man."

As the group rolled into FedExForum Sunday night, in support of Long Road Out of Eden, their first new studio album since 1979, they remained the very picture of defiance -- even if their edges have been sanded down, and a self-referential humor has come to replace the smug arrogance of their '70s heyday.

That's why it would be churlish to point out that the Eagles took the stage in suits, dressed like bankers, and occasionally played with all the enthusiasm of a group of bored loan officers. For the near-capacity crowd that filled the arena, none of that mattered. By the time a lonely bolero trumpet signaled the start of "Hotel California" a few songs into the set, the audience was sold, eagerly anticipating each of the hits that followed from "Peaceful Easy Feeling" to "Witchy Woman" to "Lyin' Eyes."

While drummer Don Henley delivered most of the standout vocal moments, his partner Glenn Frey handled the bulk of the in-between song banter, and got off a number of good lines, recalling his hometown of Detroit as "the fertilizer of my genius" and a city where "mother is half a word."

Ever-goofy guitarist Joe Walsh provided most of the evening's sparks, turning out a trio of songs from his own catalog, including an especially spirited romp through "Life's Been Good." Walsh -- who spent a couple years living here in the late '80s -- even managed to get Frey to show a little local love, as they duetted on a version of Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee" which then segued into his James Gang signature "Funk #49."

Lithe, soft-spoken bassist Timothy B. Schmit also got his turn in the spotlight, delivering a handful of soulful ballads like "Love Will Keep Us Alive" and the Hi Records-influenced "I Can't Tell You Why" (though you had to wonder if 14 handicap golfer Frey was already thinking about his morning tee time when he congratulated Schmit with a strangely detached and robotic: "Thanks, Timothy... that ...was ... great.")

Carrying a full horn section, a trio of pianists/ keyboardists, a multi-instrumentalist and an extra percussionist, at times they sounded more like the Eagles Show Band and Revue, than a lean rock-and-roll outfit. But guitarist Steuart Smith capably filled the role of "Fifth Eagle" -- replacing the deposed Don Felder -- and his polished pop playing was a clear highlight as he nailed solo after solo on everything from "One of These Nights" to Henley's "Boys of Summer."

Unfortunately, the pacing of the show was poorly planned. A batch of mostly new, and frankly snoozy, songs followed a long intermission, making the set feel particularly flabby in the middle. The guitar-heavy title track of the new album was meant to be the dramatic centerpiece of the show. Written as a barbed criticism of the war in Iraq and the decaying state of American politics, policy and culture, it simply came off as ham-handed and po-faced (although listening to Henley -- a man whose '70s motto for bagging chicks was "Love 'em and Lear 'em" -- railing against the dangers of environmental abuse and global warming, never gets any less funny or ironic).

For a tour that's expected to gross tens of millions of dollars, the Eagles also should've invested in some better production values. Their JumboTron graphics were a curiously inept mix of stock footage (the sight of urban youths chest bumping during "In the City" was particularly hilarious) and images that looked like screen savers; it was almost a shock when a squadron of flying toasters didn't materialize.

But, of course, the crowd didn't come for such frills, but rather to hear the band's catalog of familiar to ubiquitous songs. On that count they delivered, mixing solo favorites like "Dirty Laundry" and surefire floor fillers like "The Long Run," bringing things full circle as they encored with the song that launched their career, "Take It Easy."

By show's end, as the four Eagles lingered onstage, soaking up the applause and scooping up bouquets of flowers, it was hard not to be won over -- if not by their music, then by the sheer unwavering self-belief that's carried them this far.

--Bob Mehr: 529-2517

The Eagles Are Still Flying High For Don Henley (Memphis Commercial Appeal)

Concert Preview: The Eagles are still flying high for Don Henley

By Bob Mehr

Monday, November 10, 2008

Ask Eagles co-founder Don Henley what’s propelled the band and his partnership with fellow singer-songwriter Glenn Frey and he’ll tell you it was a “mutual passion for great songwriting, great singing and great musicianship,” but there was something else too.

“We wanted to rise above our circumstances,” says Henley. “We both wanted to succeed in the music business, so we lived and breathed it, all aspects of it, and that was our bond.”

Despite a rancorous breakup in 1980, that bond never quite died. The Eagles reunited famously in 1994 for the Hell Freezes Over live album and tour, and the group has continued to perform and finally, record.

One of the most commercially successful acts in history (with 120 million albums sold worldwide), last fall the Eagles released Long Road out of Eden, their first new studio effort in 28 years. Picking up where they left off, the record has sold nearly six million copies (in a deal that initially saw the album available only through Wal-Mart stores)

As the group — which also includes guitarist Joe Walsh and bassist Timothy B. Schmit — makes its return to Memphis with a concert at the FedExForum on Sunday, Henley spoke to the Commercial Appeal about the making of Long Road, his relationship with Frey and what the future may hold for him and the band.

Q: Given the long gap between studio albums for the band, was there anything dramatically different in the process of making Long Road out of Eden, as compared to previous albums?

A: The thing that we found to be the most different was the technology. The digital revolution hadn’t happened in 1978 when we recorded The Long Run. Of course we’ve all made a number of solo albums since then using modern technology, but the electronic landscape changes every year and it’s a real chore to keep up. Working with computers can be very expedient in certain areas, but we were mindful of maintaining a balance. Technology is a tool — it should never be a substitute for ability or the creative process.

Q: You’ve suggested in recent interviews that this might be the last Eagles album. Do you foresee a time when recording or performing music — either with a band or solo — is no longer a part of your plans? Or, do you see yourself, for lack of a better term, as a lifer in music?

A: Well, if I’m not a lifer already, then I don’t know who is. Two things that would keep me from working with this band — or any band — are apathy and self-indulgence; a lack of discipline or will to do whatever it takes to be the best we can be every time we step on a stage or into a recording studio. But, if I someday find that I no longer enjoy working in the context of the Eagles, I think that the solo work will go on, at least for a while. I still find fulfillment and a sense of purpose in songwriting, recording and performing. I’m not quite ready to sit around and whittle.

Q:Although you’ve worked with various writers and musical collaborators, is there something unique in your partnership with Glenn Frey that’s different than any other relationship and the reason why it’s lasted so long?

A: I think that Glenn and I balance each other, compliment each other. He and I are very much alike in some respects, but we are also very different in many ways. When we are able to harness our energies and achieve equilibrium, we can really achieve a lot. But when there is an imbalance, we tend to stay away from one another and work with other people. Over the years, we have developed a system that works for us — it ebbs and flows — and we’re fine with that… Glenn and I have been through a lot together. Over the past four decades, we’ve wrestled all the demons and we’ve whipped their butts. We know how to persevere.

Q: Do you feel that the massive success of the Eagles, or perhaps the machinery behind the band over the years – people like your old label head David Geffen or manager Irving Azoff — has been held against the group in some way? Specifically in the way that that music critics or historians have tended to rate the band in the rock canon?

A: If having astute management and conducting business in a smart, professional way is a crime, then we plead guilty. We’re successful because we have the best manager in the business, because we’re good at what we do and because we work hard.

We couldn’t care less about what the critics think or where we “rate” in the rock canon, if such a thing even exists. A lot of critics like their bands dead, but that option didn’t appeal to us. And when Neil Young sang “It’s better to burn out than it is to rust,” we thought: “Are those the only two choices? How about neither?”

This is not a hobby for us; it’s our life’s work, just like it is for Tony Bennett or B.B. King. Most of the critics never liked what we did in the first place, but it didn’t matter. We’ve moved on. All we care about is what our fans think. They are the ones who matter to us.

Q: Given the success you’ve enjoyed both with the band and as a solo artist are there any creative or professional goals you still have a burning ambition to achieve?

A: Burning ambition? Them’s pretty strong words, Hoss. No, I guess you could say that burning ambition is what we had in the ‘70s. These days, that has matured into something a little less dangerous. We simply don’t have as much to prove, now, or as much to lose, so we don’t have to labor under that yoke.

We can go about our business without worrying so much about where we are on the proverbial ladder. It makes the work so much more enjoyable, you know? Of course, it would be gratifying to make another successful album or to win a few more Grammys or CMA awards, but nothing lasts forever.

We’ve had an extraordinary run. We like where we are right now and we intend to continue for a bit longer, but if it should all end tomorrow, that’s fine too.

For more about the Eagles, go to eaglesband.com.

Peaceful, Easy Feeling As Eagles Rock Out JQH (Springfield News-Leader)

Peaceful, easy feeling as Eagles rock out JQH

Legendary band makes local history as first act to hit Springfield arena.

Gregory Trotter
News-Leader

More than a year and a half ago, Missouri State University officials decided they wanted to open the new $67 million JQH Arena with a big-name musical act that would draw concert-goers across generational lines.

Thursday night, they did just that. Nearly 10,000 people showed up to see the Eagles, one of the highest-grossing rock bands since the 1970s, play the arena's inaugural concert.

They attracted a crowd that ranged from baby boomers to teenagers who grew up listening to hits like "Hotel California" and "Desperado." Regardless of age, concert-goers were excited they were about to see the Eagles, not in Kansas City or St. Louis, but right here in Springfield at the JQH Arena.

"It looks like an incredible facility and we're hoping that it's going pull more great bands," said Brian Camey, who brought his wife, Susan, and 18-year-old son, Sean.

Camey remembers attending concerts in the Hammons Student Center and recalls the sound was not always high-quality.

"We're expecting a lot more from this state-of-the-art facility, like they've been advertising," said Susan Camey.

CeCe Hadon and her 17-year-old daughter, Emily, saw the Eagles concert as a sign of good things to come. About 30 years ago, Hadon saw the Eagles play Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. But now Springfield could be an option closer to home, Hadon said.

Emily Hadon said it could be time for acts like the Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty and John Mayer to come through town.

"Springfield will turn out for events like this," she said. "It's a college town."

Others waiting outside the arena before the doors opened were uncertain about the arena's acoustics.

"I'm a little concerned about the sound," said 65-year-old Earl Arnold of Richland, "because its designed for basketball."

Arnold traveled to Springfield with his wife, Marie, and 34-year-old daughter Chrissy. Though the doors did not open until 7 p.m., they were out in front at 6 p.m. because they were worried about long lines and parking.

Neither turned out to be an issue, Arnold said.

By intermission, any questions about the acoustics at the JQH had also been answered.

During the set break, Chris Tucker, a fan in the nosebleed seats, said, "The acoustics on every song sounds perfect."

'People will be awed'

It was a fortunate mix of timing, showbiz friendships and the arena's design that routed the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" tour through Springfield, said Brent Dunn, vice president of university advancement.

The arena was built with special features to accommodate a major concert, such as truck bays and ceiling grids to support lighting and special-effects equipment. And though it is likely the smallest venue on the Eagles tour, Dunn said, the JQH Arena is also one of the finest.

"It's one of the nicest arenas in the country," he said. "People will be awed."

But even with the state-of-the-art facility, Dunn said, hauling in a big-name band like the Eagles was a long shot.

Enter Mike Ingram and Les Garland, concert promoters who grew up in the Springfield area.

Garland, a co-founder of MTV and former local radio disc jockey, was a keynote speaker at an MSU conference last year. Though he lives in Miami, Fla., Garland keeps a second home on Table Rock Lake.

When MSU president Michael Nietzel mentioned to him that they were trying to lure the Eagles to Springfield, Garland thought he might be able to help.

"He happened to pick an act who are good friends of mine,'" said Garland, who had befriended Irving Azoff -- Eagles manager and CEO of Ticketmaster -- years ago.

Azoff's reaction to his pitch for Springfield?

"Wow, that's a long shot," Garland recalled Azoff saying, but after many logistical conversations, Azoff came around.

"Without Les Garland, there's no way the Eagles would be playing the arena," said Ingram, an MSU alum who also runs an entertainment company with Garland.

It also had to do with the timing of the arena's opening, said Mark Campana, president of Live Nation Midwest Music, promoters of the Eagles concert.

"The Eagles are opening a number of buildings on this tour," Campana said. "It's a unique opportunity that's enticing to an artist."

As for the impact of the Eagles concert on the local music scene, the future looks bright.

"This is the beginning of a new era for music in Springfield," Dunn said.

The Eagles Soar Back to Tulsa

Concert review: The Eagles soar back to Tulsa

By Brandy McDonnell - Entertainment Writer

Published: November 12, 2008

Don Henley, left, and Glenn Frey of the Eagles, perform during the 2007 Country Music Association Awards show. AP ARCHIVE PHOTO

TULSA — The Eagles didn’t need an opening act, flashy stage production or bombastic opening number to thrill an estimated 14,000 fans Tuesday night at the BOK Center.

The venerable band’s more than 35 years of hits, consummate musicianship and the madcap energy of guitarist/singer Joe Walsh kept the appreciative audience flying high.

The classic country-rockers’ “Long Road Out of Eden” world tour brought them back to the BOK Center just two months after they played the new arena’s first concert.

The return engagement was booked because of the overwhelming demand for tickets to the sold-out grand-opening show. The popular band drew an eager near-capacity crowd for Tuesday’s Tulsa encore.

At the band’s 2002 show at Oklahoma City’s Ford Center, the Eagles’ music proved much more potent live than recorded, and the same held true Tuesday in Tulsa.

The audience roared in anticipation as the stage lights revealed Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Timothy B. Schmit and Walsh lined up in matching black suits with guitars in hands. Their voices were in fine form and their four-part harmony flawless as they opened with “How Long,” a country hit from their latest album, last year’s multi-platinum “Long Road Out of Eden.”

“We’re back,” Frey, the band’s spokesman, playfully announced. “Seems like only yesterday. I’m gonna have to think of new jokes and everything.”

Although Frey cracked that the show was part of the band’s “assisted living tour,” the Eagles expertly delivered about three hours of crowd-pleasing music. Each member got a turn in the spotlight as they played three more songs from the current album, “Busy Being Fabulous,” “Guilty of the Crime” and “I Don’t Want to Hear Any More.”

An evocative trumpet solo heralded the start of the Spanish-flavored favorite “Hotel California,” with Henley singing and pounding the drums, Walsh and sideman Steuart Smith (standing in for the song’s co-writer, Don Felder, who was fired from the band in 2001) scorching through the familiar guitar byplay, and the fervent fans grooving along.

That the band played its signature song early in the show is a testament to the astonishing depth of the Eagles catalog. Schmit fractured hearts with his falsetto ballad “I Can’t Tell You Why,” Frey spun his cheating tale “Lyin’ Eyes” with the help of a crying violin, and Walsh’s impressive slide guitar work got a boost from a four-piece horn section on “In the City.”

But Henley stole the first half of the show with his haunting wailing and precision skins work on the atmospheric rocker “Witchy Woman” and his bittersweet solo hit “Boys of Summer.”

After an intermission, the band got back on the “Long Road Out of Eden.” The quartet started its second set sitting on stools at front of the stage and crooning “No More Walks in the Woods” a cappella in lovely four-part harmony. The sad song set off a string of pretty ballads, “Waiting in the Weeds,” “No More Cloudy Days” and “Love Will Keep Us Alive,” leading up to a huge crowd sing-along on “Take It to the Limit.”

For much of the show, the Eagles played their cool California sound with icy cold efficiency. Their skilled musicianship and seasoned professionalism propelled them through the hits, but they didn’t seem to be having much fun.

But the clever fingers, wacky energy and quirky humor of Walsh transformed the show into a party. His blazing guitar and passionate wail on the James Gang favorite “Walk Away” got the crowd to its feet, and he cleverly merged Don Williams’ classic “Tulsa Time” with “Funk 49.”

He donned a “helmet cam” to film the audience and added a few extra lines of nonsense to his already comical solo hit “Life’s Been Good.”

His energy seemed to spark his bandmates to loosen up a bit on the rockers “Heartache Tonight” and “Life in the Fast Line.”

When the keyed-up crowd thunderously demanded an encore, and the band slowed it down for the satisfying favorites “Take It Easy” and “Desperado.”

In keeping with the peaceful, easy finish, Henley chose not to throw his drum sticks into the crowd after the show, instead carefully instructing fans to pass them back to a little boy in the audience.

Eagles Flock to Classic Hits (Omaha World-Herald)

Set list
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How Long • Busy Being Fabulous • I Don't Want to Hear Any More • Guilty of the Crime • Hotel California • Peaceful Easy Feeling • I Can't Tell You Why • Witchy Woman • Lyin' Eyes • Boys of Summer • In the City • The Long Run

Intermission

Love Will Keep Us Alive • Take It to the Limit • Long Road Out of Eden • Somebody • Walk Away • One of These Nights • Life's Been Good • Dirty Laundry • Funk 49 • Heartache Tonight • Life In the Fast Lane

Encore one:
Rocky Mountain Way • All She Wants To Do Is Dance

Encore two:
Take It Easy • Desperado Since forming more than 25 years ago, the Eagles have weathered lineup changes, fights and a breakup that lasted more than a decade. During that time, they may have gained a few years and a few pounds, but they still sound as great as ever.

The group — Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit — played for more than three hours Saturday night at the Qwest Center Omaha for nearly 16,000 fans.

Their voices and guitar-playing abilities still intact after all these years, the Eagles performed each song flawlessly and sounded as though they haven't aged a bit. Their classic country-rock sound was aided by beautiful four-part harmonies and lengthy guitar solos during every song.

The set included several songs from their 2007 album "Long Road Out of Eden," as well as each of their hits. The crowd was on its feet singing and clapping for songs such as "Hotel California," "The Long Run" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive."

The band even played hits from each member's respective solo careers. Henley sang "Boys of Summer" and "Dirty Laundry," among others, while Walsh did a rendition of his song "Life's Been Good."

Walsh in particular looked like he was having the time of his life on stage. He danced and laughed while he jammed guitar solos. During "Life's Been Good," he ran around with a camera attached to his head that projected images of the crowd on a huge video screen behind him.

Each band member took at least one opportunity to speak to the crowd, but Frey was especially talkative, acting like band spokesman by telling stories and jokes and introducing the backing band.

The Eagles were backed up by a drummer, three keyboardists and a horn section. Special kudos goes out to Steuart Smith, who shared lead guitar duties with Walsh. Smith was essentially the fifth Eagle during the show, sharing the front of the stage with the four official members. He added nuance and flair to each song with his fluid guitar playing and solos.

If there's still any tension lingering from their breakup, no one exhibited it on stage. All four were all smiles, often joking and bantering during and between songs.

It's been a long road for the Eagles, and Frey acknowledged with a joke in the middle of the show that the band has gotten older.

"Check your ticket stubs. This is the assisted living tour," the 60-year-old Frey said to laughs

Bunny's Hershey Photos!!!

Bunny got some great photos in Hershey. Check out her online album.

Dallas Photos

http://www.eaglesfans-forum.com/Dallas%20November%2015th,%202008/

Fan Review: Jeff from Green Bay

The Long Run has been a good one...

I'm writing this review knowing that this was probably my last time seeing the guys together, based on their comments and interviews in recent months.  It sounds, from where I'm standing, that they're done after this tour.  They're not sure if they have one more album in them and they don't want to tour again without a new album.  Sounds like a Catch-22 for the fans. 

The Eagles came back to our fair city of Green Bay, WI.  Green Bay is a TINY market.  We're 260th in rank of U.S. cities by population.  How we earned the right to have the Eagles come back and visit us for a second time in five years is beyond me.  What was disappointing was that the arena was not sold out.  Large patches of empty seats were all around the upper ring and down on the floor.  That was depressing.  However, the guys showed up with the professionalism that is The Eagles.  Suits, full stage set-up, and almost the entire set list.  (They eliminated the first encore). 

Regarding the show?  Fantastic.  I certainly did miss "Wasted Time," "The Last Resort," and "All She Wants To Do Is Dance."  The guys were in perfect form and fantastic harmonies.  The jokes were canned, but they did give the impression that they loved Green Bay.  Don commented about the beautiful area and lovely barns.  Glenn cracked a few jokes.  Joe had a cheesehead mounted with a camera.  It was good to hear that when he Green Bay, he doesn't need to lock the doors for fear of attack.  He goes to Lambeau to cheer on the Pack. 

The fans?  A crowd in great spirits for a Monday night.  What was interesting were the number of people around me asking if they were going to sing "Seven Bridges Road."  Many disappointed faces when they didn't.  Some folks said that was the one song they wanted to hear. 

Loved the new songs.  In fact, it was amazing how many of the fans that were singing along to the Eden tunes.  Many, many folks knew all of the lyrics.  That made this a lot of fun. 

So - in closing - I guess this is it.  I finally believe them during "Take It Easy" saying that they "will never be here again."  It was fun while it lasted.  Thanks for the memories and the return visit. 

Green Bay Photo Gallery

From the Appleton Post-Crescent

Eagles Deliver Sweet Nostalgia (Green Bay Press-Gazette)

Review: Eagles deliver sweet nostalgia

By Kendra Meinert
Gannett Wisconsin Media

Two songs into what would become a marathon set Monday night at the Resch Center, Glenn Frey told the crowd, “Check your ticket stubs. This is the Eagles’ Assisted Living Tour. And we’re the Eagles, the band that wouldn’t die.’’

At least he got it half-right.

Not battling egos, not 28 years between studio albums and not even apparently hell freezing over have been able to stop the long run of the ’70s kings of California country-rock. But as for any signs that somehow time is starting to catch up with Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit – all hovering near 60 – there were virtually none to be found during a show that goes down as the most expensive ticket in Resch history.

Twenty-eight songs. Two hours and 45 minutes. Four frontmen all in fine voice. One stunningly spare “Desperado’’ to end the night. Not only did the Eagles give 6,494 fans their $177 worth, but they looked like they were having a better time doing it than they did during a rather frosty performance in 2003.

On a stage that resembled the Hollywood Bowl with a massive arched video backdrop, the foursome in black suits, white shirts and ties actually broke from their standard wall-of-singers formation to share mics, trade guitar licks and get about as playful as the Eagles get.

Goofy caricatures of themselves floated around in an animated aquarium video behind them during “Funk #49.’’ Walsh – always the life of the Eagles’ party – strapped a “helmet cam’’ on a Cheesehead during “Life’s Been Good’’ and stalked the crowd with the lens as he slipped in alternate lyrics: “I go to Lambeau, root for the Pack.’’ And was that actually a smile from Henley behind the drums on “One of These Nights’’ as the group revisited its arena-rock roots during a looser, faster finish to the night?

Perhaps they were revitalized by having new music to serve up (and by a terrific four-piece horn section). They played generously from “Long Road Out of Eden,’’ their first studio release since 1979’s “The Long Run,’’ opening with four of its tracks. They came back after an intermission to do another string of three acoustically on stools, including a poetic “No More Walks in the Wood’’ a cappella.

The new album’s title track, Henley’s 10-minute think piece on the U.S. involvement in Iraq, came later – the grittiest performance of the night with monster guitars, a marching drum beat and war footage. If that song didn’t remind the crowd he remains the Eagle with the best voice, “Boys of Summer’’ and “Desperado’’ no doubt did.

It was the classic hits that lured those mostly boomer fans to shell out as much as $177 a ticket to return to the soundtrack to their youth. Whether it was Frey – still looking the California cool cat -- effortlessly leading on “Peaceful Easy Feeling’’ or Schmit’s trippy mellow of “I Can’t Tell You Why,’’ the lush harmonies that have been the group’s signature since the early ’70s still feel like warm sunshine on your face.

So no wonder when a room-commanding trumpet solo opened into a well-worn “Hotel California’’ just five songs in, the crowd couldn’t help but get to its feet. Nothing feels as good as sweet nostalgia delivered like it was just yesterday.

Scan of Tribune Photo

Thanks Lynn!

Life's Been Good (Minneapolis Preview / Joe Interview)

The Eagles: Life's been good

By JON BREAM, Star Tribune

September 25, 2008

Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh is the anti-Eagle. Make that the anti-ego.

You know about the big shots in the Eagles -- Don Henley and Glenn Frey. Purposeful singer-songwriter Henley is the band's conscience; free-spirited singer-songwriter Frey its heart. Bassist Timothy B. Schmit, the quiet one, brings a peaceful, easy feeling. And Walsh, the loud one, brings much-needed humor, energy and personality.

Take, for instance, when Walsh phoned recently from Texas. Hurricane Ike had forced cancellation of the band's show the night before in Houston.

"I'm in Dallas, which is the first place the hurricane's going after it hits Houston," he said. "I don't know why we're here. I think it's our own personal hurricane and it's going to follow us wherever we go."

When stormy weather and the Eagles are mentioned in the same sentence, it usually refers to the inability of Henley and Frey to get along. Remember that classic quote from the acerbic Henley when the group broke up in 1980? He said they'd play together "when hell freezes over."

After reuniting as a touring act in 1994, the Eagles finally released an album of new material in October 2007, reestablishing themselves as a viable artistic entity, not merely a lucrative business arrangement between fractured friends. "Long Road Out of Eden," a two-disc, 20-song epic, quickly became a big seller, topping 3 million in sales -- a blockbuster by today's standards, but a shadow of the 29 million copies sold in the United States of "The Eagles -- Their Greatest Hits 1971-75," the biggest selling album of all time.

"We are getting along better than ever," said Walsh, whose band returns to Target Center on Tuesday. "We've just really settled down."

How's that?

"We're just really comfortable around each other now. We're all sober. We've discovered sleep," said Walsh, 60. "There's a different feeling when you've played with musicians for 30 years. A lot of stuff doesn't even need to be said, especially onstage. We just read each other so well. We're like the 'Grumpy Old Men' movie. We're like Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon -- except there's four of us."

Walsh, known for his work with the James Gang and solo recordings, joined the Eagles in 1975 as a replacement for co-founder Bernie Leadon. He knows his role.

"It truly is Don and Glenn's band," the guitarist said. "I knew that when I joined, and it hasn't changed. They call the shots and decide policies. I think the world of them as a team. So that's OK with me."

Here's how the Eagles fly, according to Walsh: "Don usually has an overview of a concept or a complete statement. Glenn helps him turn that from abstract to a real thing. My job is to feed that input and put some kick-ass guitar on it and try to keep them sane and focused."

Not that Walsh is afraid to speak his mind. For instance, he doesn't dig the stage outfits for this tour -- black suits, white shirts and black ties.

"I don't know exactly why we're doing it. I guess Glenn came up with it," said Walsh, who had grown accustomed to wearing whatever he wanted onstage. "You feel a certain way with a suit and a tie on. My problem is my tie gets stuck in my guitar strings and all of a sudden my guitar doesn't work anymore. I've got to get a tie clasp, but I never get around to it."

Dancing with Wal-Mart

Not that the Eagles ever play it straight. Besides the suits and ties, the most conservative thing these left-leaning Californians have done is give Wal-Mart the exclusive retail-store rights to "Long Road Out of Eden."

"That was pretty much a business decision," Walsh explained of allowing Big Blue to sell the CD for $11.88. "We found Wal-Mart to be a fairly green company and at least open to dialogue on some of their policies. It was kind of a bold step. It worked pretty good. It may open the door for a bunch of frustrated artists to distribute new material as an alternative to iTunes. And it's a pretty darn good deal; if it was [done via] a record company, [the CD] would have cost twice as much."

Of course, the Eagles, especially the outspoken Henley, are still critical of the Bush administration. It's obvious in the 10-minute title cut on the new album, which the band will play in concert. It's a song about U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq.

"We tried to do that through the eyes of the guys who are over there. They're gung-ho when they get there and as time goes on, they don't really know why they're there," Walsh said. "Without ever talking about revolution and getting down too much on anybody, we were trying to say 'We're in a big mess.' "

The album features other social commentaries ("I Dreamed There Was No War," "Frail Grasp on the Big Picture," "Do Something") as well as songs about relationships ("Busy Being Fabulous," "What Do I Do with My Heart," "I Love to Watch a Woman Dance").

Of course, slow-working, perfectionist Henley wasn't totally happy with "Eden." "Egos must be fed," he told the Houston Chronicle this month. "Objectivity and perspective can go right out the window. Art suffers. For better or worse, survival often depends on placing egalitarianism, diplomacy and compromise above all else. That is the reality of group dynamics."

Is that true?

"Yeah, pretty much," said Walsh, who, like Schmit, gets to sing lead on two tunes on the new album. "Left to our own devices, we'll never be done. There were some compromises that everybody had to make."

Life in the seniors lane

At first, the Eagles tried to reinvent themselves by exploring new sounds that might be more compatible with contemporary radio, Walsh said. Then they decided to just be themselves, except their approach to recording this time was different. It was no longer "lock ourselves in the studio for three months and stay up for most of it. Whatever that was, we released and called art," Walsh said. "We're sober now and we all have families and obligations of being senior citizens. Oh, that's hard to say. We have grownup responsibilities. We used to all live in the same car."

Walsh, like his bandmates, welcomes the new songs. The Eagles were "getting frustrated" regurgitating the hits "like a Vegas show or like the Beach Boys," he admitted. "We knew we had another album in us. It was a painful birth. But it's great to have new material."

Also a bit painful is this year's tell-all book by fired Eagles guitarist Don Felder, "Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001)," in which he writes about trashing hotels, abusing drugs and suffering the wrath of Henley (who once chewed him out for wearing the wrong shoes onstage) and Frey (who teased him about his bald spot), who railroaded him into taking a smaller part of the lucrative pie in the band's latter years.

"To be honest, I've tried not to worry about it too much," Walsh said of the book. "We couldn't say anything for a long time because we were in a lawsuit with him. Down deep, I like him. He was fun to stand next to and play with. A bunch of that [what Felder wrote] didn't concern me because some of the tension came from events before I joined the band."

But is the story true about Walsh throwing a grand piano out a hotel window?

"Not the whole piano went out the window," he recalled of his pre-sober days. "But a lot of it -- the legs and the lid and a bunch of the keys and the pedals. I wouldn't want anybody to think the wrong thing."

Eagles Take Spotlight in a Show Heavy on Hits (Southtown Star Review)

Eagles take spotlight turns in a show heavy on hits
(http://www.southtownstar.com/concerts/1185125,Eaglesreview.article)

September 25, 2008

BY STEVE METSCH, Staff Writer

The Eagles is "the band that would not die," Glenn Frey jokingly told their United Center audience Wednesday night.

In fact, they are not only alive and well, but in fine form, too, knocking out 30 songs over the course of their three-hour concert.

Frey and his bandmates - Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit and the irrepressible Joe Walsh cruised through songs from their 2007 release, the two-CD "Long Road Out of Eden," and dug into their 1970s catalog for huge hits, before turning their second set into an episode of "Joe Gone Wild."

The four core Eagles members were joined by nine backup musicians, including a four-man brass section that brought new sounds to familiar songs.

The band opened with their big "How Long" and three other new songs, giving each a chance to tackle the lead vocal slot. An attempt to soothe egos in a band famed for its fighting? Who cares? They all sounded terrific.

Besides, time heals.

Frey, 60, called Henley "my friend since 1971," and talked in glowing terms of how they wrote "Lyin' Eyes" in two days. "Now," Frey said, "that would probably take two years."

Noting how the band began 37 years ago, Henley introduced "The Long Run" as "our theme song" and invited fans to sing along.

The first set was heavy on ballads, including "I Can't Tell You Why" and "I Don't Want to Hear Any More," both featuring Schmit's beautiful vocals. Yes, Schmit, 60, still effortlessly hits high notes. And, yes, he still has his trademark flowing locks.

The first set offered hints of what was to come when Walsh grabbed the spotlight with a fun new song, "Guilty of the Crime," and a rollicking version of "In the City" that had him playing solos off the bold brass section.

After a lengthy break - maybe the band was watching the White Sox and Cubs games as many fans were in the concourse -- the Eagles returned -- with the lovely harmonies of "No More Walks in the Woods." These guys may disagree, but they sure sing well together.

A few songs later, it was time for Walsh to steal the spotlight with sizzling solos on "Long Road Out of Eden," Henley's biting political criticism of the war in Iraq. Then it was time to unleash Walsh. As always, the life of the party was up to the task.

The band went way back into Walsh's musical history with "Walk Away," a 1971 release from his James Gang days. Frey tried to match Walsh, 60, note for note at the start of "Funk #49," another James Gang song, before playfully tossing up his hands and conceding.

Among the night's many highlights was "Life's Been Good," Walsh's solo hit from 1978. The amusing indictment of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle was made even more enjoyable with video clips of the band through the years, and with his "the helmet cam," a videocamera mounted atop a hard hat that took shots of the audience that were beamed to three video screens.

Walsh's enthusiasm and superb playing seemed to inspire the entire band to rock a bit harder. "One of These Nights" never sounded better.--The same goes for "Heartache Tonight."

Henley took the spotlight with a dead-on takes of "The Boys of Summer" and "Hotel California," and his poke at the media, "Dirty Laundry." The Eagles had fun with that song, showing real tabloid headines along with phony magazine covers featuring stories like, "Monkey Sues Joe Walsh" and "Don Henley Solves Global Warming."

Frey handled most of the banter, telling fans -- "Lyin' Eyes" was "about my first wife, 'Plaintiff,'" leading the horn section through some funky dance steps, and calling "Take It to the Limit" the band's "credit card song." He sounded best on "Peaceful Easy Feeling." You could almost feel the warm California breeze.

After finishing with a hard-rockin' "Life in the Fast Lane," the band returned for its first encore: Walsh's Chicago classic rock radio staple "Rocky Mountain Way," and Henley's "All She Wants to Do is Dance," complete with a dazzling light show.

The second encore was all-Eagles: the timeless "Take it Easy," with Frey on the lead, and "Desperado," powered by Henley.

My only beef?

I know bands have to sell new product, but it would've been nice to hear them rock out on "Already Gone."

The good news is tickets are available for tonight's concert in what Frey jokingly called "the Eagles' Assisted Living Tour."

Joe Walsh Injects Fun, Energy into Staid Eagles Concert (Chicago Tribune Blog)

Joe Walsh injects fun, energy into staid Eagles concert

More Joe Walsh, please. Even “The Dude” would’ve loved him Wednesday, the opener of a two-night Eagles stand at the United Center.     The Dude is the bathrobed, bearded hippie in the Coen brothers movie “The Big Lebowski” who hated the Eagles, in part because their mellowness was so inescapable in the ‘70s.           The quintessential California band ruled that decade as one of rock’s greatest commercial forces, and in the years since not much has changed. The reunited juggernaut is still selling lots of albums (their 2007 comeback release “Long Road out of Eden” has sold 7 million units) and their ticket prices (topping out at $185, plus service fees) are still hefty (who can forget – or forgive – the Eagles for breaking the $100 ticket barrier on their 1994 reunion tour?).      But Walsh doesn’t fit the Eagles peaceful-easy-feelin’ mold. For a good part of the three-hour show, he was on his best behavior. All due respect to Don Henley and Glenn Frey (in photo above), the band’s cofounders: They’re craftsmanlike songwriters, but they’re not much for showmanship. Even the between-songs patter was canned, and the concert felt about as stiff as the matching black suits the band wore, as if outfitted for a wake.      Steuart Smith expertly re-created the ousted Don Felder’s essential guitar parts, and the core quartet, abetted by nine musicians, precisely re-enacted their studio recordings. When Frey added an extra word to a line from “Lyin’ Eyes,” it was a big deal.         Then late in the evening, Walsh took over with frisky versions of his old James Gang hits “Walk Away” and “Funk 49” and his solo goof “Life’s Been Good,” complete with a mini-cam attached to his helmet. “Life in the Fast Lane” lived up to its title; even Henley hit the drums with extra oomph. For the first time, everyone looked like they were having fun.     The fans paid to hear the hits, and the band delivered with a set list heavy on ‘70s favorites, plus a sprinkling of “Eden” songs and solo tracks. The best of their songs deserve their status not just as hits, but as cultural touchstones, especially the Spanish-flavored decadence of “Hotel California.”         But it was the goofy, unpredictable guitar player who transformed this night from a nostalgic recital into a concert. Like The Dude, Joe Walsh abides.     greg@gregkot.com Set list 1. “How Long”: The four core members --- Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Timothy B. Schmit and Joe Walsh --- line up across the stage in a show of black-suited solidarity. 2. “Busy Being Fabulous”: Four guitars at work, but not much traction for this “Long Road out of Eden” track. 3. “I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore”: Schmit sings what sounds like an Air Supply outtake. 4. “Guilty of the Crime”: Walsh’s slide-guitar work raises the energy in the room considerably. 5. “Hotel California”: Ushered in with a trumpet solo, and finishing with Walsh and Steuart Smith (standing in for the song’s author, Don Felder) trading guitar lines. 6. “Peaceful Easy Feeling”: Everything “The Dude” Lebowski ever hated about the Eagles in one supremely catchy, supremely mellow song. 7. “I Can’t Tell You Why”: Schmit’s fragile falsetto and Smith’s replication of Felder’s distinctive solo still resonate on this ballad. 8. “Witchy Woman”: Sing-along time, with Henley doubling on lead vocals and drums. 9. “Lyin’ Eyes”: Frey’s epic soap-opera script embroidered with fiddle and piano. 10. “Boys of Summer”: Henley’s solo hit remains a bittersweet keeper. 11. “In the City”: Walsh’s slide-guitar showcase, with gratuitous horns. 12. “The Long Run”: Still wonder how the Eagles got away with ripping off the great Memphis R&B song “Tryin’ to Live My Life Without You” (as originally popularized by Chicagoan Otis Clay). 2nd set 13. “No More Walks in the Woods”: Nice sit-down opening with a cappella harmonies by Henley, Frey, Schmit and Walsh. 14. “Waiting in the Weeds”: Henley sings, Frey on guitar, Smith later joins on mandolin. 15. “No More Cloudy Days”: The sound of stasis. 16. “Love Will Keep Us Alive”: A thoroughly unmemorable track from the “Hell Freezes Over” reunion disc, sung by Schmit. 17. “Take it to the Limit”: Just as the show starts to lose steam, a crucially timed visit to the Eagles first “Hits” album, which has sold 25 million copies. 18. “Long Road out of Eden”: Epic but ponderous title song from Eagles latest album. 19. “Somebody”: The band strips off their black suit jackets to reveal matching white shirts. Otherwise, the song’s a snooze. 20. “Walk Away”: Walsh cracks a smile in midsolo. That’s a first for what has been, so far, a professionally dour concert. 21. “One of These Nights”: Henley proves he can still hit the falsetto notes. 22. “Life’s Been Good”: Walsh dons a helmet and trains a mini-cam on the crowd. It took a while, but suddenly the audience feels part of the show. 23. “Dirty Laundry”: Henley continues his love affair with the media, and sets it to a dance beat. 24. “Funk 49”: More James Gang-era rock from Walsh. 25. “Heartache Tonight”: The horns add to the R&B flavor. 26. “Life in the Fast Lane”: Another Walsh guitar showcase. Deadline beckons, and I have to split as the band walks off before the encore.

Reunited Eagles Could Use Bailout (Sun Times Review)

Reunited Eagles could use bailout

CONCERT REVIEW | Guitarists shake up performance that's on the brink

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September 25, 2008

BY MARK GUARINO

With corporate governance crumbling financial markets and with pension plans and home mortgages on the brink of near ruin, perhaps it's a sign of economic recovery that the board of directors at Lehman Brothers gathered together to sing Eagles songs at the United Center on Wednesday.

No, wait, upon closer inspection, those were actual members of the Eagles standing onstage singing actual Eagles songs at an Eagles concert. Dressed in ill-fitting black suits, crisp white shirts and matching black ties, the Eagles performed nearly three hours of familiar hits, and some new songs, with the joie de vivre of a quarterly shareholders teleconference.

» Click to enlarge image

Glenn Frey performs with the Eagles.
(Oscar Lopez/For the Sun-Times)

PHOTO GALLERY

Eagles concert

Not that there's anything wrong with that. The first of two nearly sold-out nights continued this second life of the famed California country rock band, which quit in 1980 but has since embarked on periodic reunion tours that have meticulously assigned every note, tone and verbal quip with strict governance. As each return has illustrated, the Eagles are committed to consistency.

For longtime fans, enthralled by music engineered as if by robotic gears, this became a golden opportunity. The Eagles, accompanied by five sidemen plus four horn players, presented their songbook as the institution it has become. "Hotel California," the highlight of the first half, was greeted because it was familiar; the band's performance did not wrest from it anything new.

Yet there is a factor that makes this latest regrouping a lot more special than previous tours: a new album, "Long Road Out of Eden" (ERC II). This meant the Eagles had new songs to play, which they did at the start of the night's two divided sets. These were built with the same architecture of past Eagles songs -- multiple harmonies, mid-tempo choruses, bittersweet worldviews -- but they lacked melodic integrity. Don Henley, one of rock's greatest lyricists, traded caustic for catatonic on acoustic dross like "Waiting in the Weeds."

For a band so famously governed at the top -- Henley and Glenn Frey -- the show might have fared better if it was the domain of guitarist Joe Walsh and lead guitarist Steuart Smith, who replaced original member Don Felder, fired in 2001. On fare like "In the City" and "Guilty of the Crime," a new song, the guitarists unhinged the band from its tight screws. Slight but thrilling, these moments helped shake up a tour that Frey earlier said could be subtitled "assisted living."

Patty's Little Rock Photos

Bob V's St. Louis Photos

Bob V got some great closeups! http://eaglesfans.typepad.com/photos/bob_vs_st_louis_photos/

Tim's Houston Photos

Tim got these cool shots in Houston! Click to see them bigger!

Julie's Milwaukee Photos

Julie got some amazing shots in Milwaukee:  http://eaglesfans.typepad.com/photos/julies_milwaukee_photos/index.html

Henley Q and A (Houston Chronicle)

Can't Cut and Paste This one...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/5992391.html

Eagles: One Show, Two Reviews (Houston Chronicle)

The Eagles: One show, two reviews

Reviewing the legends -- like the Eagles -- can be tough business. Take Bruce Springsteen, for instance. He got a glowing review back in April that still managed to draw ire for various reasons, not the least of which was the suggestion that Springsteen wasn't immortal. One commenter suggested the format below for a review:

Why can't you just write the facts? Here is what I would like to find out from reading a concert review:
-Venue
-Opening act(if any)
-Start time
-Attendance vs Capacity
-Complete set list
-Encore set list
-Names of band members
-Discription of stage and set-up
-Show highlights
-End time
Then throw in your opinion and anything else you feel you need to add.

For you, my friend, here is an Eagles review. I hope you're reading . . .

Toyota Center
No
8:21 p.m.
19,300 vs. 19,300 (according to one venue rep)
Set list:
How Long
Busy Being Fabulous
I Don't Want to Hear Anymore
Guilty of the Crime
Hotel California
Peaceful Easy Feeling
I Can't Tell You Why
Witchy Woman
Lyin' Eyes
Boys of Summer
In the City
The Long Run
(Intermission)
No More Walks in the Wood
Waiting in the Weeds
No More Cloudy Days
Love Will Keep Us Alive
Take It to the Limit
Long Road Out of Eden
Somebody
Walk Away
One of These Nights
Life's Been Good
Dirty Laundry
Funk #49
Heartache Tonight
Life in the Fast Lane
(encore)
Take It Easy
Desperado

- Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh, others
- The stage was flat. There were lights. The backdrop often had video that pertained to the song at hand. So if there was a lyric about a spider, there'd be a picture of a spider.
- Highlights: Anytime Joe Walsh opened his mouth, anytime the guys harmonized, the surprising inclusion of Boys of Summer, an excellent Hotel California at the front of the set.

- 11:25 p.m.

As a bonus, here's a photo:

Bill Olive for the Chronicle Frey and Henley: Stuck in the middle with you.

There ya go. If anybody would like to read more, click below.

Loved and loathed, the Eagles are, I believe, more than worth talking about at length. The fellow who recommended the above review format also suggested I save long-form musings for my "novel" (huh?). He can skip this part.

"We were the band that wouldn't die," Frey said two songs into the band's sold out set at the Toyota Center Tuesday, the first of two shows. And that's true. But the Eagles were MIA during some crucial years. Breaking up might have been easy to do in 1980 when the members would hardly speak to each other. In doing so, the band protected the Eagles brand. Say what you will about the Eagles, but they weren't putting out lousy, synthy albums that got ignored in the '80s and '90s. A disappearing act left their legacy in tact while also generating wanting. There's also the fact that 28,999,999 people other than me own their Greatest Hits album. And many of them had kids who heard it on road trips throughout childhood.

The crowd -- more parents than kids, but not without kids -- was one hungry baby bird.

So let's start with the loving and then get to the loathing. It's easy to see this band's appeal. The Eagles have always had an easy way with a gorgeous harmony. The show occasionally had the feeling of a guitar pull with each of the four Eagles needing a turn at the mic every few minutes. But regardless of who took the lead, the harmonies in and around the choruses continue to whisper through like a back porch breeze. Opener How Long is among the best of the songs from the band's latest, Long Road Out of Eden, a countrified stomper that could've snuggled up next to Already Gone three decades ago. The structure of the band's first set was air-tight. Each Eagle took a crack at one new one (Walsh's Guilty of the Crime was also a standout) before a trumpet solo announced a spine tingling Hotel California.

It could just be a sign that I'm getting old, but after a good 15 years or so of having rock 'n' roll thumb its nose snobbily at the notion of a guitar hero, I found the hair on my arms standing up just a little as Walsh and guitarist Stuart Smith did an old fashioned guitar duel on California's exciting and prickly outtro.

Favorites then started to fall from the sky. And it wasn't just the harmonies that sounded clear. Not all rock guys get to their sixties with their voices in tact, but all four Eagles, particularly Henley, were in fine voice. Frey's run through Peaceful Easy Feeling retained the song's beautiful melancholy. Though it felt a little odd given the band's Reservoir Dogs attire. Just as there would be no mustaches, there would be no flannel. Black coats, white shirts, black ties. Lyin' Eyes retained its sweet chorus, while Henley's Boys of Summer was a pleasant surprise. Though Henley suggested first set closer The Long Run was the band's theme song, Boys of Summer kind of fits even better: It captures that uneasy truce between nostalgia and progress.

So there are a few of the scores of reasons people love the Eagles. So why do others have such a violent dislike for them? I'm not even talking about Mojo Nixon, who's declaration about the necessity of Henley and Frey's demise was really a joke. But they're a constant target of music snobs. Obviously success makes you an easy target. Hippies have been fair game for years now, and while the Eagles were technically post-hippie, there's still something of a stoner aura about the peaceful, easy feeling days. Or could it be that people resent the fact that the band got together and made millions despite the fact that its members seemed to not get along at all.

Well as for the argument that punk rock was a reaction to the Eagles, that's fine and all, but you still need the Eagles for that to happen. If everybody sounded like the Ramones in 1975 then Bread would be the rebels. And not getting along? Well that's a time-honored rock tradition. The Eagles singers aren't siblings, but they get the sibling harmony thing down, from the singing to the squabbling.

Anyway, at the risk of getting too long winded, the second set was a little less rewarding than the first. It felt less fluid, though it followed a similar path. The band started out sitting, as they did when Hell first froze over in 1994. This batch of songs seemed to rely on the choruses for some oomph, but Take It to the Limit perked things up, though even then fans had to step up and hit the high notes at the end since nobody on stage cared to.

Things started to feel a little jarring after that, as though the band wanted to make sure its arena rock cred was confirmed. Henley's title track from Eden was a strong entry, with him cutting loose on a barbed political song. Frey's Somebody, on the other hand, felt a little shouty. By the time Henley did another solo track (Dirty Laundry) and Walsh dusted off the James Gang's Funk #49 the set had the feel of a free for all.

An encore of Take It Easy and Desperado was nicely restrained, contemplative and gorgeous.

That said the silence that followed was disappointing. Presumably the reason people sacrifice money and eardrums and babysitter money and brain cells and whatever else for these concerts -- as opposed to sitting at home and playing the hits albums -- is for the shared experience. The lights were down after Desperado and they stayed down. Admittedly this is me playing fantasy baseball here, but Seven Bridges Road, done a capella, seemed inevitable -- sort of their harmony masterpiece.

Only problem was the seats were empty and the aisles were clogged. The dark remained for several minutes and then the house lights went up. If there was more, it wasn't going to be for a 25% capacity crowd.

Still unless a set list surfaces, that's just a phantom quibble in my mind. Or maybe it'll happen Thursday. Or the next time Hell freezes over.

The Eagles Test Fans With New Hits, Classic Tunes (Dallas Morning News)

The Eagles test fans with classic hits, new tunes in Saturday show

07:45 AM CDT on Monday, September 15, 2008

By THOR CHRISTENSEN / The Dallas Morning News
tchristensen@dallasnews.com

The Eagles are responsible for more hits than the Gambino crime family. But instead of just doling them out, one by one, they took a big risk Saturday night at American Airlines Center by playing nine songs from their latest album, Long Road Out of Eden.

JASON JANIK/Special Contributor

Joe Walsh and his bandmates took risky chances Saturday.

Most boomer bands wouldn't dare test fans with that much new material. But the wily old Eagles pulled it off, thanks to their sterling harmonies and top-notch songwriting.

Eden's title track, an angry Don Henley rant against big wigs "bloated on entitlement and loaded on propaganda," held its own with such classics as "Hotel California." "Busy Being Fabulous" was cut from the same caustic cloth as "Life in the Fast Lane."

Looking like four CEOs in their matching suits and ties, the Eagles opened the show with four new tunes in a row. But as patient as the near-capacity crowd was, fans didn't really cut loose until the parade of hits began. In a 30-song show that clocked in at three-and-a-half hours including a brief intermission, the band covered every base from "Take it Easy" and "Desperado" to a half-dozen solo hits by Mr. Henley and Joe Walsh.

The Eagles are famous, some say infamous, for replicating their hits note-for-note onstage. But they ad-libbed more than usual on Saturday, slowing down tempos and funking things up with a four-man horn section. It didn't always work, but when it did like in "Heartache Tonight," it made for a much livelier show than the band's AAC concerts in 2001 and 2003.

The band rehashed several jokes from past tours. Glenn Frey's quip about "Take It to the Limit" being his wife's credit-card motto is getting old, as is Mr. Walsh's helmet camera during "Life's Been Good."

Also Online

Blog: Did you see The Eagles at AAC? Tell us about it.

But Mr. Frey did come up with a few good new ones. He said "Lyin' Eyes" "has a lot of meaning in D-FW" – a jab, perhaps, at ex-Carrolton mayor Becky Miller, who got in hot water this year for claiming she was once engaged to Mr. Henley (she wasn't).

And he dubbed the show part of "The Eagles' Assisted Living Tour," saying "We are the Eagles, the band that wouldn't die." Like cockroaches and Keith Richards, the Eagles are apparently on this earth for the long run.

A Blogger's Review

From Focused Distortion:

The Eagles
Alltel Arena
North Little Rock, AR
9/16/2008

The legendary California country-rock band, which still features Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, came rolling back into town for the first time in years on the strength of a recently released the double-album, Long Road Out of Eden, the first album of new material since 1979's The Long Run. Do they still have it? Well, the faces look a bit older, the hair is thinner and they dress a bit more like they're going to the old folks home to pick up dates but musically and vocally... it's the same as it ever was.

People come to an Eagles show to hear classics, and they want to hear them played like they remember them. The Eagles know that and that's what they deliver, with the occasional offshoot into the current CD. A little something old, a little something new... makes for a nice 3-hour night of music.

It's a bit odd for me to look around and notice that I'm probably one of the younger people in the crowd for a change. I'm used to being at shows like Korn or some other equally loud and obnoxious metal band and I've sort of become used to being the NARC guy, or in the oldest range. This time it's a much older crowd for sure, but there still are quite a few younger fans as well. I actually sat next to a young lady in her late 20s who was there with her mother and her mother's mother. They all 3 sang along to the majority of the hits. How cool is that? That's the Eagles I guess, they've touched many generations. Also as a note... there wasn't any moshing or crowd surfing. Probably be a lot of backs thrown out if that did happen to break out.

8:16 PM... The lights go down and out comes the band in suits and ties with white shirts, while the back-up band (which consisted of anywhere from 4-8 guys at times) was dressed the same except they had on black shirts. Seemed a bit odd at first to see the 4 old guys in the same outfits, sort of like N'Sync might look at the nursing home, but they did look sharp at least. The stage is large with a huge screen behind it in a circular shape and 2 wide screens to the sides.

As the spotlights hit center stage and the 4 members of the Eagles are standing there, all with guitars in their hands, they start the set with How Long, from the new CD. The vocals sound fantastic and the harmonies are amazingly clear and beautiful. It's really a perfect song to start with for these reasons plus the guys take turns on lead vocals, so it's a pretty good starter all around. They didn't just start the set with 1 song from the new CD though, they played 4 right in a row.

* How Long
* Busy Being Fabulous (lead vocals Don)
* Don't Want To Hear Anymore (lead vocals Timothy)
* Guilty of the Crime (lead vocals Joe)

The songs were well received as each guy took his turn on the mic and the crowd was warmed up and ready for some Eagles classics by this point, and they begin to deliver. The opening chords of Hotel California hit and the place goes wild as the cover to the album lights up the big screen behind the stage. Don Henley is now sitting at the drum kit, not missing a beat as he does spot on vocals to the first classic of the night.

* Hotel California
* Peaceful Easy Feeling
* I Can't Tell You Why
* Already Gone
* Witchy Woman
* Lyin' Eyes
* The Boys of Summer (Don's solo work)
* In The City
* The Long Run

At this point they take an intermission for about 20 minutes. They come back out to the opening music for No More Walks In The Woods, from the new CD. It's another song that has a lot of great harmonies, and at this point the 4 members are sitting in chairs playing acoustic guitars. They do a short all-acoustic set that include new stuff and some great sing-a-longs.

* No More Walks In The Woods
* Waiting in the Weeds
* No More Cloudy Days
* Love Will Keep Us Alive
* Take It To the Limit

Take It To The Limit easily gets the biggest, loudest sing-a-long of the night going as it seemed the entire arena of 15,000+ was singing right along with them. By this point as they're playing songs the video screens to the sides are of course showing the band from many angles. The video screen behind them is showing clips of all sorts of stuff in relation to whatever song they're playing. It's a pretty good show all around with all this going on in addition to just the great music.

The chairs are removed and guitars plugged back in and they play a long version of the political Long Road Out Of Eden song while showing lots of imagery on the screen. They're starting to pick up the pace a bit and the place is beginning to jump.

* Long Road Out of Eden
* Somebody
* Walk Away (James Gang)
* One of These Nights
* Life's Been Good (Joe's solo work)
* Dirty Laundry (Don's solo work)
* Funk #49 (James Gang)
* Heartache Tonight

Oddly, the James Gang song Walk Away probably got the crowd fired up more than any. When Joe hit that opening riff it was like somebody spiked the Geritol as people we dancing in the aisles and their seats. Most of the guys in the band are very competent musicians still, but Joe Walsh seems a notch above with his still very solid guitar skills. Throughout the night he rips into some great solo and plays with a lot of heart. He still can rock, which surprised me a bit. During a great version of Life's Been Good, he dons a hat-cam and shows the audience from his point of view on the big screen and has some fun.

After a short break, as the crowd was going bananas for an encore, they finally rewarded us as they returned with the high energy crowd pleaser Life In the Fast Lane before finally having Don stand center stage, back in full suit and jacket, and do a heartfelt version of Desperado that had ever single person in there singing along enough to make Elaine Benes proud.

* Life In The Fast Lane
* Desperado

11:26 PM.... 3 hours and 10 minutes after we first saw them take stage.

Helluva great show from some old dudes who can still really entertain a crowd and have a great catalog to choose from. There's not a lot of banter with the audience, it's pretty much just one song after another. They do introduce the band and make a few quips here and there, but it's minimal.

Maybe I missed a few songs here there, hell I don't know and I don't have a photographic memory. I do know they didn't play New Kid In Town or Tequila Sunrise, both which I'd loved to have heard. But that's just being greedy now. Hell we got 2 James Gang songs, a Joe Walsh solo track, 2 of Henley's solo tracks and 8 tracks off the new CD in addition to all the classics. That's enough to fill the 3 hour 15 minute set easily.

Tennessean Photo Gallery

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=DN&Dato=20080918&Kategori=TUNEIN&Lopenr=809190801&Ref=PH

Eagles Deliver Solid Set At Sommet (Tennessean Review)

Head to the actual newspaper site to read the comments to this article. Apparently, some folks thought the band was lipsyncing.  That doesn't go away in Nashville, does it?

Eagles deliver solid set at Sommet

By DAVE PAULSON • Staff Writer • September 19, 2008

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"Check your ticket stubs," Glenn Frey of country-rock kings the Eagles told the crowd at their concert at the Sommet Center in Nashville Thursday night. "This is the Eagles 'Assisted Living' tour, and we're the Eagles - the band that wouldn't die."

Frey's self-deprecating cracks at his aging band only made the precision and stamina on display during their three-hour set all the more impressive. You could to set your watch to the well-rehearsed proceedings, sure, but the band delivered everything with finesse, power and class.

The Eagles have been touring this year in support of Long Road out of Eden - their first full studio album in 28 years - and they didn't waste any time reminding their audience of that fact. The first four songs of the band's set were from Eden, each featuring a different member on lead vocals: Frey, drummer/guitarist Don Henley, guitarist Joe Walsh and bassist Timothy B. Schmit.

While each singer held his own with the arena crowd, the most powerful moments in those first tunes came when the band's rich, unmistakable harmonies swelled to the forefront, almost as crisp and strong as those immortalized on their albums.

For a band whose history of hard-living is the stuff of rock legend, The Eagles - with three of the four members now in their sixties - remain in remarkable shape. If Frey, Henley and company didn't look quite the same as fans remember, they certainly sound like it. The heaviest hits - even the frantic "Life in the Fast Lane" - were kept in their original key at the original speed, and the band didn't miss a beat.

They soon rewarded the audience's patience through the Eden set by launching into signature tune "Hotel California," with Henley at ease in a high register and Walsh nailing the epic guitar solo.

While the Eagles have precision in spades, they're fairly static performers. Their Nashville set was song-for-song the same one they've played since starting the U.S. Eden tour in May (though Nashville did not receive a second encore, unlike other cities).

It's hard not to contrast that with Bruce Springsteen's acclaimed concert at Sommet last month, filled with surprises and spur-of-the-moment song choices. The Eagles, on the other hand, all took off their matching suit jackets at the same point in the show. The members seemed casually choreographed at points, coming in tight to trade guitar solos and sharing microphones for harmonies in all the right spots.

Still, the band came off as sincere, even charming. Walsh, in particular, was destined to steal the show, mugging for the crowd and even wearing a "helmet cam" to film the audience while performing his solo staple "Life's Been Good."

The set lost some steam following an intermission - particularly with a seemingly endless rendition of Eden's title track - but eventually picked up, closing with a string of the band's toughest tunes: "Funk #49" by Walsh's old group James Gang and "Lane" among them.

The band returned for a two-song encore of "Take It Easy" and "Desperado," which was a fitting end to a concert with few surprises but plenty of rewards.

"We read the story of the tortoise and hare," Henley told the crowd before the intermission. "And we decided a long time ago that it would be better to be the tortoise. We're still here. You're still here."

SETLIST

“How Long”

“Too Busy Being Fabulous”

“I Don’t Want To Hear Anymore”

“Guilty Of The Crime”

“Hotel California”

“Peaceful Easy Feeling”

“I Can't Tell You Why”

“Witchy Woman”

“Lyin' Eyes”

“Boys of Summer”

“In the City”

“Long Run”

INTERMISSION

“No More Walks In The Woods”

“Waiting in the Weeds”

“No More Cloudy Days”

“Love Will Keep Us Alive”

“Take It To The Limit”

“Long Road Out of Eden”

“Somebody”

“Walk Away”

“One Of These Nights”

“Life’s Been Good”

“Dirty Laundry”

"Funk #49”

“Heartache Tonight”

“Life in the Fast Lane”

ENCORE

“Take It Easy”

“Desperado”

Hershey, PA

Eagles will be playing at the Giant Center @ Hershey Park on November 23rd.  Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.  Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show.

Philadelphia, PA

Eagles will be back at the Wachovia Center on November 25th. Use the comment button below to post your reviews after the show.  Tickets are available from Comcast Tickets and the venue website.

Eagles May Have Aged, But Songs Are Ageless (Tennessean Review)

Review: Eagles may have aged, but songs are ageless

By DAVE PAULSON
Staff Writer

"Check your ticket stubs," Glenn Frey of country-rock kings the Eagles told the crowd at their Nashville concert on Thursday night. "This is the Eagles 'Assisted Living' tour, and we're the Eagles — the band that wouldn't die."

Frey's self-deprecating cracks at his aging band only made the precision and stamina on display during their three-hour set all the more impressive. You could set your watch to the well-rehearsed proceedings, sure, but the band delivered everything with finesse, power and class.

The Eagles have been touring this year in support of Long Road Out of Eden — their first full studio album in 28 years — and they didn't waste any time reminding their audience of that fact. The first four songs of the band's set were from Eden, each featuring a different member on lead vocals: Frey, drummer/guitarist Don Henley, guitarist Joe Walsh and bassist Timothy B. Schmit.

Each singer held his own with the Sommet Center crowd, but the most powerful moments in those first tunes came when the band's rich, unmistakable harmonies swelled to the forefront, almost as crisp and strong as those immortalized on their albums.

For a band whose history of hard living is the stuff of rock legend, the Eagles — with three of the four members now in their 60s — remain in remarkable shape. If Frey, Henley and company didn't look quite the same as fans remember, they certainly sound like it. The heaviest hits — even the frantic "Life in the Fast Lane" — were kept in their original keys at the original speeds, and the band didn't miss a beat.

Audience was rewarded

They soon rewarded the audience's patience through the Eden set by launching into signature tune "Hotel California," with Henley at ease in a high register and Walsh nailing the epic guitar solo.

While the Eagles have precision in spades, they're fairly static performers. Their Nashville set was song-for-song the same one they've played since starting the U.S. Eden tour in May (though Nashville did not receive a second encore, unlike other cities).

It's hard not to contrast that with Bruce Springsteen's acclaimed concert at Sommet last month, filled with surprises and spur-of-the-moment song choices. The Eagles, on the other hand, all took off their matching suit jackets at the same point in the show. The members seemed casually choreographed at points, coming in tight to trade guitar solos and sharing microphones for harmonies in all the right spots.

Still, the band came off as sincere, even charming. Walsh, in particular, was destined to steal the show, mugging for the crowd and even wearing a "helmet cam" to film the audience while performing his solo staple "Life's Been Good."

The set lost some steam after an intermission — particularly with a seemingly endless rendition of Eden's title track — but eventually picked up,
closing with a string of the band's toughest tunes: "Funk #49" by Walsh's old group James Gang and "Life in the Fast Lane" among them.

The band returned for an encore of "Take It Easy" and "Desperado," which was a fitting end to a concert with few surprises but many rewards.

"We read the story of the tortoise and hare," Henley told the crowd before the intermission. "And we decided a long time ago that it would be better to be the tortoise. We're still here. You're still here."

Blue Pisces Milwaukee Photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluepisces/2880968094/

Eagles Still Exude Peaceful Easy Feeling (Milwaukee Journal Sentinal)

Eagles still exude that peaceful, easy feeling

By DAVE TIANEN
dtianen@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Sept. 21, 2008

It’s been a long road to “Long Road Out of Eden.”

Advertisement

It took 28 years for the reunited Eagles to come up with a new album of fresh material — last year’s “Long Road Out of Eden.” So when the “Eden” road show made its way to the Bradley Center on Sunday night, it was not surprising that the band came pushing the new stuff.

The first four tunes — “How Long,” “Busy Being Fabulous,” “I Don’t Want to Hear Any More” and “Guilty of the Crime” — were all off the 2007 double-disc set.

The good news about “Eden” is it was almost worth the wait. It certainly doesn’t reinvent the Eagles for a not-so-new century, but it does build logically upon past triumphs. “Busy Being Fabulous,” for instance, comes from the same well of betrayal as “Lyin’ Eyes,” another tale of a faithless looker trading on her sexual currency. “How Long” is a breezy rocker in the tradition of “Take It Easy” or “The Long Run.”

Of course, any time a band with the imposing history of the Eagles opens a set with four new tunes, they’re putting their audience through a kind of loyalty test. To their credit, the Bradley Center crowd passed muster, greeting the new stuff receptively. Of course, they also reserved their first standing ovation for the first oldie: “Hotel California.”

One of the interesting things about the Eagles — and that song catches it perfectly — is that they chronicled the decadence of West Coast affluence from the inside. They’re standing in judgment, but they also have a place at the inn.

Shortly after coming on, Glenn Frey introduced the show as The Eagles Assisted Living Tour. As it is, time has touched them lightly. For one thing, they were never exactly a high-energy stage extravaganza, and a few of the harder-hitting oldies like “Already Gone,” have left the set list.

What the Eagles did was create the template for the easy-flowing country rock that made people like Kenny Chesney possible. That comes across vividly now in a harmony piece like “Peaceful, Easy Feeling.”

This wasn’t the best Eagles concert I’ve seen. It didn’t have the sense of renewal and excitement that accompanied their first reunion tour. But it did have the comfort of old friends getting back together.

More importantly, it was built on the foundation of an amazing array of hits that have aged gracefully — tunes like “Take It to the Limit,” “Heartache Tonight,” “Witchy Woman” and “Lyin’ Eyes.”

In popular music, it usually comes down to the songs. Given the musical arsenal that the Eagles have at hand, they are almost a fail-safe proposition.

Deadlines made it impossible to catch the Eagles’ entire set.

Eagles Prove They're Still Soaring (STL Post Dispatch)

Eagles prove they're still soaring

By Terry Perkins

SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH

Monday, Sep. 22 2008

For a band that followed up its huge success with a string of platinum-selling
albums in the 1970s by breaking up in the early 1980s, the Eagles are doing
just fine, thank you.

The band's concert at Scottrade Center on Saturday evening was packed with
rabid, adoring fans of the group's '70s hits. And the core group of Don Henley,
Glenn Frey, Timothy B. Schmidt and Joe Walsh delivered those hits with
unquestioned authority.

In the course of a three hour-plus, two-set performance, the band played more
than a dozen of their most memorable hits, with a nicely crafted balance of
tunes from their early, country rock beginnings to the elaborately produced
sound of later albums such as "Hotel California" and "The Long Run."

Each set also kicked off with a healthy dose of tunes from the band's latest
double CD, "Long Road From Eden." And on new songs, such as "Too Busy Being
Fabulous," "Waiting In the Weeds" and "No More Cloudy Days," the group proved
it still possesses a knack for cranking out tunes that fit precisely into the
Eagles formula — well-crafted lyrics built on soaring vocal harmonies and
bolstered by a barrage of strummed guitars.

Henley, Frey, Schmidt — and for the most part, Walsh — certainly delivered
those familiar, rich harmonies on "Hotel California," "Lyin' Eyes," "I Can't
Tell You Why," "Take It to the Limit," "Desperado," "Take It Easy" and other
hits throughout the evening.

There were nods to the solo efforts of Henley and especially Walsh throughout
the concert as well. Henley's 1984 hit, "Boys of Summer," was clearly a
highlight of the first set. And Walsh had plenty of opportunity to showcase his
guitar prowess on early James Gang and solo hits such "Funk 49" and "Life's
Been Good" — although the use of a "hat cam" to show shots of the crowd on the
big screens was a bit contrived.

The band had plenty of musical help cranking out its hits. The four Eagles were
backed by 10 additional musicians, including three keyboard players, a
four-piece horn section, two percussionists and especially guitarist Steuart
Smith, who joined the Eagles on the front line and cranked out an unending
stream of concise solos.

One jarring note. For a band that started out wearing faded jeans and flannel
shirts, it was more than a little odd to see Henley, Frey, Schmidt and Walsh
take the stage in black suits, white shirts and black ties. Maybe it's a
tribute to corporate bands — who are known to cover quite a few Eagles tunes.
Or perhaps its a homage to the Eagles accountants, who will certainly be kept
busy counting the proceeds from this current tour.

Whatever the suits meant, it's obvious that the Eagles still have plenty of
meaning for the dedicated fans who relished every note of the band's
performance at Scottrade.

St. Louis Review (Riverfront Times)

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Show Review + Setlist: The Eagles at the Scottrade Center, September 20, 2008.

Sun Sep 21, 2008 at 02:16:50 PM

When the four principals in the Eagles took the stage at the Scottrade Center last night, they were bedecked in dark gray suits, white dress shirts and thin black ties, all strategically loosened at the collar. The sartorial choice was a slick one – it was hard to tell if they were paying homage to Reservoir Dogs or claiming their spot as their generation’s Rat Pack. It’s closer to the truth to say that the quartet – Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit – looked and acted like businessmen. That’s not a bad thing – when the premium tickets cost $185, you expect some professionalism and efficiency. That these men look like CEOs at the end of a long board meeting is fitting, all things considered.

While it would be easy to dwell on the more business-like aspects of the current incarnation of the Eagles – the aforementioned ticket prices, the litigation that that resulted from Don Felder’s exit from the band, the decision to initially sell last year’s double-disc Long Walk out of Eden exclusively at Wal-Mart – it’s safe to say that the crowd got exactly what they bargained for. The Eagles' deep catalog and new songs (along with a few solo numbers from Henley and Walsh) made for a well-paced show that showcased what made the band such superstars to begin with – unbeatable harmonies, country-flecked story-songs and plenty of hot guitar action.

Backed by a drummer/percussionist, guitarist and three (three!) keyboardists, the Eagles began the show with a four-song set of new tracks from Eden. Each Eagle got a shot to take the lead, with Henley’s “Too Busy Being Fabulous” emerging as the standout. Across the board, each singer’s voice remains strong, clear and immediately identifiable (this is a nice way of saying that Walsh still sings as if his larynx is perpetually being squeezed in a vise). Some of the high harmonies are now out of reach, but the layering of their voices was seamless.

A mariachi-colored trumpet solo introduced “Hotel California,” which introduced a string of classics that lasted until the intermission. The Eagles get props for playing its signature song so early in the set; “Hotel California” would be a natural set-closer or encore performance, but last night it served as a nice pivot between old and new. It’s easy to forget how many of these songs are ubiquitous: the mellow mood of “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” the dark heart of “Witchy Woman” and the cautionary tone “Lyin’ Eyes” have all been fully absorbed into our collective subconscious.

"Hotel California"

While it’s more than a stretch to think of the Eagles as America’s country-rock version of the Beatles, each singer’s style and personality was evident at last night’s show. Glenn Frey writes the McCartney-esque populist songs with big choruses; like Sir Paul, he’s also the funny one, though some of jokes as the Eagles emcee were groan-worthy. Like Lennon, Don Henley’s songs have a little more depth and poetry to them, with more than enough moralizing to go around (his tabloid-bashing “Dirty Laundry” got aired toward the end of the night). Joe Walsh is the wild card, Ringo Starr recast as a guitar god and drug casualty – he’s good for a cheap laugh and a muggy facial expression for the cameras. That makes bassist Timothy B. Schmit the George Harrison in this paper-thin analogy, but like George, Schmit is the dark horse whose songs bring a coy sweetness to the group; his “I Can’t Tell You Why” was a standout in the first set.

After a twenty-minute intermission, the band returned for an acoustic set of mostly new material. “Take it to the Limit” sounded fine in this arrangement (although I’m amazed that they didn’t bust out “Seven Bridges Road”). As may be expected, the acoustic numbers provided a bit of a lull that didn’t pick back up until Walsh sang “Walk Away,” a holdover from his days in the Cleveland group the James Gang. The proper set ended with “Heartache Tonight” (which was nicely augmented by a four-piece horn section) and “Life in the Fast Lane.” The two-song encore began with “Take it Easy” and ended with “Desperado,” with Henley taking center stage and stepping out of character to extend the song’s final long note. Time will tell if the Eagles will tour again, but last night’s show proved that there’s still some magic in those old songs and in the interplay among the musicians.

Other Notes:

*During “Boys of Summer,” the video projection screen was switched to black and white, a nod to the iconic music video.

*Timothy B. Schmit is the American version of Rush’s Geddy Lee: both bassists have preternaturally high voices, equally high cheekbones and long, stringy hair. You also can’t look at either one for too long.

*Joe Walsh put on a “hat cam” during his solo hit “Life’s Been Good,” while a Joe’s-eye-view was portrayed on the screen.

*Even though Henley and Walsh got to sing their solo songs, Frey did not bust out “You Belong to the City” or “The One You Love,” let alone “The Heat is On.” A missed opportunity.

*Frey joked that this was the Eagles’ “Assisted Living Tour” that quip received the biggest laugh of the night.

Setlist:

1. “How Long”
2. “Too Busy Being Fabulous”
3. “I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore”
4. “Guilty of the Crime”
5. “Hotel California”
6. “Peaceful Easy Feeling”
7. “I Can’t Tell You Why”
8. “Witchy Woman”
9. “Lyin’ Eyes”
10. “Boys of Summer”
11. “In the City”
12. “The Long Run”

(Intermission)

13. “No More Walks in the Woods”
14. “Waiting in the Weeds”
15. “No More Cloudy Days”
16. “Love Will Keep Us Alive”
17. “Take it to the Limit”
18. “Long Road out of Eden”
19. “Somebody”
20. “Walk Away”
21. “One of these Nights”
22. Band introduction / “Life’s Been Good”
23. “Dirty Laundry”
24. “Funk 49”
25. “Heartache Tonight”
26. “Life in the Fast Lane”

Encore:

27. “Take It Easy”
28. “Desperado”

-- Christian Schaeffer

When the four principals in the Eagles took the stage at the Scottrade Center last night, they were bedecked in dark gray suits, white dress shirts and thin black ties, all strategically loosened at the collar. The sartorial choice was a slick one – it was hard to tell if they were paying homage to Reservoir Dogs or claiming their spot as their generation’s Rat Pack. It’s closer to the truth to say that the quartet – Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit – looked and acted like businessmen. That’s not a bad thing – when the premium tickets cost $185, you expect some professionalism and efficiency. That these men look like CEOs at the end of a long board meeting is fitting, all things considered.

While it would be easy to dwell on the more business-like aspects of the current incarnation of the Eagles – the aforementioned ticket prices, the litigation that that resulted from Don Felder’s exit from the band, the decision to initially sell last year’s double-disc Long Walk out of Eden exclusively at Wal-Mart – it’s safe to say that the crowd got exactly what they bargained for. The Eagles' deep catalog and new songs (along with a few solo numbers from Henley and Walsh) made for a well-paced show that showcased what made the band such superstars to begin with – unbeatable harmonies, country-flecked story-songs and plenty of hot guitar action.

Backed by a drummer/percussionist, guitarist and three (three!) keyboardists, the Eagles began the show with a four-song set of new tracks from Eden. Each Eagle got a shot to take the lead, with Henley’s “Too Busy Being Fabulous” emerging as the standout. Across the board, each singer’s voice remains strong, clear and immediately identifiable (this is a nice way of saying that Walsh still sings as if his larynx is perpetually being squeezed in a vise). Some of the high harmonies are now out of reach, but the layering of their voices was seamless.

A mariachi-colored trumpet solo introduced “Hotel California,” which introduced a string of classics that lasted until the intermission. The Eagles get props for playing its signature song so early in the set; “Hotel California” would be a natural set-closer or encore performance, but last night it served as a nice pivot between old and new. It’s easy to forget how many of these songs are ubiquitous: the mellow mood of “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” the dark heart of “Witchy Woman” and the cautionary tone “Lyin’ Eyes” have all been fully absorbed into our collective subconscious.

"Hotel California"

While it’s more than a stretch to think of the Eagles as America’s country-rock version of the Beatles, each singer’s style and personality was evident at last night’s show. Glenn Frey writes the McCartney-esque populist songs with big choruses; like Sir Paul, he’s also the funny one, though some of jokes as the Eagles emcee were groan-worthy. Like Lennon, Don Henley’s songs have a little more depth and poetry to them, with more than enough moralizing to go around (his tabloid-bashing “Dirty Laundry” got aired toward the end of the night). Joe Walsh is the wild card, Ringo Starr recast as a guitar god and drug casualty – he’s good for a cheap laugh and a muggy facial expression for the cameras. That makes bassist Timothy B. Schmit the George Harrison in this paper-thin analogy, but like George, Schmit is the dark horse whose songs bring a coy sweetness to the group; his “I Can’t Tell You Why” was a standout in the first set.

After a twenty-minute intermission, the band returned for an acoustic set of mostly new material. “Take it to the Limit” sounded fine in this arrangement (although I’m amazed that they didn’t bust out “Seven Bridges Road”). As may be expected, the acoustic numbers provided a bit of a lull that didn’t pick back up until Walsh sang “Walk Away,” a holdover from his days in the Cleveland group the James Gang. The proper set ended with “Heartache Tonight” (which was nicely augmented by a four-piece horn section) and “Life in the Fast Lane.” The two-song encore began with “Take it Easy” and ended with “Desperado,” with Henley taking center stage and stepping out of character to extend the song’s final long note. Time will tell if the Eagles will tour again, but last night’s show proved that there’s still some magic in those old songs and in the interplay among the musicians.

Other Notes:

*During “Boys of Summer,” the video projection screen was switched to black and white, a nod to the iconic music video.

*Timothy B. Schmit is the American version of Rush’s Geddy Lee: both bassists have preternaturally high voices, equally high cheekbones and long, stringy hair. You also can’t look at either one for too long.

*Joe Walsh put on a “hat cam” during his solo hit “Life’s Been Good,” while a Joe’s-eye-view was portrayed on the screen.

*Even though Henley and Walsh got to sing their solo songs, Frey did not bust out “You Belong to the City” or “The One You Love,” let alone “The Heat is On.” A missed opportunity.

*Frey joked that this was the Eagles’ “Assisted Living Tour” that quip received the biggest laugh of the night.

Setlist:

1. “How Long”
2. “Too Busy Being Fabulous”
3. “I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore”
4. “Guilty of the Crime”
5. “Hotel California”
6. “Peaceful Easy Feeling”
7. “I Can’t Tell You Why”
8. “Witchy Woman”
9. “Lyin’ Eyes”
10. “Boys of Summer”
11. “In the City”
12. “The Long Run”

(Intermission)

13. “No More Walks in the Woods”
14. “Waiting in the Weeds”
15. “No More Cloudy Days”
16. “Love Will Keep Us Alive”
17. “Take it to the Limit”
18. “Long Road out of Eden”
19. “Somebody”
20. “Walk Away”
21. “One of these Nights”
22. Band introduction / “Life’s Been Good”
23. “Dirty Laundry”
24. “Funk 49”
25. “Heartache Tonight”
26. “Life in the Fast Lane”

Encore:

27. “Take It Easy”
28. “Desperado”

-- Christian Schaeffer

Backed by a drummer/percussionist, guitarist and three (three!) keyboardists, the Eagles began the show with a four-song set of new tracks from Eden. Each Eagle got a shot to take the lead, with Henley’s “Too Busy Being Fabulous” emerging as the standout. Across the board, each singer’s voice remains strong, clear and immediately identifiable (this is a nice way of saying that Walsh still sings as if his larynx is perpetually being squeezed in a vise). Some of the high harmonies are now out of reach, but the layering of their voices was seamless.

A mariachi-colored trumpet solo introduced “Hotel California,” which introduced a string of classics that lasted until the intermission. The Eagles get props for playing its signature song so early in the set; “Hotel California” would be a natural set-closer or encore performance, but last night it served as a nice pivot between old and new. It’s easy to forget how many of these songs are ubiquitous: the mellow mood of “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” the dark heart of “Witchy Woman” and the cautionary tone “Lyin’ Eyes” have all been fully absorbed into our collective subconscious.

"Hotel California"

While it’s more than a stretch to think of the Eagles as America’s country-rock version of the Beatles, each singer’s style and personality was evident at last night’s show. Glenn Frey writes the McCartney-esque populist songs with big choruses; like Sir Paul, he’s also the funny one, though some of jokes as the Eagles emcee were groan-worthy. Like Lennon, Don Henley’s songs have a little more depth and poetry to them, with more than enough moralizing to go around (his tabloid-bashing “Dirty Laundry” got aired toward the end of the night). Joe Walsh is the wild card, Ringo Starr recast as a guitar god and drug casualty – he’s good for a cheap laugh and a muggy facial expression for the cameras. That makes bassist Timothy B. Schmit the George Harrison in this paper-thin analogy, but like George, Schmit is the dark horse whose songs bring a coy sweetness to the group; his “I Can’t Tell You Why” was a standout in the first set.

After a twenty-minute intermission, the band returned for an acoustic set of mostly new material. “Take it to the Limit” sounded fine in this arrangement (although I’m amazed that they didn’t bust out “Seven Bridges Road”). As may be expected, the acoustic numbers provided a bit of a lull that didn’t pick back up until Walsh sang “Walk Away,” a holdover from his days in the Cleveland group the James Gang. The proper set ended with “Heartache Tonight” (which was nicely augmented by a four-piece horn section) and “Life in the Fast Lane.” The two-song encore began with “Take it Easy” and ended with “Desperado,” with Henley taking center stage and stepping out of character to extend the song’s final long note. Time will tell if the Eagles will tour again, but last night’s show proved that there’s still some magic in those old songs and in the interplay among the musicians.

Other Notes:

*During “Boys of Summer,” the video projection screen was switched to black and white, a nod to the iconic music video.

*Timothy B. Schmit is the American version of Rush’s Geddy Lee: both bassists have preternaturally high voices, equally high cheekbones and long, stringy hair. You also can’t look at either one for too long.

*Joe Walsh put on a “hat cam” during his solo hit “Life’s Been Good,” while a Joe’s-eye-view was portrayed on the screen.

*Even though Henley and Walsh got to sing their solo songs, Frey did not bust out “You Belong to the City” or “The One You Love,” let alone “The Heat is On.” A missed opportunity.

*Frey joked that this was the Eagles’ “Assisted Living Tour” that quip received the biggest laugh of the night.

Setlist:

1. “How Long”
2. “Too Busy Being Fabulous”
3. “I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore”
4. “Guilty of the Crime”
5. “Hotel California”
6. “Peaceful Easy Feeling”
7. “I Can’t Tell You Why”
8. “Witchy Woman”
9. “Lyin’ Eyes”
10. “Boys of Summer”
11. “In the City”
12. “The Long Run”

(Intermission)

13. “No More Walks in the Woods”
14. “Waiting in the Weeds”
15. “No More Cloudy Days”
16. “Love Will Keep Us Alive”
17. “Take it to the Limit”
18. “Long Road out of Eden”
19. “Somebody”
20. “Walk Away”
21. “One of these Nights”
22. Band introduction / “Life’s Been Good”
23. “Dirty Laundry”
24. “Funk 49”
25. “Heartache Tonight”
26. “Life in the Fast Lane”

Encore:

27. “Take It Easy”
28. “Desperado”

-- Christian Schaeffer

When the four principals in the Eagles took the stage at the Scottrade Center last night, they were bedecked in dark gray suits, white dress shirts and thin black ties, all strategically loosened at the collar. The sartorial choice was a slick one – it was hard to tell if they were paying homage to Reservoir Dogs or claiming their spot as their generation’s Rat Pack. It’s closer to the truth to say that the quartet – Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit – looked and acted like businessmen. That’s not a bad thing – when the premium tickets cost $185, you expect some professionalism and efficiency. That these men look like CEOs at the end of a long board meeting is fitting, all things considered.

While it would be easy to dwell on the more business-like aspects of the current incarnation of the Eagles – the aforementioned ticket prices, the litigation that that resulted from Don Felder’s exit from the band, the decision to initially sell last year’s double-disc Long Walk out of Eden exclusively at Wal-Mart – it’s safe to say that the crowd got exactly what they bargained for. The Eagles' deep catalog and new songs (along with a few solo numbers from Henley and Walsh) made for a well-paced show that showcased what made the band such superstars to begin with – unbeatable harmonies, country-flecked story-songs and plenty of hot guitar action.

Backed by a drummer/percussionist, guitarist and three (three!) keyboardists, the Eagles began the show with a four-song set of new tracks from Eden. Each Eagle got a shot to take the lead, with Henley’s “Too Busy Being Fabulous” emerging as the standout. Across the board, each singer’s voice remains strong, clear and immediately identifiable (this is a nice way of saying that Walsh still sings as if his larynx is perpetually being squeezed in a vise). Some of the high harmonies are now out of reach, but the layering of their voices was seamless.

A mariachi-colored trumpet solo introduced “Hotel California,” which introduced a string of classics that lasted until the intermission. The Eagles get props for playing its signature song so early in the set; “Hotel California” would be a natural set-closer or encore performance, but last night it served as a nice pivot between old and new. It’s easy to forget how many of these songs are ubiquitous: the mellow mood of “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” the dark heart of “Witchy Woman” and the cautionary tone “Lyin’ Eyes” have all been fully absorbed into our collective subconscious.

"Hotel California"

While it’s more than a stretch to think of the Eagles as America’s country-rock version of the Beatles, each singer’s style and personality was evident at last night’s show. Glenn Frey writes the McCartney-esque populist songs with big choruses; like Sir Paul, he’s also the funny one, though some of jokes as the Eagles emcee were groan-worthy. Like Lennon, Don Henley’s songs have a little more depth and poetry to them, with more than enough moralizing to go around (his tabloid-bashing “Dirty Laundry” got aired toward the end of the night). Joe Walsh is the wild card, Ringo Starr recast as a guitar god and drug casualty – he’s good for a cheap laugh and a muggy facial expression for the cameras. That makes bassist Timothy B. Schmit the George Harrison in this paper-thin analogy, but like George, Schmit is the dark horse whose songs bring a coy sweetness to the group; his “I Can’t Tell You Why” was a standout in the first set.

After a twenty-minute intermission, the band returned for an acoustic set of mostly new material. “Take it to the Limit” sounded fine in this arrangement (although I’m amazed that they didn’t bust out “Seven Bridges Road”). As may be expected, the acoustic numbers provided a bit of a lull that didn’t pick back up until Walsh sang “Walk Away,” a holdover from his days in the Cleveland group the James Gang. The proper set ended with “Heartache Tonight” (which was nicely augmented by a four-piece horn section) and “Life in the Fast Lane.” The two-song encore began with “Take it Easy” and ended with “Desperado,” with Henley taking center stage and stepping out of character to extend the song’s final long note. Time will tell if the Eagles will tour again, but last night’s show proved that there’s still some magic in those old songs and in the interplay among the musicians.

Other Notes:

*During “Boys of Summer,” the video projection screen was switched to black and white, a nod to the iconic music video.

*Timothy B. Schmit is the American version of Rush’s Geddy Lee: both bassists have preternaturally high voices, equally high cheekbones and long, stringy hair. You also can’t look at either one for too long.

*Joe Walsh put on a “hat cam” during his solo hit “Life’s Been Good,” while a Joe’s-eye-view was portrayed on the screen.

*Even though Henley and Walsh got to sing their solo songs, Frey did not bust out “You Belong to the City” or “The One You Love,” let alone “The Heat is On.” A missed opportunity.

*Frey joked that this was the Eagles’ “Assisted Living Tour” that quip received the biggest laugh of the night.

Setlist:

1. “How Long”
2. “Too Busy Being Fabulous”
3. “I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore”
4. “Guilty of the Crime”
5. “Hotel California”
6. “Peaceful Easy Feeling”
7. “I Can’t Tell You Why”
8. “Witchy Woman”
9. “Lyin’ Eyes”
10. “Boys of Summer”
11. “In the City”
12. “The Long Run”

(Intermission)

13. “No More Walks in the Woods”
14. “Waiting in the Weeds”
15. “No More Cloudy Days”
16. “Love Will Keep Us Alive”
17. “Take it to the Limit”
18. “Long Road out of Eden”
19. “Somebody”
20. “Walk Away”
21. “One of these Nights”
22. Band introduction / “Life’s Been Good”
23. “Dirty Laundry”
24. “Funk 49”
25. “Heartache Tonight”
26. “Life in the Fast Lane”

Encore:

27. “Take It Easy”
28. “Desperado”

-- Christian Schaeffer

Backed by a drummer/percussionist, guitarist and three (three!) keyboardists, the Eagles began the show with a four-song set of new tracks from Eden. Each Eagle got a shot to take the lead, with Henley’s “Too Busy Being Fabulous” emerging as the standout. Across the board, each singer’s voice remains strong, clear and immediately identifiable (this is a nice way of saying that Walsh still sings as if his larynx is perpetually being squeezed in a vise). Some of the high harmonies are now out of reach, but the layering of their voices was seamless.

A mariachi-colored trumpet solo introduced “Hotel California,” which introduced a string of classics that lasted until the intermission. The Eagles get props for playing its signature song so early in the set; “Hotel California” would be a natural set-closer or encore performance, but last night it served as a nice pivot between old and new. It’s easy to forget how many of these songs are ubiquitous: the mellow mood of “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” the dark heart of “Witchy Woman” and the cautionary tone “Lyin’ Eyes” have all been fully absorbed into our collective subconscious.

"Hotel California"

While it’s more than a stretch to think of the Eagles as America’s country-rock version of the Beatles, each singer’s style and personality was evident at last night’s show. Glenn Frey writes the McCartney-esque populist songs with big choruses; like Sir Paul, he’s also the funny one, though some of jokes as the Eagles emcee were groan-worthy. Like Lennon, Don Henley’s songs have a little more depth and poetry to them, with more than enough moralizing to go around (his tabloid-bashing “Dirty Laundry” got aired toward the end of the night). Joe Walsh is the wild card, Ringo Starr recast as a guitar god and drug casualty – he’s good for a cheap laugh and a muggy facial expression for the cameras. That makes bassist Timothy B. Schmit the George Harrison in this paper-thin analogy, but like George, Schmit is the dark horse whose songs bring a coy sweetness to the group; his “I Can’t Tell You Why” was a standout in the first set.

After a twenty-minute intermission, the band returned for an acoustic set of mostly new material. “Take it to the Limit” sounded fine in this arrangement (although I’m amazed that they didn’t bust out “Seven Bridges Road”). As may be expected, the acoustic numbers provided a bit of a lull that didn’t pick back up until Walsh sang “Walk Away,” a holdover from his days in the Cleveland group the James Gang. The proper set ended with “Heartache Tonight” (which was nicely augmented by a four-piece horn section) and “Life in the Fast Lane.” The two-song encore began with “Take it Easy” and ended with “Desperado,” with Henley taking center stage and stepping out of character to extend the song’s final long note. Time will tell if the Eagles will tour again, but last night’s show proved that there’s still some magic in those old songs and in the interplay among the musicians.

Other Notes:

*During “Boys of Summer,” the video projection screen was switched to black and white, a nod to the iconic music video.

*Timothy B. Schmit is the American version of Rush’s Geddy Lee: both bassists have preternaturally high voices, equally high cheekbones and long, stringy hair. You also can’t look at either one for too long.

*Joe Walsh put on a “hat cam” during his solo hit “Life’s Been Good,” while a Joe’s-eye-view was portrayed on the screen.

*Even though Henley and Walsh got to sing their solo songs, Frey did not bust out “You Belong to the City” or “The One You Love,” let alone “The Heat is On.” A missed opportunity.

*Frey joked that this was the Eagles’ “Assisted Living Tour” that quip received the biggest laugh of the night.

Setlist:

1. “How Long”
2. “Too Busy Being Fabulous”
3. “I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore”
4. “Guilty of the Crime”
5. “Hotel California”
6. “Peaceful Easy Feeling”
7. “I Can’t Tell You Why”
8. “Witchy Woman”
9. “Lyin’ Eyes”
10. “Boys of Summer”
11. “In the City”
12. “The Long Run”

(Intermission)

13. “No More Walks in the Woods”
14. “Waiting in the Weeds”
15. “No More Cloudy Days”
16. “Love Will Keep Us Alive”
17. “Take it to the Limit”
18. “Long Road out of Eden”
19. “Somebody”
20. “Walk Away”
21. “One of these Nights”
22. Band introduction / “Life’s Been Good”
23. “Dirty Laundry”
24. “Funk 49”
25. “Heartache Tonight”
26. “Life in the Fast Lane”

Encore:

27. “Take It Easy”
28. “Desperado”

-- Christian Schaeffer

The Eagles at JQH: A Scouting Report (Springfield Preview)

The Eagles at JQH: A scouting report

Lyndal Scranton
News-Leader

Forget Missouri State basketball for a moment. The Eagles are coming as the opening act at JQH Arena, on Nov. 13. Now that is a sure-fire winner to christen the Bears’ new digs.

I saw the band Sept. 6 in Tulsa, the first event in the city’s spectacular, new 17,000-seat BOK Arena. Here’s a scouting report:

The Eagles will give ticket buyers their money’s worth. They played for an hour and 20 minutes, took a 20-minute intermission and came back to play for another hour and 40 minutes (including two encores). The show, in one word: sensational.

Of the 33 songs, about eight were off “Long Road Out of Eden,” their first release of a full CD of new material in nearly three decades.

These guys are pushing 60, but their vocals are as strong as ever. Maybe better, because as Glenn Frey joked with the crowd in Tulsa, “our beverage of choice, these days, is water.” Joe Walsh stole the show with his intense guitar playing and showmanship. He drew the biggest cheers.

Four others, on guitar, percussion and strings, back the foursome of Walsh, Don Henley, Frey and Timothy B. Schmit. A four-piece horn section, on numerous tunes, completes the production.

As Frey said in Tulsa early in the show, “We’re the Eagles, the band that time forgot that band that wouldn’t die.”

Tickets go on sale Monday. Look at http://eaglesband.com">for details.

Worcester, MA

Eagles will be playing the DCU Center on November 26th.  Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show. Tickets available from Tickemaster.

Pittsburgh, PA

Eagles will be playing Mellon Arena on November 21st. Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show.  Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.

Washington, DC

Eagles will be playing the Verizon Center in Washington, DC on November 20th. Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show.  Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.

Cincinnati, OH

Eagles will be playing the US Bank Arena on November 18th. Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show. Tickets are available from the venue.

Memphis, TN

Eagles will be playing the FedEx Forum on November 16th. Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster

Dallas, TX

Eagles will be back at the American Airlines Arena on November 15th.  Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show.  Tickets are available from TicketMaster.

Springfield, MO

Eagles will be playing the MSU Arena on November 13th.  Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Eagles will be playing the BOK Center in Tulsa on November 11th.  Use the comment link below to leave your review after the show.