Eagles 2007 Summer Tour Dates

A Summer of Solo Fun

Three of the Eagles are playing dates this summer. Are you ready? Use this tour blog to coordinate meeting up with other fans and to post your reviews as they happen. We'll post reviews and photos as we find them. Even though the whole band isn't touring, we have a feeling these dates are going to be awesome!

Cindy's Primm Photos

Thanks, Cindy!

Henley Photos!

We have a virtual feast of Henley eye candy.  Darlene got some great shots in Soboba.  The radio stations from Dallas and Phoenix have some photos up now too.  And last but not least we found this gallery on Photobucket from the Oklahoma City concert.  Don't OD on all the visual treats. :)

MizB's Joe Photos

MizB has gotten some great shots of Joe! Check them out!

Starland and Beacon

Borgata

Westbury

El Paso Photo Gallery

Link: Photos of the Week 1.

Clink the link to see some great photos of Don!

Forrest's Review and Photos

Hi!

A newby here - I had to chime-in and say that Don's performance last nite was over the top! The show was a 3-band festival called PeakusFestivus and was put on by Peakerman himself! (John O'Hurley from Sienfeld) The Stray Cats came out first...not too shabby. The Pretenders followed, and I have to say that Crissy Hynes STILL has the voice to go with the attitude, not to mention those legs that go to her neck! Excellent performance by her and Martin (drummer), as well as a killer lead geetar and bass player.

Don took the stage about 30 seconds into 'Dirty Laundry' and it just got better and better! I think the setlist went like this:

Dirty Laundry
Sunset Grill
Witchy Woman
Boys of Summer
One of These Nights
Last Worthless Evening
New York Minute
Life in the Fast Lane
Heart of the Matter
All She Wants to do is Dance
End of the Innocence
Hotel California
Desperado

WOW! I might even be missing one or two. It PHRIKKIN' ROKKED FOLKS!!

I'm no photographer, but here's 3 that are less than 12 hours old. Enjoy, friends!

Click the photos to see them larger.

Ed Note: Can you spot Lisa in one of these photos?

Former Eagle on time, on a roll in El Paso

Link: El Paso Times - Former Eagle on time, on a roll in El Paso.

Don Henley wowed the crowd during his Tuesday night performance at the Plaza Theatre.

For much of his 2 hour, 17-song set, the singer and songwriter stood proud in his black, untucked button-down shirt with matching black jeans and black athletic shoes -- much to the pleasure of the sold-out crowd of more than 2,000 fans.

After opening with "Dirty Laundry" and "Sunset Grill," Henley playfully apologized for starting on time.

"I'm sorry for that," he said. "Obviously, you guys weren't expecting that."

Henley then talked about how he used to dedicate "Dirty Laundry" -- "my Valentine to the American news media" -- to Rupert Murdoch, "who bought the Wall Street Journal, by the way, so now you will get naked ladies with your stock quotes.

"Now I dedicate it to (CNN Headline News talk show host) Nancy Grace; and how a woman like that could have grace in her name is beyond me," he said.

Every song Henley played had a story behind it. From "Sunset Grill," his ode to the working class, to "Last Worthless Evening," about a girl he and Jack Nicholson were "working on" ("she finally left with Jack but I made millions writing this song").

Henley appeared to be in a great mood, constantly complimenting the audience and even saying something nice about the venue.

"We are not used to playing in places like this," he said of the Plaza Theatre. "This place is beautiful, take care of it."

Henley and his six-piece band of two keyboardists, two guitarists, bass player and drummer, kept the crowd grooving in their seats until they busted out into Eagles favorite "One Of These Nights."

Watching some in the crowd, it seemed they were out of practice, most sat in their seats seemingly forgetting they were at a rock concert. They would occasionally stand, but after Henley busted into "Dance," the crowd stood and swayed to the music.

As the leader of the 1970s superstar band The Eagles, Henley was the voice and lead writer of some of the band's biggest hits, including "Desperado," "One Of These Nights" and "Hotel California," all which he played Tuesday night.

Henley showed off his pitch-perfect tenor in the opening chorus of "End of the Innocence." One of the surprises of the evening was the Joe Walsh-like playing of the lead guitar work of Frank Sams, who was excellent in "Life in the Fast Lane," "Hotel California" and "I Will Not Go Quietly."

Age has added a quality to Henley's music and not all musicians can claim to be as fine- tuned as he was Tuesday after two hours and two encores of some classic rock that left El Pasoans waiting for the next tour.

Victor R. Martinez may be reached at vmartinez@elpasotimes.cm; 546-6128.

With or without Eagles, Henley's return is expected

Link: El Paso Times - With or without Eagles, Henley's return is expected.

With or without Eagles, Henley's return is expected

Maribel Villalva / El paso Times El Paso Times

Article Launched:08/03/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT

It's been almost seven years since Don Henley has released a solo album, but that hasn't kept him off the touring circuit. For the past several years, Henley has been touring -- and recording new music -- with the Eagles, the band he founded in the early 1970s. Tuesday, El Pasoans will get to spend "An Evening with Don Henley" at the Plaza Theatre. The lack of new material hasn't hurt him, either. At press time, the concert had nearly sold out. That's no surprise to Courtney Nelson, operations manager for Regent Broadcasting El Paso, which includes radio stations KSII-FM (93.1) and KLAQ-FM (95.5). "He is a huge success, with the Eagles and without the Eagles. Radio stations are still playing his music," said Nelson, adding that the stations get daily requests for Henley's chart-topping songs "Last Worthless Evening," "Boys of Summer" and "The End of the Innocence." While he won't be accompanied by his Eagles bandmates, Anna Loynes, a spokeswoman for Henley, said he will perform both Eagles and solo favorites throughout the show. Henley was not available for an interview. As a solo artist, Henley has won several Grammy Awards. He took home the award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for his hit song "The Boys of Summer," which was released on the 1984 album "Building the Perfect Beast." His 1989 album, "The End of the Innocence," also won a Grammy in the same category. Henley's last solo release was the album "Inside Job" in 2000. That year, he performed at the Don Haskins Center. If past Henley concerts in El Paso are any indication, Tuesday's show will be great, Nelson said. "I saw him in 2000, and I was blown away," Nelson said. "I've been waiting for him to come back." During an interview to promote that concert, he told the El Paso Times he was focused on his children, who were the inspiration for much of the album. "They have made me a better person. Children have a way of holding up a mirror, which reflects all our shortcomings," he said. Two years later, he returned to the Don Haskins Center with the Eagles. For many years, Eagles fans have been hearing rumblings of a new album with new material. Henley's spokeswoman confirmed the upcoming release of that album. Fans should "expect delivery by the end of the year," Loynes said. Earlier this year, Henley spoke to Billboard Magazine and talked about the recent recording sessions. "Some days, it feels good. Some days, it's challenging. It's exhilarating. It's worrisome. It's joyous. It's all of these things. It's a big mixed-emotions kind of thing. It's no different from what it ever is. It's just, there are more distractions now, with families and charities and lawsuits," he said. According to Billboard, two confirmed tracks on the new album are Joe Walsh's "One Day at a Time" and Glenn Frey's "No More Cloudy Days." Both were first heard on the 2005 DVD "Farewell 1 Tour -- Live from Melbourne." Nelson said he's thrilled at the idea of a new Eagles CD. "I think that's exciting news for all Eagles fans," he said. Maribel Villalva may be reached at mvillalva@elpasotimes.com; 546-6129.

Welcome blasts from the past

Link: Star-Telegram.com | 08/06/2007 | Welcome blasts from the past.

GRAND PRAIRIE -- There is more than one way to play the nostalgia rock game.

That point was made clear by the blasts-from-the-past show featuring Don Henley, the Pretenders and the Stray Cats at Nokia Theatre on Saturday night.

The Eagles' Henley, the headliner on a bill that could have easily had a different pecking order, took the tried-and-true method. He is obviously aware that his fans want to hear the hits just as they remember them, and he dutifully delivered, leading a six-piece backing ensemble through exact replicas of his most well-known chart-toppers, including Witchy Woman, The Boys of Summer, The End of Innocence, Hotel California and other usual suspects. Every song was so note-for-note that, if you closed your eyes, you might have thought you were just listening to an oldies radio station.

About the only deviation was a fine cover of the Tears for Fears classic Everybody Wants to Rule the World. It was a good fit for Henley and a much-needed surprise.

Like his hits, Henley has aged well. His voice is thin and strained -- just as it was in his heyday. But he has lost surprisingly little off the high end. The Gilmer native was warm and affable with the near-capacity crowd of about 6,000, noting that "it is good to be home" and cracking some jokes at the expense of Dick Cheney and Rupert Murdoch.

A different approach was taken by the Pretenders, fronted by the never-younger Chrissie Hynde. The explosive energy of her band was a sharp contrast to the mellow, ballad-dominated set by Henley. And, while most of the band's best-known songs were on display (Brass in Pocket, My City Was Gone, I'll Stand by You, Back on the Chain Gang, etc.), all were changed in some way -- a phrase elongated here, an accent dropped in an unexpected place there or a tempo adjustment. They were fresh takes on old friends, and they all worked beautifully.

Hynde's pipes also refuse to act their age. Her tone may be smoother than ever, and her phrasing remains razor sharp.

The Stray Cats fell somewhere between these two approaches. They didn't have as many hits in their bag as the other two acts, and most of their rockabilly jumpers sound alike. So even the old stuff sounded new in a carefully plotted set that still managed to sparkle with spontaneity. Brian Setzer's vocals are a bit shopworn, but his shameless vanity ("We still look pretty good, don't we?" he asked the audience, begging for complimentary applause) and enthusiasm ultimately carried the day.

It was a highly pleasing evening of three very different styles of rock. But while Henley sounded like a jukebox, the Pretenders and Stray Cats sounded like bands.

Don Henley, friends mix rock, social commentary | GuideLive.com | Arts/Entertainment News and Events | Dallas-Fort Worth | The Dallas Morning News | Overnight

Link: Don Henley, friends mix rock, social commentary

 

GRAND PRAIRIE – The defining moment of Saturday night's Don Henley/Pretenders/Stray Cats triple-bill came when Chrissie Hynde tore into "Popstar," a song about how vapid today's chart-toppers are.

"They don't make 'em like they used to," she sang. At its best, the four-hour concert made her words ring true.

Hometown boy Mr. Henley headlined the show with a lesson in the fading art of mixing rock and social commentary. He dedicated the show-opening "Dirty Laundry" to Rupert Murdoch, saying "Y'all gonna be getting naked pictures with your Wall Street Journal now."

The near-capacity Nokia Theatre crowd laughed. But not everyone was pleased when he snuck a jab at Vice President Dick Cheney into "The End of the Innocence" – concertgoers on either side of me groaned and left shortly afterward.

For the most part, Mr. Henley let his hits do the talking – from solo gems such as "Boys of Summer" to Eagles classics like "Desperado" and "Hotel California." At age 60, his soul-tinged voice is in far better shape than a lot of his peers': He nailed the falsetto on "Witchy Woman" with offhand ease.

And just when the show was getting too slick and the songs too note-for-note perfect, he switched gears. After reinventing "The End of the Innocence" with a sultry new gospel-blues intro, he caught fans off guard with a bold reading of Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."

"I didn't write this song," he said, "but it seems to be appropriate these days."

Like Mr. Henley, Ms. Hynde wasn't about to keep her opinions to herself. "It's time in the set to make some enemies," she said, launching into a mini-diatribe against the meat industry and the "slaughter" of innocent animals.

At least she didn't cuss out nonvegetarians, like she did a few years back at the Bronco Bowl. "Oh, what the [expletive] – we'll do one for the meat-eaters now," she said Saturday night, introducing "Back on the Chain Gang."

Backed by original Pretenders drummer Martin Chambers, she hopscotched across her catalog from radio staples like "My City Was Gone" to the 2002 obscurity "Fools Must Die." But the high points arrived in taut rockers like "The Wait," "Up the Neck" and "Mystery Achievement" from the band's namesake 1980 debut.

Artistically, the Stray Cats have never been on the same level as Mr. Henley or the Pretenders. But since they rarely tour, it's easy to forget how much fun they are onstage.

Drummer Slim Jim Phantom began "Rock This Town" by leaping from atop his drum kit, Lee Rocker climbed all over his stand-up bass (while playing it, no less), and Brian Setzer darted around, his blond pompadour shining in the spotlight.

"We're still here," he said, grinning, "and not looking too bad either, I might add."

They sounded even better than they looked. From the punky "Blast Off" to the kitschy-cool "Stray Cat Strut," they reminded fans how fresh rockabilly sounds – no matter if it's 1956 or 1983 or 2007.

Don Henley rocks the Zoo

Link: NewsOK: Don Henley rocks the Zoo.

With a voice that hasn't changed in more than 30 years, rocker Don Henley proved Sunday night to an Oklahoma City audience that his music and his message never go out of style.

The former Eagle got the near sold-out crowd at the Zoo Amphitheatre on their feet first with "Dirty Laundry,” joking later that he was dedicating the song to Court TV star Nancy Grace and the American press.

The next song, "Sunset Grill” mellowed everyone out a bit, but almost everyone in the audience seemed to be singing along.

Henley then took the audience back to 1972 with a performance of "Witchy Woman” and then spanned ahead more than a decade to "New York Minute,” the crowd singing along to every word.

Henley seemed comfortable in a standard untucked plaid shirt, black jeans and white sneakers. During the hour and 43-minute set, he played guitar and took a turn at the congas during an encore performance of "Hotel California,” but he never stepped up to the drums, the instrument he played while with the Eagles.

Also on encore, Henley played "Desperado” letting the crowd sing solo the line "let somebody love you.”

Politics and environmentalism were never far from the surface during Henley's performance. He changed the words in "End of the Innocence” to "Cheney had to lie,” which drew applause from the crowd. His last two songs were "Disappearing World” by David Gray and "I Will Not Go Quietly.” Of "Disappearing World” he said, "This is very personal,” and "I need sunscreen.”

Henley did not sing one song from his last album, "Inside Job.” He also did not introduce his band — two guitarists, a basist, a drummer and two men rotating between piano, synthesizer and keyboards.

At the end of the show, Henley thanked his Oklahoma audience for inviting him to their party.