The Eagles announced that after a long run, the easy peaceful feeling band no longer will live life in the fast lane and instead will take it easy. The band’s “The Long Goodbye” tour has been billed as the final tour. It launched at Madison Square Garden on September 7 and is expected to travel the world through 2025.
Perhaps the band should be renamed the singular “Eagle” since Don Henley is the sole remaining original member. The original band formed in 1971 as backing musicians for Linda Ronstadt before venturing independently and recording many of the biggest hit songs of the decade. Personnel shifted several times over the course of six best-selling albums until the band split in 1980. The Eagles rebranded in 1994, mostly as a touring unit playing its vintage catalog. During these past 20 years, the Eagles released only one album of new compositions, in 2007. At present, the Eagles consists of Henley on vocals, drums and guitar, longtime members Joe Walsh on vocals and guitar and Timothy B. Schmit on vocals and bass, and latter-day members Vince Gill and Deacon Frey (son of the band’s late co-founder, Glenn Frey) also on vocals and guitars.
In announcing the final tour, numerous journalists applauded the Eagles for providing nearly six decades of popular songs. It would be truer to say that the band provided a string of hits across one decade, the 1970s, and that these songs have endured across six decades. Not only have many of the Eagles’ songs from the 1970s remained mainstays of pop, rock, country and easy-listening musical platforms, but several Caribbean artists continue to revive and popularize Eagles’ songs in calypso, reggae and soca variations.
At the tour-opening concert at Madison Square Garden, following a pleasant opening set by Steely Dan and an intermission, the Eagles’ two-hour, 23-song set began with white spotlights shining on Gill, Schmidt, Frey, Walsh and touring guitarist Steuart Smith standing at microphones across the front of the stage. Behind them, another white spotlight shown on Henley at the drums. Singing the lesser-known “Seven Bridges Road,” the six-part harmonies were already mighty.
The set was mostly mellow for the first hour and rocked more in the second hour. While the program had no showy gimmicks except for the use of projections, the roulette of lead singers and lead guitarists captured the attention of the fans. Henley, still in silky smooth voice, alternated between playing drums in back and guitar up front. Frey sang some of the songs his father used to sing, including “Take It Easy.” As a relative newcomer to the band, Gill also sang songs that the Eagles recorded before he joined, including “Take It to the Limit”, “Lyin’ Eyes” and “New Kid in Town.” Although not a full-fledged band member, Smith energized the show with the most intriguing guitar leads. In the darker areas of the stage, musical director/keyboardist Will Hollis, drummer Scott Crago and keyboardist Michael Thompson supported the overall sound dynamics.
The show featured tender moments. Henley honored two deceased members of the original band, Glenn Frey, who died in 2016, and Randy Meisner who died this past July 26. Later in the program, Henley memorialized “dear friend” and occasional musical collaborator Jimmy Buffett, who died September 2. “Jimmy Buffett is now sailing on that cosmic ocean, having cheeseburgers with Glenn and Randy,” said Henley, referencing a Buffett song, "Cheeseburgers in Paradise." Schmit then sang Buffett’s “Come Monday,” and Walsh sang Buffett’s “Fins” while wearing a Buffet-influenced parrothead hat.
From start to finish at the concert, the modern-day Eagles relived the 1970s. The band played all the hits to perfection. Familiar hit after familiar hit, the concert was much like a live jukebox, as the band cleanly recreated the songs almost note for note, polished and exact. The band seemed to only crank a jam on the songs led by Walsh, who is the resident hard rocker in a mostly soft-rock band. The sound was crystal clear, and so the six-part harmonies were extraordinary. As the Eagles rocked the show to closure with an extended version of “Hotel California,” Madison Square Garden was such a lovely place.
Setlist
Seven Bridges Road (Steve Young cover)
Take It Easy
One of These Nights
Take It to the Limit (Dedicated to Randy Meisner)
Best of My Love
Witchy Woman
Peaceful Easy Feeling (Jack Tempchin cover)
Tequila Sunrise
In the City (Joe Walsh song)
I Can't Tell You Why
New Kid in Town
Lyin' Eyes
Life's Been Good (Joe Walsh song)
Already Gone (Jack Tempchin cover)
Come Monday (Jimmy Buffett cover) (live debut)
Fins (Jimmy Buffett cover) (live debut)
The Boys of Summer (Don Henley song)
Funk #49 (James Gang cover)
Heartache Tonight
Life in the Fast Lane
Encore
Rocky Mountain Way (Joe Walsh song)
Desperado
Hotel California
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The Manhattan Beat reports on New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.
For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right of the The Manhattan Beat home page and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."
For a more complete listing of upcoming performances in the New York City area, visit The Manhattan Beat's September calendar.
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