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DonFan
07-19-2008, 09:01 AM
The Eagles still rocking hard after all these years
By SCOTT CRONICK At The Shore, 609-272-7017
Published: Saturday, July 19, 2008


ATLANTIC CITY - Fans will give legendary bands some leniency when they perform live. Whether it's overlooking Mick Jagger reading from a teleprompter or understanding that Elton John can't move around like he used to, they get a bit of a pass.
There was no forgiveness needed Thursday night when the Eagles played their first of two sold-out shows at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa's Event Center.

Despite the band's 37 years of existence and the average age of the four longtime band members at 60, the Eagles undoubtedly remain at the top of their game.

While the "Hell Freezes Over" reunion may have had more media hype, this tour may be the best time to see the Eagles since the late '70s. While "Hell Freezes Over" offered a handful of new songs, the Eagles' latest release, the double-CD "Long Road Out of Eden," is a quintessential Eagles recording that shows Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit can still bring it not only as performers, but songwriters as well. It's like time never passed.

Unlike many concerts featuring new music from classic rockers, the crowd didn't run to the bathrooms when the Eagles played their new material. In fact, the band played nine songs from "Long Road Out of Eden," including four to begin the show and three to begin the second set after a 20-minute intermission.
Not only did the crowd not run to the exits, it thoroughly enjoyed the new material, particularly the openers "How Long" and "Busy Being Fabulous," which showcased the Eagles' still-unbelievable harmonies that have become the band's hallmark.

While some of the new songs, particularly Schmit's sappy "I Don't Want to Hear Anymore," didn't fare as well, others like the moody title track reminiscent of "Hotel California" and Frey's rocking "Somebody" were worth the price of admission alone.

Of course, the band, dressed like Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" with black suits, white shirts and black ties, didn't leave Borgata without playing its hits, and it seems like they played all of them in a 28-song set that lasted for more than two-and-a-half hours.

A band is certainly confident when it can play its most famous song - and arguably the most famous classic-rock song of all time - fourth in the set. But that's exactly what the Eagles did when they rolled out "Hotel Caifornia." With Henley behind the drums and Frey on a 12-string, it was rock 'n' roll bliss, particularly when Walsh and guitarist Stuart Smith harmonized for the song's trademark dueling guitar solos, resulting in a standing ovation.

The night was full of great moments as the Eagles showed off their songwriting diversity that ranges in styles from country-ish Americana like "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Lyin' Eyes" and the encores "Take It Easy" and "Desperado" to disco-ish pop songs like "Witchy Woman" and "One of These Nights" to sing-along anthems like "In the City," "Heartache Tonight" and "Life in the Fast Lane." Heck, these guys can even pull off a five-song acoustic set that was highlighted by "Take It to the Limit."

More amazing than the arsenal of hits is the level of talent that the Eagles still possess. With the exception of Walsh - who was never a great vocalist to begin with - the Eagles' vocals sound like they did 30 years ago. Vocals aside, they are all amazing musicians, as well. Henley is the most impressive. Whether playing guitar, drums, keyboards or just singing, it's hard not to watch Henley even when the spotlight isn't on him.

Fan favorite and New Jersey native Walsh remains a guitar god. Although he disappointingly didn't play many solos in the first half of the show, he let loose after the intermission, breaking out the crowd-pleaser "Life's Been Good," as well as the James Gang's "Funk #49."

Ticket prices, ranging from $196 to $501, may have been high to see the Eagles at Borgata. But no one walked out complaining. The chance to see an act of this caliber in such a small venue is that rare opportunity Eagles fans didn't want to pass up.

They made a good decision.
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carol7lynn
07-19-2008, 09:09 AM
Now that's a review. And, here's the down-low, Philly was hotter than A.C. which goes to show you that Philly critics were "just to busy being fabulous." :evil: Thanks! :P

Carol-Lynn
SoCalGalNow 8)

DonFan
07-19-2008, 09:16 AM
I agree--it is a great review. I love this statement:

"Henley is the most impressive. Whether playing guitar, drums, keyboards or just singing, it's hard not to watch Henley even when the spotlight isn't on him. "

Of course that is the way I feel--my eyes are always drawn to him. Didn't know he played keyboards, however. :wink:

siny
07-19-2008, 11:06 AM
Yes, I did not see Henley play keyboard either. Walsh may not have the best vocals, but he was very entertaining. And I agree about the title track being worth the price of admission - in fact, that and "No More Cloudy Days" replaced "Hotel California" as my favorite Eagles songs.

I noticed they played a shorter set here than at MSG. "All She Wants to Do is Dance" was missing.

I can see why the ticket price was so high. The list of all the people associated with this tour listed in the program is a mile long. I am not complaining though. It was well worth the price.

I was not too happy with the program though. For $20, I feel they should have given us more. It was mostly pictures.

Glennsallnighter
07-19-2008, 03:56 PM
At last a great review from someone who appreciates the Eagles for who they are and what they do. Do those people who set out to criticise ever wonder WHY people keep coming back, again and again for them, or WHY they are the biggest band of all time, or WHY they are still pulling sellout crowds after 37 years......???

Thanks for that great review DF! :D

Ive always been a dreamer
07-19-2008, 11:40 PM
"Vocals aside, they are all amazing musicians, as well. Henley is the most impressive. Whether playing guitar, drums, keyboards or just singing, it's hard not to watch Henley even when the spotlight isn't on him."

See - to me, this is what is so amazing about this band. You can substitute either the names Henley, Frey, Walsh, or Schmit in that sentence, and no matter which one you choose, you'd get plenty of people to agree with you. All four of them are amazingly talented musicians who are pretty easy on the eyes. There is so much to pick from!!! :wink:

DonFan
07-20-2008, 12:25 AM
All four of them are amazingly talented musicians who are pretty easy on the eyes. There is so much to pick from!!! :wink:

So true!

glenneaglesfan
07-20-2008, 07:29 AM
For once, a decent review by someone who is not determined to trash the Eagles and really appreciates their exceptional musical talent and appeal. Thanks for posting that, DF! :D

rcknalwys
07-20-2008, 11:40 AM
at last, a great review! TY for posting that, it only whets my appetite. Isn't it funny how the word "quintessential" seems to always be used?

TimothyBFan
07-20-2008, 11:54 AM
Now that was a great review-a reviewer with some taste finally!!!

To the Eagles---if you are reading this---please please PLEASE do not leave out All She Want To Do Is Dance in Chicago in September! Thank You

DonFan
07-21-2008, 03:12 PM
One more review/blog.
This guy GETS it. He is a journalist whose byline has appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner and the Washington Star.


Eagles’ Long Road Out Of Eden Tour - Borgata 2008

-By Dusty Nathan

During the Eagles’ three-day-stop at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey the Los Angeles band - who laid down their first tracks in 1972 in their self-titled debut - sounded better than ever. More energetic. More harmony, sensational sounds.

Tight, together and having fun, they delivered a bunch of tunes that won’t soon be forgotten by a sell-out crowd, many paying more than $1,000 a seat for front section tickets, some front-row-centers selling for $1,500. As guests we caught the act from the 14th row.

Moments after the show began, on time at 8 p.m. with no opening acts, The Eagles did everything they were allowed to do. Even the old Grateful Dead had nothing on this band when longevity of show is considered. After 3.5 hours they were given the hook, as the crowd sat expecting yet another encore as the lights stayed dark for five or six minutes, indicating a debate on the issue. But economics of casinos revenue must have won out, as they finally didn’t come back. Just prior to that they kicked-up a light and young Take It Easy, just prior to Don Henley stepping to the edge of the stage to close it out with a sad-ballad warning to everyone in Desperado.

Personally, I go back all the way with these guys. They were Linda Ronstadt’s Band, prior even to her Stone Pony‘s hit, Different Drum, and played a couple of nights a week, down the street from where I lived on Canon Drive, at a club called Troubadour. Back then, this band, as all the bands did, would hang out in the grassy center strip that divided Santa Monica Boulevard between sets. We’d hang out with them, as they were like the coolest older people we knew. Linda would come out too and they passed the joints of Acapulco Gold and Panama Red, and we’d end up with many a roach.

By the time I moved East in the early 1970s, I was losing interest n my harmonic hometown bands, like the Eagles (Troubadour), Doors (Cheetah), Byrds (Gazarris), Buffalo Springfield (Pandora’s Box), et al. By now, I had been exposed to Bruce Springsteen and the stench that emanated from Max’s Kansas City, which included Blondie, Talking Heads, Lou Reed, The Ramones and hundreds of others. The Cars took me up and Marshall Crenshaw was a sound and tempo that represented my tastes a lot more than the Eagles.

Long before I became a journalist, my tiny, but diverse, firm actually had a couple of top name national touring acts under contract. So it was culture shock ending up with this invitation to the Eagles. I insisted it should be a fun night, but honestly had no interest in their music whatsoever. I have a trove of their albums, but haven’t pulled them out in decades. Was I wrong?

Wrong couldn’t be further from reality. This show was the shit. You want rock? Can you stand rock and roll? Then welcome home. Joe Walsh, never second-fiddle to Henley and Glen Frey, stole the show. But “stole” isn’t the fair word as Henley and Frey often just turned the entire thing over to him and cameras caught them smiling and just enjoying Walsh as much as the audience, as he jammed with myriad guitars from 1950s Fenders to custom-made jobs, changing boards as often as most change ass-position on folding seats. It was one punch after the next, with tempo changes, drops to ballad and accelerations to “arena rock,” with stops in between using false endings and 4/4 alternatives intermingled with ¾ and fading keyboards and quiet drum accompaniment from Henley.

This must be said: Joe Walsh has a signature as honest and easy to recognize as George Harrison’s. And, Walsh, 60-years-old, is the greatest guitar picker in the USA. He’s alone. Doing all his hits - accept Rocky Mountain Way - Walsh put on a helmet cam and goofed with the enthused audience, putting them O.C. on the two giant screens that flanked the stage. During Life’s Been Good the backdrop behind the stage showed old photos of the band for about five minutes, and when he sang, “ . . . they write me letters and tell me I’m great,” Glenn Frey was rolling his eyes. Haha! Walsh did Walk Away and Guilty of the Crime as if in a confessional. His guitar work on Heartache Tonight, Life In The Fast Lane, and Dirty Laundry were beyond description. One can only say, men like Clapton or even the youngest guns had better not get into a Battle of the Bands with this fella.

Also an acoustic set where Henley, Frey, Timmy Schmit and Walsh were down front on barstools ala CSNY. Nice. They did a number of songs off the new album and these tunes were actually some of their best work ever. Schmit has always been a real singer. Henley and Frey were on edge and exciting. The hired hands included a guitarist (Stuart Smith from Arlington, VA) almost as good as good is.

Schmit did three songs: ‘I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore’, ‘I Can’t Tell You Why’ and ‘Love Will Keep us Alive’. His voice a tad shaky on the first song.

I don't recall a tour where tickets have began at one set of prices and have gone up 10 fold on the face as the tour progressed. Tickets are hard to find, but if you can find one, buy one. You'll never forget this show.

They killed.

Brooke
07-21-2008, 04:28 PM
Another great review, DF! Thanks! Looks like I'm in for a treat come September! I can't wait! :D

sodascouts
07-21-2008, 06:21 PM
That was a terrific read! Thanks for posting it, DF!

siny
07-21-2008, 07:09 PM
He must be reviewing the 7/19 show, since the 7/17 show started about 25 min. late.

Otherwise - spot on.

carol7lynn
07-22-2008, 09:09 AM
Don Fan,

Great Review-thanks!

Carol-Lynn
SoCalGalNow 8)

tbs fanatic
07-22-2008, 09:18 AM
Wow! Great reviews. :D WooHoo!

Mrs Frey
07-24-2008, 04:37 AM
DF, I've just read the first of the two reviews you posted. It's a super review, although there are a couple of statements I don't agree with.

Firstly, I also chuckled with the reference to Don playing keyboards, but with such praise for the man, the reviewer can be forgiven for that error. :wink:

Regarding Joe never having been a great vocalist, that's the reviewer's opinion. His voice might not be as melodic as the others, but he is still very powerful and certainly handles his songs very well.

Joe's voice is not the only voice that doesn't sound like it did in the '70s, either. Glenn's :heart: voice has deepened considerably, although it really fascinates me that he can still sing all his songs in the same key as he did then, and he does them just as well too! :nod:

As for Tim's IDWTHA being "sappy", well, that's also the reviewer's opinion. I, for one, really enjoy the song, and think it showcases Tim's lovely voice.

All-in-all, though, a refreshingly positive review for a change. Thanks for posting it, DF! :D

Mrs Frey
07-24-2008, 09:12 AM
DF, I've just read the second review. Oh, he GETS it alright. That was a stunning review, particularly from someone who thought the Eagles' music was not quite his taste.

I particularly enjoyed the praise he lavished on Joe, which is much deserved. I loved the comparison with George Harrison, especially since he performed George's most famous song, "Something", with Celine Dion recently.

I also loved the acknowledgement of Tim's vocal talents. It's about time!