Atlantic City, NJ 6-09-07

[Just Another Hired Hand]

Before you read the review, I must tell you since I wrote it I found out that Don does not play the drums when he performs solo. The reader should take my talk about being frustrated with a grain of salt... We have now seen the Eagles up close and performing three times this year since LROOE came out. I have also found a bootleg recording of EWTRTHW but it is of poor quality. I figure the members will apreciate the review...It was truly a great show. The review (originally posted on "Concert Reviews")follows:


Last night the wife and I satisfied our craving to attend an Eagles concert…sort of. We went to see Don Henley and his band at the Borgata in Atlantic City, N.J.
Ever since we came to possess Farewell I we have been faithfully checking the web site for Eagles dates but there is no sign of a tour any time soon. Last year we tried to get tickets for Glenn Frey at the Borgata but those tickets evaporated before we had a chance. In a stroke of luck we were able to get the Don Henley tickets 12 rows back, and two seats in from the isle. It is without a doubt one of the best shows I have seen to date.

The Borgata itself is a great place to see a show. As we drove into town from the Atlantic City Expressway we could not help but notice the huge banner of Don H. adorning the parking garage walls. The Borgata’s Event Center venue is nothing short of spectacular. It is a large room with a stage. According to one of the ushers it seats about 3700 persons. It is completely carpeted and is draped with curtains and fabric wall coverings. The sound was excellent.

The show was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM. Don walked out on stage a few minutes after. The lights went down and then there was the unmistakable intro to Dirty Laundry. When the lights came up not only was Don standing center stage, but I immediately recognized Will Hollis, Michael Thompson, Scott Crago and Steuart Smith. I have come to respect and appreciate their unique musical talents from my many viewings of Farewell I. I immediately knew this show would be unforgettable.

Don was wearing a blue and white plaid flannel shirt. He was more animated than he was in Farewell I, but less than he was on the Inside Job. He let it be known early on in the show that he wasn’t feeling well. It could be heard in his voice. He made light of it by informing the audience, “I’m just waiting for the medication to take effect.” Then he added, “We’re all just waiting for the medication to take effect.” If anything, the gravel in his voice added to his singing in that his voice never cracked or faltered, just stayed smooth and even throughout.

He spoke to the audience before just about every song. He told the story of the original Sunset Grill, and then informed the audience, “If you’re ever going to California, the original is no longer there and I’ll save you the trouble… it’s not the same and the new one sucks!” He told the story of “The Last Worthless Evening” and how it was inspired by his attendance at a party with jack Nicholson. It started when he struck out with a pretty blonde actress. Even though many from the audience urged him to give it up he would not reveal the identity of the actress. He told a tale of “Witchy Woman” and insisted that it was not about Stevie Nicks. Then, in his fever he almost stopped my wife’s heart! Apparently he was confused about where he was playing because after he mentioned a few complimentary things about his fellow Eagle and he blurted out, “Glenn Frey will be here next week.” (After the show she had to confirm this at the box office and found out Glenn Frey was in fact appearing in Niagara Falls and not the Borgata. We found out that Don had just played Niagara Falls. I guess by this time the was the medication taking effect.

One of the evening’s surprises was Don performing a cover of the 80’ss Tears for Fears song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”. His performance of it was so dead on I am surprised I cannot find it recorded anywhere. The performance really stoked the audience. The other surprise was that he did not once sit down at the drums. I have watched Farewell I so many times I was hoping to get to see him play the drums and sing but it just didn’t happen.

The most entertaining thing that happened occurred when Don and the band performed “All She wants to Do Is Dance.” He started to sing then he cracked up laughing in mid verse when he looked out and observed a sea of humanity gyrating to the song’s rhythms. I mean every person in the place was on their feet and dancing, including yours truly (and it takes a lot to get me up dancing). Henley has a reputation for being a perfectionist. It shows in his stage show.


Here is the Set List:

Dirty Laundry/ Sunset Grill/ Witchy Woman/ New York Minute/ Everything Is Different Now/ One Of These Nights/ End of the Innocence/ Heart of the Matter/
Boys of Summer/ Everybody Wants to Rule the World/ All She Wants To Do Is Dance/ Life in the Fast Lane/ (encore) Hotel California/ Desperado.

Don’s band for the evening was Frank Simes and Steuart Smith on guitar, Lance Morrison on bass, Michael Thompson and Will Hollis on Keyboards andScott Crago on drums. I was surprised he didn’t use a horn section on stage like he did on “Live Inside Job” and the Eagles use on Farewell I.

On the whole the show was a triumph and frustration. Triumph because we were finally seeing a living breathing Eagle live on stage. Don Henley and his band get five out of five stars for an incredible show. Frustration because we can’t figure if the Eagles are ever going on the road again. Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Don Henley are all touring solo.Don hinted at a new album, maybe later this year, but I’m growing skeptical. I mean on Farewell I he mentions they began work in 2001. They performed three new songs on Farewell I (One Day at Time, Hole in the World and No More Cloudy Days). But here we are mid 2007, and still no album. Usually new album means the band’s going on tour. When I web surf all I can find is rumor and innuendo. Is there an album coming? Time will tell.

[DonFan]

Great review, JAHH--thanks for posting it.

I LOVE Don's solo shows. I have seen him solo four times and each time he just gets better and better. It is great to hear him tell all his stories about each song. I saw him twice in the summer of 2007, in back-to-back shows in Dallas and OKC, and he told that same story about Jack Nicholson and the beautiful blonde actress who wouldn't give either of them the time of day. (What an idiot that girl was!) He said he couldn't think of anything to say to her so he asked to bum a cigarette--"And I didn't even smoke," he added with a grin. He said she got a cigarette for him and stuck her arm out as far away as she possibly could. (Have I mentioned that this girl was an idiot?) Anyway, the story was cute and everyone laughed.

My favorite part of those two solo shows was a reworked version of End of the Innocence, where he sang the first verse very slowly, accapella (sp?), with his voice just soaring over the crowd--and it was absolutely gorgeous. <sigh>

[eaglesvet]

Loved reading both of your accounts. The "storyteller" makes quite a difference in the enjoyment of a concert--adds just a little more "oomph." If anyone here has seen Springsteen in concert, you know what I mean. Some of his stories are legendary accounts of life on the Jersey shore. He even has one for "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" where he talks about the wind whippin' through the boardwalk.
Why can't Don be an Eagles storyteller if he can do it solo?

[TimothyBFan]

Great review Mike. I wish someone could find Don's version of Everyone Wants To Rule The World. I always liked that song. I've never seen any of the guys solo. I bet Don is fantastic.

DF-you are right --The actress was an idiot!! Duh!!!

EV-it is a shame he doesn't do more storytelling at the Eagles shows, but then I guess the concerts could turn out to be 5 hours--not that any of us would complain!

[Troubadour]

Thanks for the review! I found this from 2004:

http://www.eaglesfans.com/downloads/...uestewtrtw.mp3

[TimothyBFan]

Whoo Hoo Troub-it will be downloaded onto my ipod by the end of the day!

[sodascouts]

Thanks for the review. I love seeing Don solo as well, and it sounds like a great show!

[sodascouts]

Oh, and here's an additional version of Everybody Wants to Rule the World with a little less crowd chit-chat, if you'd like to listen to it as well:

Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Newark 2004)

[Just Another Hired Hand]

Greetings Sodascouts...thanks for the post. Don H obviously enjoys performing this song. I'm surprised he never recorded it. It almost seems like it was written for him.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Thanks for your review, JAHH. I am so bombed because I was going to go to that show, but I couldn't make it. I saw both Glenn and Joe do solo shows at the Borgata and they were both AWESOME! I have never seen Don solo, and I'm just crossing my fingers that I'll get another chance before too very long. However, when the Eagles tours are in full swing, the guys very rarely do solo shows.