Johannesburg, South Africa April 8, 2012

[SteveJoburg]

Howzit everyone...

New member, tried joining on Monday after finding the board (awesome!) but my work e-mail blocked the confirmation mail.

I'm South African, have lived in Joburg all my life, 40 years this year (How'd that happen?) My wife and I saw the Eagles on Sunday night... A life long dream come true for me... I tried to write down the setlist but between the intermittent rain and just having too damn good a time enjoying the music, I didn't get very far...

I can assure you it was a superb show, I never dreamed I'd get to hear those incredible voices harmonize a few feet in front of me... Sound was brilliant. I can assure you for three quarters of the audience, it was all new to them, jokes included. They opened with Seven Bridges Road and then How Long as someone already mentioned. First encore was Hotel California, played straight, which is what 99% of the audience was waiting for, and the second encore was Take It Easy, Rocky Mountain Way and Desperado.

Highlights for me, apart from simply trying to comprehend that Henley, Frey, Walsh and Schmit were ACTUALLY really in front of me, was hearing the Henley solo material, as I am a HUGE fan of his solo stuff (just Dirty Laundry and Boys Of Summer were played) And seeing how brilliant Walsh is on stage. When they started playing Life's Been Good, I had goose bumps... Growing up in Apartheid SA in the Seventies, well, I never thought I would see the day! Oh, and during In The City, the video backdrop showed footage from New York. My wife and I have never been out of SA, and in May are visiting the US for the first time, on a trip to NY, so we were having a blast.

If I had any criticisms, and I would seriously have to be nitpicking, I was hoping to hear Timothy sing more songs, but he only did I Can't Tell You Why. (Was hoping to hear him sing Love Will Keep Us Alive at least)

They played three shows here. Cape Town on Wednesday, which my brother went to and also said was brilliant, Sun City on Saturday night (great venue but ticket prices were really hectic) and Soweto on Sunday.

Anyway, I look forward to chatting to some of you hopefully, and spending much time going through the rest of the threads on here...

Cheers for now!
Steve

[Mrs Frey]

It's a pleasure, everybody! I'm grabbing a few moments here quickly, as I'm working a straight 7am to 3pm shift today, because of my show tonight. I'm doing the same tomorrow.

Just to clarify regarding NKIT and TS, I actually mentioned some song titles to my friend on Facebook, asking her if the boys sang them, and I included these. She then confirmed them, but replied negatively to some other songs I listed. I thought perhaps she was accurate, considering that she is not a hard-core and long-time fan, and owns only the "Greatest Hits" album and the "Hell Freezes Over" DVD, and she would remember the hits. However, when I heard the complaint from a listener sent to 567 Cape Talk on Monday, saying that the songs WEREN'T played, I doubted my friend's accuracy too. Could she have got it THAT wrong? I don't know, but as you say, Dreamer, a girl can dream.

[EaglesKiwi]

Welcome, Steve! And thanks so much for your feedback! Glad you enjoyed the show, and all the best for your trip to the States. There are various solo & Eagles performances going on in May, so depending on your timing you may be able to see something over there...

[Prettymaid]

Highlights for me, apart from simply trying to comprehend that Henley, Frey, Walsh and Schmit were ACTUALLY really in front of me...

Welcome Steve and thanks for your enthusiastic review! We all know what you mean be your comment above. Here's what I wrote in my review of the Indianapolis 2010 show.

The lights came up and there they were, bigger than life! Hubby has said that when we saw them last year in Indy from the 2nd row center his first thought as the lights went up was that they were Disney Animatronics up there. (For those of you who have been to Walt Disney World, think Hall Of Presidents.) He couldn't wrap his brain around the fact that they were real! I think that's a good analogy. It takes a few seconds to grasp that these are the Eagles!

I know you're going to enjoy yourself here on The Border. We have some members from New York who can answer questions you have about your upcoming trip. I hope you both have a wonderful time on your first ever trip to the U.S.

[Prettymaid]

It okay Mrs. F. I know from personal experience that it's hard to remember a setlist all the way through, especially an Eagles show where they perform everything just how it was recorded. I'll cut your friend some slack!

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Welcome, Steve! I'm so happy for you and your wife! I well remember my first Eagles concert and I was in such awe at finally seeing them live it was difficult to wrap my head around it. I'll warn you, though, should you ever see them again, it doesn't just happen the first time!

I'm so glad you found us and thank you for your comments on the concert. Look forward to hearing your input on the many topics we have here!

[Brooke]

I never dreamed I'd get to hear those incredible voices harmonize a few feet in front of me...

Highlights for me, apart from simply trying to comprehend that Henley, Frey, Walsh and Schmit were ACTUALLY really in front of me,

This is exactly the way I felt too Steve! I got to see them for the first time since 76 (which I don't remember much about ) back in 2002 after being a huge fan for all those years. It was just surreal for me.

Thanks so much for your awesome review! I'm so glad you and your wife had such a great time and the guys fulfilled all your expectations!

And welcome to The Border! This is a wonderful place for all things Eagles!

Hope your trip to NY is enjoyable. I've never been there either, but it's on my bucket list!

[TimothyBFan]

Steve---you are now among people that know exactly what you mean. I'd have to bet everyone of us felt that way our first times at seeing them. I know my poor hubby probably still has the nail marks on his leg where I grabbed him when the lights first came up. So glad you and your wife got to finally get this to happen and enjoyed it so much.

Hope you stick around, think you'll really like it here!!!

[Brooke]

Yes, Mrs F, thank you for your help in getting news to us. I know you are very busy now and it's hard for you, but we sure do appreciate it. It's very hard to remember a set list for sure. I'd have to write it down as it happened myself! We'll just have to dream really hard about TS and NKIT being sung. Maybe Glenn will get the hint somehow!

Good luck with your upcoming shows too!

[SteveJoburg]

Wow... Talk about a warm welcome... Thanks everyone...! Looking forward to some decent music related chats with like minded people on here, I must say.

I wanted to mention, as I saw a couple of comments about the lack of reviews and the poor writing of the few that did appear, that music 'journalism' in SA is sadly lacking. If you're not in the current top 10, then the chances of whoever is currently doing the music reviews in the publications or websites having a clue about you are slim. Sad but true.

I caught one interview with Don and Glenn on SA TV prior to the tour which was so pathetically generic and weak I had to cringe. I had dozens of questions in my head I would have loved to ask either of them, which I think they would have enjoyed answering and which would have made for a great interview, but the interviewer was more concerned with making sure his biceps were on screen. Sigh...