Salmon Festival, Newfoundland, Canada - 7/13/13

[Brooke]

AEW, I totally agree. Great post!

All I can add here is my own opinion and I think that it was an all around mess up by everyone! I was shocked that the Eagles would even think of doing a m & g or photo op at all! Since when? Very rare for sure.

First of all, I would also never go to this type of festival in the heat of the summer. I know they can be fun, especially when you have nice weather, but how often does that happen? I'm shocked they are doing these at all. It's insufferably hot and humid most of the time. They don't need to do these. Why wouldn't they hold out and only do indoor air conditioned venues? They are in their 60's! But they did agree to them, so what do I know?!

I do think that no matter what the band should have sucked it up and done their very best to get through it and give the fans a good show if it's true that they acted badly.

[WalshFan88]

First I want to say, I can't understand how you can say that "entire article was full of such hatred". Disappointment. Disenchantment. But hatred? That's pretty strong for what I read.

You can be disappointed in me all you want but I'm not alone in my feelings and from what I'm seeing, there seems to be more here that are disappointed it what happened than not. And in my case, it's more than "one person's bitterness" that makes me disappointed in the Eagles lately. There are those here that will never dare express their disappointment in them but I'm not one of those. As much as I can say I have loved the Eagles in what seems like forever, I'm also not afraid to say how disappointing some of the things that I keep hearing/seeing/reading about are to me. I just think they are becoming increasingly disappointing with some of the behavior the last few years and I refuse to believe that it's just from a few bitter reviewers or a few dissatisfied fans because we keep seeing & hearing the same things being said. Thank goodness it's not all the time but still. I just think they've forgotten how they've gotten to where they are.

I'm in no way saying this reviewer was right in everything he said (he couldn't even get the spelling of member's names correct). To me, he sounds like a reviewer who has also been a fan and when he saw their behavior at the meet and greet, he was extremely disappointed. And then when the media was moved back, it kept getting worse for him.

I will also say that I disagree with him about the key changes for their aging voices. I, for one, am just fine with that. What aging rock star is still singing the same way they did in the 70s? I can't think of any. And I think most fans are ok with that. At least we are still getting to hear the music we have enjoyed for decades. But if the artists start acting like prima donnas who can't smile for a fan (and we all have to admit that we've seen those pictures), then they are open to the ridicule and might want to step back and take a long look at where they are and how long they want to continue to do this. Just saying....

I agree on both counts...

[Topkat]

Yes, it was an all around hot mess, starting with the travel arrangements down to the show, so I guess they were not happy campers, but maybe they are just too old to be doing the festival scene. I won't be doing any of them & I think maybe they should reconsider if asked to do any more. They usually seem to be ridden with unplanned circumstances that quickly become a nightmare.

As for the writer of the article; I don't see him as a wanna be or bitter. I believe all or most concert reviewers have a musical background....That's how they get the job, but I can totally see his frustration. There were many comments left under his review & many of the fans who attended the show agreed with him. Some had a good time, but I think the combination of the overcrowded VIP section, the long lines for water, drinks & bathrooms, the threat to cancel the show if the filming continued all made for some complaints...not even counting the M&G, which was attended by only a few.

I just think the Eagles need to be in a more controlled environment. This whole scene doesn't really suit them these days....maybe it was fun when they were in their 20's, but not anymore!

[sodascouts]

No doubt things weren't handled well, all around at Salmon Festival, by the festival, by the band, by their management. Miscommunication seemed to abound at all levels, and bless them--but also curse them---the Eagles are bit of grumpy old men when it comes to unexpected changes and kinks in the system. So as soon as their was that itinerary mixup, I'm sure they were in a mood. At this stage in the game, and with Irving at the helm, I'm surprised this sort of mistake could and would occur, but things happen.

But sadly, it probably threw everything off, and sadly, the M&G folk had to suffer for it. That said, they aren't know for being effusive M&G-ers on tour--a simple search or perusal here could have told the organizers and participants that. So, in effect, they may have had expectations that were never going to be fulfilled anyway. Even if things had been going smoothly, I don't think they would have had a long and lengthy M&G. That's not who they are. And it doesn't mean they don't like their fans or value them--I think the Eagles think that their most valuable interaction with fans comes on stage and through the music. It's more than just their individual names and personalities--"Why meet them when its the songs that you truly like?" is probably their thought. And let's be honest, they're older, they're traveling a lot--they want to save their energy and momentum for performance time, not M&G. It's not cuddly or sweet, but it's the way they are. I don't think they do due to ego or money issues, per se--I think they do it because the show is the most important thing and everything else is just (annoying) static to them...

It's interesting this comes up, as Paul McCartney is playing Miller Park tomorrow nite in Milw., and in advance his people told media outlets that he will do no interviews, press, or M&Gs. So people are upset that he thinks he's "better than his fans," and all that. But some AR guy on the radio this morning pointed out that Paul's been doing this a looong time, and what is he going to say in press or a sound byte that he hasn't said before or that we haven't heard. As for the M&G, he said the same thing---he's been at it long enough not to have to do that sort of "schmaltz" anymore, and he owes his fans nothing more than putting on a good show...

I suppose you can put the same logic on the Eagles--they've been out and about successful; long enough to have earned the clout to set their own rules, and don't owe us anything more than they show we bought our tickets fo that night. That doesn't excuse them at all for being persnickety at the M&G, but I think circumstances all ready in motion from the mixed-up location had set things in motion to be rushed and impersonal.

And I do think this reviewer had it out for the band. His very obvious shoehorning-in that he was a musician who had already played the festival really set the tone for me that he was "marking his territory" as a new artist who had contempt for older (successful) artists. And all the naming of keys and arrangement changes...we get it, you know music. Stop viewing everything through your viewing of the documentary and your hipster irony and just watch the show. To me, the review was tainted from the start with his bias. Not that things hasn't already gone a bit cattywampus, but his anti-Eagle stance just bleeds thru everything and makes it seem all the worse. Nothing they would have done that night would have pleased him.

All I can say is that they seemed happy to be together and gelling on stage when I saw them in Milwaukee. I know that they go to their separate cars after the shows and I harbor no illusions that they make friendship bracelets for each other and exchange them on the bus. They're set in their ways. You just have to deal with it. On stage to me, there seemed to be a lot of gratitude and respect there, and between them. They've found a system that works for them to keep their sanity, and the band, together. And they still put on a good...hey, GREAT show. So what happens backstage doesn't really bother me. They're grown men--let them lead their professional lives how they like.

Excellent post! The bracelet line made me LOL.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I agree - I loved your post, AEW.

I think most of us are in agreement that it isn't cool if the band was rude or disrespectful of their fans at the meet & greet or photo op, whichever it was. However, I, personally, would prefer to hear from those who were actually contest winners to get their impressions before drawing any negative conclusions. I also wish the band would give it up about taking photos at the shows. I appreciate that they don't like it, but it's feudal on their part to think they can completely stop it.

However, to put it all in perspective, I also believe they are all professionals and try to give their best to us fans when they perform. I've been to quite a few shows and, yes, some were better than others. But, bottom line is, if I ever begin to feel like they are just phoning it in and just going through the motions, then that's when I'll stop spending my hard earned cash to see them. At this point, I'm ready to carry on.

[Houston Debutante]

It's Don's right to say he doesn't want photos or videos taken. As for his threat, I'm sure he would never really **** over the majority of the fans who love him and paid good money to see him by ending a show early due to a minority of them using smart phones to take pictures and video. He cares about his fans too.

When he makes the idle threat, it's not 'lying' so much as him trying to bring home as strongly as possible to the audience how much it upsets him. Glenn fans, I'm sure it upsets Glenn too, Glenn hasn't told Don to stop making the threat, don't put all the blame on Don.

I would only consider Don to be behaving as a 'douche' if he actually acted on the threat. That would be too awful and unfair to those who weren't disobeying him, and like I said I'm sure he would never do that. But I can understand him making the threat in order to bring home a point.

But I admit I wish Don wouldn't make the threat just because I don't like that it gives people the wrong impression about him.

And Soda has shown Don has been nice at meet and greets before, that is just one of many times that he has demonstrated that he cares about his fans, this one time when he didn't say much at a meet and greet for a few contest winners doesn't make him a horrible person who hates his fans. Plus like someone said we don't even know if those fans were actually disappointed! This dude just assumes they were.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

And they did a charity auction for a meet & greet in Mansfield, MA.

https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/295725139

So the "never" is incorrect.

Oopsie. How could I forget that? You said you'd win the lottery and we would do that...

[cheryl]

In Louisville I was trying to take a picture right before Desperado and an usher tapped me on the shoulder and shook his head no. He went on by, I took a few pictures, and then recorded 2 minutes of them saying goodbye to the fans. However, I went to the Paul Mccartney concert Sunday night in Indianapolis and could have recorded the entire show. No one stopped anyone from taking pictures or making recordings. I managed to record 4 complete songs (mostly slower ones) but I did get the 8 minute finale.

[AEW21]

Aew21! It was awesome in Louisville too!

Was it Glenn who said at the beginning - " no Christmas cards"?

Yep, that's apparently what he said! (Though I like to imagine Joe and Glenn exchanging a Christmas card or two via families over the years!) And it makes sense in context of Laurel Canyon in the 70s--after all the messy band relationships they saw blow-up bands at the Troubador, I think they wanted to keep things "professional." But I think though the harder they tried to keep things cut-and-dry, the more drama they created.

I agree that I'd love to hear reactions from people in the M & G -- did they expect more than that, or we're they told it was going to be a brief photo op only, "no touching"?

[chaim]

I don't understand why that one reviewer complains about TITTL being now in the key of G major. They've played it in that key for years, so he's a bit late I think. And anyway, G probably was the original key, but they had to change the key because it was better for Randy's voice. B major is not a natural key to write in when you're writing with a guitar (or even piano), so I doubt that they were writing it in B. Glenn probably played it in G even on the record, meaning that there probably was a capo on the 4th fret in his acoustic. Even Randy probably couldn't sing the song in B today. Maybe Timothy could...?