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Thread: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

  1. #1
    Moderator Glennsallnighter's Avatar
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    Default Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    The Prelude – As a die hard Glenn fan who has openly criticised this what made me do it…..

    A lot of online friends both on and off the Border have been asking me for a review, as well as asking for my motivation to even attend these shows so I will do my best to provide both. It could be quite long so I will split it up into a few shorter parts to avoid reader fatigue.

    Before I start however let me categorically state that I LOVE Glenn Frey. I always will. That will never change. I was and still am devastated over what happened to him and to his band. The night (because in Ireland it was after 10pm) that Soda texted me about his death was the worst shock I have ever had experienced, and for me still lives on to this day. The next 24 hours particularly I hope are never repeated in my life. Nothing ever could or every will emulate what he has done and I always knew and had to accept that any realignment would only be second best. To be honest I never thought the band would reunite and was (and still am to a point) very sceptical of their motivation or ability to succeed as a new brand. I also though that continuing with the name ‘Eagles’ as if nothing had happened was an insult to Glenn and his memory – like they were air brushing him out and continuing on like nothing had happened. I was quite happy that they seemed to have no intention of playing in Dublin as up to last September they had only played US dates. However my friends in Dublin seemed to think it was wonderful that the band had resurrected and assumed I was too. There have been many online discussions as to whether Glenn would have approved or not, or as to whether there was a need to carry on and certainly Don’s explanations seemed weak and ‘Irving induced’. Indeed I felt the whole resumption was motivated by Irving rather than the band and I still do. I certainly had no intention of supporting the new arrangement and certainly wasn’t going to travel to see them. I felt I had had my time and that my last show was with Soda, Dreamer, HH, HB, Desperada etc (Hope I left no one out) in 2014.
    So it was a shock to say the least when one Friday morning in late September last year texts started popping up that the ‘Eagles’ were playing in the 3 Arena this summer, and gave the usual details for presale etc. I actually started crying and when I eventually had to go into people knew I was upset. My friend who knows me better than I know myself at times immediately knew why and she said ‘We are going. You are going. No question’ As she has gone to shows with me on my instigation in the past I really couldn’t object. Meantime all over the weekend I was getting texts and calls and family were assuming I would be going (and that I was delighted about it). I knew that if I decided not to go I would be fielding these queries off for the next 9 months and it would only get more emotional as the time went on.
    I also reasoned that I had been to see both Don (H) and Joe in the interim as solo shows and knew they still have the ability to perform, I have been to see a few excellent tribute bands – could they be better than what was left of the band?
    Finally I had to ask myself asked myself what would make me feel worse 9 months later- going to see them without Glenn or not going at all?
    The presale was the following Wednesday. I still went into work unsure of what to do. As usual with the Eagles no information had been released on presale about prices, seats, VIP etc. Its always guesswork. Before I could even log on to ticketmaster the aforementioned friend fell awkwardly on her side, broke both bones in her lower arm and was transported immediately to hospital. I went down at lunchtime. High on morphine with a cast running from her shoulder to her hand and awaiting an operation to realign the bones all she could say was ‘BOOK’. So I did. I was disappointed there was no standing room and all the seats of any worth carried handsome VIP prices but I managed to get Row 3 of the lower tier with a view straight on the stage. And it was near!!
    By 9:10 am 2 days later on the general sale there wasn’t a seat to be had and the guys released another date 8th July – the 27th anniversary of Glenn’s Live in Dublin performance. I took it as an omen and Somewhat impulsively I decided it might be their last ever European show so I booked again – this time a flat seat row H which appeared to be 7 rows back. Not too bad for someone who hadn’t been sure if she would go…………

    So I hope this rather longwinded post does something to explain the backdrop to my decision. I know I have received some criticism and some support and some people maybe wouldn’t do it themselves but won’t chide me for doing so. To them I say thank you. To the others I say that sometimes you have to follow your instinct and the best laid plans can change.
    'I must be leaving soon... its your world now'
    Glenn Frey 1948-2016 RIP

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    Stuck on the Border Delilah's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Thank you for sharing your experience, GA. I look forward to hearing more if you still want to post about it. Knowing how much you love Glenn, it must have been quite emotional for you.

    Please don’t think that attending the concert makes you any less a loyal fan of Glenn’s. The band is part of his legacy, after all. I’m sorry to hear you have received some criticism about it.

    I agree sometimes you just gotta go with your gut feelings.

    Right or wrong, what’s done is done
    It’s only moments that you borrow...

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    Moderator Brooke's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Quote Originally Posted by Delilah View Post
    Thank you for sharing your experience, GA. I look forward to hearing more if you still want to post about it. Knowing how much you love Glenn, it must have been quite emotional for you.

    Please don’t think that attending the concert makes you any less a loyal fan of Glenn’s. The band is part of his legacy, after all. I’m sorry to hear you have received some criticism about it.

    I agree sometimes you just gotta go with your gut feelings.
    I will echo Delilah!

    I'd also like to hear your thoughts about the shows!
    https://i.imgur.com/CuSdAQM.jpg
    "They will never forget you 'till somebody new comes along"
    1948-2016 Gone but not forgotten

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    Stuck on the Border
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Quote Originally Posted by Delilah View Post
    Thank you for sharing your experience, GA. I look forward to hearing more if you still want to post about it. Knowing how much you love Glenn, it must have been quite emotional for you.

    Please don’t think that attending the concert makes you any less a loyal fan of Glenn’s. The band is part of his legacy, after all. I’m sorry to hear you have received some criticism about it.

    I agree sometimes you just gotta go with your gut feelings.
    GA, few have been as loyal a Glenn fan as you. Don't feel you have to defend your actions. You went with your heart and that's fine. I look forward to your review.

  5. #5
    Moderator Glennsallnighter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Thanks for the support guys - here you go for Saturdays review. Its kinda long so if you don't want to read it all you can skip to the end where I have a summary

    Opus 1- Saturday Night

    Note – If you feel there is too much reading in this or it is too tedious skip to the last paragraph.

    So anyway Saturday last was the first show in Dublin and the penultimate show of the tour. I had seen bits posted on FB, short reviews, friends from other countries etc. I wasn’t terribly convinced and I wasn’t really looking forward to the show in the way that I used to, and yet at another level I was! Is it possible to anticipate and dread something at the same time? Anyway I arrived and collected my VIP ticket and goody bag, met L101 and my work friends and headed in. I can’t really complain about the seat. There wasn’t even a barrier between the tiered and floor seating, so it was like I was on the floor with a better view. Desperada was in Row 1 of the tiered, a little down from Only thing was a passage way between the two sections that would prove problematic later on.
    I was sitting there thinking about how excited I used to be at this point waiting for Glenn and the rest of the band to come out, and the spark just wasn’t there when suddenly just at 19:48 (7:48 pm) Glenn singing WMT was played through the Arena and I thought ‘They really do want to include him’. Then there was an announcement that there was to be no flash photography or videoing and to be mindful not to distract others using a cellphone. Ok fair enough – I was happy to take just a few pictures anyway.
    So the show started with 7BR and then Joe stared off by wishing everyone a ‘good morning’ and asking us to give a warm welcome to DEACON FREY. Deacon acknowledged the crowd and started to sing TIE. I took out my phone to take a picture (no flash) and I was told to put it away. When I told the guy I had no flash he said ‘doesn’t matter’. So that set the tone for the evening.
    After this Don introduced the show saying that they were in Dublin Ireland and naming some of I guess his literary heroes (He being an English Major), he then praised Deacon for filling in ‘some big shoes’ and introduced Vince. Vince sang TITTL and then TS. I wanted to take a pic during TS but the Security guy was staring straight at me. I’ll never be used to Vince or anyone else singing Glenns songs but If I was less biased I would say he wasn’t bad. And I could see he was really trying to do his best so he deserves credit for that. Yet another new arrangement of WW followed with Don on lead vocals. They really ramped up the drums in this version and I loved it. In fairness Don Henley still has it. He is a master singer and I’m beginning to realise why he agreed to restarting the band. Then the inimitable Joe with ‘In The City’

    In the meantime I wasn’t impressed with what was going on around me, people arriving late just in front of me. As soon as they arrived they left to buy drink. Then someone slipped and nearly spilled a pint of cider all over me and the people beside me. They were noisy, constantly leaving and coming back, chatting and even streaming the Westlife Concert from a different Dublin Arena on a phone. Considering I couldn’t even take a picture – I was FUMING!! I also felt that the audience in general in front of me were rather quieter and more sedate than they used to be although I could also see that there were plenty of videos being made. And the walkway between the two sections was more like a Railway platform with people coming and going all night. I also felt that the transitions between the songs wasn’t QUITE as fluid as they used to be in Glenn’s time. And I definitely thought there was a missed opportunity maybe to show some commentary from Glenn, perhaps from the HOTE documentary, or a montage perhaps. Plenty of tribute bands have been able to do it.
    Timothy then stepped up and did his thing where he had the lights shine over the different sections of the arena and made people scream their heads off, then sang ICTYW. Then after Vince took leads on NKIT it was Deacons turn to address the audience. Compared to the (I hate to say it) older and more rehearsed intros from the other guys Deacon sounded a lot fresher and more spontaneous. I guess he was using his generations language to talk to us, and he was a new voice. He said how much he had loved playing with ‘These guys’ over the tour and that he had really had fun. Then he said ‘This another one of my Dads’. The stars started, the gentle strumming intro of PEF started and the Kleenex came out here. I DID manage to get a couple of pics here. I stood up as it ended and the picture of Glenn was displayed in the background over the stage, and quite a number of others stood in honour of him and the picture stayed displayed for about 20 seconds.

    After that Tim sang LWKUA and then Vince sang Lyin Eyes. I missed the lead up about Dan Tanas and I actually missed the Plaintiff joke! And the I realised what was missing (apart from the obvious) – those impromptu jokes and audience interactions just weren’t there. Vince followed on by tahnking the audience for accepting him and Deacon into the band and for the welcome that they had been given. He sang his own song ‘Don’t Let your Love Keep Sliding Away’. And he grew on me. I loved this song and even though I’d never heard it before I loved the beat, and it was rousing and I was singing along with it by the end. In fairness Vince is not Glenn. I above anyone else would not expect him to be. But he was doing his best, You could see that.

    After that Don sang an excellent ‘Those Shoes’. They chose a deep red as a backdrop to this song nearly giving it a Satanic feel and it worked so well. Deacon took the lead for ‘Already Gone’. I love the sheer sense of freedom in this song, and IMHO it would have been a good opportunity to reshow Glenn’s video where he roadtripped from Detroit to LA in the HOTE shows. It would have provided some continuity with Deacon singing. Instead they showcased a different road trip style background going through Desert, country and city landscapes, ending up in the City.

    Then it was Joes turn. After a wonderfully energetic ‘Walk Away’ he had us ‘Ooohing, Aaaahing, Oh yeahing and ughing’ if that makes any sense. A lead in of course to LBG. Which lasted about 6 minutes!! Then Don blistered through BOS – a very popular song I think with all audiences. After that Vince took lead for Heartache Tonight and Timothy encouraged everyone to get up and dance, with hands clapping over our heads it was like old days again. Back to Joe then for Funk #49 and yes I missed that banter bit beforehand between Joe and Glenn.
    The final song in the main section of the show was LITFL. It was fun and lively but I didn’t see the jumping that I used to see previously.

    As they left the stage the calls for more came as well as the traditional Dublin ‘Ole-ing’ It wasn’t long before they were back out again.

    I should say there was a brass section of about 4 members added to the band for this tour saxophones, trumpet and trombone and they had been in evidence throughout the show. So it was no surprise when the lone trumpet heralded the arrival of HOTEL CALIFORNIA for the first encore. Say what you like about this song, and a lot HAS been said it has to be one of the most iconic songs of the entire Eagles repertoire and to hear it live and sing along with it is an experience in itself.
    Second encore was RMW by Joe and then it was time for the last song. Of course I knew what it would be. Camera Nazi was away sorting out a problem elsewhere so I decided I would try to capture even a bit of it. Everyone else was anyway. So as it got dark in preparation I stood up and set my phone. I got about 10 seconds. Everyone was standing and singing. Next thing CN was back and tole me to sit down. Only me, there were a lot of people to my right standing. He the tried to get two English women in row 1 to sit but they told him where to go!! I wish I had the nerve. I still managed to get a few pics though and obviously the song was as powerful as always. The guys then came together and bowed to leave the stage.

    So that was it…..

    Or was it…..?

    It stayed dark and an air of expectancy remained from many although others were leaving the venue. Then Don came back out with the band. He thanked the audience and said he had had a ‘fecking great time’. He also quoted George Bernard Shaw and stated ‘We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing’. And that put a lot of this reunion into perspective for me. Here were 3 guys over 70 who just wanted to do what they had always done. Play. Ok they had to adapt to the worst change imaginable , and they would have been burned out by the stress, uncertainty and acceptance of Glenn’s illness and eventual death. But they had to get back to doing what they did best. They had to PLAY as they always did. They needed it for their sanity as much as anything else. And as the band finished off with their first ever number 1 – Best of my Love I realised that they had come full circle and I realised that I needed then too.

    Overall Opinions

    1. Glenn will never be completely replaced. There were aspects of his singing and his personality that just cannot be replicated and never will. So it is a different band in that sense. And obviously on a personal level I missed him
    2. Don Henley is still in fine voice, looks lean and fit, still able to execute a magnificent show, but will always lack the showmanship of Glenn
    3. Deacon is a sweet addition who is acquitting himself surprisingly well. He will never BE his Dad, but then he probably doesn’t want to.
    4. Joe – mad as ever!
    5. Timothy – sweet as Ever
    6. Vince – really doing his best. Seems to be a nice guy. My opinion of him has gone up quite a bit although like Deacon he will never be Glenn
    7. Transitions between songs not as smooth as when Glenn lead the band
    8. No formal band intros which I think was a bit unfair on the likes of Scott and Will who were doing a trojan job in the back
    9. Ive put in a complaint about Mr Camera Nazi as I feel he was bullying me on the night

    A nice little addendum, myself and my friend (now finally out of plaster on the arm) went for a drink after the show. When we went into the bar on the TV was some old MTV series and Glenn was on singing THIO. So at the end of it all my night started and finished with Glenn
    'I must be leaving soon... its your world now'
    Glenn Frey 1948-2016 RIP

  6. #6
    Stuck on the Border CAinOH's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Thanks for taking the time to post this, GA. I appreciate your insight and comments. (And, I'd like to hand CN his head for bullying you. That was ridiculous.)

    I have come to the conclusion, like you (I think, correct me if I'm wrong), that this is a "new" band... similar but different. Still not sure I would go see them, but on the other hand I think I should taken my friend to see them last year. Eh, who knows. (What I do know is I should have gone to the HOTE concert in Dayton in 2015. I was unaware they were there. If I only had a time machine.)

    Again, thank you for sharing. I'm sure it was an emotion-filled night for you.

  7. #7
    Border Rebel
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Thanks for posting this, GA. It sounds like it was a bitter sweet time for you. I know it was for me when I saw them in 2017. Of course they are not the same without Glenn, there is no way they could be. I'm glad you were able to enjoy the band all the same. Everyone who loved the Eagles can make their own heartfelt choices on whether to see them or not. I'm glad I saw them again. For me it was the right choice.

  8. #8
    Moderator Brooke's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Thank you for your review, Ga. I know how hard it must have been for you. Appreciate it very much.

    It sounds like they are at least recognizing that Glenn is gone. I'm glad. It sounds like they were also in good form and they changed the closer. Best of My Love? Ok, that's ok, and no Take it Easy or Desperado?

    I still don't think I could go unless they want to call themselves something else.
    https://i.imgur.com/CuSdAQM.jpg
    "They will never forget you 'till somebody new comes along"
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    Moderator Glennsallnighter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    Quote Originally Posted by Brooke View Post
    Thank you for your review, Ga. I know how hard it must have been for you. Appreciate it very much.

    It sounds like they are at least recognizing that Glenn is gone. I'm glad. It sounds like they were also in good form and they changed the closer. Best of My Love? Ok, that's ok, and no Take it Easy or Desperado?

    I still don't think I could go unless they want to call themselves something else.
    No Deacon did Take it Easy as the second song on the setlist after Joe introduced him. Desperado seemed to be the final song as usual but then Don came back out and they did BOML
    'I must be leaving soon... its your world now'
    Glenn Frey 1948-2016 RIP

  10. #10
    Border Troubadour FreyFollower's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dublin Ireland 6th and 8th July 2019

    I appreciate how difficult all of this was for you, GA, and never doubt your loyality. I'm glad you were still able to enjoy the show on a different level.

    From clips I have seen, everyone is, not surprisingly, still professional. They can still do a show. But they are missing the funny, friendly host. The Big Personality that interacted with the others and involved the audience, the Showman that made it a show. The Visionary that created the Eagles.
    Thanks so much for your review. I look forward to your next posts.
    "Be part of something good--
    Leave something good behind."

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