The Eagles spread their wings at Piedmont Park
(l-r) Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh
The Eagles may never get the critical adulation of the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, but they sure know how to entertain. And they didn’t disappoint the die-hards who attended last night’s packed Green Concert at Piedmont Park with a set list laden with greatest hits from their 1970s heyday.
Sure, there weren’t any real surprises. But that’s not the point of this type of concert. Their vocals, harmonies and musicianship were impeccable. Their sturdy portfolio of songs, played ad infinitum on the radio over the decades, were well represented, from “Take it to the Limit” to “Hotel California” to “Lyin’ Eyes” to “Life in the Fast Lane.”
The audience vibe was happily California mellow, the odor of a certain illegal substance wafted through the air and the backdrop of a half-crescent moon and the Atlanta skyline comforting.
Here’s a snippet of “Peaceful Easy Feeling”:
Though Don Henley, at age 63, is looking his age thanks to a paunch and white beard, he hasn’t lost his vocal skills, infusing songs with a sheen of sadness and longing, especially “Desperado.”
Unlike other bands, which cut out solo hits by individual band members (no way the Go Go’s are playing Belinda Carlisle’s “Mad About You”), the Eagles are very generous. Atlantans heard three solo hits each from Joe Walsh and Henley, plus “Funk #49″ from Walsh’s band James Gang. (Sorry, Glenn Frey solo fans. No “Heat is On” or “You Belong to the City.”)
Henley’s solo hit “Dirty Laundry,” with the video screen popping up shots of Bill O’Reilly, Nancy Grace and the recently ousted Rick Sanchez, remains as relevant as ever 28 years later. Walsh was the loosest, goofing around after being introduced with some silly vocal exercises. His solo songs provided some welcome punch and edge to the proceedings.
Don Henley croons "One of These Nights"
Glenn Frey sings "Lyin' Eyes"
The Eagles sometimes play a longer three-hour, 30-song, as they did earlier in the week in Indianapolis. But for Atlanta, they opted for a tighter 20-song version, which cuts out most of their recent songs but keeps in virtually all the big hits. (Seven of the 10 songs on “Eagles – The Greatest Hits, 1971-75″ and six more from “Eagles Greatest Hits Vol. 2″ made the cut.)
While “Desperado” is typically their final song, they decided on the spur of the moment to play a second encore. It took a few moments to get ready because the crew wasn’t ready for it, but they gave the crowd an excuse to sway a few more minutes to “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” to conclude their two hours.
(l-r) Timothy B. Schmit, Don Henley and Glenn Frey
Here was the set list:
1. Seven Bridges Road
2. How Long Play
3. Take it to the Limit
4. Hotel California
5. Peaceful Easy Feeling
6. I Can’t Tell You Why
7. Witchy Woman
8. Lyin’ Eyes
9. One of These Nights
10. The Boys of Summer
11. In The City
12. The Long Run
13. Life’s Been Good
14. Dirty Laundry
15. Funk #49
16. Heartache Tonight
17. Life in the Fast Lane
Encore
18. Take It Easy
19. Rocky Mountain Way
20. Desperado
Encore 2
21. All She Wants to Do Is Dance
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56 comments Add your comment
Steve
October 19th, 2010
9:01 pm
While the Eagles were good, I wasn’t thrilled with the sound quality. It sounded strained and distorted. Often the voices had a weird tone like they weren’t EQ’d properly. After seeing the DVD’s of Hell Freezes Over and Farewell Tour I, I expected better sound. I know it’s outdoors and and they had a big area to cover but it is the Eagles and I know how they’re perfectionist. I think the tour is taking a toll on their voices too. While they still sounded good, their voices sounded a little tired at times. Musicianship was superb as usual.
Never get tired of the Eagles though!
Lost the love of my life
October 20th, 2010
12:13 am
Message for Level & Updates anyone. I am not a blogger and just finished funeral services for my husband yesterday. Tonight I finally had the time & courage to google this tragedy thinking there had to be someone who saw the chain of events of friday night and there were your blogs Please, please, please contact me and let me know the details of what you witnessed. My husband I fear is who you are speaking of and passed away friday night. He had gone to get something to drink and my precious 28 year old daughter was coming back from the rest room and saw a crowd on the ground trying to revive a gentleman that was her father. She ran screaming back to find me and by the time I got there they were still doing cpr but I felt he was already gone.I am in a nightmare that I will never wake from. I have lost the love of my life, don’t know how long he was laying there. I need to know if he fell, layed down, or died instantly. My heart is breaking because I wasn’t with him getting him through whatever lay ahead. When they decided to get him up there was no stretcher, no nothing… running through the crowds they dropped his legs at one point.Utter chaos.Took him off in the ambulance and then went so far as trying to tell me how to take Marta for gods sake when security finally took me to Atlanta Medical Center. While we were there and being told my husband had passed away another family came in that my daughter spoke to and her husband age 60 had passed away as well. I know what ever you know will be hard for me to hear and I am not sure I will share it with my children but I need closure. The idea that my husband was conscious and no one was talking to or helping him is an unthinkable nightmare. Please anyone if you know the final details of his life please let me know. We were married 33 years, he was the love of my life and I have to know.
John from North Carolina
October 20th, 2010
2:23 pm
The wife and I drove from Eastern NC to Atlanta. The Eagles were great. I loved the whole atmosphere at Piedmont Park, the weather was super, and sucked I down plenty of beers. Another great trip! Can’t wait to see them again next year.
Blujean
October 20th, 2010
4:12 pm
Dear Lost the love of my life ~ I am so, so sorry for your loss. Like many others at the concert that night, I was one of the crowd who gathered around with hopes and prayers your husband was okay. I was on my way back to my seat when I saw him collapsed and lying on the ground. I wasn’t there when he fell, but I asked one of the workers standing nearby what had happened, and she told me that he had collapsed suddenly. When I saw him, there were two men searching for a pulse. A few moments later they began initiating CPR. I never saw him respond to their efforts, but so hoped efforts to revive him would be successful, on the ground or in the ambulance. When I got home I googled cardiac arrest, and wondered if that was what happened. What I had heard was that he had collapsed suddenly – I didn’t hear a report of him being conscious or calling for help, just collapsing and people rushing in to help. I can’t tell you how my heart goes out to you. If I can be of any help, please let me know. May God bless and comfort you ~ I know the thoughts of many people who were there that night have been and will be with you. ~
Sand
October 20th, 2010
4:33 pm
“Lost the love of my life”: E-mail me at scarlton@gmail.com.
Randy Davis
October 20th, 2010
8:42 pm
The Eagles were Great! The “VIP Experience” at $250 a ticket SUCKED! Who does that crap? 5 times ticket prices and they tell you that you will be better off in the cheap seats!!!!!!! Give me a break!