Slick hits taken far too easily (Sydney Morning Herald)
Sunday, November 21, 2004 at 6:54AM Link: Slick hits taken far too easily - Review - www.smh.com.au.
First things first. The Eagles - Don Henley on drums/vocals, Glenn Frey keyboards/guitar/vocals, Timothy B. Schmit bass and Joe Walsh guitar - look sensational. There's not a beer belly in sight. No baldness. No visible signs of greying or saggy decay. And that's not bad for a rock band where no one will see the foolish side of 50 again.
Second, they are a consummately professional act: the show lasted for three hours (with a 25-minute interval) and saw a total of about 30 songs (mostly major hits) played note perfect, even down to the slight echoing effect on the guitar in Henley's The Boys of Summer. The lengthy set ranged from an opening including New Kid in Town and Wasted Time through, predictably, to a finale of Hotel California and encores with both Take It Easy and Desperado. The entire performance was broken into four neat and comfortable parts: open with 50 minutes of accessible, well-known ballads, (One of These Nights, The Boys of Summer, Lyin' Eyes), take a break; return and sit on stools while singing with acoustic guitars and lots of tight harmonies (Tequila Sunrise, Take It To the Limit); pretend to be a rock band by giving Joe Walsh his head (Life in the Fast Lane, Walk Away); then go for the big finale which will ensure that the audience, who have already sung along to every damn song, stand up and bellow out, "Well, I'm running down the road, tryin' to loosen my load, I've got seven women on my mind", and that they all leave with broad, happy grins.
By the measure of an adulatory audience where the good seats cost $230, this was pure music heaven. The band did what they were expected to do.
But all this professionalism, while it was designed to please the fans, ensured, for anyone who cared to apply even a miniscule amount of discrimination, that the whole show was devoid of any real warmth, emotion, spontaneity and genuine passion. This was playing music by numbers. Instead of a real band playing real songs and singing with real emotions about things they really cared about, this was an animated human jukebox playing note-perfect songs which evoked no emotion more complex than moist-eyed nostalgia.
The Eagles, like all older bands, appealed to a specific demographic. The music was sweet, bland and very smooth. It was so laidback that it was amazing that the band manage to stay vertical for so long.
The sad thing was that the audience actually believed they were having a real and meaningful contemporary musical experience when all the music really did was reach deep into their youth and remind them that in 1977 they had a choice between XTC, Elvis Costello, the Sex Pistols, Ian Dury and the Eagles singing New Kid in Town - and they chose the Eagles.
Reader Comments (11)
As a veteran of all three Sydney shows I can assure readers this was no 'human jukebox' but a real live band playing its classic songs with all the warmth and emotion that Mr Elder asserts was absence. Did he not listen to the heartbreak in Don Henley's voice during Wasted Time or Glenn Frey's superb dissection of the perils of fame during New Kid In Town? Did he not look at their faces as they smiled at each other, made jokes and played their hearts out?
It would have been nice if the audiences at each show had been more willing to let go a bit, but the Eagles cannot be blamed for this. They did everything they could to ensure that everyone left happy, and I mean happy, not 'nostalgic'. I'll take those five part harmonies in Hole In The World any day, thanks.
I CAME, I SAW ,I ENJOYED,I HAD A SILVER SEAT TO RIVAL A DIAMOND.!!!!
The eagles delivered a tight punchy sentimental show at the BEC on Wednesday night.2nd of 3 shows.Starting of with "THE LONG RUN" a classic, I knewI was in for something special.The 1st half of the show was really over before it began, the songs flew by and I couldn't help but feel dissapointed as I knew this experience would onlybe fleeting.
After a 10 min break they were ready to rock and croon again. Much to the crowds delight & the roars were deafening.
Glen Frey really got down groovy while playing "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" a very memorable momement and I certainly credit Glen Frey and Joe Walsh for offering audience paticipation.
Admit had never been a Joe Walsh fan,but for me he truly stole the show, from his "Helmet Cam", to his ??s about "The Crocodile Hunter" to his amazing guitar performances,Joe Walsh knows how to have a great time.
However the 2 new songs did nothing for me, I can only remember 1 being introduced??? Loved the harmonies in "Hole In the World".
This is only my opinion as I have certain expectations with shows, but if it were not for Frey and Walsh adlibbing, adding jokes and light material to the show , the whole 3hrs 30 mins would have had a hole in it. Henley needed to loosen up , however on saying that when performed he looosened up a little while performing "Dirty Laundry".
All of the songs performed were sung along to by the audience who could not get enough, the back up singers were wonderful and added a extra touch of class and are to be commemended as were the other musicians. Did miss Don Felder though.
The backdrops were simple yet effective and I have never seen some many guitar changes in my life. It certainly was a show I wont forget for a long time.
People will argue, but personally I"d like them to finish touring,I feel a class act should not have to keep performing live, their music will live on forever.For those who missed out seeing their shows my deepest sympathy to you , but don"t that kinda make you yearn for more ?
Can't wait for the DVD.
P.S Could not help myself from laughing when "DESPERADO" was sung, was thinking of a Seinfield episode!!! : )
TRACY Brisbane.
It's true that their first Melbourne show probably had more of the diehard fans in the audience, but last night the guys seemed a bit more relaxed. Maybe it's because there wasn't the pressure of filming the DVD on this occasion.
The only difference in the sets that I noticed, was that last night they didn't play their new song "No More Cloudy Days". Aside from that, the song order was the same.
The banter seemed a bit more relaxed with both Tim & Don talking about Thanksgiving. As most Australians know nothing about this festival, Tim mentioned how it's mainly around families getting together. Don being Don, had to comment that the American Indians probably didn't look upon the events leading up to the first Thanksgiving festival, with the same sort of affection as the Pilgrims.
Musically, the thing that blew me away again last night, was the quality of the voices. The singing was perfect & the trademark harmonies were what Eagles fans have come to expect.
Song wise, the highlights for me last night were Dirty Laundry, Wasted Time, Take It To The Limit, In The City & Hotel California. Nobody could sing Take It To The Limit like Randy, but Glenn's version was still great. As for Hotel California, Al Garth's trumpet prelude was a sensational lead in to a song which even now, still sends a shiver up my spine when I hear those first guitar notes being played.
I don't know if they'll ever make their way back down to this part of the world again, but at least I now have everlasting memories of, to my mind, the greatest musical act of all time.
I'll now get back to playing those CD's & DVD's over & over again.
It's true that their first Melbourne show probably had more of the diehard fans in the audience, but last night the guys seemed a bit more relaxed. Maybe it's because there wasn't the pressure of filming the DVD on this occasion.
The only difference in the sets that I noticed, was that last night they didn't play their new song "No More Cloudy Days". Aside from that, the song order was the same.
The banter seemed a bit more relaxed with both Tim & Don talking about Thanksgiving. As most Australians know nothing about this festival, Tim mentioned how it's mainly around families getting together. Don being Don, had to comment that the American Indians probably didn't look upon the events leading up to the first Thanksgiving festival, with the same sort of affection as the Pilgrims.
Musically, the thing that blew me away again last night, was the quality of the voices. The singing was perfect & the trademark harmonies were what Eagles fans have come to expect.
Song wise, the highlights for me last night were Dirty Laundry, Wasted Time, Take It To The Limit, In The City & Hotel California. Nobody could sing Take It To The Limit like Randy, but Glenn's version was still great. As for Hotel California, Al Garth's trumpet prelude was a sensational lead in to a song which even now, still sends a shiver up my spine when I hear those first guitar notes being played.
I don't know if they'll ever make their way back down to this part of the world again, but at least I now have everlasting memories of, to my mind, the greatest musical act of all time.
I'll now get back to playing those CD's & DVD's over & over again.
It's true that their first Melbourne show probably had more of the diehard fans in the audience, but last night the guys seemed a bit more relaxed. Maybe it's because there wasn't the pressure of filming the DVD on this occasion.
The only difference in the sets that I noticed, was that last night they didn't play their new song "No More Cloudy Days". Aside from that, the song order was the same.
The banter seemed a bit more relaxed with both Tim & Don talking about Thanksgiving. As most Australians know nothing about this festival, Tim mentioned how it's mainly around families getting together. Don being Don, had to comment that the American Indians probably didn't look upon the events leading up to the first Thanksgiving festival, with the same sort of affection as the Pilgrims.
Musically, the thing that blew me away again last night, was the quality of the voices. The singing was perfect & the trademark harmonies were what Eagles fans have come to expect.
Song wise, the highlights for me last night were Dirty Laundry, Wasted Time, Take It To The Limit, In The City & Hotel California. Nobody could sing Take It To The Limit like Randy, but Glenn's version was still great. As for Hotel California, Al Garth's trumpet prelude was a sensational lead in to a song which even now, still sends a shiver up my spine when I hear those first guitar notes being played.
I don't know if they'll ever make their way back down to this part of the world again, but at least I now have everlasting memories of, to my mind, the greatest musical act of all time.
I'll now get back to playing those CD's & DVD's over & over again.
You may have me confused with another review. The Eagles did perform 2 new songs, just to clarify.Why not finish touring on top instead of still touring when you're 60 ?
Let the music speak for itself - there are many artists that do not tour , yet still have a great impact. :-) We'll be Eagles fans forever.Thanks for your opinion and I hope you 'll respect mine