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An all-new Pop Culture Beast is coming!
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Friday, January 17, 2014

Concert Review - The Eagles LIVE @ The Forum 1/16/2014




Last night Southern California's hometown heroes, the Eagles took the stage for the 1st of 6 shows at the newly renovated and "fabulous" Forum.

The show was by no means a sell-out and 6 nights + high ticket prices might not have been the best idea for a band in the twilight of their career but anyone who has seen the documentary "History Of The Eagles" knows that the egos of Glenn Frey and Don Henley are a force to be reckoned with.

Those egos were well on display as the show began with Frey and Henley taking the stage as a duo to basically let the audience know who is in charge.  After the 1st song original guitarist Bernie Leadon was introduced and sang "Train Leaves Here This Morning" a song from the group's debut album.  Next followed the introduction of bass player and vocalist Timothy B. Schmit as the quartet played "Peaceful Easy Feeling."  The introduction of Schmit was awkward with Frey making reference to loving the work of Timothy's former band "Poco" and then playing an Eagles song that was recorded years before Schmit was a member of the band.

In fact... Schmit joined the band after Joe Walsh which begged the question from this Eagles fan... "Where's Joe Walsh?" Well after "Peacful Easy Feeling" Walsh takes the stage without any introduction from Frey or Henley?  Nothing!  He just walked out with his guitar and joined the band.  The next 9 songs were from the bands albums with Leadon and Bernie remained on stage for all of those songs.  This first part of the set was rough at best.  The sound was not good and the video screens were used to show 2 interview clips... one of Henley and one of Frey both used to pound the audience over the head that Glen and Don's writing partnership is the reason the Eagles were a success.  During the song "Already Gone" we were treated to a video Frey driving across country via greenscreen.  The video was played for laughs but elicited few.  It all came of very amateurish and didn't really gel with the rest of the rest of the opening set.  Add to the mix Glenn Frey chastising the people in the front row for standing during the ballad "Best Of My Love."  Frey actually told people not to stand up!  These are people who paid almost $300 for those seats and should be allowed to have a good time without being reprimanded.

Next came an intermission and after that the show really kicked in... a little... as Joe Walsh returned to the stage solo and performed "Pretty Maids All In A Row" from the classic "Hotel California" album.  The audience immediately responded to Walsh who has long been a fan favorite during Eagles shows and at times an irritant to Frey who obviously doesn't like to share the spotlight.

Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit dominated the second half of the show with spot on renditions of "I Can't Tell You Why," "Love Will Keep Us Alive," "In The City," "Life's Been Good" and "Funk #49."  Add to that Walsh's performance of "Rocky Mountain Way" in the final encore and the show's MVP awards definitely go to Joe & Timothy.

The legendary venue has been given a complete facelift and is sure to become the new "go to" venue for performers as well as concert goers.


- Set List -

Saturday Night
Train Leaves Here This Morning
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Witchy Woman
Doolin'-Dalton
Tequila Sunrise
Doolin'-Dalton/Desperado (Reprise)
Already Gone
The Best Of My Love
Lyin' Eyes
One Of These Nights
Take It To The Limit

(Intermission)

Pretty Maids All In A Row
I Can't Tell You Why
New Kid In Town
Love Will Keep Us Alive
Heartache Tonight
Those Shoes
In The City
Life's Been Good
The Long Run
Funk #49
Life In The Fast Lane

(Encore)
Seven Bridges Road
How Long

(Encore #2)
Hotel California

(Encore #3)
Take It Easy
Rocky Mountain Way
Desperado

Drumroll please...

The Fabulous Forum 10 out of 10 drumsticks!!!

Eagles LIVE in concert 6 out of 10 drumsticks!!!





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