R. Miranda's Review

The Eagles proved, once again, that real musicians do not need fancy set designs nor lasers and fireworks to entertain. The music is at the heart of matter, and they delivered impeccably.

About 12,000 people packed the Antwerp Sportpaleis on US Independence Day for an "intimate" jam session with the guys. They kicked off with The Long Run, dropping Seven Bridges Road for some reason, at 8:30 on the dot, catching many people off-guard and still making their way to their seats. The first set was very mellow and subdued, the other band members keeping Joe on a tight leash.

This was definitely a difficult set to carry off, due to the harmonies and soft volume required of the numbers, but the band proved they still have what it takes. The vocals were spot on despite the poor acoustics of the venue.

The crowd took its time to warm up, but slowly got into things, despite the awkwardness of having to sit down, as if in a classical concert. OK, maybe the age factor of the crowd made seating a must, but as the show moved on, everybody got up and rocked with the band.

Joe, as always the crowd's favourite, was dressed in the Belgian flag colors (black, yellow and red) gave us a preview of what was to come in the second set by singing Pretty maids All in A Row. Mixing up his lyrics, Glenn and Tim laughed at him and from then on, the whole band let their hair down and there was more spontaneity.

The second set kicked off with Witchy Woman and nobody could stop Joe. The madman facial expressions and jumping around the stage were infectious and the whole band got down and rocked. The best moments came during Life's Been Good when the crowd decided to ditch the chairs and go crazy with him. Joe's solo's where amazing and on various occasions Glenn went up to him and congratulated him with high fives.

By the time Funk #49, Heartache Tonight and Life in The Fast Lane rolled around the front of the stage was packed and everyone was on their feet jumping and singing along. That was how The Eagles are meant to be heard.

With the usual three encores (Hotel California, RMWay, Take It Easy and Desperado) ending the show, the crowd and the band were pleased and ecstatic.

Yes, with The Eagles, Life's Been Good.

Marcel & Hedwig's Review

Peter's Review

On July 4th, I've been at the concert in Antwerp. About 2 hours before the show started, I was already present in the 'Sportpalace'. The first I did was looking to buy some T-shirts. Because I'm also a musician (guitar), I went immediately to the stage to see what stuff The Eagles were using, looking to the amplifiers (marks, types) and other instruments like organ (Hammond B-3), piano's (Yamaha, Rhodes Fender), other keyboards, mixers, etc etc ...

Normally at the end of a show, the roadies throw the plectrums into the public. Five yours ago when The Eagles were in Belgium, I hadn't the chance to get one. Now, I thought by myself "why shouldn't ask a plectrum to one of the roadies" what I did of course. After waiting about half an hour, a roadie said to wait till the show was over and that I should see him on the same place ...

At 20.35 the show started. The sound engineers needed about 2 - 3 songs to have an optimal great sound. I wouldn't give more explanation of the show because other persons did it for Antwerp. But there are a few things I like to tell. As I wrote before that I play guitar, I had a big problem missing Don Felder and other people of the public too. During and after the show, I spoke with some fans. The had the same meaning like I had.
During the first session, Joe was doing his part but that's it, nothing more nothing less. It looks like he was standing out the lights. In Already Gone the second lead guitar was for Joe. The volume of the P.A. for his guitar was too low. It was very hard to hear it.

A lot of guitar parts were for Steuart Smith. So I decided to follow him quiet close. He's a good guitar player, not bad words about him. There is only one thing, he plays his lead parts and that's it. He has no such feeling like Don Felder has. For example, in songs like One Of These Nights and I Can't Tell You Why, the leads were perfect but there was no warmth feeling. When Don did his leads, it had a feeling like it 'rolls out of his fingers'. With Steuart it looks like he has to force himself to bring Don's leads. Even his sound was not so perfect. Don knew which guitar he needed in which song. In Henley's solo tracks the guitars were really perfect. You can hear it that Steuart did the parts in studio. It couldn't be better.

After a 20 minutes break, the band started with Witchy Woman. And here was Glenn who must do his thing on the lead. That was very nice to hear. It was a part during the early days of The Eagles, so he had to do it again with a lot of success. Because now I'm talking about Glenn, during his song You Belong To The City, he needed Timothy's support for the vocals. Or he can't sing no longer at a high strong level or he sang too much during the last weeks ...

During this session Joe came more into the frontlines. He became more a real Eagle. He had the permission to do what he liked to do, giving a 'one-man show' in Life's Been Good and Rocky Mountain High.

After waiting a longtime they did Hotel California. First, there was a trumpet solo as intro. I thought they would bring the song in Mexican way but it wasn't. The classic guitar part on the 12-string started from Glenn. Hotel California was a copy from the album. But when the lead guitar started, I had a very strange feeling. I couldn't (and still can't) except that someone else plays the first part. Even if Joe or Glenn should have done this part, I can't except it. It looks like Steuart had stolen it from Don. It came better when Joe did his second part. And at the end with two guitars, Joe did the small variation in it like on Eagles Live and Hell Freezes Over. Steuart didn't do it the first time but followed Joe the second time. Maybe I'm too critical especially for Hotel California. But I feel it like Don's song, he wrote it, he did most of the guitar parts.

The last song was Desperado as usual. At the end of the song, Don Henley let the public sing "Let Somebody Love You". I felt it on two ways. First the idea of Don Henley like, Don Felder, please let somebody love you and second, public please love us, it isn't our fault that Don Felder quit the band.

Finally for the band, there's only one thing I can say : The Eagles are still the best band in the world, most perfectly in singing and playing. But they are no longer The Eagles like they were with Don Felder. He was the most perfect support for the band, like a foundation or a gauger for a building. During the show I was thinking if Don Henley, Glenn, Joe or Timothy should left the band, it should be the same problem, maybe bigger. Who knows ... None of them can be replaced. Each of them has his capacities, his personal encourage so that they must go on. But is it possible in the future ??? It doesn't mean that I'm no longer an Eagles fan. Not at all, if they'll come back to Belgium, I'll be the first to buy a ticket for the concert !!!

When the show was over I felt like satisfied and not satisfied. It looks like Glenn and Don are the masters on the field. Everyone have to listen and to do what they say. If you aren't agree with it, you can leave. And it seems like Joe is such kind of a victim, especially during the first part. In the second part, it was a lot less. Even Don, Glenn, Joe and all the others were laughing a lot with Joe's doings ...

Like I told at the begin of my story about the roadies that they through the plectrums into the public. Well, they hadn't any chance to do it this time. Before Timothy went of the stage, he took all the plectrums and gave them to someone. So, there were no plectrums for the public ! After that, I went back to the place where I spoke the roadie. He saw me, came to me and ask to wait a moment. He went backstage, saw him talking to someone, came back and gave me that magic plectrum. I did thank him maybe a thousand times and felt like a little child you give it a very big sweet. Now, that plectrum has taken place in my favorite guitar's case as kind of a talisman.