Mountain Winery -- Mike

I saw Don at the winery last night, a great venue under the stars only holds 1500 people, the stage is very close and only elevated about a foot, he was in good spirits although a bit sluggish and hoarse which he blamed on spending time recently with Tom Waits.
Here is the set list from memory

Dirty Laundry, Everything is Diff Now, Sunset Grill, Tequila Sunrise, Your Not Drinking Enough, NY Min, Inside Job, The Genie, Peaceful Easy Feeling, Boys of Summer, All she wants to do is dance, Heart of The Matter, I Won't go quietly, Life in the Fast lane,Hotel California, End Of The Innocence, Desperado, Last Worthless Evening,

the show ended as a local curfew was in  effect, He made a comment after Inside Job that the song was the title song to his last Album, but since it was a Warner album you probably didn't know that, when I made the album the company was fine, its gone to hell since, he also said he just finished a 32 date tour with the Eagles and was a bit out of it, he wasn't sure where he played the past few nights, it was out in the sticks but he was taking the boys thru California, the band was the same, Frank and Stuart, Stuart was lost on some of the new tunes like the Genie, but him and Frank did a super job on Hotel California (Don also played some drums), somebody asked him to do Wasted time and he said, no I have been doing that for the past 7 weeks! There were some whispers about the $126 ticket prices in the crowd the most ever for this venue and $40 more anyone currently booked this summer, I said thats Don for you!
Oh we were treated to Jill Sobule for 40 min also.
 

Santa Barbara -- Susan

Don Henley Songlist – Santa Barbara County Bowl

Sunday, July 28, 2002



DIRTY LAUNDRY

EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT NOW

SUNSET GRILL

TEQUILA SUNRISE

YOU‘RE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH

INSIDE JOB

GENIE IN A BOTTLE

NEW YORK MINUTE

(Paul Simon) AMERICAN TUNE (IT’S ALRIGHT)

PEACEFUL EASY FEELING

(Band break – Drum, percussion show)

BOYS OF SUMMER

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

HEART OF THE MATTER

ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE

[encore #1]

I WILL NOT GO QUIETLY

END OF THE INNOCENCE

HOTEL CALIFORNIA

DESPERADO

[encore #2]

LONG RUN

LAST WORTHLESS EVENING


This was my first concert at the venue for this year, and there were renovations all around! Henley made a note of this when he stepped onto the stage, and after the first two songs, his opening statement to the audience was “I see you spiffed up the place… took some of da funk outta da place”… then he further explained that the Air conditioning had broken, and quipped, “I guess Jewel (the artist who performed the night before) got the place so hot, the A/C broke”.

In spite of the conditions for the moment (whether that would be heat up on the stage, or cooler than usual ocean breezes strolling throughout the Bowl Seating) Henley had no problem pleasing the crowd with his wonderful voice, and storytelling of songs he would start to play.

In fact, there would be moments of storytelling that were witty, poignant, heartfelt but definitely typical of Don Henley. In a four song grouping that Henley pointedly stated was “the drinking portion of the set”, he surprised, and pleased the crowd by playing Tequila Sunrise, normally a lead vocal staple for Glenn Frey! It would not be the only song that Don Henley would take from the Glenn Frey lead songbook, as he would also perform Peaceful Easy Feeling shortly after that.

The song after the 4 song “drinking set”, was a song that Henley described as “a song that we haven’t sung for a while, but needs to be sung now”, and that was New York Minute. You could see the crowd grow silent, then somber, up until Henley sang the prophetic verse, “You better take a fool’s advice / take care of your own / cause one day they’re here / next day they’re gone” – the verse evoked applause from the crowd, as if it were a solid nod of agreement that life is much too short.

(On a personal note, that song brought all the somber memories back of September 11th, 2002, and the family vigil’s worry over a loved one who was approximately about 7 blocks from Ground Zero. The most poignant moment is that not only did that family member survive, his first niece is possibly part of the baby boom that started after the tragic events that occurred at the World Trade Centers)

After New York Minute was played, Henley spoke to the audience about performing a song “that I wish I wrote” that was penned by Paul Simon: American Tune.

The chorus consisted of the family Waters and associates of Los Angeles, and there was the phenomenal horn section that helped Henley with the closer to “Sunset Grill”, but the men who stole the show were the drum and percussion section. Apparently, they were so exceptionally talented, Henley never did man the lead drums, and stuck to light percussion, using only a cow bell, maracas, and tambourines during the duration of the night. Henley’s other instrument for the night was rhythm guitar.

Overall, it was an exceptional performance for a show that was limited to just over 2 hrs., due to a curfew imposed by city ordinance.

After kudos and thanks to the audience for their support, Henley received two small bouquets of flowers. Henley in his wry humorous mode, held up the flowers, and in his best “Miss Congeniality” voice, he stated “I will strive for world peace”, and after a few more chuckles from the audience, Henley exited, stage right.

Konocti -- Paula

It was a perfect summer evening at Konocti Harbor Resort on beautiful Clear Lake. The weather was pleasantly warm and the mountain view was beautiful inside the 5,000 seat amphitheater. I have seen several concerts at Konocti and they have all been great. I am so thankful to be able to see such big shows at such a small venue. It had been about a month since we saw The Eagles in George, Washington, where we had lawn seats, and it was an incredible treat to have seats in the 19th row at Konocti. I am 23 and a relatively new Eagles fan. I have never seen anything as incredible as the George concert, but the Konocti show was equally cool. Our tickets said the show was supposed to start at 6:30, but it didn’t begin until after 8:00. It may be that they were waiting for the sun to set behind the mountains. As it turns out, the late start time was just the first of several surprises that were in store that evening.

The audience was particularly lively, despite waiting so long for the show to begin. I think they just took the opportunity to make more trips to the bar! Yet, everyone was very polite and never obnoxious (with the exception of a woman in front of us that chain-smoked through the whole show).

The second surprise was an unanticipated opening act. Jill Sobule, from Brooklyn, came on stage to entertain us with only a tiny guitar and a set of songs that were, ummm, unique. She was a cross between Jewel and Alanis Morrisette. She sported a cute polka-dotted dress and offered a spunky delivery of crude and senseless lyrics. She announced that she was a bit nervous and would start off with a song she was “comfortable with.” So, she played a couple of innocent bars, followed by the opening line….”Don’t f*** with me.” She continued with songs of this nature. Overall, we didn’t really “get it,” but there were funny moments.

Finally Don Henley took the stage without any kind of introduction. He simply walked across the back of the stage, behind the drum sets and casually made his way to the front. It took a while for the audience even to realize that he was up there. But this behavior fits right in with his humble, understated style. Stuart Smith was also present, which was exciting. Don and the band dove right into “Dirty Laundry” to open the show. When the song was over, the crowd cheered, screamed, clapped and stood up. The crowd basically burst into screaming/clapping mode every time Don took a breath. He commented on these outbursts, which only egged them on.

Don’s birthday was July 22, so people yelled out “Happy Birthday, Don!” quite frequently during the breaks between the first few songs. Finally, he thanked them and said, “It’s great to be 30,” and, “I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time.” He went on to say, “There’s really just three things: I’m alive, I have people that love me, and I have…a job. Several jobs, actually.” Then he smiled.

Shortly thereafter came one of the infinite highlights of the night. Don briefly lamented on big business, particularly Warner Brothers, and the stock market. Then he went on to say that the next song was “about small business,” and told the story of his friend who opened the “Sunset Grill.” Don’s commentary here was very sweet and humorous. He ended up providing quite a bit of personable stories and anecdotes throughout the show, which was an absolute treat.

Another peak in the show was when Don said, “We stopped doing this next song last year, but we started doing it again, just….because.” Fog began to billow out from the rear of the stage, where red lamps illuminated a red velvet backdrop. The band members fell in the soft glow of the red light while Don stood in a semi-spotlight which went from the chest up. The crowd fell silent, awaiting the eerie intro of “New York Minute.” It was a very moving performance. When it was over, Don said it was time for something more “sunny” and went into “The Boys of Summer,” which was another showstopper. This time, green and blue light filtered through the manufactured fog.

Another personal favorite was the performance of “Heart of the Matter,” which is one of my favorite songs. During “End of the Innocence,” the audience sang along.

So everyone knows that Desperado is always the last song, right? WRONG! The last sweet notes were sung, the crowd cheered, and the house lights came on. But we weren’t leavin’ and as it turns out, Don and the guys didn’t either! The house lights dimmed and the party resumed for at least another half-hour! There were three additional encores in all (there may have been only two, but we lost count from being so excited). Nontheless, several “bonus tracks” were played including, “Fast Lane” and “The Long Run,” which was the final song of the evening.

When the show was over for real, we exited the amphitheater as the tour bus careened passed us, honking the horn in appreciation. We were all in a state of euphoria as the bus rode off into moonlight. We hated to see them go. But the fun was still not over because after we drove through the winding mountain roads and got on I-5 bound for Davis, we met up with the bus! We traveled alongside the guys for several miles until they pulled off at Road 8, possibly to stop for fuel at the nearby truck stop.

If I were more effective at putting into words how the Eagles music has affected me, I would ask them for a job! But since I’m not an Eagle, all I can say is that the two concerts I have been to this summer are experiences that I am so thankful for. I can’t wait for the Eagles’ new album, Don Henley’s potential solo country album, and hopefully another tour. We can’t get enough of ‘em.

MOHEGAN SUN 10/11/02 Review by Heidi!!!

Tonight, Don Henley entertained the crowds at the Mohegan Sun Casino
with a performance like I have never seen before. With punctuality never
being Don's strong point, the 8pm show did not get rolling until close to
8:30 with an unexpected opening act....not sure what the girls name was, but
she played for about 20 minutes. Finally, Don came onstage at 9:15 or
thereabouts. Shortly after the start of the show, Don confessed that he was
not feeling well....sore throat and chest congestion to be exact...but he did
not disappoint the fans. Don was far more interactive than I have ever seen
him, playing to the crowd and making jokes all night.
As someone who has seen Don several times in the past, and knowing he was
sick, I was astonished at the show he put on, and the songs that he
performed. Before the show, I told my husband what songs he could expect to
hear and what I was sure he wouldn't hear, and for once I am happy to say I
WAS WRONG! Pretty much I was accurate on the first and last song and only a
couple in between....LUCKY ME!! I hope you guys have tickets, or find a way
to get them because this set list was phenomenal:
1. Dirty Laundry....the standard opener
2. Everything is Different Now....He nailed this one...
3. Sunset Grill....The start of the "Alcohol and Drinking" portion of the
show, according to Don
4. Tequila Sunrise.....and now my jaw starts to drop
5. You Must Not Be Drinking Enough.....Yee Haw, Can i believe my luck??
6. Miss Ghost.....Yes, I said Miss Ghost.....in honor of Halloween
7. Can't Put the Genie back in the Bottle......I guess the bottle still a
drinking song
8. New York Minute........and now it gets good as we notice the stage hands
set up a little acoustic area....could it really be? Yes, Don says, "lets
just pretend we are at my house, in my bedroom...make that my den,,,when the
band stops over for a little visit....
9. Witchy Woman....again in honor of Halloween...gets the first real standing
ovation of the night
10. Peaceful Easy Feeling....had a little trouble with the high notes on both
of these, but definitely was trying.......here they end the acoustic music
and get back to show time
11. Boys of Summer.....Superb
12. Life in the Fast Lane....missed the horns and newer version we saw last
show
13.Heart of the Matter.......crowd now totally on their feet (except a few
oldies in the front, who were probably Comp seats)
14. All She Want to Do Is Dance

Encore

15. I Will Not Go Quietly...Haven't Heard this live since the EOI tour
16. End of the Innocence

Encore 2...I was amazed at the number of people who actually got up to leave
even though the house lights were never turned on....

17. Taking You Home
18. Last Worthless Evening
19. Hotel California - Oh Yeah!! Don had Stuart Smith with him :) Who
misses Don Felder...Stuart nailed every note of the solo on the 12 string!
20. Desperado...the old favorite, just as good as the first time I heard
it!......

Don ended by saying how great the crowd was and promising to see up
soon.....hope that bodes well for Eagles 2003!!! All in all, I was thrilled
to hear so much new stuff, and see Don enjoying himself as much as he
could.....if you don't have tickets for this mini tour, get them!!

Mohegan Sun by Rob

After a drive that normally takes minutes over hour, but was closer to three due to a nasty rainstorm, I was finally at the Mohegan Sun arena where Don Henley and his band made every second of the drive worth the trip. Front row center section seats sure helped too.

Just after 9:15 PM, Henley and band appeared on stage. Over a beige shirt and blue jeans, Don was clad in a light brown full length outer coat that would have fit right in with the New York bound commuter train set on the 6:40 AM out of Fairfield.

The Show opened with “Dirty Laundry” where Frank Simes and Steuart Smith executed blistering solos. It is always a treat these guys perform, this time with Simes nailing his parts just a few feet in front of me.

The rest of the band consisted of: Lance Morrison, Bass & Vocals, Michael Thompson, Piano & Vocals, Rob Ladd, Drums & Will Hollis, Keyboards & Vocals. Although the band has been streamlined from other DH tours over the years, the backing vocals were respectable. (No female vocalists or horns).

The show continued with "Everything is Different Now" and three tunes that comprised what Don called "The Drinking Set" including 'Sunset Grille", "Tequila Sunrise" and "You Must Not Be Drinking Enough" featuring the line "There ain't enough whiskey in Uncasville" (Later Don remarked on how the town of Uncasville "sounded like the name of a body part… How's your Uncus???). All of the above sounded excellent, in spite of the fact that Henley seemed to be battling a throat ailment.  He really hung in there on Sunset Grille, needing only a little backing help from Simes on the "Don't worry girl" section of the vocal. With the drinking out of the way, Henley then rolled out two songs from Inside Job," Miss Ghost" and "The Genie " followed by the brilliantly written "New York Minute" from1989.

Suspicions confirmed. As stagehands reset the stage with 4 chairs in a semi circle, Don acknowledged that he was advised by his Doctor to cancel the show due to a respiratory infection and sore throat.  He answer: "Naaaaaa…  Instead, much to the delight of the majority of the females in attendance, he said "let’s pretend that I invited you all over to my bedroom". (For the gig). He quickly changed the venue to his den and took his seat for a killer acoustic rendition of "Witchy Woman" featuring acoustic slide licks from Steuart Smith followed by a capoed up version of Peaceful Easy Feeling.

With the chairs cleared off of the stage, the show continued with “Boys of Summer”, “Life In The Fast Lane”, "Heart of the Matter” (nice electric 12 string parts by Steuart) before closing out with “All She Wants to Do Is Dance".

The first encore began with "I Will Not Go Quietly".  Frank Simes did a great job of pulling off the harmony vocal that was provided by Axl Rose on the album.  Next came a striped down version on "The End of The Innocence" featuring Frank Simes playing a Taylor 12 string acoustic and Steuart an Ovation mandolin.

Encore number two consisted of Taking you home and "The Last Worthless Evening" “Hotel California” (Steuart played same Music Man double neck 12/6 string he had on Eagles summer tour), and as ”Mr. voice was starting to go” the show ended with “Desperado” before it was “off to Atlantic City to lose some more money”

Henley has always prided himself on “doing the work”. Just take a look at this guys schedule over the last 2 or so years.  Inside Job dates, Eagles European tour, 2001,  Eagles studio sessions, 2001 – 2002, Eagles US summer tour, 2002, benefit gigs, testimonies, more benefits, corporate shows, more Inside Job, and I’m sure I have left a lot out.  Given his less than ideal health condition, he could easily have mailed in his Mohegan Sun date, or could have not performed at all. Instead, he hung in and delivered a truly memorable performance.

Atlantic City by Mike

I was in Atlantic City last night here is a review and a photo. he did mention he had a chest cold and was on medication, thats probably why the show was a bit shorter than the previous night

It was a chilly rainy night in Atlantic City, a sparse crowd for the show, Juliana Ray opened the show with a 30 min act with her 4 piece band, after a 20 min break a resetting the stage, the show began!

Don was dressed in a tan colored shirt -open with a long- olive green jacket- the same one he wore in Vegas - Inside Job Tour 2001, he had the full band with him, Stuart, Frank, Rob on drums, Danny who he said just arrived back from France on Percussion, Michael and Will on keyboards and Lance on base, here is the set list.

Dirty Laundry
Everything is Different Now
Sunset Grill -Frank helped him with some of the high notes

First comments by Don, were entering the drinking portion of the show, " I don't drink that much anymore, I would like to with the holidays coming up" got some laughs!

Tequila Sunrise
Your Not Drinking Enough
Mrs. Ghost
NY Min

For the upcoming holiday - Don's favorite

Witchy Woman performed with all 7 members close together in Don's den, only Michael Thompson was at the keyboards, Frank and Stuart with guitars, Frank and Will also with Vocals, best song of the night

Peaceful Easy Feeling - performed in same manner, towards the end Don yelled " Kick it Stuart"

Meet me Tonight in Atlantic City- new song he said the band wrote just for this show, what happened to the theory that new songs don't go over well, maybe just an Eagles theory

Boys of Summer
Life in The Fastlane
Heart of The Matter
All She wants to do is Dance


1st Encore

I won't Go Quietly
End of the Innocence - new lyrics " Fresh Young Man We Elected King"

2nd Encore

Hotel California - after vocals Don Finished the song on drums next to Danny
Desperado

Don Thanked everyone and said NJ was 1 of the 1st states to embrace the Eagles many years ago and that they always remember that.

Merchandise

Some new logo T-shirts - very dark green and brown and some of the same ones $32, hats $30, sweatshirts $60
 

Atlantic City by Deb

The show last night in Atlantic City was everything I had hoped for & more.  Don didn't mention being sick as reported in previous reviews, but you could tell his throat was bothering him.  We could not have had better seats - front & center.  I was directly in front of Henley - about 10 feet away.
The band was the usual - Don said Danny Reyes had just arrived from Paris three hours prior to the show.  

The setlist was the same as previous reviews except when it came to the "Let's pretend the band stops over for a little visit" part.  He said he & the guys had just finished a new song & would perform it for us first time!  The title, I believe, was Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City.  I would imagine the title may change from location to location - but it was a great addition.  It was nice having them all sitting within ten feet - like they really were in someone's den (or bedroom as first stated & quickly changed).  He did omit Taking You Home & Last Worthless Evening - guess the throat couldn't take it.

Don was interactive with the crowd - putting a couple people in their places in true Henley style.  One woman six or seven seats down from us kept yelling to him to take her home, she loved him, etc. early on.  His response was, "The show's up here, honey."   That shut her up.  Another woman kept yelling "I love you Don".  He quipped, "I love you too.  Of course the only reason we love each other is because I don't know you."  Yet another person struck down!!!  After that people got the hint that Mr. Henley does not tolerate the silliness.

I cannot say enough regarding the musical talents exhibited last night.  The only negative was the security guards.  They take their job VERY seriously.  The man behind me had his film taken.  He wasn't using a flash - they were just being insane.  I had taken a few pictures at that point but decided to put the camera away & be happy with what I had.  Hopefully they will come out & I'll share with you all!

Okay - I saved the best for last.  Being in the front row I had hoped for some eye contact.  It didn't happen until Hotel California was completed.  I got a smile, a wink & a pick!!!!  It's good to save the best for last.

If you east coasters don't have tickets & he's coming to your area - GET THEM!  I'm counting the months til the summer tour!

Mohegan Sun show by the Hartford Courant

Don Henley Brings Melodies Of Intimacy To Mohegan Sun
October 13, 2002
By ERIC R. DANTON, Courant Rock Critic

It's true, Don Henley's songs tend to alternate between syrupy and strident.

But on a rainy Friday evening in Uncasville, they were the perfect antidote to a long work week for the large crowd in Mohegan Sun Arena - and isn't that the point?

Apparently at peace with the Eagles material that once defined him as a singer and songwriter, Henley mixed Eagles favorites with his own solo songs and drew comparable crowd reactions to each.

It was a concert that nearly didn't happen. Henley told the crowd that a throat infection and chest cold had prompted his doctor to advise canceling the performance, which he refused to do. That news served as a segue into the best segment of the show - an acoustic interlude consisting of "Witchy Woman" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling."

Henley told the crowd to pretend that, since he didn't feel well, he had invited them all over to his house to hang out in the bedroom.

"Well, maybe the den," he said, as lascivious hoots echoed around the arena. It's not easy to create a sense of intimacy in a 10,000-seat venue, but Henley and his six backing musicians got as close as possible.

He opened the show on a strident note with "Dirty Laundry," his satirical evisceration of the blow-dried buffoons on TV newscasts. Though he wrote the song nearly 20 years ago, his scathing observations haven't lost their bite: "I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear/ Come in whisper in my ear," he sang.

There were gentler moments, too. Many in the crowd swayed in their seats and sang along to "New York Minute." A lovingly rearranged "End of the Innocence" started on an acoustic guitar, and "Boys of Summer" had the same urgent, lonesome feeling as the album version.

Henley performed two encores, finishing the second with an electrifying version of "Hotel California," including note-for-note re-creations of the guitar solos by Steuart Smith and Frank Simes, and then the quiet ache of "Desperado."

Newcomer Julianna Raye opened the show with a set of understated, jazz-inflected tunes that sounded like the perfect accompaniment to a David Lynch movie. Her sultry, cabaret-style voice failed to impress the Henley-hungry crowd, but she and her three-piece band performed well and their set included a captivating version of Roy Orbison's "Crying."
 

Amy's Review of Washington DC

I went to see Don last night at Constitution Hall, which some might have said was foolish, going by myself at night what with the sniper loose and all. To be honest though, I was more worried about going to the gas station in suburban Fredericksburg than I was about walking around Northwest DC alone at night. How’s that for a commentary on the current bizarre circumstances? As it turns out, I met some people coming out of the Metro who were asking for directions to Constitution Hall, so we walked together.

I was a little concerned about the turnout, since there seemed to be an awful lot of empty seats when I got there at twenty minutes ‘til showtime. The opening act, Juliana Ray, didn’t come on until at least 8:20, I think. Frankly, while I thought she was a good singer and her band was quite competent, I didn’t care for her songs much. A little too "Twin Peaks"/"Wicked Game" for me. Also, I was very tired and her mostly quiet, atmospheric sort of songs, combined with the dark lighting just about put me to sleep. Thank god I didn’t nod off because that would have been really embarrassing, since I was sitting in the front row. I think the Stevie Ray Vaughan live album the crew was playing before and after the opening act did a lot more to warm up the crowd. One interesting note about her band—she introduced them and it turns out her bass player is Jennifer Condos. The audience gave Jennifer a nice hand. I guess a lot of them must have remembered her from the years she played with Don’s band.

Don came on about fifteen minutes later and all of a sudden the crowd came alive. It was a very excited, vocal audience. Several people were shouting things at Don, most of which I couldn’t understand and some of which he couldn’t understand either. He had a sense of humor about it though and actually had a bit of an exchange with a couple of people. There were the typical women shouting, "I love you". Don answered back with his usual line that goes something like "I love you too darlin’ and what makes that OK is the fact that we don’t know each other." That only sparked more shouting from the audience. At one point Don smiled and said "It’s a hell of a thing when you’re trying to have a conversation and all of a sudden a rock concert breaks out. I hate when that happens." Don gave up before long and said, "That’s OK, y’all go ahead." Overall, I couldn’t believe how relaxed, upbeat and friendly Don was, especially considering that he’s obviously still rather sick.

I didn’t bring a notebook because I couldn’t see sitting there in the front row taking notes. So I’m cheating a little bit and referring to a setlist from a review of the Mohegan Sun show last week. To the best of my recollection…

Earlier in the evening, Don had thanked us for coming out, especially considering the circumstances. He said, "just when you think things can’t get any weirder…" Before "Desperado" he thanked us again, not just for that night, but for the last thirty years. The audience cheered very loudly and several people (including me) were shouting "Thank YOU!" He also said something like "God willing, I’m not done yet. If for no other reason than to piss the critics off." He laughed and then said, "I’m going to pay for that."

Well, I hope I didn’t forget anything important. It was a great show and I’m glad I didn’t wimp out. Sniper, shniper… And sleep is overrated too :)

Nici's Washington D.C. Review

Review of Don Henley Concert, Washington DC - 15th.October, 02

At midnight on Friday, 11th.October, London time, I was ironing my clothes and dancing round my living-room, high as a kite with excitement. At the same moment, he was backstage in Uncasville, waiting to go on and do one more concert in a lifetime of concerts. On Tuesday, he’d be in Washington - waiting to go on and do one more concert in a lifetime of concerts. For me, it would be a one-off night of a lifetime, a one-and-only, because I’d be there too. Please be good.

He was good. He had a chest infection and he was still very good. He used all his skill and his willpower to make that incredible voice do what he expects of it, and mostly it did. When it didn’t, we all felt it with him and loved him the more for his fallibility and refusal to quit. (`I Will Not Go Quietly’ was yet to come....)

He was looking just edible, lean and mean. He was wearing boots (of course), trousers that were blue I think, a light tan silk shirt worn loose, and one of those long coats he likes, dark tan, and cool. We had waited what felt like a long time to see him in a very beautiful 30’s hall - not full, but I reckoned it seated around 4,000 and we probably had 3,000 or so. As a Londoner, I found the Washington crowd rather anodyne - with a few lively exceptions. Of course you don’t want raucous at a Henley concert - and I could have done without the inevitable couple of idiots yelling `Play the drums’ and `Desperado’ in the first twenty minutes (how he must have wished the sniper had got them - no, only kidding) - but mostly they were so restrained you wondered if they’d missed the Bach concert by accident. He was looking for the crowd to do the `Wooooos’ in `All She Wants To Do Is Dance’ and not one was forthcoming. They just about managed `let somebody love you’ at the end of `Desperado’, and hell some people were even on their feet by then. Wild.

I did feel this wasn’t helped by the opening act, Juliana Raye. Opening for anyone has to be on the `Three Most Thankless Jobs In The World’ list, and she was good - sort of bluesy/jazzy, but it was too laid back. The one thing an opening act can and should do is get the audience going (and god knows this audience needed intravenous ecstasy), but this act just wasn’t the right choice for the task.

Then there was an interval, and finally at 9pm we got what we’d come for. A fine lively performance of `Dirty Laundry’ to get us started, followed by `Everything Is Different Now’. He was smiley and determined and soon confessed to the bronchial problems, making jokes about “being on medication - just for a little while.” When we got to “the drinking portion of the show”, he did his stuff for Sam and Dave and added, “I don’t really drink that much any more”, to which a member of the audience piped up dryly, “Liar”, which made him laugh. I think it was at this point that some repartee went on amongst the audience finally prompting him to say, “Don’t you just hate it when you’re trying to have a conversation and a rock concert keeps breaking out?” (LAUGHTER) “I hate it when that happens.”

We got a little unplugged section which worked nicely. He started with a surprisingly successful version of `Witchy Woman’, which he said he could clearly remember writing in November 1971 when he was in bed with flu in a house he shared with Glenn near the Hollywood Bowl, and he was reading a book about Zelda Fitzgerald. This was followed by a Randy Newman song called `Burn Down the Cornfield’. The country boy waxed lyrical about cornfields - he was sweet.

`New York Minute’, which I suppose will now be forever associated with 9/11 was received thoughtfully in the town which had its own tragedy that day. I was a bit surprised, given the location, that we didn’t get more acerbic political comment. We did get the variant on `this tired old man that we elected king’ in `End of the Innocence’. Before `Sunset Grill’ he made his usual plaint about corporitisation and the disappearance of the family business and the caring attitude that goes with it. (You should try living in England, mate. Those values disappeared thirty years ago at least.)

His band played well, though I thought they sounded rather bright at times. They produced a very fair version of `Hotel California’, (when he did have a little dabble on the drums, just for something to do during the guitar duet, I think), but of course they’re not the Eagles, and when it comes to the harmonies for `Peaceful Easy Feeling’ and `Tequila Sunrise’ you do miss that unmistakeable, unreproduceable sound. But they serve him well, especially on his solo material, though shamingly, poor Steuart Smith is still having to weather a few mannerless morons when it’s time for his plaudit.

We got nineteen songs over two hours and when we got to `Desperado’, he didn’t overstretch that final line, because of his voice, which personally I like better than the verging-on-the-show-off version I heard in last year’s Eagles’ concert.

I’m sure he’d be the first to admit it’s not the best concert he’s ever done, but what a trooper he is, and god, that voice just does things to me that nobody else’s does. I hope he feels better. Maybe some day he’ll come to England and sing for me again.


Nici

Bryan's Charleston, SC

My dad and I arrived at the Stadium at 7:30 pm.  We were suprised that when we were going through the gate, they gave us upgraded seats.  The show didn't sell out but it was close.  We had great seats, center stage.  I didn't know that he had an opening act.  I don't remember her name but we didn't care for her. Don came on stage at 915pm opening with "Dirty Laundry."  I don't remember the set list.  All I know is that he played one hit after another.  A woman walked up the Henley and handed him flowers. Don looked at her and said, " FLAWERS, F-L-A-W-E-R-S, its great to be in the south."  It was a beautiful crisp fall Low Country night.  Stuart Smith was super on the guitar, and the percussionist did one hell of a solo. They did two encores and closed with Desperado.  The Eagles came to Charleston, SC on March 4th , 1995 for the HFO tour and I was there with my dad.  The crowd consisted mostly of older people but there were younger people there also.  I was disappointed that the local newspaper didn't run a review on Friday about the show.  But over all I had a great time and enjoyed the show.  

Tressa and Jamie's Atlanta Review

Sissy's Vegas Review

The Aladdin 10/26/02
By Ronda Lenci a.k.a. “Sissy”

Closing out his autumn tour in Las Vegas, Don Henley and his band did anything but just “call it in”. The two hour show lit up the Aladdin Casino Theatre, or as Don called it, “The Purple Palace.” I was fortunate to score a single ticket in Row A just two days prior to the show, thanks to Lisa’s good advice to check for single seats at the last minute. Row A is actually the sixth row behind five rows of Golden Circle comp seats. I was about 15 yards from Henley, and I have to say, being up front makes all the difference.

I expect that most of you have read other reviews from this series of shows, so I’ll try to report new information and lots of Henley quotes. The opening act again was Julianna Ray. Juliana’s soulful voice did evoke, as previously reported, the whole David Lynch feeling, except her last two songs which were more upbeat. As for the guitar sound and style, think Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”. The most interesting part of the act was the versatility of the drummer, who alternately used sticks, soft mallets, brushes, and his hands – during the second tune, he “played” the box he was sitting on and occasionally hit the snare, tom and cymbals with his hands. Julianna thanked the crowd and Don Henley for asking her to open for him. After her third song, someone in the crowd yelled, “Dirty Laundry!” Julianna laughed and took it all in stride.

An extra bonus included a star in the audience. Just prior to the start of the show, I noticed a female casino employee walking back stage. When she returned, she walked right in front of me escorting four people to center seat tickets, probably row D or E. I said to my very nice new friends Gaye and Scott, “That’s Reba McEntire.” It was, and she stayed for the whole show. We could easily see her from our seats, and she clearly enjoyed herself and the performance.

After the opening act, the crowd filled in quite a bit during the break. About fifteen minutes later, Henley and the guys came on stage to a loud, applauding crowd. I saw the Eagles in Kansas City in July and wondered if a largely imported crowd in Vegas could match the well-known KC enthusiasm. (We’re very, very loud for the Chiefs.) Clearly, the crowd was into it and “had been drinking enough.” Don wore his black jeans, dark brown work boots, an olive button down shirt untucked, and his long jacket. He looked well and energized.

The set list was similar to that presented in the Mohegan Sun review by Heidi (10/11/02). Don skipped the “Genie” as well as “Taking You Home” and “Last Worthless Evening” during the encore. Though I missed these songs, the group gave a completely solid, entertaining performance, and Don did mention he still had a bit of the infection reported during the eastern seaboard tour. He did add Randy Newman’s, “Burn Down the Cornfield” during the acoustic section, which he performed with a husky blues voice.

Don was enthused, chatty, and very engaged with the audience throughout the show. He even “acted” out, “Everything is Different Now” and “You Must Not be Drinking Enough” with facial expression and arm gestures. Of course, the modified lyric on “Drinking Enough” was “Not enough whiskey in Vegas” instead of Texas. Prior to Tequila Sunrise, he said, “I personally don’t drink much anymore. I don’t have the three to four days it takes to recover. And moderation is out of the question.” After the song, he said, “I got permission to sing that.”

Prior to Miss Ghost, Don mentioned the song was inspired by the Twilight Zone, one of his favorite shows growing up. He said his other favorite was, “The Andy Griffith Show,” and he commenced to whistle a verse of the TV theme song. Impersonating Andy Griffith, he said, “Hey Barn, let’s go over to the White Horse and get a lap dance” referring of course, to entertainment, Vegas style. Don laughed and said, “That doesn’t work here. The Twilight Zone works better here.” He also commented wryly about Miss Ghost, “This could have happened to someone else, it could have happened to me” and started singing.

All the usual comments about audience participation applied at this show, but Don delivered them with a smile. He clearly wasn’t annoyed, and he and the band seemed to be laughing with every sarcastic comment Don delivered.

The acoustic set in Don’s “bedroom” was great. When the audience responded to the “bedroom” comment Don said, “Not THAT bedroom.” The opening of Witchy Woman started with a country-sounding acoustic guitar, and the song was awesome, drawing the first standing ovation of the night. After the high notes on, “See how high she flies”, Don sort of shook his head and smiled a little as if to say, “Thank God I got through that.” I don’t know his name, but the young, blond keyboardist did a great job on backing vocals.

Prior to “Life in the Fast Lane,” Don said, “Will you please rise?” which sounded like an invitation to a rock-n-roll Southern Baptist sermon. The crowd leapt to their feet and everyone sang along to a totally energized performance. The next house rocker was, “I Will Not Go Quietly.” Frank Simes’ guitar playing here was nothing short of blistering. He pulled out the stops and the crowd LOVED it. Frank was smiling all night and having fun. The next tune was, “End of the Innocence.” Before starting the song, Don said only, “History repeats itself.” Instead of the usual piano intro, Frank played acoustic guitar on the opening cords, which was an interesting variation. The altered lyric here was, “This fresh young man the court elected king” which is even more witty than “we elected king” given the Florida debacle.

During the encores, “Hotel California” and “Desperado” turned into all-sing events. Practically everyone stood and belted out both songs with the band. Don even turned the mic to us for a verse of “Hotel” and smiled as we sang by ourselves. He did the same thing during “Desperado” on the repeat of “Let somebody love you.”

Before Desperado, Don quietly and sincerely said, “Thank you for tonight, and the last 30 years.” After the long note, he jerked his hand back and forth lewdly and smiled, which made the crowd laugh, and he finished out the tune and all performers left the stage.

One additional altered lyric, which I hesitate to include since I can’t be exactly sure of my accuracy here, occurred during, “Heart of the Matter.” I believe instead of “my thoughts seem to scatter” Don said, “Fans are gonna scatter.” Whether he said it or not, I doubt from the Vegas crowd’s reaction that Don’s fans are going anywhere. We’ve been here for 30 years, and we’d easily go another 30.
 

Therese's Review of Vegas

Therese aka Seattle Fan