Orlando Reviews

Eagles Fly High: Orlando Sentinal

It takes guts to sing about "Life in the Fast Lane" when you're 30 years down the road.

You'd think that by now the Eagles would be content to stick to the posted speed, maybe cruising in the carpool lane with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

But the band's astonishingly generous concert Wednesday at the TD Waterhouse Centre shows that Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit aren't ready to slow down yet.

The band opened with "The Long Run," then proceeded to cover much of its formidable list of hits: "Peaceful Easy Feeling"; and "Take It to the Limit"; "One of These Nights." So what if the new "Hole in the World" single sounds like an unfinished idea?

They played for an hour, took a 15-minute break, then returned for two more hours. Each song was delivered with remarkable precision, often nailing studio arrangements with pinpoint accuracy.

They all still look like L.A. rock stars -- except for Joe Walsh, who resembled an escapee from a retirement-center shuffle board court in his baggy turtleneck and bright red pants. His quirkiness loosened the band's slick style, and his slide guitar elevated the music, zapping the polyester out of Frey's Miami Vice hit "She Belongs to the City" with a scorching blues solo.

He somehow managed to hit the high notes in an endearing "Life's Been Good" but left the more expressive vocals to Henley, Frey and Schmit. The latter soared beautifully in "Love Will Keep Us Alive," while Henley navigated the challenging falsetto of "Sunset Grill" and Frey delivered country-rock ballads such as "Tequila Sunrise" with easy feeling.

Just the way everyone remembers it.

Jo: Fan Review

How do these guys still do it so well after all these years? This was the most amazing concert I have ever been to. I have been a loyal fan from the very beginning. We brought along our 15 year old son, and though he wasn't a huge fan before, this concert left him begging for more! All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you for the trip down memory lane and looking forward to many more farewell tours. Like that great song says... you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!

Jeff: Fan Review

I thought the show was great! I was very disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm with the crowd. We had upper bowl seats and managed to get down to lower bowl. We sat next to a nice couple but the ones behind us told us to "shut up and sit down!" I couldn't believe it! We ignored them and danced the whole time! Orlando needs to get excited!

Steve: Fan Review

The show was a mirror image of what was reviewed in Tampa. Awesome ! Started at 8:15 and ended at 11:40. The sound at the TD Waterhouse center has never been that impressive but the Eagles were solid and tight in the harmonies. They looked like they were having a ball ! The first set was solid but the second set for any Walsh fans out there ( like me ! ) belonged to Joe. He's still the man that takes a country band to rock legend status. If you've never seen them..go now ! Half these songs will probably drop off for Farewell 2 in favor of new material. This is the ultimate Greatest Hits Show Ever !!! If you've seen them before..GO AGAIN..well worth the price of admission. Eagles Soar.

Alan: Fan Review

The Eagles concert last night in Orlando was nothing short of tremendous. After a brief debacle with all the ATM machines in the T.D. Waterhouse center being broken at exactly the same moment, I found my way, $35 T-shirt in hand, to my 5^th row center floor seats and plunged into the 3 hour rock ‘n’ roll nirvana that is an Eagles show. The fellas were outstanding, as usual. They’ve managed to arrange the set list in just the right way...they open up with a lot of the requisite slower classics so that after the (too brief for even a bathroom break) intermission they just rock-out for about 2 hours. Don Henley was, again, killer on vocals and drums. His voice is right on and hasn’t seemed to have aged a bit in the past few years. When he gets out front doing lead his intense vocal delivery really draws the crowd in. Glenn’s voice sounded good too and his sort-of trademark delivery with his chin way up and guitar neck way down was fun to watch. Of course, Tim’s got a beautiful voice and his lead on “I Can’t Tell You Why”, especially, was excellent.

While all these guys sounded sweet and kept the crowd in it during the first set, by far the most energetic and just plain fun performance of the night was courtesy of Mr. Joe Walsh. The pride of Kent State (Cleveland rocks), Joe was phenomenal. He stole the show, without question. Through “Funk #49”, “Life’s Been Good” and “Rocky Mountain Way” he completely blew the crowd away. His crazy-good guitar solos and spastic facial contortions were unreal. You couldn’t look away from the stage. When Joe Walsh plays the guitar he looks and sounds like he’s channeling some higher power, his body possessed by some psycho band of hard-rock angels. Or devils…whichever.

The funny thing about the Eagles is that, even though they played a solid 3 hours, they could have doubled the length of the concert before they ran out of killer tunes. I’d love to see them go a little deeper on some of the albums…I always wanted to hear “Those Shoes” or “Good Day in Hell” or “The Last Resort”. I was pleased, however, that they worked “James Dean” in there. There’s a deeper album cut that still sounds great.

My one less than totally positive comment about the show is that they couldn’t drag some session player along to do the banjo on “Take it Easy”. I figure I’m in the vast minority on this one, but I think the song really misses it.

All in all, you couldn’t ask for a better show. Whatever the (admittedly exorbitant) price you’re considering paying for tickets, it’s worth every penny. I mean, c’mon, it’s the Eagles. The show is so enthralling that the aged throngs of screaming, sun-damaged, bra-less women who’ve shoehorned themselves into their daughters’ L.E.I. jeans just seem to fade away. Same with the clown in the 4^th row who’s just begging for “Free Bird” and screams like a banshee when Don belts “Have another beer”. Yes, pal, have another beer indeed. Just stay lucid enough to remember how amazing the whole experience is. An Eagles concert is something you simply can’t pass up and still live with yourself. They rock.

Jamie: Fan Review

Another great one from the Eagles last night in Orlando, but I must say the Orlando crowd was a bunch of duds. We were again in the front row and were only two of about 5 or 6 people standing up and dancing. The rows in back of us just wouldn't stand up. From what I could tell I think a lot of the front row were radio station giveaways, so maybe that was part of it. I think everybody did finally start standing up on Hotel California, but by then the show was about over.

Glenn was really dancing it up during All She Wants To Do Is Dance and all the guys seemed to be in good spirits again, except for Henley who was a little less jovial. Glenn was reacting a lot with the audience, smelling those colitas and such, but Don never tried to make any contact at all, unlike the night before when he was all smiles and kidding around with the audience. I guess we can't expect him to be a smiling fool two nights in a row! After all, we are talking about Don. Steuart and Joe always look like they are having a great time, joking around with one another. It's always a big hit when everybody lines up with their guitars and jumps up and down, and last night was no exception. Tim was his usual friendly self and of course, was a real crowd pleaser. Al nailed his You Belong To the City parts perfectly once again.

The wardrobe was basically the same as the night before except for Henley who had on a black button up shirt and Joe who had on red and white pajama bottoms and red shoes. Scott Crago once again had on those lovely leather pants!

I don't know about the Eagles, but I will be glad for a night off before it's on to Sunrise. This life on the road is hard. <G> I'm exhausted!

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