The Eagles - Farewell Tour Part One (DVD)

Contrary to the title of this DVD, all avid Eagles fans will be pleased to know that this was not an actual farewell tour, merely, as Don Henley has stated, a 'dig' at the likes of Cher who play continuos farewell gigs only to revive themselves a few years later.

Nevertheless, this is an immaculately filmed concert portraying the many talents of each member of the group. Unlike a lot of bands, there is not just one lead singer. Each ...
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As usual, the whole performance was flawless. Having seen The Eagles in concert on two occasions, I can guarantee that seeing the band on this DVD sounds just like listening to them live, which just proves that they rely totally on pure talent, rather than computerised synths and drum machines.

So, as The Eagles are my all time heroes, I have great pleasure in reviewing this DVD:

BAND
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Contrary to the title of this DVD, all avid Eagles fans will be pleased to know that this was not an actual farewell tour, merely, as Don Henley has stated, a 'dig' at the likes of Cher who play continuos farewell gigs only to revive themselves a few years later.

Nevertheless, this is an immaculately filmed concert portraying the many talents of each member of the group. Unlike a lot of bands, there is not just one lead singer. Each member of the group gives at least one solo performance which is probably why this multi talented and controversial group are still so successful after four decades.

As usual, the whole performance was flawless. Having seen The Eagles in concert on two occasions, I can guarantee that seeing the band on this DVD sounds just like listening to them live, which just proves that they rely totally on pure talent, rather than computerised synths and drum machines.

So, as The Eagles are my all time heroes, I have great pleasure in reviewing this DVD:

BAND
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Don Henley :- Vocals and Drums
Glen Frey:- Vocals, Guitar and Keyboard
Joe Walsh:- Guitar and Vocals
Timothy B Schmit - Vocals, Bass Guitar

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS
====================
Will Hollis:- Keyboard and Vocals
Michael Thompson:- Keyboards, Accordion and Vocals
Scott Crago:- Drums and Percussion
Steuart Smith:- Guitar and Vocals (taken over from Don Felder since his departure from the band a couple of years ago)
Brass Accompaniment by The Mighty Horns

Don Henley and Glen Frey are the only two remaining original members of the band. They were originally backing singers for Linda Rondstatt and founded The Eagles in the early 1970's. After a few line-up changes, they are still as good today, if not better, and are still attracting new, younger fans.

Don Henley:performs with excellence and clarity and his smoky, gravelly vocals are absolutely unmistakable and delivered with perfection.

Glen Frey:is still as smooth as ever with his sultry, smoky voice.

Joe Walsh is the joker of the band and always adds a spark of humour to everything he sings. Not the best voice of the band, but certainly the most entertaining. Watch out for the hard hat on Disc 2.

Timothy B Schmit was the last member to join the band, Mr Schmit must have one of the best voices around and adds a touch of cream to the Eagles' sound.

And now for the tracks…

DISC 1
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1. THE LONG RUN
Don Henley opens the concert with this rocky number which gets the audience into the swing of things. A very uptempo track providing an excellent start to the show. 10/10

2. NEW KID IN TOWN
Now it's Glen's turn to welcome everyone to the concert and kick in with this calm melodic tune. Another Eagles classic. 10/10

3. WASTED TIME
A sad haunting offering from Don Henley but absolutely faultless. 10/10

4. PEACEFUL EASY FEELING
Not really one of my favourite Eagles tracks as I find it a little slow with not much happening, but Glen Frey delivers the song well. 8/10

5. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY
Timothy B Schmit shows us here why he sings a lot of the Eagles ballads. A very soulful song. 10/10

6. ONE OF THESE NIGHTS
Excellent classic Eagles material. A good driving record! 9/10

7. ONE DAY AT A TIME
A new track written for the tour, this offering by Joe Walsh portrays his personal experience of alcoholism. However, he delivers it with his usual wit. 9/10

8. LYING EYES
"City girls just seem to find out early, how to open doors with just a smile…" a good track to sing along to and gets the audience going. 10/10

9. THE BOYS OF SUMMER
The Don Henley solo single that started it all off for me - although not an Eagles track, this is Don Henley at his best and it really does give you the feeling of the good old summer days. 10/10

10. IN THE CITY
Joe Walsh performs this track with his own style which is unmistakable. 10/10

11. ALREADY GONE
A very upbeat track with a hint of humour in it. 9/10

12. SILENT SPRING
A short instrumental offering. 7/10

13. TEQUILA SUNRISE
A very tranquil track from Glen Frey but also very typical Eagles material. 10/10

14. LOVE WILL KEEP US ALIVE
This track is one of the newer ones on the DVD, only released for the Eagles previous 1995 Hell Freezes Over tour. A romantic offering from Timothy B Schmit. 10/10

15. NO MORE CLOUDY DAYS
Glen Frey is Mr Smooth himself on this track. 9/10

16. HOLE IN THE WORLD
It was the morning of September 11th 2001 and the band decided to go into the studio and record this track following the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon. Not really one of my favourite Eagles songs as there is not much to it, but good vocals all the same. 7/10

17. TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT
One of The Eagles' earlier hits, Take It To The Limit is performed with the clarity and perfection one would expect from the band and cannot be faulted. 10/10

18. YOU BELONG TO THE CITY
One of the Glen Frey tracks used in the 80's t.v. series Miami Vice. For anyone familiar with Glen Frey solo material, this record portrays his smooth vocal talent. Not very typical of Eagles music, but excellent all the same. 9/10

19. WALK AWAY
Another Joe Walsh offering, but not one of the best tracks on the DVD. 7/10

20. SUNSET GRILL
This is one of Don Henley solo tracks but fits in nicely in an Eagles concert. A typical Eagles sound which will not disappoint. 10/10

DISC 2
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1. LIFE'S BEEN GOOD
Very apt for a Joe Walsh track… he certainly adds his own unique sense of humour to this song. 9/10

2. DIRTY LAUNDRY
Another Don Henley solo track, this displays the band's versatility where they all contribute to the song. Very rocky stuff. 10/10

3. FUNK "49
Not really my favourite track on the DVD. A bit indescribable. 6/10

4. HEARTACHE TONIGHT
This song has a really good beat to it. Glen Frey proves he can still rock! 10/10

5. LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
No pun intended, but a good one for the car! 10/10

6. HOTEL CALIFORNIA
Classic Eagles - an Eagles concert would not be complete without Hotel California. This is the one that launched the Eagles success and audience participation is unavoidable. Excellent! 10/10

7. ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY
Probably one of Joe Walsh's best known solo singles. Still sounds as good on an Eagles tour as it did as a solo track. 9/10.

8. ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE
Proof that Don Henley can handle solo songs as well as Eagles songs, this upbeat track fits in nicely with the Eagles material. 9/10

9. TAKE IT EASY
A good old classic that has stood the test of time. This track probably put Winslow Arizona on the map, but at this concert, it certainly got the audience joining in and rocking in their seats. 10/10

10. DESPERADO
A perfect song to end a perfect concert. Don Henley performs this track as flawless as always and you just could not have an Eagles concert without Desperado. 10/10

In all, this is an excellent DVD, combining lots of old Eagles tracks with new ones, and individual band members' solo material.

In addition to the music, there are interviews with the band at the end of Disc 2 and a few outtakes.

The 2 disc DVD is immaculately presented in a gold box and is certainly well worth the money.

I would rate the overall presentation and content with a very big 10/10.

A must for all Eagles fans!

 

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