We had purchased tickets to the Eagles concert pre-COVID, but like many things, the concert was put on hold. Over a year later, it was rescheduled, and we debated "Should we go, or should we sell our tickets?" Since the Ball Arena has a very sensible entry policy [proof of vaccination or a negative test], we decided to attend. We arrived about an hour before start time, thinking that there might be long lines for the COVID checks, but were pleasantly surprised that the whole entry process was very organized and ran smoothly.
Once inside, we had to chuckle at some of the attendees. There were many folks sporting their Eagles Tour shirts from bygone days, including a pair of cane-toting-T-shirt-wearing elderly ladies making their way to their seats. Our seats were straight out from the stage in the first section of tiered seating - better than being on the flat floor IMHO.
The concert started just a few minutes after the scheduled time, and it was pretty much as I expected from a big name, big band, big show - and it was great! Pretty much straight-forward music that reproduced the original recordings. My opinion is that one of the hallmarks of a good band is that they sound as good or even better live than on studio recordings. And the Eagles have it.
The first set was Hotel California, and the second set was "every other song that we know" as Don Henley put it. The September 16 playlist can be found here, and one of the great things about this playlist site is that you are able to click on the song to hear it.
As the opening number Hotel California got rolling, I could ID Henley on drums, Joe Walsh on guitar and Timothy Schmit on bass. And I thought "Dang, that fellow on the left sounds really great and looks a lot like Vince Gill" - and it was! The other main members included Steuart Smith, Deacon Frey [the late Glenn Frey's son], and Scott Crago. Smith played a fair amount of lead, and he and Walsh were incredible on the Hotel California duo at the end. Deacon Frey did several lead vocals, and Crago took over on drums when Henley did some lead vocals as shown above. The picture also shows the Denver Orchestra playing along with the band.
For me, the highlight was Gill. I think that he is one of the most talented singer/songwriters of today. And as one reviewer put it "Vince Gill might not be the first guy you'd have thought of as a replacement for Glenn Frey in the Eagles, but wow, is he a good fit. The country icon soars as he takes over lead vocals on the Eagles' classic hit "New Kid in Town" on their new live album." He did several other leads, and he fits right in with the Eagles' incredible harmonies.
Generally speaking, big venue shows are not my preference, but this one was certainly worth it. My original video was blocked, so I'll try this one:
