The Eagles farewell tour in Toronto leaves a peaceful, easy feeling

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The Eagles
Scotiabank Arena
Wednesday night
RATING: ***1/2 (three and a half out of four)

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Over a half century — 52 years in fact, The Eagles’ enduring California country-rock bound by exquisite harmonies has drawn devoted fans to their shows despite numerous personnel changes — and, as founding member Don Henley called them, “highs and lows.”

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But the singer-drummer joked on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena that their farewell tour wouldn’t last indefinitely.

“Welcome to the Long Goodbye Tour, we don’t know for how long exactly, but not as long as Elton’s, OK,” Henley said, making a dig at Elton John’ seemingly never-ending Farewell Yellow Brick Road trek that faced COVID-19 delays.

Henley, who alternated between playing drums at the back and guitar at the front, was first joined by Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill, Deacon Frey (son of Glenn) and guitarist Steuart Smith on their minimalist stage in a straight line at the front for some glorious harmonies on show-opener Seven Bridges Road.

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And because of the abundance of talent on stage — there were three more touring musicians, lead vocals were handled by Henley, Walsh, Schmit, Gill and Frey, as the two-hour show swelled with hit after hit, and not all Eagles material either.

The crowd was also treated to Henley (Boys of Summer, which was dedicated to Jimmy Buffett) and Walsh solo material (In The City, Life’s Been Good, Rocky Mountain Way) along with the James Gang (Funk #49).

Frey was particular good, a vocal sound-a-like for his dad, on Take It Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling and Already Gone (with a photo of Glenn projected onto the band’s large central video screen at one point).

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Henley shone on One Of These Nights, Witchy Woman, Hotel California, and Desperado (which brought out the phone lights) while other standouts included Gill on Lyin’ Eyes, Take it To The Limit, and New Kid in Town, and Schmidt on I Can’t Tell You Why.

But it was the madman guitarist Walsh who frequently stole the show with his impressive solos, wide-ranging facial expressions and sheer likeability.

“Toronto’s a really good place to party,” said Walsh without giving any details other than a broad smirk.

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Henley described the band’s concert mission as a “two-hour vacation from all the madness in the world, especially where we’re from,” and it definitely felt like a summer’s night indoors given the unseasonably warm weather earlier in the day.

The only heartache was that scheduled openers Steely Dan had to bow out at the last minute “due to personal reasons” but Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane rose to the occasion with such hits as Lunatic Fringe, White Hot, No Regrets and, of course, Life is a Highway.

Cochrane told the crowd he was stoked to be playing as The Eagles had been as big an influence on him as The Beatles.

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SET LIST:

Seven Bridges Road

Take It Easy

One of These Nights

Lyin’ Eyes

Take It to the Limit

Witchy Woman

Peaceful Easy Feeling

Tequila Sunrise

In the City

I Can’t Tell You Why

New Kid in Town

Life’s Been Good

Already Gone

The Boys of Summer

Funk #49

Life in the Fast Lane

ENCORE:

Hotel California

Rocky Mountain Way

Desperado

Heartache Tonight

Article content

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The Eagles
Scotiabank Arena
Wednesday night
RATING: ***1/2 (three and a half out of four)

Article content

Over a half century — 52 years in fact, The Eagles’ enduring California country-rock bound by exquisite harmonies has drawn devoted fans to their shows despite numerous personnel changes — and, as founding member Don Henley called them, “highs and lows.”

Article content

But the singer-drummer joked on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena that their farewell tour wouldn’t last indefinitely.

“Welcome to the Long Goodbye Tour, we don’t know for how long exactly, but not as long as Elton’s, OK,” Henley said, making a dig at Elton John’ seemingly never-ending Farewell Yellow Brick Road trek that faced COVID-19 delays.

Henley, who alternated between playing drums at the back and guitar at the front, was first joined by Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill, Deacon Frey (son of Glenn) and guitarist Steuart Smith on their minimalist stage in a straight line at the front for some glorious harmonies on show-opener Seven Bridges Road.

Article content

Article content

Article content

And because of the abundance of talent on stage — there were three more touring musicians, lead vocals were handled by Henley, Walsh, Schmit, Gill and Frey, as the two-hour show swelled with hit after hit, and not all Eagles material either.

The crowd was also treated to Henley (Boys of Summer, which was dedicated to Jimmy Buffett) and Walsh solo material (In The City, Life’s Been Good, Rocky Mountain Way) along with the James Gang (Funk #49).

Frey was particular good, a vocal sound-a-like for his dad, on Take It Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling and Already Gone (with a photo of Glenn projected onto the band’s large central video screen at one point).

Article content

Henley shone on One Of These Nights, Witchy Woman, Hotel California, and Desperado (which brought out the phone lights) while other standouts included Gill on Lyin’ Eyes, Take it To The Limit, and New Kid in Town, and Schmidt on I Can’t Tell You Why.

But it was the madman guitarist Walsh who frequently stole the show with his impressive solos, wide-ranging facial expressions and sheer likeability.

“Toronto’s a really good place to party,” said Walsh without giving any details other than a broad smirk.

Article content

Henley described the band’s concert mission as a “two-hour vacation from all the madness in the world, especially where we’re from,” and it definitely felt like a summer’s night indoors given the unseasonably warm weather earlier in the day.

The only heartache was that scheduled openers Steely Dan had to bow out at the last minute “due to personal reasons” but Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane rose to the occasion with such hits as Lunatic Fringe, White Hot, No Regrets and, of course, Life is a Highway.

Cochrane told the crowd he was stoked to be playing as The Eagles had been as big an influence on him as The Beatles.

Article content

SET LIST:

Seven Bridges Road

Take It Easy

One of These Nights

Lyin’ Eyes

Take It to the Limit

Witchy Woman

Peaceful Easy Feeling

Tequila Sunrise

In the City

I Can’t Tell You Why

New Kid in Town

Life’s Been Good

Already Gone

The Boys of Summer

Funk #49

Life in the Fast Lane

ENCORE:

Hotel California

Rocky Mountain Way

Desperado

Heartache Tonight

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