Eagles Resume ‘Hotel California’ Tour at Madison Square Garden
The Eagles returned to the road on Tuesday (Aug. 24.), launching their rescheduled Hotel California tour at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The show, which was originally scheduled for Aug. 22 but was postponed due to Hurricane Henri, marked the band's first live performance since March 2020, when they were forced to postpone their then-recently launched Hotel California tour as a result of the pandemic. A few weeks prior to the cancellation announcement, the band performed three nights at the Garden in February 2020.
Currently, the core lineup of the band includes surviving Eagles members Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, as well as the late Glenn Frey's son, Deacon Frey, touring guitarist Steuart Smith and country singer-songwriter Vince Gill.
“God, it’s good to see you, thanks for coming out," Henley said as he thanked the crowd for their cooperation with MSG's vaccination mandate, "you understand that with freedom comes responsibility.”
"You can only watch so many sports," Deacon Frey added later, "it’s so nice to be out here, this energy is insane."
The band kicked the night off by performing the entirety of their chart-topping 1976 album, before returning for a second set of greatest hits. "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Witchy Woman" and "Lyin' Eyes" were among the classic tunes performed. A handful of non-Eagles songs were also included: Don Henley's co-write with Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Boys of Summer" and two James Gang covers, "Walk Away" and "Funk #49."
The band was backed periodically through the evening by a choir and an orchestra directed by Jim Ed Norman, the composer who contributed string arrangements to the original Hotel California album.
You can a full set list of the show down below.
Several of the songs were played in honor of fellow musicians who passed away in the last week — Walsh dedicated "Life's Been Good" to Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who died on Aug. 24, while Henley dedicated "Best of My Love," the final song of the evening, both Watts and Don Everly, who died earlier this week.
“We lost two giants these past few days," Henley said. “So let’s sing it so they can hear us.”
The Eagles will play a second show at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 25, before taking their tour across the U.S. The band will wrap up the trek in November at a vaccinated-only concert in Seattle, Wash.
The Eagles, Madison Square Garden 8/24/21, Set List
Set One:
1. "Hotel California"
2. "New Kid in Town"
3. "Life in the Fast Lane"
4. "Wasted Time"
5. "Wasted Time" (Reprise)
6. "Victim of Love"
7. "Pretty Maids All in a Row"
8. "Try and Love Again"
9. "The Last Resort"
Set Two:
1. "Seven Bridges Road"
2. "Take it Easy"
3. "One of These Nights"
4. "Take it to Limit"
5. "Tequila Sunrise"
6. "Witchy Woman"
7. "In the City
8. "I Can’t Tell You Why"
9. "Peaceful Easy Feeling"
10. "Love Will Keep Us Alive"
11. "Lyin' Eyes"
12. "Those Shoes"
13. "Walk Away"
14. "Life's Been Good"
15. "Take it Easy"
16. "Boys of Summer"
17. "Funk #49"
18. "Heartache Tonight"
Encore:
1. "Rocky Mountain Way"
2. "Desperado"
3. "The Long Run"
4. "Best of My Love"