The Vegas residency runs select weekends through early 2025
Eagles debuted a stunning Sphere residency on Friday (Sept 20th) in Las Vegas. The group—led by Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill, and the late Glenn Frey’s son Deacon—used visual and musical storytelling to honor the legacy of their numerous hits.
Before the show, fans entering the Sphere are treated to a living collage of important Eagles career highlights vis a vie Sunset Boulevard. The collage even includes famous Hollywood staples such as The Troubadour and Musso and Frank Grill.
A journey through the “Hotel California” opened the night. Lyrics cascaded across Sphere’s dome during “Lying Eyes,” and the “Tequila Sunrise” happened over a beautiful canyon.
Each member traded off vocals, with Gill delivering on the twangier numbers that highlight the western edge to Eagle’s sound. “Take It To The Limit” would do well at country radio with Gill’s interpretation. His lilt on “New Kid in Town” invited a singalong. It was accompanied by film strips that turned the dome into a square room instantaneously and seemingly quadrupled the room size.
But there were understated moments, too. A swampy “Witchy Woman” was accompanied by a southern marsh as the breathing backdrop. It transported the capacity crowd without stealing the show. “Seven Bridges Road” saw all members floating among a beautiful night sky. And Deacon Fry’s torch-carrying “Already Gone” opted for the massive, hidden light panel behind the LEDs, eschewing screen graphics entirely.
Walsh offered two of his solo hits, “Life’s Been Good,” and “Rocky Mountain Way.” Henley performed his ubiquitous “The Boys of Summer.”
An aside: Live Nation’s fan experience company Vibee has curated another fan experience inside the Venetian and Palazzo. You can see archive artifacts, a recreation of LA’s Troubadour, and shop much more merchandise than what is available in the Sphere itself. TMU will have a video feature on this exhibit, called Third Encore, very soon.
Since U2, on the whole, Sphere content producers have learned how to make the visuals compliment the musicians, rather than distract. Of U2 designed their premiere residency around showing off what this orb can do, Eagles are happy to take control and let the music dictate. They show the audience the how and why: Create awe-inspiring imagery that adds value to the music.
This review is light on details for the simple fact that the show is fresh. My job is to entice you to the concert, not spoil it. Plus, focusing on the spectacle is beside the point: Eagles are still stellar musicians with chemistry to match. If this perfectly calibrated Sphere show is the culmination of their legacy, all I have to say is, thank God that Hell Froze Over.
