‘We’re the house band!’ Eagles soar in Sphere premiere — PHOTOS
You know you’re in for a special evening when even the master of ceremonies is at a loss for words.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!” Don Henley called to the crowd at Sphere on Friday night. “Welcome … To whatever this is!”
The packed audience laughed, correctly anticipating two hours of uncharted territory on a craft made of classic rock.
“This is the Sphere,” Henley went on, “a 21st-century, iteration-of-entertainment venue. We’re just the house band.”
The crowd laughed and roared, as the Eagles have launched their long-awaited, 20-show residency at the Sphere. The band is presenting 50 years of hits, using the bulbous wonder’s dazzling tableau to bring fresh storytelling elements to these contemporary classics.
A full lineup
The band’s current roster is Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill and Deacon Frey, Glenn Frey’s son. Veteran touring musicians Will Hollis (the music director, on keys), Scott Crago (joining Henley on drums and percussion), Steuart Smith on guitar and vocals, and Michael Thompson on keys and vocals.
Entertainment industry heavyweight Baz Halpin is the series’ director-producer. Halpin has just finished work on Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour,” headed up the creative team on Usher’s Super Bowl spectacular at Allegiant Stadium, designed Katy Perry’s “Play” at Resorts World, and is co-producer of the rejuvenated “Awakening” at Wynn Las Vegas (that is just a sampling of his recent credits).
Halpin has a sense of Sphere, conceiving elements that do not bury these thoughtfully composed classics. It would not make sense to employ aggressive strobe effects, lasers and pyrotechnics throughout an Eagles show.
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But you can recite coastal forestry, snow-capped mountains and a brilliant SoCal sunset to fit the mood. You can display Walsh in circular, multicolored splendor, and present dancing timepieces as showgirls into a 1960s-style radio during “Heartache Tonight.”
The effects sometimes feel as if you’re inside the drone that captured much of the footage. You can get a case of the spins, gazing around while grabbing the arm of your seatmate while images whimsically flow around the room.
Henley realized this. In his opening remarks, the 77-year-old rocker asked how many in the audience had seen a show at Sphere, to huge response. “To the rest of you, I hope you brought some Dramamine.”
A few moments to cherish
— In the minutes before showtime, the band’s L.A. underpinnings are aglow with a cityscape showing Capitol Records, the HOLLYWOOD sign, and Troubadour music club, where Henley and Glenn Frey met in 1971, the seeds of what would become the Eagles.
— Brazenly, and with fabulous video effect, the band deals “Hotel California,” from the top of the deck, opening with a scene of faceless dinner guests in revelry in a darkly-lit dining room. The room’s seats vibrate to the beat. The spotlight finds Walsh, picking up the famed guitar solo. Two minutes of music artistry, one of the many moments complemented by (and not overwhelmed) by fanciful video technology.
— “Lyin’ Eyes” plays as the song’s handwritten lyrics spill from the Sphere’s top to floor — and this is the first headliner residency to offer seats on the lower level, rather than all-standing GA.
The finale … #Eagles @SphereVegas @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/ddSlUd4yDK
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) September 21, 2024
— Walsh is portrayed at the very upper-most level, atop apartment buildings, for “In The City,” a very deity-infused segment. Somehow, Walsh is breathtaking as he’s expanded 100 feet high, his famously distinctive stage image an ideal fit for the Sphere’s video capabilities.
— A moving video montage of the band’s history plays during “New Kid in Town,” its expansion shrinking the individual images. Pro tip: Take a pic of the scene and zero in on the Easter eggs. You’ll find (for instance) the drum set Henley’s mom gave him, from the 1964 band Felicity.
— A righteous cruise along the Strip in a new Corvette for “Life In The Fast Lane.” The footage allows us to experience ubiquitous orange road-construction cones (for locals, the lyrics could be swapped for, “Life in Construction Zone”). For a hint of nostalgia, we also swing past The Mirage marquee, still trumpeting “The Beatles Love.”
— The band’s dual tribute to two departed, legendary friends, Jimmy Buffett and J.D. Souther. Buffett died in September of last year. Souther died Tuesday. Souther co-wrote many Eagles’ biggest hits, including “Best of My Love,” New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight,” which the band performed in his honor. They honored Buffett with “Boys of Summer.”
Paying apt tribute
His voice halting while he gazed skyward, Henley said, “These songs go out to those boys, Mr. Buffett and Mr. Souther. They would still like to hear you.” The “Boys of Summer” followed, with gorgeous scenes of a man and woman diving and swimming through the big bubble.
The evening played out like a voyage back in time. This show is more travel experience than a rock concert, requiring vacation-scaled expenditures (between $300-$1,000 to take this ride, on the secondary market). But I’d argue it is worth making those travel plans. This Eagles show is a finite experience. These boys won’t be around forever.
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Cool Hang Alert
Mondays Dark goes “Vintage Vegas” in its next show, 8 p.m. Monday (natch) at The Space. Mr. Las Vegas Wayne Newton is Mark Shunock’s “Stage Trunk” interview subject. The night benefits St. Rose Dominican Health Foundation. The event is livestreaming, too. Go to thespacelv.com for intel.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
