26 June 2022 (gig)
27 June 2022
After Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Red Hot Chilli Peppers all played big gigs on Saturday, the Eagles finished off a fine weekend for classic rock with a hit-filled romp through the 70s at BST in Hyde Park on Sunday.
Don Henley noted that one of their early albums was recorded in London during the coal strike, and 50 years on here they were again, playing to a backdrop of existential crisis. But for 2 hours they hoped to give us a vacation from the news cycle, basking us all in laid back Californian country-rock.
The balmy summer evening provided the perfect back drop and the audience, most of whom would have been around for the Eagles’ first appearance in the UK back in 1975, joined in during the mellow first half, notably joining Vince Gill’s accomplished vocals on Take It To The Limit. The pitch perfect close harmony from the seasoned pipes of all band members was a highlight from the early numbers. But after Deacon Frey made a welcome appearance to lead vocals on Peaceful Easy Feeling, the guitars started to ramp up the energy in the second half, with a super solo guitar duel between Vince Gill and Joe Walsh a particular highlight.
The hits kept on coming, with the audience especially enthusiastic on Heartache Tonight and Life in the Fast Lane. And then the part the crowd had been waiting for – mobile phones out en masse to record a classic rendition of busker’s favourite, Hotel California, complete with extended solo.
Earlier in the gig Joe Walsh had said, “I had a lot more fun being 20 in the 70s than 70 in the 20s”. He seemed to be having a lot of fun last night – as did we all – so maybe the stories about them in their heyday are all true?
