Eagles rock LA homecoming for Long Goodbye tour, knock nearby 'spaceship' SoFi Stadium

LOS ANGELES – "Good evening and welcome to whatever this is," Eagles founding member, drummer and singer Don Henley said Friday to kick off their first 2024 concert of The Long Goodbye tour.

The seminal rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1971, checked into Hotel California again for the first of four sold-out concerts at the Kia Forum for what is promised as the Eagles final tour. Henley took pride that the four nights ending Jan. 13 will mark 26 times at the iconic 17,500-seat venue.

"We've been playing this joint for 49 years," Henley said, adding that it was the band's strong preference over the gleaming 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium just across the street.

"We could have just done one night at the spaceship next door and been done with it. But it sounds much better in here," said Henley, sending the Kia Forum crowd into a frenzy. "We prefer to work a little harder and give you a better listening experience."

The Eagles lived up to the great listening experience with Henley, 76, joining long-time guitarist Joe Walsh, 76, bassist Timothy B. Schmit, 76, along with guitarist Vince Gill, 66, who stepped in after founding member and guitarist Glenn Frey died in 2016 at age 67. Frey's guitarist son Deacon, 31, has also rejoined the band.

Dropping into an acapella version of "Seven Bridges Road" to start the show, the Eagles proved they can still harmonize with startling beauty, following that up with hit-after-hit including "One of These Nights," "Lyin' Eyes," "Best of My Love" and "New Kid in Town."

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Songwriter J.D. Souther, who Henley said played a "critical role" in writing the latter two mega-Eagles hits, among others, made frequent stage appearances, including handling lead vocals in "New Kid in Town," duties once performed by the late Frey.

Deacon Frey, propped up sunglasses holding back his long black hair, handled his father's lead vocal duties on "Peaceful Easy Feeling," a pitch-perfect nostalgic rendition that ended with the stage screens showing a black-and-white photo of the smiling late Eagles founder.

Henley continued to pay concert tribute to Jimmy Buffett, dedicating his solo song "Boys of Summer" to "our dear friend" who died in September at 76.

Walsh held claim to his place as the Clown Prince of Rock by vamping onstage after a retro introduction from Schmidt as "the irreplaceable, the undeniable, the Master of the Stratocaster." Walsh proved worthy of the plaudits, pulling off power guitar solos in songs such as his hit "Life's Been Good."

But, Walsh has slightly adapted to the times, changing the line in his ode to spoiled rock stars from, "They write me letters, tell me I'm great" to "They write me emails, tell me I'm great."

By the time the band kicked into the classic road anthem "Already Gone," it was clear the Eagles are in fighting shape after performing the tour since kicking off Sept. 7 at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

"How we doing?" Henley asked after the song ended. "We've been practicing."

As promised in the title, The Long Goodbye will continue through 2025.

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How is Donald Fagen from Steely Dan?

Fagen, 75, rejoined The Long Goodbye and opened the show Friday with Steely Dan after being hospitalized for an unspecified illness in October. Fagen thanked the audience for the enthusiastic response to Steely Dan's classic song "My Old School."

"It's my first show of the year, and you're making it nice," Fagen said.

After playing "Reelin' In the Years," Fagen paid tribute to fellow band founder Walter Becker, who died in 2017 at 67.

"I want to thank Walter Becker for helping me write all of these tunes," said Fagen.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eagles rock with LA homecoming: 'Been playing this joint for 49 years'