The Eagles launched “The Long Goodbye” tour with a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Their setlist was made up of twenty-three songs, including a couple of surprises.
The last three songs were played for the encore. Songs 15 & 16 were included as a salute to their good friend Jimmy Buffett who recently passed away, September 1st, 2023.
Buffett’s excellent hit “Come Monday” was sung by Timothy B. Schmit. He had been a member of Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, and is credited with coming up with the name “Parrotheads” for Buffett’s fans. Joe Walsh did the lead vocal honors on the other Buffett song “Fins”.
The rest of the setlist is made up of classic Eagles hits, with just a few songs Don Henley and Joe Walsh recorded outside the band. Reviews of the concert were highly complimentary, and the band’s vocals remain strong. We saw the Eagles over 25 years ago, and the setlist is not much different, because there’s an obvious group of hits Eagles fans want to hear. The band is making the right choice to include them, plus the Buffett songs were a nice addition.
Another treat for fans at the concert was the appearance of Steely Dan, which is the opening act for the whole tour.
According to reviews of the concert, Donald Fagen was in good voice, and his accompaniment included a four-piece brass section. Steely Dan hits played included “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”, “Reelin’ In The Years” and “Hey Nineteen”. What a great bonus for Eagles fans. Update: Due to an illness, Donald Fagen missed some performances, so Sheryl Crow, Steve Miller, and The Doobie Brothers each helped open shows. Fagen is doing better now, and has continued with the tour in 2024.
(MSG concert photos by Charles Sykes)
The concert wrapped up with one of the most classic of all Classic Rock songs…”Hotel California”. The Eagles have always been one of the best-sounding live bands, and their “Long Goodbye” gives fans one last chance to hear them. In keeping with the name of the tour, it may run for at least a couple of years, and dates are being added.