Eagles Perform First Concert Without Joe Walsh in 51 Years, Show No Signs of Weakness
The Eagles took to the stage at Sphere on January 24 for their first concert without guitarist Joe Walsh in an astonishing 51 years. The flu had forced Walsh to miss the show, but his bandmates refused to cancel, opting instead for a bold move that would have been unthinkable in their heyday: playing on.
"We had a choice to make," Don Henley told the crowd. "We could either cancel the whole thing or we could man up and do the show. So we came down here this afternoon and had an emergency rehearsal for two hours. And fortunately, in this band, we have a deep bench."
Walsh's iconic parts were largely handled by Deacon Frey and Vince Gill, with Frey taking on Walsh's signature guitar solo alongside new guitarist Chris Holt during the evening's show. Gill proved himself to be a worthy substitute for Walsh, singing lead on several classic tracks, including "In The City," "Life's Been Good," and "Rocky Mountain Way."
The only song cut from the set was the James Gang's "Funk #49," which would have been a daunting task to tackle without Walsh. However, "Best of My Love" took its place with ease.
Despite the absence of their beloved guitarist, the Eagles played with incredible energy and passion, showcasing their legendary chemistry and musicianship.
Prior to the show, Walsh had managed to get through most of the performance but was forced to cut short his set due to illness. However, he made it through the majority of the final half of the show before leaving the stage altogether.
"He was sick last night," Henley joked about Walsh's absence, "but he heroically made it through the rest of the show. He just needs some time. Give him some love."
The concert marked their 46th show at Sphere since beginning their residency in September 2024 and featured a largely set list that has been locked in due to the intricate visuals accompanying each song.
As the show progressed, Henley took the stage alone, delivering a heartfelt message about music's universal power. "It's good to be in the room with you tonight," he said. "We can all be on the same page tonight because music is a universal language and music is medicine. After the week we've had, we could all use some medicine. We're not going to do much talking... We're just going to play the shit out of these guitars."
The Eagles will resume their Sphere residency on January 30, which should provide Walsh with ample time to recover.
The Eagles took to the stage at Sphere on January 24 for their first concert without guitarist Joe Walsh in an astonishing 51 years. The flu had forced Walsh to miss the show, but his bandmates refused to cancel, opting instead for a bold move that would have been unthinkable in their heyday: playing on.
"We had a choice to make," Don Henley told the crowd. "We could either cancel the whole thing or we could man up and do the show. So we came down here this afternoon and had an emergency rehearsal for two hours. And fortunately, in this band, we have a deep bench."
Walsh's iconic parts were largely handled by Deacon Frey and Vince Gill, with Frey taking on Walsh's signature guitar solo alongside new guitarist Chris Holt during the evening's show. Gill proved himself to be a worthy substitute for Walsh, singing lead on several classic tracks, including "In The City," "Life's Been Good," and "Rocky Mountain Way."
The only song cut from the set was the James Gang's "Funk #49," which would have been a daunting task to tackle without Walsh. However, "Best of My Love" took its place with ease.
Despite the absence of their beloved guitarist, the Eagles played with incredible energy and passion, showcasing their legendary chemistry and musicianship.
Prior to the show, Walsh had managed to get through most of the performance but was forced to cut short his set due to illness. However, he made it through the majority of the final half of the show before leaving the stage altogether.
"He was sick last night," Henley joked about Walsh's absence, "but he heroically made it through the rest of the show. He just needs some time. Give him some love."
The concert marked their 46th show at Sphere since beginning their residency in September 2024 and featured a largely set list that has been locked in due to the intricate visuals accompanying each song.
As the show progressed, Henley took the stage alone, delivering a heartfelt message about music's universal power. "It's good to be in the room with you tonight," he said. "We can all be on the same page tonight because music is a universal language and music is medicine. After the week we've had, we could all use some medicine. We're not going to do much talking... We're just going to play the shit out of these guitars."
The Eagles will resume their Sphere residency on January 30, which should provide Walsh with ample time to recover.
. But, like, how did they even prepare for it? Did they really just have an emergency rehearsal in 2 hours? 
That sounds super unlikely to me... How do we know it happened? Shouldn't there be some pics or vids of the rehearsal? Also, what's up with "Best of My Love" being added to the setlist on the fly? Was that even rehearsed beforehand? 
And Don Henley just joking about Walsh being sick but still playing... how much was he really feeling? Should we believe his 'heroic' story or not? 
it's insane how well deacon frey and vince gill stepped up to fill his shoes 
the energy from the crowd was palpable and i'm so glad don henley told us that they just decided to roll with it instead of cancelling the whole thing 
it's moments like these that remind me why i love live music so much 
. The setlist was pretty standard, but who cares when the music is this good? 
They're clearly a well-oiled machine, and I love that they didn't let Joe's absence hold them back 
. Can't wait for their next show on Jan 30! 
! it's not about one guy, it's about the collective energy and love for music that they're putting out there 
The Eagles' decision to go ahead with the concert without Joe Walsh was a bold move, and it paid off! They definitely showed no signs of weakness 
. Let's hope Joe gets better soon and can join them back on stage! 
this is so cool!!! I mean, can you imagine playing a show without one of your founding members? It's crazy how well the band has adapted and the new guitarist Chris Holt actually sounds pretty sick 
Don Henley's comment about having a "deep bench" really speaks volumes - it shows that the band has each other's backs 
. And honestly, Vince Gill was an awesome substitute for Walsh on lead vocals - he definitely held his own 
. Don Henley's right, they're like a well-oiled machine - you can feel the chemistry between them on stage 
. I'm not surprised they didn't cancel the show - that would've been so lame 
. Now, can we talk about how great it is that Joe Walsh made it through most of the show despite being sick? That's some serious dedication 
. And let's give a shoutout to Deacon Frey for handling those iconic parts too - he's got some serious skills 
like can you imagine having an impromptu jam sesh with friends and family? no one knows when that might happen tho 
anyway, have you guys ever noticed how some songs just transport you to another time and place? like, i was listening to "Best of My Love" the other day and i instantly thought of summer road trips 
and good vibes 
The way they handled Joe's absence was pure genius! 
It's so true, you know? Music has the power to heal us all, and we needed that a little more than usual lately 
The fact that they could rally around Joe when he couldn't make it just shows how strong their bond is as a band 
. And Don Henley's energy is still electric 
. Can't wait to see them rock out again on Jan 30!
gonna be interesting to see how joe recovers and if they'll even make a change to their lineup