In the age of electronics, when cell phones are glued to hands, the Eagles cast a spell over the packed arena in Birmingham, AL. A rarity at concerts these days, people were present in the moment — a moment marked by the live sounds of decades of chart-topping hits — instead of staring at their phones.
We were transported from 2018 back to a time before electronic devices took over conversations, back to when live music had high-quality standards instead of extravagant showmanship, back to when harmonies made us swoon and sing along. We discovered that the decades hadn’t erased our memories. We knew by heart all the lyrics to the songs about love and betrayal and loss, even after all these years.
While the band members were humble, the magic and electricity in the room was palpable. They took us to church. Deacon’s lead vocals, as well as his excitement, were young and innocent. Joe’s guitar spoke to us as if it were the Holy Spirit (or maybe Glenn Frey) come down. Don’s drums made us groove so that we wanted to slip out the back door and into the bed. Vince’s tenor touched us in all the right places and made us sing like a choir. Tim’s sweet sound made our hearts skip a beat. The harmonies were intoxicating, making us drunk on some of the most holy and divine rock music ever made. The horn section announced with vigor a second coming, and maybe a third and a fourth. And, finally, the string section lifted us into the heavenly realms during “Desperado.”
The mellow tone of “I Can’t Tell You Why” lulled us into a quiet trance. There was hardly a murmur to be heard.
“Life In the Fast Lane” had us dancing in our tiny seats. The eery vibe of “Witchy Woman” set us slightly on edge, as did “Hotel California.” The gentle musicality of “Lyin’ Eyes” emphasized the contrast of the lyrics.
The Eagles briefly took us away from our digital lives and false comparisons and back to the basics of passion and primal instincts. For two and a half hours, they reminded us that life is good when we let the music take over. I think all of us in attendance would agree that their music can take us to the limit one more time.
