Eagles - Co-op Live, Manchester, 7/6/2024

  by Andrew Twambley

published: 19 / 12 / 2024

“You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave" (Well…not until after the encore) I had never been a No, 1 fan of The Eagles though I have always appreciated the quality of their work, their socially conscious lyrics and their stunning array of timeless classics. They represented the soundtrack of my pre-punk mid -teens, so I graciously accepted an invite to experience “The Long Goodbye”, being the first of five nights at Manchester’s tremendous new arena, Co-op Live. You can read standard reviews of the gig in the papers or online, but I wish to make a more personal tribute to the evening that may be a little self indulgent, but it is something I need to do…so please bear with me. After a polite and gracious welcome by all staff at Co-op Live we took our seats and were warmed up by the legendary Doobie Brothers, which was a tantalising foundation of the aural riches to come. The lights went out, then up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light. I sat there thinking, t”THs could be heaven or this could be hell.” But no, after a short montage of archival videos and photos the lights shine on the front of the stage where six men stood, looking out upon their adoring audience….. no audacious, arrogant, self-opinionated frontman, but the A Team, the firm, the squad, the brotherhood who have stood together for a lifetime. The lineup was only missing Glenn Frey who passed in 2016, yet was more than adequately replaced by his son Deacon Frey, who was anything but out of place. Don Henley apologised for the lack of spectacle ”We’re just a bunch of guys with guitars,” he said, to raucous applause for the most outrageously modest understatement of the century. They then kicked off with a set full of classics perfectly recreated for the adoring mass. Every one, a banger, every one perfectly sung and exquisitely played, elaborating on the dark side of the American dream. Want a set list?....just look up their Greatest Hits. One of the admirable aspects of the performance was that both Don Henley and Joe Walsh performed their own solo hits, without any hint of envy or resentment from the brotherhood. Songs with different flavours but songs that fit into the night’s banquet of classics. By the way, Joe Walsh must be the coolest 76 year old on the planet, with his long hair and leathers! This has been built up as their final tour. It may be or it may not be, but what is certain is that their music and their legend will live on forever, So, aside from my day job, I photograph rock bands, having contracts with various venues and I am also involved with Penny Black. As a result, I probably see, on average 150 -200 bands per year, many of who I know but some of whom are new to me. Of all the bands I have seen over the years, never before have I actually wept at a gig. The Eagles reduced me to tears and it took a while to work out why. Its just not like me…..normally. The Eagles emerged in 1972 at the tail end of the |West Coast country rock era and their heyday probably lasted until 1977. This was a period when I was becoming interested in music and a time when I had a part time \job in Cobweb Records, near Blackpool (the coolest job in England). The Eagles were played constantly in the record shop over those years and their music became engrained in my soul. This was also an informative time for me when I was growing up, living with my parents, finishing school and entering new relationships. Then in 1976 I left home, went to university and became ensconced in punk. The point I am trying to make is that those five years became compartmentalised in my mind. My memories and experienced were locked away in cabinets and those cabinets had become forgotten and abandoned. Fifty years later, whilst watching The Eagles, I found those cabinets, unlocked them and those repressed experiences came flooding back.. that’s why I wept! I just cannot leave this subject without mentioning the venue, Co-op Live. It has only recently been completed and has had a well publicised troubled start. Air con units falling down, cancelled shows and all sorts of bad publicity which the papers seemed to relish in like pigs in poo. But in time, nobody will remember the problems. They will remember events like The Eagles. My experience was nothing short of perfection. Driving there and parking was a breeze. My journey from door to seat was accompanied by polite, happy and enthusiastic staff who undoubtably loved heir jobs and wanted to be there. The arena itself was magnificent and the sound quality and lighting were light years ahead of anywhere else. And leaving, with 25,000 other fans, appeared simple and without delay. The teething troubles of the first few weeks are clearly history and Manchester now has a venue to be very proud of. “So put me on the highway, show me a sign Take it to the limit, one more time”

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