In memory of the Eagles

MANILA, Philippines - In 2004, I watched the farewell concert of the Eagles at the Hong Kong coliseum. This was my first time to see them live and I was amazed how great they sounded. Gone were original members Randy Meisner, Don Felder and Bernie Leadon but founders Glen Frey and Don Henley together with second generation Eagles Timothy Schmidt and Joe Walsh even made the sound and harmonies better. The concert lasted more than two hours and, together with Joey de Leon, Bert de Leon and Kitchie Benedicto, we all returned to the hotel star struck humming Hotel California.

My first exposure to the music of Eagles was when I was studying in San Francisco in 1972 when Take It Easy lorded the airwaves. It was playing every three hours on top bay area radio station KFRC. I was an instant fan and made it a point to spotlight Eagles songs in our playlist when I returned to my DJ chores on DZBM in Manila. I also urged my Jingle editor to feature Eagles songs in our music magazine. Two decades later when I became a concert promoter, bringing the Eagles to Manila became one of my dreams but their talent fee was so humongous I had to abandon the idea. 

Jan. 18, 2016. The music world woke up to the tragic news of Eagles co-founding member Frey’s sudden demise. His death made me determined to promote a concert that pays tribute to my fallen hero. I contacted the only Eagles tribute recognized by the Eagles management The Long Run. Booking them was no easy task because they had left and right bookings all over the US and I had to wait for eight months to bring them to Asia.

Sept. 29 at 1:20 p.m. Three days prior to the start of The Long Run’s Asian tour and I was standing inside studio D of 3rd Encore studios in North Hollywood watching the group rehearse. This studio is not only memorable but historical, too, in terms of the Eagles’ career. Firstly, the term the 3rd Encore was borrowed from the Eagles. The Eagles do only a maximum of two encores at concerts and the third encore is for the after-concert party. They also rehearsed at this studio and to date, former original Eagle Felder still rehearses at the studio.

The name of the group, The Long Run — Experience The Eagles, has been together for six years and their harmonies are as tight as the Eagles. To date, they have performed over hundreds of concerts in the US alone and now they are embarking on their first Asian tour that begins in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Their sole Manila date is tonight at the Theatre at Solaire Resort & Casino. Songs to be performed include Take It Easy, I Can’t Tell You Why, One Of These Nights, Tequila Sunrise, Take It To The Limit, New Kid In Town, Desperado, Life In The Fast Lane, Heartache Tonight, Best Of My Love, Hotel California, plus individual Eagle member hits like Frey’s The One That You Love, Henley’s Dirty Laundry and Walsh’s Life’s Been Good.

(Tickets are going fast at all Ticketworld outlets and Ticketworld online. The Long Run — Experience The Eagles is presented by Solaire Resort & Casino and Steve O’ Neal Productions in collaboration with Duty Free Philippines, Hard Rock Café, Business Mirror, HDI, Telenovela, IBC 13, Dream Satellite, DCG Retro FM and RJ 100.3 FM.)