Don Henley LIVE at Rod Laver Arena, 8 March 2017
- India Brummelen
- Mar 13, 2017
- 3 min read
Don Henley live at Rod Laver Arena, 8 March 2017 with special guest Jewel
INDI’S VIEW
Special guest Jewel’s forty-five minute set took those in Rod Laver Arena on a whimsical journey as she detailed her life through a performance of her most celebrated songs. The singer, whose debut album was released back in 1995, opened with a rendition of Harold Arlen’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow, prior to crowd pleasers such as Hands, Foolish Games and Boy Needs a Bike, which sparked catcalls and enthusiastic recognition from the audience. Jewel’s free and almost improvisational runs and trills, especially in her higher register, were melodious and reflected the ups and downs evident in her personal life. She later brought her young son, Kase, onto the stage for a duet of her song Daydream Land, which tugged on the heart strings of everyone present, additionally setting the tone for the rest of the night. Jewel ended her set with Who Will Save Your Soul, leaving the crowd anxiously waiting for the acclaimed headliner.
Hailing from the iconic American rock band the Eagles, Don Henley brought his tour and fifteen piece band to Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on 8 March, 2017, performing hits that have defined his career - which, note, has spanned over four decades - both with the Eagles and as a solo artist. He opened the show with an a cappella rendition of Seven Bridges Road with its folky nature bringing hairs to the back of the crowds’ necks as Henley and his ensemble filled the arena with pitch perfect harmonies. Next they launched into the fervent Dirty Laundry, instigating the take off of a further two and a half hours of music, after dedicating the evening’s show to his in-laws’ fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Henley didn’t shy away from the exuberant crowd, his Southern charm ever present as he told stories of how his songs came to be between the performances of Eagles hits and songs from his 2015 album, Cass County. Though maybe unfamiliar to the audience, the drawl of Cass County’s country tracks sparked positive reactions from fans. Backup vocalist Erica Swindell drew her own applause from the crowd for her hearty execution of the duet When I Stop Dreaming with Henley himself, a song originally performed by Henley and Dolly Parton on his previous solo album. He’s famous for his rough voice and ability to hit the high notes, and this night was no exception for Henley, with his liveliness indicating that he has no future plans of slowing down. Fan favourites in the form of the Eagle’s Witchy Woman and The Boys of Summer - a solo smash of Henley’s - prompted sing-alongs, as did the cover of Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Contrary to artists’ usual seventy-five minute sets, Henley and his band took the stage for three separate encores, with a tribute to Eagles’ co-founder Glenn Frey during the second before performing Desperado, the first song Henley and Frey ever wrote together. The whole concert was a nostalgic journey highlighting Don Henley’s career, while also celebrating his past and future phases as a soloist. Henley and his band exited the venue having left the audience with full hearts, grateful for having had witnessed one of rock and roll’s greatest musicians. Don Henley truly transports his audiences through time with his songs conjuring countless memories and emotions, and this is just one of the multitudinous reasons why Henley is not someone to be missed as a live performer.
SETLIST
Seven Bridges Road
Dirty Laundry
That Old Flame
Sunset Grill
Witchy Woman (Eagles song)
When I Stop Dreaming (The Louvin Brothers cover)
One of These Nights (Eagles song)
New York Minute
Shangri-La
It Don’t Matter to the Sun (Garth Brookes cover)
The End of the Innocence
The Last Resort (Eagles song)
The Heart of the Matter
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears cover)
The Boys of Summer
Encore 1
Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles song)
Hotel California (Eagles song)
Encore 2
Wasted Time (Eagles song)
Desperado (Eagles song)
Encore 3
All She Wants to Do Is Dance
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