I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing The Eagles perform live, despite having been a fan since discovering them in the mid-1970s. As a performer, several Eagles numbers appear in my set (aren’t they in everyone’s?!). Given the opportunity, I probably still wouldn’t go because it would mean a huge venue where they’d be a spec in the distance… “Ooooh, but the atmosphere!” I hear you say. Yeah, I get that, but I’d rather enjoy a great atmosphere and fabulous music in comfort. And no, that has nothing to do with my age (cheeky!)
Well, recently, I got my wish and got to enjoy The Eagles’ music reproduced LIVE in the ever so elegant and comfortable surroundings of Brighton’s Theatre Royal. This is one of Brighton’s oldest theatres, having been putting on shows since 1807. The grade II listed building itself is beautiful inside and out so if you get chance to enjoy a show there, make sure you take in your surroundings as much as the performance.
I was there on a Monday night to see The Illegal Eagles, having been gifted tickets by lovely friends, Gary & Sandra. Seated in the stalls, far enough from the stage to catch all the action, level with the centre line, I couldn’t have wished for a better seat.
The Illegal Eagles, as you’ll have surmised, is an Eagles tribute band made up of five musicians who are real heavyweights in their own right. In fact, I’m surprised the historic stage at the Theatre Royal didn’t collapse under the weight of all the talent it had to support that night.
OK, without giving away all their secrets, let me share some highlights so you know why you absolutely MUST get to see these guys.
First, the show creates the atmosphere of the US Mid-West with the clever use of video on the backdrop. We were taken from the majestic mesas of Utah to Winslow, Arizona, and various dusty locations in between. Don’t get me wrong. The video was neither a distraction from the music, nor was it necessary to fully enjoy the show. It was an enhancement.
And the guys all looked the part. Trevor Newnham on Bass and Vocals genuinely looked like he’d just stepped out of Dodge. It was he who conversed the most with the audience, treating us to his cheeky Essex wit. The crowd responded warmly to the banter, as did his fellow band members. He created a feel-good atmosphere both onstage and among the audience.
With four top-notch vocalists, the guys were able to reproduce the harmonies for which The Eagles are noted. The harmonies were particularly stunning during Take It To The Limit. Every one of the Illegals possesses a great voice and took turns singing lead. The same goes for the guitars, another notable aspect of The Eagles’ music. Three of the Illegals played lead and rhythm guitar to the highest standard, creating a wall of guitar-sound. We delighted as they duelled through solos, handing the reins back and forth between guitarists, jangling and sliding and frequently changing instruments from banjo to electric guitar to acoustic to twelve-string, the latter – played by Mike Baker – sounding especially wonderful on Peaceful Easy Feeling.
This tour was called The Desperado Tour, so it naturally featured hits from that album but also tracks that were never singles, such as Certain Kind of Fool. My hub (himself a musician) commented that the true measure of any tribute band had to be how well they execute the lesser-known songs. After all, they’d be expected to faithfully reproduce the well-known hits. I can confirm there was no disappointment on that score. A further test was In The City, a Joe Walsh penned tune that was also not released as a single. Again, the Illegals passed with flying colours.
The title track from the album was beautifully staged. Despite keys mostly being played by Gareth Hicklin (who also supplied superb guitar and vocals during the set), for this song Mike Baker sat at the keyboard on an elevated platform at the rear of the stage, his fellow musicians melted into the wings. Bathed in a single white spotlight, the instantly recognisable opening chords of Desperado filled the theatre. Having established himself as a guitar virtuoso, Mike astounded us with his dexterity on the keys, singing the vocal line with emotion and soul. Eventually, the rest of the band rejoined the party to build the drama of this crowd-pleaser, before it dropped back down for Mike to let the ivories lead us to the end. It was a stunning performance and the audience let the guys know how much they appreciated it.
Another Walsh tune, Rocky Mountain Way, sounded fabulous, sung by Trevor with the voicebox supplied by Greg Webb. I should mention, here, that Greg’s high vocal range was instrumental in recreating those fabulous Eagles harmonies.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night, and a very pleasant one, was the inclusion of the Don Henley song The Boys of Summer, but I certainly wasn’t complaining as it’s a belter of a tune. It was a real pleasure to hear it played live by such accomplished musicians. On that note, I must say that after a short while, I forgot I was watching a tribute band at all. What we were watching were some of the best songs ever written performed by a group of high class, multi-instrumentalists who all looked fabulous. The line-up was completed by Tony Kiley on drums and percussion. Don’t be fooled by the fact that I didn’t pick him out, it’s pretty hard to do so because his contribution was consistently brilliant throughout. Every one of the band members played their part in creating a stunning synergy.
Each song was executed superbly. I don’t think I can pick one favourite but some of the stand-outs for me were Witchy Woman, One of These Nights, Life In The Fast Lane (we were all on our feet by this time) and, of course, Hotel California, without which no Eagles’ music gig would be complete.
There were plenty of people in the audience who affirmed that they’d seen the band before, when asked by Trevor. I’m not surprised they came back. Next time, I’ll be one of them as I most definitely want to see The Illegal Eagles again.
The band is currently taking The Desperado Tour around the UK with a pretty punishing schedule. They’ll be back in our area on 5 July with a gig at Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall Theatre, Kent and Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, Sussex, on 18 July. Aside from these, they really are playing the length and breadth of the UK with a tour that currently stretches to early December.
If you enjoy great music, stunning musicianship, country music and/or The Eagles (obvs) this show is a MUST. Thank me later.
Tickets and more info here: https://www.illegaleagles.com/
