The Eagles’ residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas wasn’t just another nostalgia act cashing in on legacy. It was a masterclass in harmony, history, and heart. The Sphere — a venue designed to make even a single guitar strum feel like an earthquake in surround sound — proved to be the perfect modern home for a band that has always balanced warmth with precision. This wasn’t a simple greatest-hits show; it was an immersive, emotional time capsule from a band that helped define the American sound.
The moment the lights dimmed and the first eerie notes of “Hotel California” began to echo, you could feel 17,000 people collectively hold their breath. The visuals behind the band — a desert highway glowing in neon, shifting toward a surreal vision of the titular hotel — instantly set the tone. When the twin guitars of Don Felder (projected on screen in homage) and Joe Walsh locked into that famous solo, the Sphere’s wraparound visuals melted into swirling golden lights. It was cinematic, overwhelming, and breathtakingly intimate all at once. Glenn Frey may no longer be there physically, but his spirit seemed embedded in every harmony, especially as Don Henley’s voice hit that timeless refrain.
The band rolled right into “One of These Nights,” that slow, sultry groove shimmering through the venue like moonlight on a desert road. Henley’s falsetto hasn’t lost its power — it’s weathered now, more textured, but that only made the song’s longing hit harder. Timothy B. Schmit’s harmonies filled out the sound, while Steuart Smith, the understated guitar wizard who’s been in the Eagles lineup since 2001, handled every lick with reverence and precision.
When “Lyin’ Eyes” started, it felt like a communal sing-along. Vince Gill, whose addition to the lineup in recent years has given the band new life, took lead vocals here, and his smooth Nashville tone carried the song with both tenderness and authenticity. Behind him, the Sphere’s massive display projected a sprawling panorama of 1970s Los Angeles — palm trees, city lights, and heartbreak in motion.
The set found its emotional stride with “Take It to the Limit.” Schmit stepped up for this one, nailing the soaring, desperate high notes that made the original Randy Meisner performance so beloved. You could hear people gasp when he hit the final “take it to the limit one more time,” and it felt like a direct connection to the past. The crowd roared, not just for the song, but for the memories it carried.
“Witchy Woman” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling” followed, a perfect one-two that highlighted the Eagles’ contrasting strengths — the mystical and the mellow. For “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” Henley took a moment to nod to the late Jack Tempchin, whose songwriting partnership with the band helped shape their sound. The visuals behind them turned into a moving western landscape: sunrises, cacti, open skies — an elegant backdrop for one of the most perfectly titled songs in rock history.
When “Tequila Sunrise” arrived, the Sphere was bathed in pink and orange hues, making it feel as though the entire venue had been transported to the desert dawn. Gill and Henley shared vocals beautifully, each taking a verse with quiet respect for the other. It’s the kind of song that reminds you how effortlessly the Eagles could make melancholy sound comforting.
Then came “In the City,” Joe Walsh’s hard-edged anthem that jolted the room awake again. His voice was gritty, his grin mischievous, and his guitar solo shredded across the Sphere’s sound system like lightning in surround sound. Walsh remains the band’s rock and roll jester — funny, ferocious, and absolutely vital to the band’s energy.
“I Can’t Tell You Why” slowed things down again, led by Schmit’s velvety smooth falsetto. The Sphere’s acoustics were flawless — you could hear every note of the Fender Rhodes piano, every sigh in Schmit’s delivery. Couples swayed. Fans closed their eyes. It was that kind of moment.
“New Kid in Town” followed, reminding everyone why the Eagles were more than just California dreamers — they were chroniclers of fame’s fleeting glow. Henley introduced it by reflecting on how quickly time passes in the music world, saying softly, “We’ve all been the new kid once.” The audience nodded in quiet agreement.
“Seven Bridges Road” was an absolute showstopper. The band gathered around a single microphone, harmonizing a cappella in breathtaking unity. Every voice — Henley, Gill, Schmit, Walsh, and Smith — blended into a heavenly choir that filled the room with warmth. The Sphere went dark except for a spotlight haloing them, and for a few minutes, the entire crowd seemed to forget where they were.
From there, Henley took the lead with “The End of the Innocence,” his solo hit that felt achingly relevant in 2025. As images of modern America — city skylines, fading small towns, family snapshots — flickered behind him, the song’s quiet plea for empathy and reflection hit like a sermon. Henley’s voice cracked slightly at the end, and the applause was long and emotional.
Then came the fun: “Life’s Been Good.” Joe Walsh strutted across the stage, mugging for the cameras, dropping little jokes between verses (“I still can’t find my Maserati key — if anyone sees it, it’s got a pink tag”). The visuals behind him morphed into a psychedelic comic book version of his lyrics — mansions, guitars, limos, and exploding amplifiers — and the Sphere absolutely came alive.
That led into “Already Gone,” with Gill again taking the lead vocal. His country-inflected phrasing added a new freshness to the classic, and by now the whole crowd was on its feet, belting along.
The back stretch of the main set — “The Boys of Summer,” “Funk #49,” and “Life in the Fast Lane” — was pure adrenaline. “The Boys of Summer” shimmered with melancholy beauty, Henley’s voice rich and weary as beach scenes faded behind him in slow motion. “Funk #49” turned the venue into a rock club, with Walsh absolutely owning his solo — part snarling blues, part unhinged joy. And “Life in the Fast Lane” brought it all home, with dueling guitars lighting up the wraparound visuals in a blur of neon highways and cityscapes.
The crowd erupted as the band exited, only to return moments later for a perfectly balanced encore:
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Take It Easy – The crowd sang every word like a prayer, hands raised, smiles everywhere. It was pure nostalgia, but also pure joy. The visuals showed Route 66, endless open road, and the unmistakable freedom that the song embodies.
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Rocky Mountain Way – Walsh turned this into a stadium-sized party, his talkbox solo sounding enormous in the Sphere’s 360-degree sound. It was unpolished, raw, and perfect.
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Desperado – Henley moved to the piano for the band’s most haunting ballad. The Sphere dimmed to candlelight as his voice filled the space — fragile, pure, and utterly timeless. You could feel the weight of five decades in every line.
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Heartache Tonight – A perfect closer, upbeat and unifying. Everyone was clapping, dancing, and yelling the chorus. The Sphere’s visuals turned into fireworks and golden lights as the band waved goodbye.
As the final chord faded and the lights came up, it felt like the end of something bigger than just a concert. It was a celebration of endurance — of a band that’s weathered loss, change, and the shifting tides of culture, yet still sounds like the heartbeat of American music.
The Sphere amplified their sound, but what really shone through was their humanity. Henley, still wry and soulful. Walsh, still a joyous maniac. Schmit, still tender and precise. Gill, still humble and pure of voice. Even in the absence of Glenn Frey, the Eagles managed to feel whole — not by replacing him, but by carrying him forward in every note.
There’s something almost mystical about watching the Eagles play in 2025. They’re not chasing trends or trying to stay relevant — they don’t have to. The songs themselves are the legacy, each one a postcard from a time when melody and storytelling ruled the airwaves. And inside the futuristic walls of the Sphere, those stories still resonate — clearer, louder, and more beautiful than ever.
Final Grade: A-
Setlist:
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Hotel California
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One of These Nights
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Lyin’ Eyes
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Take It to the Limit
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Witchy Woman
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Peaceful Easy Feeling (Jack Tempchin cover)
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Tequila Sunrise
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In the City (Joe Walsh song)
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I Can’t Tell You Why
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New Kid in Town
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Seven Bridges Road (Steve Young cover)
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The End of the Innocence (Don Henley song)
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Life’s Been Good (Joe Walsh song)
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Already Gone (Robby Strandlund cover)
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The Boys of Summer (Don Henley song)
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Funk #49 (James Gang cover)
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Life in the Fast Lane
Encore:
18. Take It Easy
19. Rocky Mountain Way (Joe Walsh song)
20. Desperado
21. Heartache Tonight