I went to see Eagles at Co-op Live in Manchester and if this is goodbye - it was the perfect farewell

On night three of Eagles’ Co-op Live residency Don Henley vowed to give the Manchester crowd a “two-hour break from the 24-hour news cycle” and if it is indeed the farewell tour their show could not have gone any better.

Before I dive into the Eagles performance, how great were the Doobie Brothers? They weren’t meant to be here, but were drafted in as a late replacement for Steely Dan and they made it look smooth and effortless on stage as they belted out their biggest hits and performed for close to an hour. Admittedly, I can’t say until last night I was a huge Doobie Brothers fan… minus ‘China Grove’ (thanks to Grand Theft Auto ‘The Lost and Damned’), but after hearing them last night I’ll need to dive into their catalogue a little more often. 

As the Eagles stepped onto the stage, a video package documenting the band’s journey and their greatest moments throughout the years was played and left me with the feeling that it is officially ‘The Long Goodbye’ after all. But as they belted out ‘Seven Bridges Road’ in perfect harmony to open, you knew it was going to be a masterful performance.    

The Eagles opted for a simplistic approach when it came to their set. There was no theatrics, no choreography and nothing dramatic. It was simply a group of unbelievably talented musicians, who played their guitars, harmonised perfectly and allowed their music to take centre stage. Needless to say it was perfect. 

Whilst their performance as a collective is well-documented, everyone got their chance to take centre stage and showcase their abilities as individuals. 

Deacon Frey - the son of legendary Eagle Glenn Frey proved to be a more than capable replacement for his father. Deacon took centre stage at different points throughout the night, effortlessly belting out hits such as ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’, ‘Already Gone’ and ‘Take It Easy’ with the confidence of a seasoned pro. 

Legendary songwriter Vince Gill was also a major highlight as he performed ‘Take It To The Limit’ and ‘Lyin’ Eyes’ before the band rolled out some of their biggest hits including ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ and ‘Tequila Sunrise’. 

Legendary guitarist Joe Walsh was in his element as he took centre stage to perform some of his trademark guitar solos that served as a reminder of his brilliance. As the band returned to the stage for the encore, the audience lit up the arena with torchlight from their smartphones as they witnessed a terrific performance of ‘Hotel California’, which was followed by ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ and ‘Desperado’. As the night came to a close, the band got everyone singing, clapping and dancing as they sang ‘Heartache Tonight’. 

The Eagles will complete their five-night stint at Co-op Live on Friday and Saturday night. Tickets, priced from around £200, are still available from Ticketmaster for both shows.