The Eagles played the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh on May 9th, 1974. Jeffrey Comanor and Jesse Colin Young opened.
“Bassist Randy Meisner deserves mention here for the solid bottom lines which helped make these rockers work, as well as for the superb high harmonies he provided throughout.”
Dan Fogelberg opened.
Photos by Keith McDougall
This live recording archive features songs that Randy sang lead or co-lead on between 1972-1977, during his tenure with the Eagles.
The Eagles opened for the Allman Brothers at Boston Garden on July 26th, 1974. Listen to an audience recording of the Eagles’ set below. The concert was a benefit for the North American Indian Foundation.
Randy sang lead on “Midnight Flyer” and “Tryin’.”
“Midnight Flyer”:
“Tryin'”:
The Eagles go full blast on “Tryin'” for nearly 7 minutes. The addition of Don Felder on this 1974 recording gives it a hard rock edge not heard in previous live versions.
Full Concert:
Setlist
Take It Easy
Outlaw Man
Already Gone
Doolin-Dalton
Desperado
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Midnight Flyer
Twenty-One
Blackberry Blossom
James Dean
Good Day In Hell
Tryin’
Witchy Woman
Chug All Night
Out Of Control
The Eagles played Palace Theater in Providence, RH on May 20th, 1974. REO Speedwagon opened. An audience recording exists from the concert. Listen below.
“Tryin'”:
Full Concert Recording:
It’s likely Randy also performed “Midnight Flyer,” but it is not part of the recording.
Recording Setlist
Take It Easy
Outlaw Man
Already Gone
Doolin’ Dalton/ Desperado
Train Leaves Here
Tequila Sunrise
Ol’ 55
Twenty-One
Blackberry Blossom
Early Bird
James Dean
Good Day in Hell
Witchy Woman
Chug All Night
Tryin’
Desperado
The Eagles played the Music Hall in Boston, MA on May 14th, 1975. Dan Fogelberg opened. An audience recording exists of the Eagles’ set. Listen to it below.
Randy sang lead on “Midnight Flyer” and “Too Many Hands.”
“Midnight Flyer”:
“Too Many Hands”:
Boston Globe concert review: “Too Many Hands,” a cut from the new LP, offered an expanded blues sound, a far cry from “Desperado.”
Full Concert:
Setlist
Take It Easy
Outlaw Man
Doolin’ Dalton
Train Leaves Here This Morning
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Desperado
OL’ 55
One Of These Nights
Twenty One
Midnight Flyer
Journey Of The Sorcerer
Too Many Hands
Already Gone
Good Day In Hell
James Dean
Witchy Woman
Chug All Night
Best Of My Love (Dan Fogelberg on piano)
Boston Globe review:
The Eagles played Grand Valley State College in Allendale, MI on May 26, 1974
Original Poster
The Eagles played Music Inn in Lenox on August 22nd, 1974. Listen to an audience recording of the Eagles’ set below.
Randy sang lead on “Midnight Flyer” and “Tryin'”
“Midnight Flyer”
“Tryin'”
Full Concert
“James Dean” is mentioned in the Berkshire Eagle review below, but is not part of the recording.
Recording Setlist
Take It Easy
Outlaw Man
Already Gone
Doolin-Dalton
Desperado
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Midnight Flyer
Blackberry Blossom
Tryin’
Witchy Woman
Chug All Night
Tequila Sunrise
“Their vocal and instrumental flights–backed up by Randy Meisner’s superb bass–were what counted…”
The Eagles played the Richmond Coliseum on May 25th, 1975. Linda Ronstandt opened.
Photo courtesy of Joan Shaver
According to the review in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the highlights of the evening were the two songs on which Randy sang lead: “Too Many Hands” and “Midnight Flyer.” The author of the latter, Paul Craft, was in the audience.
“The high points were a sizzling ‘Too Many Hands’ and Paul Craft’s churning ‘Midnight Flyer,’ the author, in the Coliseum audience, is not likely to hear his song done that well again.”
C.A. Bustard, Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 27, 1975
Leon Russell was the headlining act at Holiday Jam ’74 at the Orange Bowl on July 7th, 1974. The Band, The Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Sons of Champlin also performed. It was the first rock concert ever at the Orange Bowl.
The photos below were taken by John Gellman, who recalled attending the festival:
“The Eagles were the highlight of the day. They just killed. I remember their final encore song was Out Of Control, which they dedicated to President Richard Nixon, who resigned from office less than a month later. After the Eagles played, Alan Walden, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s manager, was extremely upset backstage yelling, ‘I’m NEVER gonna let one of my bands follow that band ever again!’ Alan was right to be upset. Following the Eagles onstage was not a good place to be. The Eagles left the Orange Bowl field with a 3 touchdown lead. Skynyrd played well, but never even got close. I enjoyed the Band’s set, but did not think they played nearly as well as they did earlier in the year when I saw them with Bob Dylan. I do not remember a single thing about Leon Russell. After a hot July day in the Miami sun, I was fried by the time he hit the stage. Or maybe it was the refreshments.”
-John Gellman, “Random rock shots – The Eagles in 1974,” jgphoto.com, December 22, 2012
Photo ©John Gellman.
Photo ©John Gellman
The Eagles played Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom on April 26th, 1974. The Marshall Tucker Band was the opener.
Photo ©Kirk West
Review: Chicago Tribune, April 29, 1974
Photos ©Kirk West
The Eagles played the Fieldhouse at Regis College (now Regis University), a Jesuit Catholic college in Denver, on April 1st, 1974. The Talbot Brothers opened.
Article about the show from Regis’ Brown & Gold newspaper. A couple of band member’s names are misspelled early on: Glenn Trey (Glenn Frey and Doc Telder (Don Felder).
Randy and his wife, Jennifer, backstage at Regis College.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Meisner.
The reviewer for Boulder’s underground paper, The Straight Creek Journal, felt that the Eagles put on a great show, but the crowd’s overreaction to every song was insincere.
The Eagles and Kansas opened for the Beach Boys at Indiana University’s Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
The concert was originally supposed to take place outdoors at the 10th Street Stadium, but was moved to an indoor venue due to rain.
Indiana Daily Student, September 4, 1974 (Photo: Jim Maire):
Photo ©Neil Sharrow:
Randy backstage. Photo ©Neil Sharrow:
The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band opened.
Ticket stub courtesy of Chris Buxton:
