On The Border Tour - Randy Meisner: A Retrospective

Eagles
Ozark Music Festival, Sedalia, MO
July 19th, 1974

The Eagles played the first night of the three-day festival held at the Missouri State Fairgrounds. Also appearing on the 19th were Bob Seger, Elvin Bishop and Joe Walsh.

Although promoters planned for only 50,000 concertgoers, it is believed that as many as 300,000 attended over the course of the weekend. Many lured by an ad for the festival in Rolling Stone magazine.

_{Ad for the festival in Rolling Stone, July 4th, 1974.
This early ad does not mention Joe Walsh, who performed on the 19th. Bruce Springsteen was billed, but did not attend.}

The festival was also aimed at those who may have missed Woodstock recalled John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band:

“A lot of us missed Woodstock, including some who were there. The 1974 Sedalia concert sounded like it was going to recapture that shows legendary vibe…just like the big time, only…smaller.”
(Join Together: 40 Years Of The Rock Music Festival by Brant Marley, 2008)

The Eagles at the Ozark Music Festival. Photo by Richard Galbraith.

Author

Jessica Buxton

1974, Eagles, Missouri

EAGLES
War Memorial Auditorium
Nashville, TN, June 3rd, 1973

Charlie Daniels opened.
The War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville served as the home for the Grand Ole Opry until 1943.

Randy and Glenn Frey at the Nashville concert.
Photo @Donivan Earhart

1973, Eagles, Glenn Frey, Nashville

The Eagles
Mississippi River Festival, Edwardsville, IL
July 17, 1974

Future Eagle Joe Walsh also performed.

Edwardsville Intelligencer, July 17, 1974

A month later, Randy wore a shirt from the festival in a set of photos taken by Henry Diltz.
See the rest of the photos here.

1974, Eagles, Illinois, Mississippi River Festival

EAGLES
Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ
May 18, 1974

Jesse Colin Young opened

At the show, Randy wore a Cowtown Ballroom t-shirt. The Cowtown Ballroom was a music venue in Kansas City, MO, whose logo featured a reefer-smoking cow. The Eagles never played there, but they did play the Memorial Ballroom in Kansas City in December 1973. It’s possible that’s when Randy acquired the shirt.

1974, Eagles, New Jersey

EAGLES
State University Of New York/Geneseo
May 4, 1974

The Eagles performed at the Ice Arena at SUNY Geneseo. Leo Kottke opened.

Original poster:

Concert preview from Geneseo Lamron newspaper, May 3, 1974:

Photos from SUNY Geneseo’s Oh Ha Daih yearbook

1974, Eagles, New York

BANDS Eagles Midnight Flyer On The Border Tour Songs Too Many Hands

Flying Across The Spectrum: The Eagles in Philly, 1975

January 17, 2023May 17, 2026

The Eagles played The Spectrum in Philadelphia, May 17, 1975. Read about the show and listen to both songs Randy performed that night.

EAGLES
Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
December 31st, 1974

The Eagles played Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve 1974. Among their guests were Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg, J.D. Souther and Joe Walsh.

For this show, Randy played a Hagstrom HII BN bass. This bass has a different headstock than the red Hagstrom he often played during the mid-70s.

December 31, 1974, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles — Randy (left) with J.D. Souther

“When midnight arrived, the Eagles treated everybody to a bluegrass treatment of ‘Auld Lang Syne,’ released a passelfull of balloons and let loose a gorilla who threw bananas to the audience. Then they invited a few of their friends, including Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne and opening act Dan Fogelberg–on stage to join them for ‘Take It Easy.'” (San Pedro News-Pilot, January 4, 1975)