EAGLES St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO November 23, 1976
Randy’s “Take It To The Limit” was “really well-performed and the crowd reaction was instantaneous, long and loud–so long, in fact, that he told the crowd it was embarrassing him, and he looked as if it were.”
EAGLES Metropolitan Sports Center, Minneapolis, MN November 18th, 1976
J.D. Souther was the opening act.
Minneapolis Star, November 11, 1976
A week before the show on November 11th, the band was interviewed by radio host, Gary Bridges, for an Eagles special on WDBG.
Minneapolis Star, November 11, 1976
According to the review, the truck transporting the band’s sound system was involved in a serious accident in Des Moines, IA the day before the show, so the band had to rent less-than-ideal sound equipment for a large arena.
Sadly, no mention of Randy in the review (the only band member not mentioned).
Randy wore a shirt with the logo for Randy’s Rodeo in San Antonio, TX. He was also playing his newly acquired Music Man Stingray bass, which were just introduced that year.
EAGLES Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK November 8, 1976
J.D. Souther opened.
According to the review, Randy’s soprano on “Take It To The Limit” sent the audience into a “frenzy,” and “Midnight Flyer” brought out the cowboys in the crowd.
In the photos, Randy is playing a Music Man Stingray bass, which had just been introduced that year.
J.D. Souther opened the show and later joined the band onstage for “Best Of My Love,” which he co-wrote with Don Henley & Glenn Frey.
Houston Daily Cougar, November 9, 1976
The concert was filmed and Randy’s performances of “Take It To The Limit” and “Midnight Flyer” can be watched below. Note that Randy and Joe are both wearing white t-shirts with the logo for Criteria Studios in Miami where the band was finishing up Hotel California at the time. In fact, the previous night’s show in Baton Rouge was held up for two hours because the band was late arriving from Miami.
Randy recalled in 2006, the grueling touring and recording schedule from this period:
“We had to go out on the road while we were doing that album and then go back to Criteria Studios in Florida to finish it…We went back and forth a lot…wanted to get the tracks right and mixed right. We knew the album was special.” (“Randy Meisner Takes It To The Limit One More Time,” Ken Sharp, Discoveries magazine, September 2006)
EAGLES Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO August 18-19, 1975
Dan Fogelberg opened for the Eagles.
Denver Post, August 17, 1975
Although not billed, Tom Waits performed at the August 18th show, much to the displeasure of the audience:
“Unfortunately Tom was booed off the stage before he could do a whole set, presumably because the Eagles fans were more accustomed to sweet than dour. The headliners were not pleased, and made a big point of emphasizing the identity of the composer of ‘Ol 55’ when the time came.” (Ken Langford, Tom Waits Library)
It’s interesting that Waits would perform at this show since he disliked the Eagles version of his song and said so publicly in early 1975 (read more here). The next year his comments about the band were even more harsh when he told a reporter that their albums were only good for “keeping dust off your turntable.” One can’t help but wonder if getting booed at this concert added to his contempt for the band.
EAGLES Balboa Stadium, San Diego, CA September 27, 1975
The Eagles headlined the “One Of These Days” concert at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt also performed. The show was filmed and portions of it were shown on Saturday Night Live With Howard Cosell (not to be confused with long-running NBC show).
San Diego Union, September 7, 1975
The following review is not the most positive, but provides a good description of the show and the songs that were played.
At one point during the Eagles’ set, sportscaster, actor, and former Detroit Lions football player, Alex Karras, appeared onstage with the band in a red wig and large guitar. Note Detroit native Glenn Frey’s shirt that said: Alex Karras Blues Band.
Forty-seven years ago today, the Eagles played Kent State University on the eve of the 5th anniversary of the Kent State Shootings. But it was not without controversy.
The Eagles-Ronstadt-Browne package played before a crowd of 55,000 people on Sunday, Sept. 28, 1975 at the Sunshine Festival at Anaheim Stadium in California. JD […]
In early August 1975, the Eagles arrived in the Windy City for a concert and took a series of photos on Lake Michigan, one of which appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone.