EAGLES
Ahoy Rotterdam, Netherlands
May 11-13, 1977
On May 11th, 1977, the Eagles kicked off a three-night stand at the Ahoy Rotterdam, as part of their 1977 European tour. Valerie Carter was the opening act, replacing Dan Fogelberg.
This was the Eagles’ second appearance at the Ahoy Rotterdam. The first was on June 18th, 1975, with Joe Walsh opening for them.
The three nights at the Ahoy, originally scheduled for April, were inserted between the Dusseldorf and Hamburg dates of the German tour.
The Eagles stayed at the Hilton in Amsterdam.
May 11, 1977
Prior to their opening night on May 11th, the band was presented with an award from their record company, WEA (Warner-Elektra-Atlantic), for exceeding half a million in record sales in the Netherlands. Posing with the band in the photographs is Stance Oort, whose company, Golden Design, created the award. In 1973, Oort presented the band with silver Eagles pins prior to their show at the Concertbegouw in Amsterdam.
Translation (De Telegraaf, May 13th, 1977):
Bullion For Eagles
The Eagles were awarded by their record company WEA for the sale of more than half a million LPs in the Netherlands . Director Ben Bunders presented The Eagles with a very special gold and platinum record made by Stance Oort and her husband Aat from Beverwijk, who have become world famous in the past five months for the special designs that they are able to create with such precious metal. They have previously produced records for Fleetwood Mac, Bryan Ferry, Queen and Fats Domino. For her friends The Eagles (Stance also made the now famous silver Eagles brooch), 3 gold, 2 platinum and 1 diamond LP in a perspex plate.
The Eagles sold out all 8,000 seats of the Ahoy for three nights in a row. According to Dutch journalist Constant Meijers, “the first [concert] was the most interesting, the second the best, and the third the coziest.” 1
Excerpt from a review of the May 11th show from the Dutch paper, Het Parool (translated):
“After singer Valerie Carter, the stage darkens around a quarter past nine. The dimmed lights also hide the speakers suspended high in the sky, which guarantee a crystal-clear reproduction. Cheers, shouts and applause mingle with the intro sounds of ‘Hotel California.’ The light is soft green as drummer Don Henley’s unsurpassed lead vocals slowly flow into swirling unison guitar riffs from both guitarists Don Felder and Joe Wash. A great start. A series of twinkling gems will follow….After ‘Lyin ‘Eyes,’ bassist Randy Meisner comes into the picture as lead singer of ‘Take it to the Limit.’ A delight thanks to his high-pitched falsetto screams and Glenn Frey’s assistance at the grand piano.”
Het Parool (Amsterdam), May 12, 1977
Setlist
Hotel California
Walk Away
Victim Of Love
Lyin’ Eyes
Take It To The Limit
New Kid In Town
One Of These Nights
Doolin-Dalton
Desperado (reprise)
Already Gone
Turn To Stone
Seven Bridges Road
Life In The Fast Lane
Rocky Mountain Way
Witchy Woman
James Dean
Best Of My Love
Take It Easy
Carol
Randy & Joe duck walk across the stage most likely during the finale of Chuck Berry’s “Carol.”
Photos from May 13th, 1977
© Klaas L. Wijchman
Below: Randy performs “Take It To The Limit,” Rotterdam Ahoy, May 13th, 1977
Photo © Klaas L. Wijchman
