Eagles - Beacon Theatre, New York 1974 (2023)

EARLY EAGLES PERFORMANCE FEATURING JACKSON BROWNE & LINDA RONSTADT Having formed just three years earlier in 1971 as a short-lived backing band for Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles had broken through to mainstream success on their own terms by 1974. Their eponymous debut - released on Asylum in 1972 - had yielded three Top 40 singles; with Take It Easy, Witchy Woman and Peaceful Easy Feeling reaching 12, 9 and 22 respectively. Their follow-up, Desperado, came the following year, and while less successful still produced two of the band s most popular songs: the title track and Tequila Sunrise. By 1974, main songwriters Glen Frey and Don Henley wanted to take the band away from their country rock roots towards a heavier sound. Whilst working on their next album, On The Border, guitarist Don Felder was brought in to play slide on Good Day In Hell, and the band were so impressed that he became a fulltime member the following day. He would feature on one other song on the album, the opener Already Gone, and On The Border would also contain the Eagles first No. 1 single, Best Of My Love. This concert, taken from an episode of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert on 13th April 1974 - one week after their legendary performance before an audience of 300,000 at the California Jam festival - showcases the group touring in support of On The Border. Playing a number of their previous hits and recent releases, the band are also joined on stage separately by Linda Ronstadt and by former songwriting partner Jackson Browne, before all parties come together for a spectacular rendition of Take It Easy, concluding a truly magnificent set from a band on the cusp of international success.