Theatre Review Spraywatch

It was in 1996, after seeing the Eagles on their Hell Freezes Over tour, that tonight’s musical director, Philip Aldridge, decided to form a tribute band celebrating the American country rockers’ music. Nearly 30 years on, that decision has clearly paid off. The Illegal Eagles have toured relentlessly ever since, earning a reputation for their tight harmonies and impressive musicianship.

This latest run of shows, The Hotel California Tour, marks the 50th anniversary of the Eagles’ iconic album Hotel California. Rather than performing the record in one continuous set, the band opted to weave its songs throughout the evening, an understandable choice given that both the album’s opener, ‘Hotel California’, and its closer, ‘The Last Resort’, are typically encore-worthy centrepieces.

Tonight’s line-up featured Garreth Hicklin (vocals, guitars, mandolin, piano, drums), Trevor Newnham (vocals, bass), Mike Baker (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Greg Webb (vocals, guitars), and Tony Kiley (drums). With multiple lead vocalists, the band shared duties throughout, each bringing their own strengths to the material. Hicklin impressed on ‘New Kid in Town’, while Baker delivered a strong performance on ‘Try to Love Again’, the first Hotel California track of the night.

Proceedings opened with ‘Midnight Flyer’ from 1974’s On the Border, accompanied by atmospheric visuals of a train heading west, part of a series of projections that ran throughout the show. These cinematic backdrops, depicting scenes from across America, added a strong sense of place and narrative to the performance.

The set moved effortlessly through the Eagles’ catalogue. ‘Tequila Sunrise’, featuring Hicklin on mandolin, was followed by ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’ and ‘Best of My Love’, the latter enhanced by Webb’s pedal steel guitar. Between songs, the band offered insights into the Eagles’ history, touching on the tensions that fuelled their creative output.

A run of hits, ‘Victim of Love’, ‘Witchy Woman’, and ‘One of These Nights’, was delivered with precision before the band were joined by a string section from the Royal Northern College of Music. Their contribution added depth and texture, particularly on Glenn Frey’s instrumental ‘I Dreamed There Was No War’, which helped bring the first half to a close alongside Don Henley’s ‘The Boys of Summer’.

The second half opened energetically with Joe Walsh’s ‘Life’s Been Good’. From there, ‘I Can’t Tell You Why’, ‘Pretty Maids All in a Row’, and ‘Wasted Time’ maintained the momentum. Audience participation peaked during ‘Lying Eyes’, with lyrics projected onscreen to encourage a full singalong.

A moving ‘Desperado’, performed by Baker at the piano, preceded the high-energy pairing of ‘Heartache Tonight’ and ‘Life in the Fast Lane’. The string section then delivered ‘Wasted Time (Reprise)’ before BBC presenter Bob Harris’s voice introduced ‘The Last Resort’, often regarded as the Eagles’ magnum opus. Shared vocal duties gave the performance added weight, underscoring the song’s themes of environmental and cultural loss.

Following a standing ovation, the band returned for an inevitable and warmly received ‘Hotel California, the chorus of which sung as loudly by the audience as by the band.

Special mention should go to drummer Tony Kiley. Though largely out of the spotlight, his contribution was consistently excellent, providing a solid foundation throughout.

Unsung hereoes of the evening were the guitar technician who spent nearly as much time on stage as the band and the merchandise stall who had to sell Illegal Eagles tea towels.

The evening closed with ‘Take It to the Limit’, rounding off a memorable night. For fans of the Eagles, The Illegal Eagles offer a faithful and thoroughly enjoyable live experience, one that audiences will no doubt return to again and again.

The Illegal Eagles tour continues and information for which can be found in the link below,

https://www.illegaleagles.com/tour

 

Reviewer – Adrian Cork 

On – 12.04.2026