The second the needle hit, the curtain rose and the band launched into the title track. They made that clear by beginning the show by having a man walk onto the stage and place a vinyl copy of Hotel California on a turnable. Playing wild variations of them onstage or breaking out obscure B sides, oddball covers or forgotten solo tunes would practically be a criminal offense to their enormous fan base. Their hits are meticulously crafted works of art and they’ve burrowed their way into the public’s consciousness after decades of continuous airplay on classic rock radio. In many ways, the criticisms have always been unfair.

This time around, that square calls for a complete performance of the band’s 1977 masterpiece Hotel California along with a long set of classics from their other albums and a scattering of solo hits. There’s no better way to think of an Eagles show circa 2020 than a box of chocolates (albeit a very pricey one) with a square insert noting exactly what’s inside.

Something familiar in uncertain times because life is like a box of chocolates, except with some boxes of chocolates you get a little map that shows you exactly what you’re going to get with one of those squares inside. “We want to provide you with about a three-hour break from the hideous 24/7 news cycle. “The first thing I want to do is thank you for your support all these years,” he said. Midway through the Eagles marathon show at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, Don Henley stepped up to the microphone and addressed the crowd for one of the few times that evening.

Eagles wasted time lead singer