OPENING NIGHT AT THE NOKIA / POP MUSIC REVIEW - All good in the long run - The Eagles and Dixie Chicks turn the Nokia into a high-class honky-tonk in sets that show their chops -- and the venue's.
The Nokia Theatre, the blindingly bright new gem of downtown Los Angeles night life, turned out to be two things Thursday during its opening night, the first of six shows by the Eagles and the Dixie Chicks. To the ears and well-cushioned backside, it was a high-class concert hall, with excellent acoustics, comfy upholstery and nearly flawless sightlines.
For the soul, the theater offered something else -- the excess stimulation only arena shows provide. Pulsing with screens, awash in colored spotlights and free of the haute-bourgeois aura that can sometimes make pop shows feel strange in older, more ornate theaters, the Nokia made it easy for 7,100 concertgoers to forget the steep cost of the night's tickets (face value of nearly $300 for orchestra seats) and cut loose.
As the Eagles boogied through two hours' worth of new songs and beloved hits, guys clinked cups of beer across the aisles. Couples pressed together, swaying to the music. Dads and teenage daughters linked arms and sang along to Don Henley's "Boys of Summer": "Out on the road today, I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac."
Eagles songs: A review in Saturday's Calendar section of the Eagles concert at the Nokia Theatre said "Peaceful Easy Feeling" was written by Glenn Frey. The song's writer is Jack Tempchin. Also, it said "Life in the Fast Lane" was composed by Don Henley. That song is credited to Joe Walsh, Henley and Frey.
This wasn't completely evident during the Dixie Chicks' set, which highlighted the theater's other strong qualities. The trio, augmented by a small brigade of sidemen, was rather staid at first, perhaps because this was the first show they'd played since winning five Grammy awards in February. Their vocal harmonies and rich, warm instrumentation showed off the hall's acoustical properties. But only after sprinting through the bluegrass breakdown "White Trash Wedding" did the band really come together.
Emily Robison's chops finally kicked in on banjo, and Martie Maguire followed suit on fiddle. Singer Natalie Maines hit her stride singing "Not Ready to Make Nice," which has become her "My Way." The set's highlights were all newer songs; the Chicks are definitely done with Nashville, and want to focus on their new, California-bred sound.
