Entertainment

At the Las Vegas Sphere, the Eagles' songs are the special effect

Published

2 years ago

September 23, 2024

LAS VEGAS —

Not a guy known for understating his own importance, Don Henley took in his surroundings on Saturday night and acknowledged that the Eagles — the hit-making, money-minting, fake-band-in-“Almost Famous”-inspiring Eagles — weren’t entirely what the thousands of people before him had turned up to see.

“We’ll be the house band for this evening,” he said, one of nine tiny-looking men onstage beneath the cavernous illuminated dome of Sphere. “Remember the old black-and-white silent movies, they had the organist down there performing music to the film? That’s what we are — we’re the organist.”

With two concerts over this past weekend, the Eagles became the fourth act to play this state-of-the-art venue — after U2, Phish and Dead & Company — just behind the Venetian resort on the Las Vegas Strip; by now you’ve heard about Sphere’s 160,000-square-foot video screen and about its seatback haptics and about the $2 billion the building’s mastermind, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Chief Executive James Dolan, spent to bring it all to life almost exactly a year ago.

But if 12 months of TikTok and Instagram clips have arguably diminished the initial shock of the place, Henley was right in surmising that Sphere-goers are still coming here to be wowed. On Saturday night, the second of 20 Eagles gigs scheduled through January, folks were ooh-ing and aah-ing before the music even started as they were met upon entering by an enormous photorealistic mural jamming together dozens of landmarks from the band’s Los Angeles hometown, including the Chateau Marmont, Griffith Observatory, the Paramount Pictures gate and, of course, the Troubadour, where Henley and Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey famously met in the early 1970s as members of Linda Ronstadt’s road band. (Inevitably, a painstaking mock-up of the Troubadour inside the Venetian is now where you can buy Eagles hoodies and backpacks.)

The group’s two-hour show delivers plenty of additional eye candy, not least a scene set to “In the City” in which you lift out of a kind of grimy tenement-building panopticon to soar over a verdant landscape rendered in almost-lurid greens and blues. “Hope you brought your Dramamine,” Henley said to big laughs from the mostly middle-aged crowd. Then he joked that next weekend he might have the venue replace the floor seats with recliners.

The Eagles are scheduled to play 20 shows at Sphere through January.

(Chloe Weir)

Yet the Eagles’ Sphere production is for sure a less elaborate visual spectacle than its predecessors, with quite a few songs — “One of These Nights,” “Witchy Woman,” “Lyin’ Eyes,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “Seven Bridges Road” — accompanied by variations on a windswept desert vista or a mossy forest or a starry night sky. The result was more vibe-setting than storytelling: Sometimes you felt like you were watching a band perform in front of the world’s highest-resolution screensaver; other times, as during an underwater ballet set to Henley’s “The Boys of Summer,” you wondered whether the Eagles had repurposed footage from some lost ’80s perfume commercial.

Which as an approach makes all kinds of sense. For Sphere, the Eagles’ relatively low-key show demonstrates that the venue can host acts that don’t necessarily want to spend oodles of time and money (as U2 and Dead & Co did) to reinvent the live concert experience. For the Eagles, the show is in keeping with a long-established focus on the music beyond all else — a mindset Henley nodded to when he welcomed the audience by pointing out with genuine-seeming excitement that Sphere houses 164,000 speakers.

“We’ve been playing these songs for you for 52 years now,” he added, and you understood that, more than the splendor on Sphere’s wraparound screen, what the Eagles have really become the house band for is the cherished memories of the band’s fans, which contain an emotional power no special effect could ever match.

Indeed, this Vegas residency comes amid a so-called farewell tour the Eagles launched in late 2023 and which they’ve promised to keep extending for as long as audiences show up. Following Frey’s death in 2016, 77-year-old Henley is the only original member still in the group, which also includes bassist Timothy B. Schmit and guitarist Joe Walsh (both Eagles since the mid-’70s) and a pair of fill-ins for Frey in the country star Vince Gill and Frey’s 31-year-old son Deacon. Last week, J.D. Souther, who co-wrote several of the Eagles’ signature tunes, died at 78; Randy Meisner, another founder known for his lead vocal in “Take It to the Limit,” died last year at 77.

The Eagles' Sphere residency follows earlier gigs by U2, Phish and Dead & Company.

Onstage, Henley introduced Deacon Frey as “one reason we’ve been able to keep this legacy alive,” and if the weight of that intro spooked the younger musician, you couldn’t tell: Frey’s singing in “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and especially “Take It Easy” was warm and soulful, even if it lacked the hint of an edge that his late dad brought to the Eagles’ rich-hippie country-rock sound.

As always, the Eagles’ playing was masterful throughout the night: crisp and strummy in “New Kid in Town,” tense yet cooled-out in “I Can’t Tell You Why,” extravagantly supple in “Hotel California,” which they opened with in case anybody came in doubting the band’s ample supply of hits. Every time the players arranged themselves in a line to blend their voices in five- or six-part harmony, Sphere’s crystal-clear sound system let you hear each part both on its own and as a component in the whole — just the kind of tech breakthrough you can bet drew Henley to Vegas (in addition to the chance to charge a premium for tickets).

On Saturday, Henley took a minute at the very end of the show to toast Souther, whom he called “a great man — smart, funny, witty” and who he said “loved a good meal and a good martini, loved to laugh, loved the pretty girls.” Souther co-wrote the next song, Henley added, which would also be the Eagles’ closer, and as the band revved up “Heartache Tonight,” Sphere transformed into a giant jukebox that seemed to pull the audience — and seemed to pull the Eagles — deep inside it.

Cool trick. Apt one too.

Movie Reviews

‘Michael’ Review: A Perfect Puzzle With Major Missing Pieces

Published

6 hours ago

April 24, 2026

Press Room

‘Michael’ Review: A Perfect Puzzle With Major Missing Pieces

Lionsgate

SPOILER NOTICE:

The following movie review does not contains direct spoilers for the film Michael, however general information in regards to the plot, characters, key climax points, biographical information and themes explored in the film will be heavily discussed. Please read at your own discretion, or after seeing the film in theaters.

There have been, so far, four films that aim to depict some portion of the beautifully tragic life of late pop music pioneer Michael Jackson, otherwise known to the world as The King Of Pop.

You’ve got The Jacksons: An American Dream, the near-perfect 1992 ABC miniseries that gave MJ, his brothers and verbally abusive father Joe Jackson equal screen time in order to make for a proper origin story. Then there’s Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story, an abysmal 2004 VH1 TV movie that acts as a spiritual sequel yet truly should’ve never been made. Almost a decade ago we got Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland, the 2017 Lifetime Network attempt to cover his final years of life, told from the perspective of two bodyguards employed by him for merely two-and-a-half years.

Today (April 24), the world finally gets to see Michael. The 2026 true-to-form biopic boasts the biggest budget compared to the previous three projects, distribution handled by the renowned Lionsgate Films, a director’s chair occupied by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Brooklyn’s Finest) and MJ’s own nephew, Jaafar Jackson, starring in the titular role alongside a glowing supporting cast that includes Colman Domingo (Rustin), Nia Long (Love Jones), Miles Teller (Divergent) and Larenz Tate (Menace II Society) just to name a few. Not to mention, it’s got full backing from The Jacksons family and 100% musical clearance to assure his biggest hits are heard on the big screen.

With all that said, you might be expecting a masterpiece that borrows the best aspects from the original and rights the wrongs of the last two. Unfortunately, that’s not the case when it comes to Michael. Thankfully though, there’s so much more to love about this film in addition to a very strong potential for more.

Yes folks, we may very well be getting the first-ever sequel to a biopic sometime in the near future.

RELATED: You, Me & Tuscany Review – Sappy, Sweet, C+ Rom-Com

Before we get ahead of ourselves by discussing a potential sequel, let’s first start off with what you get out of Michael. The film covers Joe’s formation of The Jackson 5 in 1966 and ends with MJ’s iconic 1988 Wembley Stadium stop on the Bad Tour. The filler in-between covers their Chitlin’ Circuit days, the Motown era, run-ins with Gladys Knight and The Pips, finding his voice with Off The Wall, the epic creation of Thriller, the Motown 25 NBC special and the infamous Pepsi burning incident. Each of these scenes are done with great detail and a passion from all involved to get it as close to the real-life moments. However, what’s missing stands out like a sore thumb.

Both Rebbie and Janet are nowhere to be found — they each requested their likeness not be depicted — and neither is MJ’s longtime muse, Diana Ross. It was reported that actress Kat Graham was actually casted in the part, only to later have her scenes cut completely due to legalities. Off The Wall also gets painted as his solo debut of sorts, completely ignoring the four successful solo albums that preceded it when he was just a preteen. Also, while it’s perfectly clear who the movie is about based on the title, it does feel a bit off to see the closest people in his life demoted to barely-speaking supporting characters, save for Domingo’s powerful portrayal as mean ol’ Joe, Long as the ever-caring Mrs. Katherine and longtime bodyguard Bill Bray played by KeiLyn Durrel Jones.

On the positive side, Michael ultimately does more good than confusion. Jaafar is simply captivating when it comes to embodying his late superstar uncle, nailing everything from those easily-recognizable voice inflections to the classic dance moves. The film ends in 1988, right before MJ invests in Neverland Ranch, so don’t expect the heavy topic of his acquitted child sexual abuse allegations from 1993 and 2003 to be brought up either — well, yet anyway.

If in fact a “Jackson” sequel is in the works, we can only hope his full story is told with care, respect and most importantly the truth. Other important aspects we’d hope to see be depicted include an honest look at his vitiligo journey, the toll he suffered mentally as a result of the trials, the marriage, the kids, the dichotomy of balancing unprecedented riches against a substantial amount of debt and, yes, the prescription drug abuse that ultimately ended his life.

Overall, for everything Michael lacks there is something just as good to love about the film, and the potential for a sequel gives us hope that the best is still yet to come.

Watch the trailer for Michael below, and see for yourselves how The King Of Pop’s story began as his latest biopic hits theaters starting today:

Entertainment

Stagecoach 2026: How to watch Friday’s livestream with Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman

Published

8 hours ago

April 24, 2026

Press Room

Stagecoach 2026: How to watch Friday’s livestream with Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman

Choosin’ to stay home instead of trekking out to Indio for this weekend’s Stagecoach festival? Don’t worry, you’ll be able to listen to all the country music your heart desires. You can get your country heartbreak on with Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman and Cody Johnson, and then rock out with Counting Crows. If you prefer EDM, you can catch Diplo and Dillstradamus (Dillon Francis and Flosstradamus) as Friday’s closing acts.

The festival will be livestreamed on Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video and Twitch beginning at 3 p.m. On Sirius XM’s The Highway (channel 56), you can listen to exclusive interviews and live performances along with a special edition of the Music Row Happy Hour. The station Y’Allternative will also be covering the festival on Friday evening.

Here are updated set times for the Stagecoach livestream Friday performances (times presented are PDT):

Channel 1

3:05 p.m. Noah Rinker; 3:25 p.m.; Adrien Nunez; 4 p.m. Ole 60; 4:25 p.m. Avery Anna; 5 p.m. Chase Rice; 5:55 p.m. Nate Smith; 6:50 p.m. Ella Langeley; 7:50 p.m. Bailey Zimmerman; 8:55 p.m. the Red Clay Strays; 10 p.m. Cody Johnson; 11:30 p.m. Diplo

Channel 2

3:05 p.m. Neon Union; 3:25 p.m. Larkin Poe; 4 p.m. Marcus King Band; 4:50 p.m. Lyle Lovett; 5:35 p.m. BigXthaPlug; 6:30 p.m. Noah Cyrus; 7 p.m. Wynonna Judd; 8 p.m. Counting Crows; 8:50 p.m. Sam Barber; 10 p.m. Dan + Shay; 10:45 p.m. Diplo featuring Juicy J; 11:05 p.m. Rebecca Black; 11:45 p.m. Dillstradamus

Sirius XM Music Row Happy Hour

1 p.m. Avery Anna; 2 p.m. Nate Smith; 2:30 p.m. Josh Ross; 3 p.m. Cody Johnson; 3:30 p.m. Gabriella Rose; 5:15 p.m. Nate Smith; 7:50 p.m. Bailey Zimmerman; 9:30 p.m. Cody Johnson; 11 p.m. Diplo

Sirius XM Y’Allternative

5 p.m. Ole 60; 6 p.m. Larkin Poe; 7 p.m. Marcus King Band; 8 p.m. Sam Barber

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: The Mortuary Assistant – HorrorFuel.com: Reviews, Ratings and Where to Watch the Best Horror Movies & TV Shows

Published

18 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Press Room

Movie Review: The Mortuary Assistant – HorrorFuel.com: Reviews, Ratings and Where to Watch the Best Horror Movies & TV Shows

Forget the “video game movie” curse; The Mortuary Assistant is a bone-chilling triumph that stands entirely on its own two feet. Starring Willa Holland (Arrow) as Rebecca Owens, the film follows a newly certified mortician whose “overtime shift” quickly devolves into a grueling battle for her soul.

What Makes It Work

The film expertly balances the stomach-churning procedural work of embalming with a spiraling demonic nightmare. Alongside a mysterious mentor played by Paul Sparks (Boardwalk Empire), Rebecca is forced to confront both ancient evils and her own buried traumas. And boy, does she have a lot of them.

Thanks to a full-scale, practical River Fields Mortuary set, the film drips with realism, like you can almost smell the rot and bloat of the bodies through the screen.

The skin effects are hauntingly accurate. The way the flesh moves during surgical scenes is so visceral. I’ve seen a lot of flesh wounds in horror films and in real life, and the bodies, skin, and organs. The Mortuary Assistant (especially in the opening scene) looks so real that I skipped supper after watching it. And that’s saying something. Your girl likes to eat.

Co-written by the game’s creator, Brian Clarke, the movie dives deeper into the demonic mythology. Whether you’ve seen every ending or don’t know a scalpel from a trocar, the story is perfectly self-contained. If you’ve never played the game, or played it a hundred times, the film works equally well, which is hard to do when it comes to game adaptations.

Nailed It

This film does a lot of things right, but the isolation of the night shift is suffocating. Between the darkness of the hallways and the “residents” that refuse to stay still, the film delivers a relentlessly immersive experience. And thankfully, although this movie is filled with dark rooms and shadows, it’s easy to see every little thing. Don’t you hate it when a movie is so dark that you can’t see what’s happening? It’s one of my pet peeves.

The oh-so-awesome Jeremiah Kipp directs the film and has made something absolutely nightmare-inducing. Kipp recently joined us for an interview, took us inside the film, discussed its details and the game’s lore, and so much more. I urge you to check out our interview. He’s awesome!

The Verdict

This isn’t just a cash-grab; it’s a high-effort adaptation that respects the source material while elevating the horror genre. With incredible special effects and a powerhouse cast, it’s the kind of movie that will make you rethink working late ever again. Dropping on Friday the 13th, this is a must-watch for horror fans. It’s grisly, intelligent, and genuinely terrifying.