Desperado: A Tribute to the Eagles
A packed house in Wichita Falls for DFW's premier Eagles tribute band
Desperado is an Eagles tribute band that markets themselves as Dallas, Texas' premier Eagles tribute band, and based on the show I saw at the Iron Horse Pub in Wichita Falls, I find that easy to believe.
I don’t know if it was sold out, but it must have been close. A friend messaged me before I even got there to let me know it was gonna be crowded, and it was — a great turnout for Desperado.
Desperado is a six-piece band in which every member sings to some degree, either lead or backing vocals. There are three guitarists, Donny Hart, Keith Goodman, and James May, plus drummer Mel Bittick, bassist Ty Weatherly, and Dave White on keys.
Guitarist Keith Goodman put on a rock show in every way. He’d step up and put one foot on the monitor during a solo while pointing the neck of his guitar skyward, and people in the audience got a great photo opportunity. When Desperado played the Eagles classic Those Shoes, Goodman killed it on the talk box (ask somebody what that is if you don’t know). Desperado also did some of the solo stuff from Eagles members, including Joe Walsh’s Rocky Mountain Way, and Goodman got to use the talk box again. It was quite cool and left me with no doubt Keith is a very talented guitarist.
Guitarist James May shared lead guitar duties with Goodman, and the two of them are a great guitar duo. James is expressive and playful onstage, smiling broadly as he makes his Les Paul sing, and it makes for a very entertaining experience.
Guitarist and vocalist Donny Hart is a vibrant musician and functions as a sort-of Master of Ceremonies during a Desperado show. Not only is his playing and singing top-notch, but with the other members of the band, he makes sure you’re entertained between songs, too.
This particular weekend was a tribute band weekend and a lesson in subtle differences. Whereas the Bon Jovi tribute act the previous night impressed me most with their showmanship, Desperado hit me with killer music. Their image is not an attempt to look like the Eagles (how do you ‘look like’ the Eagles anyway?) but to match the image in spirit while catering to the music, and they succeed in fantastic fashion. Desperado captures the Southern California country rock sound of the 70s and 80s like a time capsule.
Desperado did all the expected hits — Hotel California, Heartache Tonight, and Life in the Fast Lane included — and kinda surprised me a bit with some choices, like Eagles drummer Don Henley’s solo hit Dirty Laundry.
If Desperado claims to be DFW’s premier Eagles tribute act, I’m not gonna argue it. If you’re a person like me, who loved The Eagles in their prime, I’d encourage you to check out the Desperado show the first chance you get.
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