The Eagles concert in Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan, took place on Nov. 12, 1976 and was attended by Glenn Frey’s family members and Bob Seger. Ann Arbor is less than an hour away from Glenn’s hometown of Royal Oak, MI. An important University of Michigan basketball practice session was originally scheduled for the concert night, but the coach rescheduled that so the arena could be available for the concert. JD Souther opened for the Eagles to a packed house of about 15,000 fans.
This show was one of many that the Eagles performed at in November 1976. November was an extremely busy month for them during the Hotel California tour. The Hotel California album was released soon after this concert on December 8, 1976. Some of those November shows were also at colleges. They were at Iowa State University two days earlier on Nov. 10 and Purdue University about a week after Michigan on Nov. 20. Unfortunately, Randy Meisner was not captured in any of the stage photos below by the photographer.
Eagles concert in Crisler Arena
Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Don Felder, and Joe Walsh
Don Felder and Joe Walsh
Gordon M. Tucker, photographer for University of Michigan yearbook:
Glenn Frey
University of Michigan Michiganensian Yearbook 1977 pg. 166
Joe Walsh and Glenn Frey
Glenn did not play the guitar left-handed, so this yearbook photo was flipped.
University of Michigan Michiganensian Yearbook 1977 pg. 167
Don Henley, Don Felder, and Joe Walsh
Ad in The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan student newspaper) – Oct. 27, 1976
“Lead singer Glenn Frey, born and bred in the local area, is anxiously looking forward to the group’s Ann Arbor debut.”
The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan student newspaper) – Oct. 26, 1976
“On Friday evening, November 12, Glenn Frey’s family and close friends clustered quietly around the dead still of the Crisler Arena locker room.”
The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan student newspaper) – Nov. 23, 1976
Crisler Arena Eagles concert ticket
“They are about to release a new album, but their last one, a ‘Greatest Hits’ package, has been on the Billboard charts for 34 weeks. They recently sold out the Summit in Houston in three hours.”
Ann Arbor News (Ann Arbor, MI) – Oct. 26, 1976
“Some two dozen guitars waited on stage left, each in its own stand, and surrounded by the same kind of velvet ropes that banks use to direct the lines of patrons to the tellers.”
Ann Arbor News (Ann Arbor, MI) – Nov. 13, 1976
“Crisler wasn’t yet ready to leave, and demanded a second encore. So the Eagles returned and performed Joe Walsh’s ‘Walk Away’ and their own ‘Tequila Sunrise’.”
Concert review in The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan student newspaper) – Nov. 16, 1976
There are errors in the above article: Glenn Frey sings lead vocals on “Outlaw Man” and not Randy Meisner. The phrase “featuring a double-lead discourse between Meisner and Walsh” should read ”featuring a double-lead discourse between Felder and Walsh”. Also, the song “Wasting Time” is actually “Wasted Time”. Not sure if this is an error, but the song “Tequila Sunrise” is mentioned twice.
Crisler Arena
(now known as Crisler Center)
