An open letter to Joe: Ah, Joe–You came, we saw, and maybe things will never be like they were. Maybe the Rocky Mountain Way has mellowed you after all these years. Maybe you were on autopilot. It was an OK performance on a beautiful summer night, but even coming in with low expectations, I expected more. Most songs slowed to the point that they lost their swing, two drummers plodding along like a drum machine and not driving anything, what felt like only mandatory, stick-to-the-book soloing (except for the great space jam in Turn to Stone). Was that all you’ve got in the tank? The James Gang show from 2006 was much more spirited and on target (as were the Cleveland JG reunion shows), and this show should have easily topped that because your song book is so much larger and broader and because you had much more musical support this time out. Oh yeah, you’ve also got intimate knowledge about how the Eagles corporation does it. And why only one song from the new album? What was that about? Maybe it was because you realized that if you had played any more songs, you would have gone over the 90-minute mark–were you going to turn to stone? Would it have really messed with your dinner plans to squeeze in two or three more songs? On the bright side, the highlight of the show for me was hearing “the tone.” You’ve still got that down big time–and nobody does it quite like you, and it was a joy to hear again. But this one sure won’t make my memorable concerts list. And it so easily could have. Love you, man, but I was hoping for more.