The Eagles are one of the most successful bands of all time. The group was founded in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner. Over the band’s lifetime and with the comings and goings of members Joe Walsh, Don Felder, and Timothy B. Schmit, the Eagles have had five No. 1 singles, 14 Top 40 hits, and six No. 1 albums.

But The Eagles disbanded in 1980, just eight years after releasing their debut album, creating a void for fans of this Americana and rock mix.

That’s where Hotel California, A Salute to The Eagles, stepped in. The band was created to maintain the legacy of The Eagles and to keep their timeless music alive.

Keeping the spirit alive

Even after The Eagles reunited in 1994 and began touring again, Hotel California continue to be a highly sought after concert draw.

Light up a candle and they will “show you the way” as the only show with official authorization to perform The Eagles catalog of music.

Though the “Hell Freezes Over Tour” brought the real Eagles back to the stage, continuing to tour select cities to this day, Hotel California, A Salute to The Eagles, has managed to carve out their own niche on the tribute band circuit by providing quality, true to the spirit of the music shows, mostly in cities that The Eagles no longer play or have never played.

By blending their extraordinary vocal and musical talents, Hotel California faithfully and accurately reproduce the sound of the Eagles studio recordings while delivering a modern, action packed performance that brings this timeless music into the new millennium.

Maybe you’ve seen tribute bands before and felt that while some are good at what they do, some just miss the mark.

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself that “this could be heaven or this could be hell.”

Well, rest assured, Hotel California is a band worth seeing as it is comprised of five mega-talented musicians who have impressive resumes in their own rights. Outside of Hotel California, these guys have paid their dues and earned the respect of many big name artists working with the likes of Van Halen, Peter Frampton, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, Michael McDonald, Styx and more. The list goes on and on.

And they’re not just a popular band in the United States. Hotel California have name recognition all over the world and have toured many foreign lands including India, Dubai, Bermuda and Japan, as well as maintaining a consistent presence here in America.

Showcasing the big hits

The Hotel California setlist can vary from night to night. Each concert is an exciting showcase of Eagles mega-hits, but with so many classics to choose from, it would be hard to stuff all of them into one night of music.

They do try their best though. You can bet that you’re going to hear staples like “Heartache Tonight,” “Take It Easy,” and, of course, “Hotel California,” but you might also get to hear a few songs from the individual member’s solo careers like Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On” or Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer.” If you’re lucky, you might even get a rocking rendition of Walsh’s “Life’s Been Good.”

That’s one of the many things that makes this show great. While you know you are guaranteed to have a night full of songs that you know by heart, there’s always going to be a few surprises that heighten the thrills of the experience.

While ticket prices and the distance needed to travel to see The Eagles play these days can be prohibitive to many fans, you won’t have to travel down “a dark desert highway” to hear an amazing show full of their music.

This concert is close and convenient as they stop by the Foellinger Theater in Fort Wayne on June 14. It’s “such a lovely place” and “has plenty of room” still available to experience as authentic a presentation of The Eagles music as you can have without actually seeing Henley, Walsh and Schmidt in person.

This timeless music is appealing to audiences of all ages, bringing back memories and touching the hearts of every generation. Odds are in favor of a “warm smell of colitas rising up through the air,” even though it’s still illegal in Indiana.

There may even be a “cool wind” that night blowing through your hair. But then again, it’s the Hoosier state; you never quite know what you’re going to get weather-wise.

Regardless of the unpredictable Midwestern climate, if your head grows heavy and your sight grows dim, you should definitely make it a point “to stop for the night” and take in an evening of music that will be remembered for some time to come.