The 2005 edition of the Eagles [ tickets ]' extended "resumption" tour finds them digging deeper into the greatest-hits catalog than their first run-through in the '90s.

It's telling that the Eagles chose to open their Staples Center set on Saturday night (9/24) with their first three singles in order of release. Since returning to the road in 1994, the band has abstained from committing to recording a new studio album, opting instead to re-package their hits in new CD compilations and live DVD releases.

What they delivered on Saturday was a carefully crafted recital of much of their best group and solo work from the '70s and '80s. And recital versus performance is a key distinction, because the show seemed to sacrifice some of the passion and joy of their '90s outings in favor of sheer precision in replicating their studio sound.

A noteworthy lineup change this time around is the addition of guitar wizard Stuert Smith--a longtime, top-shelf session and tour player in the country and alt-country scenes--to replace departed axe slinger Don Felder. Where Felder felt the confidence to embellish a bit in spots, Smith opts for a note-perfect mirror image of the original track, and appeared to be having the most fun onstage as well.

This time out, the band is also using a horn section, which made its strongest impact at the end of the first set, when it fleshed out "Boys of Summer," "In The City" and "The Long Run" with some solid arrangements (the 28-song show was broken into two sets with a roughly 20-minute intermission).

Vocally, the band was in fine form. Don Henley's voice is seasoning with age into an even more soulful instrument than his first two solo albums promised. Glenn Frey can still hit all his vocal marks, though bassist Timothy B. Schmit did seem to show a little strain on his showcase "I Can't Tell You Why." Guitarist and vocalist Joe Walsh is maybe a little more pitch-challenged than past decades, but brings some important guitar chops to the proceedings.

Ten years into what Schmit has referred to as the band's "resumption" (as opposed to reunion), the dynamic seems to have settled into a focus on delivering the '70s hits more than exploring the creative possibilities of the group. The twinkle of hope for solid new material that was sparked by 1994's "Get Over It," "Love Will Keep Us Alive" and "The Girl From Yesterday" from the "Hell Freezes Over" tour has faded pretty completely, given the relative weakness of this tour's new selections--"One Day At A Time," "No More Cloudy Days" and the band's post-9/11 single, "Hole In The World."

The fact that the band can support 10 nights in the Los Angeles market with a hits showcase indicates there's clearly a market for the nostalgia play. Since re-emerging in 1994, the Eagles concert concept has essentially become a brand: a dependable, solid show for those needing a live fix of baby-boomer hits.

Set List:

Take It Easy
Witchy Woman
Peaceful, Easy Feeling
One Of These Nights
New Kid In Town
I Can't Tell You Why
Lyin' Eyes
One Day At A Time
Boys Of Summer
In The City
The Long Run
Tequila Sunrise
Love Will Keep Us Alive
No More Cloudy Days
Hole In The World
Take It To The Limit
Walk Away
Sunset Grill
Life's Been Good
Dirty Laundry
Funk 49
Heartache Tonight
Life In The Fast Lane
Hotel California
Rocky Mountain Way
All She Wants To Do Is Dance
Already Gone
Desperado