Vince Gill recounted being heckled by a fan during an Eagles concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas, where he substituted for the flu-stricken Joe Walsh. The band's first show without Walsh in 51 years drew complaints from one audience member, who was eventually silenced by other fans.
The Eagles took the stage at the Sphere in Las Vegas in January for their first concert without guitarist Joe Walsh in 51 years. Walsh was sidelined by the flu, prompting the band to consider options such as canceling or adjusting the setlist. They decided to have Vince Gill, who joined the Eagles in 2017 after Glenn Frey's death, perform Walsh's signature songs including “Life’s Been Good” and “In the City,” adding his own melodic interpretation. Gill shared the details in an interview on Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast. Early in the show, after three songs, a fan shouted, “Where’s Joe?!” prompting drummer Don Henley to respond, “Shut up and I’ll tell you.” The heckling continued toward Gill, with one man on his right “giving me the business,” as Gill put it, upset over Walsh's absence. “He was so mad that Joe wasn’t there, and he’s taking it out on me,” Gill said. Eventually, other concertgoers intervened, with one grabbing the heckler and warning, “If you don’t shut up, I’m going to beat your ass.” The crowd turned on the disruptive fan, according to Gill. The Eagles, featuring both Gill and Walsh, continue their Sphere residency into April and have May tour dates planned, including New Orleans JazzFest and Vanderbilt University’s FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.
