An Edmonton tribute group is bringing tunes from one of the music industry’s greatest bands to the stage in Black Diamond this weekend.
The Long Run has prepared an evening of hits from multiple-Grammy Award-winning American band The Eagles in a high-energy performance and dance at the Black Diamond Hotel and Bar April 14 at 7:30 p.m. The event is hosted by Okotoks’ Rock-A-Billy Entertainment.
“I grew up absolutely loving The Eagles music,” said bandleader Ken Polansky. “Even today they’re my favourite band of all time. There are so many people out there who love them as much as I do.”
The Long Run was formed by members of the Edmonton cover band The Whiskey Boyz four years ago.
“We were driving from a gig and Richard Korbyl (vocals, keyboards) said, ‘What would be your dream project?’” recalled Polansky. “I said, ‘I would love to play in The Eagles band and that will probably never happen.’ This is the next best thing.”
The world-famous American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 and has had five number one singles, five American Music Awards and six number one albums, making it among the most successful musical acts of the 1970s. The Eagles is one of the world’s best-selling bands in history, more than 150 million records sold.
Performing Eagles songs is not an easy feat, said Polansky.
“It’s incredibly challenging vocally,” he said. “They are, in my opinion, heads and tails above everybody else what they do vocally, harmony-wise and with the guitar, too.”
The band’s diversity is what drew Polansky to their music.
“That’s one of the things I love about The Eagles is they are so diverse,” he said. “There is definitely elements of country, elements of rock, elements of pop. Even Hotel California has a very strong reggae influence.”
Polansky said he’s always had an open mind when it came to music, but The Eagles are tough to beat.
“To me the cream always seems to rise to the top,” he said. “The Eagles are the creamiest of the creamy.”
Polansky grew up in a musical family, has a diverse musical background and had voice, guitar and piano lessons at a young age. He said it was The Eagles that always stood out for him musically.
“Some of the earliest memories I have as a kid is sitting around at family functions and my uncles and father playing Eagle songs,” he said. “It was an easy transition.”
According to Polansky, The Eagles were his first love.
“The Eagles thing is something we’ve done for a long time and will continue to do for a long time,” he said.
Polansky’s gig with The Long Run has him on stage two to three times a month for audiences ranging from 500 to 6,000 people across North America, often at casino showrooms, festivals and corporate events, but he said it’s not his only gig.
The singer/songwriter has a publishing deal in Nashville and performs vocals and guitar for The Whiskey Boyz.
When it’s time to get on stage with The Long Run, Polansky knows everyone will have a good time.
“What I like about The Long Run is people know exactly what they’re going to get,” he said. “They show up with great expectations and everybody is happy and excited and looking forward to an evening of fun. They know all the songs so we’re not having to win them over.
“People aren’t sitting in the back with their arms folded saying, ‘Impress me.’ They are there to have fun. They know exactly what they’re getting.”
To mix things up, The Long Run adds some unique elements to the show with things like trivia.
“Each night is different,” he said. “We have fun with people. We talk to them and they talk to us. It’s a real back and forth. People always get up and dance and have fun.”
Polansky said he knows he’s done his job well if people enjoy the music as much as the band does.
“It’s about everybody coming together to celebrate The Eagles’ music and have fun,” he said. “People live their lives to the Eagles’ songs. There are memories associated to everything. That’s a big part of it. Since the mid to early ’70s people have lived their lives to this material.”
Tickets cost $35 each and can be purchased at Okotoks Sobey’s and the Black Diamond Hotel and Bar. Only cash is accepted.
