The group who famously vowed that Hell would freeze over before they deigned to play together again were back in London last night to begin yet another world tour.

This latest outing is to promote Long Road Out of Eden, the first album of new material to be released by the Eagles since 1979, and true to form, singer, guitarist and drummer Don Henley has declared it will be “probably the last album that we’ll ever make”. But you wouldn’t bank on that, given the scale of its success, never mind the band’s tendency to renege on such statements. There was a sense of quiet vindication in the air as they set about performing some of the album’s new songs in public for the first time. As they began with a sprightly soft-rocker called How Long, the four remaining principals — Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit — stood across the front of the stage in their immaculate dark suits, looking like the chairmen of the board. Semi-detached guitarist Steuart Smith completed the front line.

The sound was immaculate in the way that only soft-rock groups can make it. But sturdy as the new songs were, they were not what the audience had come to hear, and the show moved up a gear as soon as they hit the opening chords of Hotel California, the first of many old favourites threaded throughout the set. The long guitar duet at the end of the song was played by Smith and Walsh with eerie precision, every note and nuance of the recorded version reproduced with an immaculate polish. The second half of the show began in a more subdued mood, with the five men all seated, strumming acoustic guitars and weaving the melancholy harmonies of No More Walking In The Woods and Waiting in the Weeds.

It was pleasant, if a bit inconsequential. But the drama increased when they embarked on the title track of Long Road Out of Eden, during which Henley took centre stage to deliver his lyrics, railing against the ills of an American nation “bloated on entitlement, loaded on propaganda”. Well he would know, presumably.

While they pushed the new songs as much as they dared, most of the show was as backward looking as expected, and indeed required, by their audience. Walsh did his crazy old loon routine performing Life’s Been Good. Henley trotted out Dirty Laundry while images of tabloid headlines piled up behind him.

By the end they had reverted to full Greatest Hits mode with a long string of encores including Heartache Tonight, Life In The Fast Lane, Take it Easy and a final nostalgic singalong of Desperado. Poised, polished and predictable as ever.

The Eagles continue at 02 Arena, March 22, 23, 26 & April 5

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of the Decade
• 70 facts you didn't know about Marvel
• The 50 Biggest Movies Of 2010