The latest pilgrimage of Eagles rock musician Joe Walsh to Ōtātara in Hawke’s Bay on Sunday was barely blighted by the rainy weather that accompanied him.

The thing was, as he has said before: “I love it here.”

It came amid the generous praise as he spoke again, as he had in the amphitheatre in 2004 and again on a visit to Hawke’s Bay in 2015, he was generous in his explanations, sparked by his first visit 35 years ago, when he took time to think about what drugs and alcohol were doing to life, and made a decision to quit.

“I’m so grateful I could come back,” said the 76-year-old on a stop between his latest gigs in the Northern Hemisphere with The Eagles. “I’m kind of home in a way.”

And he did it in his own way, paying homage to the people, stepping on stage first of all the Greenmeadows School Ukettes, past and present, who picked and strummed their way through a ukulele version of Hotel California soon after his arrival, after which he watched from the shelter of a gazebo as the rain soaked the crowd.

Despite the rain most of the crowd stayed, to watch Walsh make his own appearance with guitar, joining EIT music students in three items, and tinkering in the background with something even more local “Aue, aue, ka mate ahau…” before sitting at the keyboard and playing what has become his Ōtātara trademark, Desperado.

It was a big moment for Taradale High School student Olivia Ware, who returned to play with the Ukettes, as she had done at primary school.

The weather ultimately changed, and about 300 stayers finally got their chance to get back on their feet, as Walsh and friends launched into The Doors’ Roadhouse Blues.

It was a big moment for students Richard James (guitar, vocals), Brooke Rowe (vocals), Mike Smith (vocals), bassists Jasper Ross and tutor Svetlana Eliasonn, Felix Ward (drums), Frank Chiaroni (keyboards), Nicolas Lopez (percussion, guitar) and Julian Tabart (keyboards).

And then it was time to hit the road.