Hank Bukowski

Yeah, I agree. Al and Ed are great soloists, but I would rather they went off and jammed, just the 3 Van Halens. That would be cool. Or an acoustic set. Short of that, yeah, a couple more songs.

LOL But listen to all of us thinking how we can "improve" Van Halen. Go, get drunk, see the show and you'll have a good time.

jimmy812

I don't know. A buddy of mine always says that they need to drop the solos (he said it to me again after the Mohegan show). And I know where he is coming from, yourself as well, that he'd prefer to hear more songs instead, but this is Van Halen. For 30 years they've had solos. It's to be expected. For one, it gives the guys a break (I'm not sure they actually need one, and I don't think Al left his kit all night). And, secondly, like you said, not that they need to, but it allows them to showcase their talents.
They dropped the bass solo and that is a good move.
For me, I love Al's solo. I thought this was the best solo I've seen him do. That jungle stuff (2nd half of solo) blows my mind and I love it.

__________________
2006 Fantasy Baseball Champion
2007 Fantasy Baseball friggin' Runner-up
2008 Fantasy Baseball ...oh come on! ...4th place?! Are you F-ing kidding me??!!
2009 Fantasy Baseball ...3rd place? Not bad. At least I'm heading in the right direction.

sickman

All in All I thought the show was great. Having a couple days to think about it, it was one of the best Halen shows I have seen. Even with Ed's technical problems it was cool to see Wolfie and Al have to improvise until all was better and once Ed was ready he jumped in and everyone transitioned right into the song as if they rehearsed it. Dave was on his game. No he is not the Dave of 1984 but he also wasn't the Dave of the last 10 years. He is the new and improved 2007 model. I have never seen him take the songs so seriously for that matter Edward either. Dave didn't just try to wing it through EBWS or ACWR, he attacked them and sung them the way they were meant to be.

I read the local papers review here in CT yesterday and the guy writing it brought up a good point. When DLR was in VH 22 years ago and took the stage his presence on stage commanded your respect or approval. Now it seems as if he is asking for it. Be that is it may it was a killer show and I am considering going to the Worcester show. Can't miss a VH show on the same day as my birthyday.

5150ro

This was the second show of the tour for me. I went to Philly 10/1. Mohegan is a cool place to see a show. I've never been there before. Lots to do before and after the show unlike seeing a concert at, say, the Wachovia Center or the Hartford Coliseum.

After waiting so long to see Dave with the band, I had high expectations. My expectations were exceeded again. I know this isn't Oakland in 1981 but VH still kicked a whole lot of a**. They sounded awesome and looked to be having a great time. Eddie looks pretty relaxed. When his guitar crapped out, Ed kept it together. I think they tried two replacements until a black guitar with the number "4" on it worked. I kind of remember Ed having guitar issues in '04 (Meadowlands? Hartford?) and really freaking out. Eddie also goofed around with Wolfgang a bunch, who seemed to be more comfortable than in Philly. During one trip around the ring, Wolfie handed a pick to a younger kid there with his Dad in mid-song. What a cool gesture. I'm sure the kid will remember that for the rest of his life. Of course I still wish Mikey was up there with them.

Mean Streets and Little Guitars were my favorite song of the show. I'm not a musician, but does Wolfie use a "little bass" during Little Guitars? The set list is as advertised. Sure, most of us fans on Links would rather they drop I'll Wait and Jump and replace them with songs like the Full Bug or Sinner's Swing, but who am I to complain? I got to see VH with DLR, something I never thought would happen. Crap, I wasn't sure I'd even see VH live again after seeing them in '04 with all of the theatrics then.

ctedhead

Here's a review from the Hartford Courant. This has to be the first bad review I've read anywhere of this show, what a dick this guy is:

http://www.courant.com/entertainment...,6937883.story

Danimal

Here are some pics on somebody elses site. Some great pics! Some good ones of the stage, with the monitors on both sides of the stage. I'd hate to be right behind those. If you do happen to have seats anywhere near these, get in early, check for obstructions, and get reseated. See the seating manager for this. I stress doing this early though, if you wait too long the good back-up seats could be gone! If your tickets do not say "obstructed view" you have some rights!

http://slatham.iifree.net/vanhalen/index.html

5150ro

A couple of things I forgot to mention: early in the show, did anyone notice how many times Ed hit his head on his microphone while he was messing around with his effects pedals? I think it was when he hit his noodle the third time when he made a pretty funny face to the crowd on his side of the stage.

Also, I don't think there is anyone singing background vocals that are piped in. In Unchained, Ed sang an extra chorus that Wolfie correctly didn't. That chorus sounded flat, like one guy's voice. And there was another time when Ed and Wolfie were late to get to their microphones and there was no sound when the chorus was supposed to kick in. I agree that the background vocals could be enhanced. But I doubt there's a guy(s) behind the curtain doing the background singing as has been speculated here.

Finally, did anyone notice that Ed and Wolfie would occasionaly try to playfully hit each other's guitar / bass in mid-song? It happened a few times when Ed went to Wolfie's side of the stage. It must be pretty cool playing in front of thousands of people with one's Son. They seem to be making the most of it.

1984 unchained

Sorry I am posting this late, but I've been studying like mad since the concert for an accounting exam. Anyways, this was the best show I have ever been to, which after seeing the Stones in 2005, I never thought I would say. EVERYONE, Wolfie included was on top of their game, and although Michael Anthony will always be missed, Wolfie kept a great baseline. Ed looked terrific (he looks like he's been working out a ton) and played exceptionally well. I also have never heard David Lee Roth sing better than he did at this show. However, I certainly saved the best for last and that was ALEX!!!! Alex was remarkable, and played better than I have ever heard him. His drum solo was very tight and he and Wolfie kept a great groove while ed's guitar went dead, even to the extent that i said to my dad, "ed's guitar is out!!" and he replied, "no they are just doing an awesome jam..." GREAT JOB AL!! I am a drummer and Alex (along with Keith Moon, Neil Peart and my dad and uncle) was the reason I started playing drums. It was awesome to see him, and the rest of the guys, live for the first and hopefully not last time...

jimmy812

I don't think there's anyone singing background vocals backstage, nor do I think there are pre-recorded vocals being piped in, I just think there's some kind of enhancement (special effect) on their microphones. Maybe they're just louder than normal giving off the impression that there's more people involved in the chorus. I don't know.

__________________
2006 Fantasy Baseball Champion
2007 Fantasy Baseball friggin' Runner-up
2008 Fantasy Baseball ...oh come on! ...4th place?! Are you F-ing kidding me??!!
2009 Fantasy Baseball ...3rd place? Not bad. At least I'm heading in the right direction.

avh35

It must have looked like "Fast Times", when we pulled into the parking lot in my wife's minivan. 5 30-40 year old guys falling out with easy drinking Bush Light cans sprawling among the pavement, Unchained blaring on the CD player. We laugh, but what followed in the arena was far beyond kids playing. These guys brought it. Van Halen has changed so much since 1984, yet it seemed like they never changed at all. After hearing the prior versions since 1988, this was a Van Halen none of us knew. We felt we were part of something special as soon as the lights dimmed. The roar from the crowd would make the hair stand up on a bald head. Everything was fresh and loud as hell. 30 year old songs never sounded so good, so hard, so loud. We stood the entire show. The guy in the row below me must have egg sized bruises on his head from my air drumming. My brother next to me never put his hands down, and we were horse before Atomic Punk. 117 row G, ear level with Wolfie's ceiling mounted speakers. My left ear is still ringing, and after the show I swear the new Airbus 380 was flying somewhere in the casino. We were deafened. It was not the Ed of 04'. Not by a lifetime. We were treated to an uncle and nephew jam when Ed's gear went south, and every member of the band just kept it up until Ed got it going again. The entire show was a highlight to us. Absolutely no complaints, except that it ended. I could type about it all day, all night. It was just completely amazing. We waited and hoped as fans for many years that Dave would come back. He did, in a huge way. It would be my opinion that Van Halen has set a goal for this tour; go out and bring the music like never before. Let the fans know even after all the years we can still play it, and play it like never before. Once they have our trust, then the New Van Halen will hopefully develop into just that. Something new. We were on the fence about Worcester, but after seeing this show, we will make Worcester happen, some how, some way. Van Halen's 4 biggest Fans from Ct., otherwise know as 27 Byron, will continue to love this band until we die.

__________________
"You gotta try one of these on man, it makes you have a completely different perspective on the way you look at life..." -AVH

not impressed

Was i the only one to notice Dave forgot lyrics to songs and talked rather than sang the ones he remembered?!! Hello??!! The opening song and Ice cream man stand out in particular - he left out an entire verse!! On other songs he'd kinda talk/sing half the line leaving out big chunks. He was clearly struggling to belt it out as he might have done in the past. He was singing to a different tune on many songs than what the band was actually playing. Everything had a Vegas lounge sound as it came out of Dave's mouth.

I've seen Van Halen 4 times with Sammy - this was my first Dave show - having been a fan since about the age of five I was really excited about finally seeing Dave and it was a huge disappointment. I can't believe we shelled out $400 for that.

Eddie was (as usual) great, so was Alex and Wolfgang was fine, but we walked out of there wondering aloud if it was too late for them to work things out with Sammy and thinking Dave should head back to Las Vegas where he can do his lounge lizard act and fade away in comfort. I can't believe how disappointing it was. Never again.

iZach

Nice.
1st day.
1st post.
All negative.

jimmy812

First time ever seeing/hearing Dave?
That's Dave for ya. You should have known that was what you were getting. He always skipped words or changed lyrics in songs. I actually thought this was the best he's ever sounded vocally.
He used to shout "I forgot the fucking words" in songs. At least he doesn't do that anymore.
And the skipped litte part (verse) in Ice Cream Man was planned as the band all joined in at the same time before he could start that part.
When Sammy and Cherone were in VH and they played "Unchained" they skipped the "give me a break part."
Personally, I've closed that chapter of Sammy in VH. I hope Van Halen records new material with Roth on vocals.

__________________
2006 Fantasy Baseball Champion
2007 Fantasy Baseball friggin' Runner-up
2008 Fantasy Baseball ...oh come on! ...4th place?! Are you F-ing kidding me??!!
2009 Fantasy Baseball ...3rd place? Not bad. At least I'm heading in the right direction.

sickman

I gotta agree with you. Going into it I knew DLR and his habits as far as changing/skipping words. Funny thing is I've listened to the boot from the first night so much that I new the word changes and left out verses to sing along to. It by far was the best performance I have seen DLR put on in a while. He was truly into putting on a good performance as a front man than just being the MC of a giant party.

jimmyw

Hey, SAMMY! Great to see you finally figured out this internet thing.

Wow. A real celebrity on VHLinks..... finally!

__________________
"Roth is really back. And Van Halen is really on the road with him,
and they are playing really old, kick-butt songs. People are digging
it. Critics are digging it. It seems to be working. They're adding
dates. No one thought they'd add dates." Ryan White San Diego Union Tribune

"While the set list has been pretty much established since opening night of the "Van Halen Reunion" tour, seeing it in print versus hearing it roll out in its glorious whooping, screeching, power chord glory is something like seeing one of those panoramic postcards of the Grand Canyon versus standing along the edge of it." -excerpt from a Review of the 2007 Tour