*** Reviews LA - 11.20.07 *** - Page 2

tommytom11 · 11.21.07, 01:21 PM

VinceV makes a good point on something i forgot to ad. there really was no 'we're home' feeling or attitude at all and the set really does have some weak moments. there was far more excitement and way more energy/anticipation the first night here in 04'. i also have to strongly agree that while Wolf is capable and far better than i expected, he is no where near what Mike brings to the band. Mike should have been there....period.

Bono Vox · 11.21.07, 03:10 PM

Wow!

What a tough audience in California!

I don't know if it's because I was very close to the band in the PIT for all the shows and got a different vibe because of that, because I certainly didn't feel negative about any of the concerts I saw. Having said that, I also didn't expect to see a tour like the one I saw with the original band on the Fair Warning tour or even 1984. If you go into a concert expecting negativity because of what you read or hear prior, you are going to come out of it feeling that way, subconsciously! We all went expecting a great time and it is was it is, a concert and nobody is going to be perfect no matter what band it is you see live!

One thing I can honestly say about the tour so far is that I did not even think about the Hagar era of Van Halen for any of the shows or miss any of that!

I do miss Mike to an extent but Van Halen are getting great reviews from Publications and critics they would not necessarily get.

I can't say it enough, you have to be up close to get that special buzz from this band and they provide it on this tour! No complaints at all!

jonsey36 · 11.21.07, 05:01 PM

After seeing both opening Charlotte and Greensboro shows... I want to say this...the band has gotten tighter and sounded even better than those nights...

Obviously the high of playing home makes a huge difference. I won't get into the other posts about pre recorded, etc....it's just great to see VH in their home turf...great show, great enthusiasm and Wolfie's smile when DLR intro'd him was a highlight...

EVH was on...plain and simple, he was that good!

AVH as always,,, is there anyone better

DLR the most animated I have seen so far....he kicked ass...of course the singing isn't always on key, but damn, Dave and Ed look like they are having a blast!!!!

VinceV · 11.21.07, 05:10 PM

I want to make it clear, I'm not bashing the band. I have as long as I can remember been a huge VH fan. 1st cassette I ever bought when I was 10 was VH1, I have always just liked VH didn't matter who was singing. Of course I have some albums I like more than others, but I like something from every era.

That being said, this just wasn't that great of a concert, not just for a VH concert but any concert. There was a huge lack of energy in the place. I totally wasn't expecting that. All I have read on these forums and others was how great the shows have been, I have more than a few times read greatest concert ever, from multiple sources.

So yes I was expecting alot, like I posted I never saw a DLR concert before, and except for a few youtube clips have never seen much footage of Dave fronting the band. In all honesty I didn't think it was all that. The energy I have seen from the band when fronted by Sammy was off the charts. In 04 the Staples show was a damn powerhouse of rock. That show kicked major ass, and I was there the 2nd night.

Like I also said I'm sure the people in the front rows thought it was great, but if the band can't transfer that energy past the 1st 20 rows, then what's the point. I have been way in the back at VH shows before and always thought they rocked my ass off.

I'm going to be in the pit for the Anaheim show, I am still looking forward to it, just I am hoping it will be better than last nights show.

I also want to add that I think Mike added alot more energy to the band that he was ever given credit for, and him not being there clearly is a missing ingredient in the band.

tommytom11 · 11.21.07, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinceV

I want to make it clear, I'm not bashing the band. I have as long as I can remember been a huge VH fan. 1st cassette I ever bought when I was 10 was VH1, I have always just liked VH didn't matter who was singing. Of course I have some albums I like more than others, but I like something from every era.

That being said, this just wasn't that great of a concert, not just for a VH concert but any concert. There was a huge lack of energy in the place. I totally wasn't expecting that. All I have read on these forums and others was how great the shows have been, I have more than a few times read greatest concert ever, from multiple sources.

So yes I was expecting alot, like I posted I never saw a DLR concert before, and except for a few youtube clips have never seen much footage of Dave fronting the band. In all honesty I didn't think it was all that. The energy I have seen from the band when fronted by Sammy was off the charts. In 04 the Staples show was a damn powerhouse of rock. That show kicked major ass, and I was there the 2nd night.

Like I also said I'm sure the people in the front rows thought it was great, but if the band can't transfer that energy past the 1st 20 rows, then what's the point. I have been way in the back at VH shows before and always thought they rocked my ass off.

I'm going to be in the pit for the Anaheim show, I am still looking forward to it, just I am hoping it will be better than last nights show.

I also want to add that I think Mike added alot more energy to the band that he was ever given credit for, and him not being there clearly is a missing ingredient in the band.

Vince. again i share your sentiment here. i too, love these guys and have seen them since before they were signed. you are totally right, and i was up front and backstage. it was a good show, nothing more. you are also right that in 04', especially the 1st night, the place was out of control with energy and so was the band. they were home and you knew it. not the same at all last night. you get the feeling now that Dave is kind of up there by himself so to speak when it comes to performance. this is where Mike is missed the most. if he were there they would interact and work off each other and with the crowd. Ed, largely due to that stupid guitar cord, is mostly in one spot in front of Al almost the whole night. Wolf brings nothing in the performance dept. this is not bashing the band but merely how it is now. the other thing i missed was Mikes bass sound. Wolfs tone is thin and not that good, largely because of the equiptment his dad has him using. i realize that a lot of people reviewing these shows have never seen the original lineup back when they ruled. if you had you would know what we are saying here. maybe this was the greatest concert seen in some peoples lives. if so, thats great. but to someone who has really seen these guys at the top of their game, either era, Sam or Dave or even in 98', this was average at best. that being said, its still great to see them up there doing it.

sinner's swing · 11.21.07, 07:13 PM

Guess this fella saw it different than a lot of people

By Erik Pedersen
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Are you guys having as much fun as we are?"

The question posed about 15 minutes into Tuesday's show at Staples Center was Arena Rock 101. But it was delivered by David Lee Roth as he fronted Van Halen, which meant the world to the aging headbangers who had waited 22 years for this night.

For the record, the answer from the crowd that was on its feet the entire night: "Oh yeah."

The original members of Van Halen -- sans bassist Michael Anthony, replaced by Eddie Van Halen's 16-year-old son, Wolfgang -- simply tore it up during the first homecoming stop on their reunion tour. The sheer novelty of seeing Roth and Eddie onstage together might have been enough for many in the sold-out crowd, but the two-hour slugfest they delivered was genuine sweaty fun.

Back in the day, a Van Halen concert presented a dilemma: Who do you watch? Did you follow the wild-maned, high-kicking frontman who swaggered and staggered around the stage while threatening to defile the girlfriend of some wasted lout in the first few rows? Or did you study the most influential guitarist of his generation, the guy whose flying fingers and virtuosic tapping launched a thousand '80s metal bands -- maybe 100,000.

It's different now because Roth has reined in his act. Sporting leather pants and unbuttoned toreador jacket, he deployed an older man's version of those old leg kicks, but he didn't even attempt the trademark shouts and squeals that peppered those half-dozen killer albums from 1978-84. His infamous cockiness was all but absent, and he didn't address the crowd much; still, it was a kick to see Roth back in his natural habitat.

The band that once defined rock excess onstage and off has resurfaced as a study in joy. There were more smiles onstage than an Up With People halftime show as Roth relished his long-dimmed spotlight and Eddie Van Halen was free to shred again. The obvious pride and glee he showed in sharing the stage with his boy invigorated his work. As if shaking off the long national nightmare that was the band's post-Roth years, he tore into his solos, often tweaking them just enough to make the air guitarists look bad. He was simply outstanding.

A natural highlight was his thrilling 11-minute guitar solo that included most of "Eruption" and plenty of knob-twisting shenanigans. It was a reminder of just how little Eddie Van Halen has really let loose since the Roth era.

Wolfgang mostly sidestepped the spotlight, but his playing was meaty and his backing vocals sturdy. And the kid already has picked up on a rock requisite: tossing picks to the female fans. Atta boy.

The set list was peppered with songs that enjoyed heavy rotation on FM radio and a handful of album cuts for the hard-core. The gents got playful during "Somebody Get Me a Doctor," tossing in physician rapid-fire references from "I Don't Need No Doctor," "Life in the Fast Lane" and "Rocky Raccoon" -- seemingly just to see if anyone was paying attention. Eddie assumed the faux-pained guitar-god expression during the speedy, shoulda-been-a-hit "Romeo Delight," which included a snippet of the Who's "Magic Bus" during the breakdown.

If only Roth and Van Halen could have stuck it out for all those years like Daltrey and Townshend.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Brett · 11.21.07, 10:00 PM

Again for everyone, this is NOT a discussion thread, this is for reviews only!! We are deleting all posts that aren't reviews. You guys know this by now, come on.

onefootoutthedoor · 11.21.07, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brett

Again for everyone, this is NOT a discussion thread, this is for reviews only!! We are deleting all posts that aren't reviews. You guys know this by now, come on.

Brett, OLO was NOT at the show. Can you please erase his post?

VanTheMan · 11.21.07, 11:18 PM

I’ve seen every VH show from 1978 when they opened for Black Sabbath through the reunion with Hagar in 2004. The LA show last night was hands-down the best of them all. Why? Three words: David Lee Roth. The guy is singing like he has something to prove. He’s singing the best I’ve ever heard him. Better than 1984? Yes, lots better. In 1984, Dave spent half the concert bouncing around the stage, talking through the lyrics if he sang them at all, and generally acting like he was more interested in partying. We all dealt with it because the concert was like one big party anyway. But now it’s like his career setbacks have made him want to prove what he thought we all new—that no one sings these songs better than him. Somewhat shockingly, his performance was arguably the strongest of the night. The energy level was just over the top. There’s no comparison whatsoever to Sammy Hagar. No slam intended toward Sammy, but Dave’s got more showman in his left pinky than ten Sammys. It just oozes from him—he can’t help it.

Eddie’s having a great time. He’s enjoying himself, and his love for Roth seems real. The guys seemed to be having a good time and enjoying each other’s company. It’s almost like there’s three Van Halen brothers now.

Alex is having a great time of it too. I could see him and Dave hanging out during Eddie’s solo, and the first thing he did was go up and hug the guy. I mean, if that doesn’t say the hatchet’s buried, what does?

Wolfgang—I gotta tell ya, I was skeptical. I’m a big MA fan. But this kid can play. I mean really play. And he can sing. If he’s this good now, imagine how good he’ll be in a few years.

Let me close this part of the review with this: I saw VH many times with Sammy Hagar. I even saw them with Gary Cherone. I also saw Sammy solo before and after VH. I always liked Sammy, but there’s simply no comparison. This is like a different band—different even than the original incarnation because Dave is intent on getting down to business for once. The energy at Staples last night was simply indescribable. The entire place was standing, chanting, and singing every word to every song. I’ve never seen anything like it. It blows the Rush and Police shows I saw this year away—it’s on a whole ‘nuther level. Tuesday night was the greatest show on earth, and David Lee Roth was the ringmaster.

Song-by-song:

You Really Got Me

Great opener and absolutely sizzled. Couldn’t have picked a better one to start with.

I'm The One

One of my favorite songs and sounded just like the record.

Runnin' With The Devil

Awesome—just like the record. They haven’t lost a step. I was surprised that Dave had his trademark yelps back. I didn’t think he could do them anymore. But they were all over the place—his voice sounded better than it has in years, perhaps ever.

Romeo Delight

Another great VH song I’d forgotten about. I haven’t heard this one since the 80s.

Somebody Get Me A Doctor

Spot on—another great one that I’d forgotten how much I liked.

Beautiful Girls

I’d have to give Dave an A+ on this one. He was just money all night—especially on this song.

Dance The Night Away

The backing vocals were so spot on that I was standing there wondering whether they were being piped in, but I could clearly see the guys singing, so I think they were just doing a really superb job. The harmonizing—even after all these years—is simply astonishing.

Atomic Punk

Excellent. God, I’ve missed this song. This is the kind of depth and songwriting that was simply not there with Van Hagar.

Everybody Wants Some

Another great rendition. Eddie was weaving in and out of the rhythm section all night, but especially on this one.

So This Is Love

This was probably my second favorite song of the show. It absolutely rocked. Dave really showed off his range, sang every lyric like he did on the record, and really made the whole song fresh again.

Mean Street

This was my favorite song of the night. The sexy, bluesy vibe this song has always had was taken to another level last night. A whole new generation of fans got to discover what made this band so great in the first place. Dave’s vocals, yelps, and screams were right on the money—exactly like the record—and it took me back in a flash. Definitely the best tune of the night.

(Oh) Pretty Woman

As with Beautiful Girls, the harmonies on this one were just spot on, unbelievably good.

Alex’s Solo

Alex is great, but he’s not Neil Pert, and this solo is simply too long. Drum solos are old school to begin with—you don’t want to draw them out too much. Alex still showed masterful skills—don’t get me wrong—but it slowed down the frenetic pace of the concert a bit. I saw several go take a piss break during it.

Unchained

This song totally worked for me. The playing and vocals were spot on, and this was one of the high points of the concert. I can understand why Ozzy said VH playing this one drove him to leave Black Sabbath. Last night, they played it just like they did back in the day. Wolfie totally nailed his line, and he and Dave shared a warm grin over it.

I'll Wait

I think this and the other slower songs should be grouped together and sang back-to-back. Slipping into this one at this point in the concert was a bit of a left turn, but it worked surprisingly well. Dave really showed off his vocal chops on this one. I was sitting their thinking that they ought to release it again as a single. I think I like it more now than I did in 1984.

And The Cradle Will Rock

Another great one. This whole show was like a slugfest—it was just one hit after another. I loved how they played this one, and the addition of Wolf to the band really gave a special spin to this one. People were really on their chairs over this one.

Hot For Teacher

This is one where they deviated from the record a bit. First, unlike most “older” bands, they played many of their faster songs last night even faster than they did originally. This was one where that was really obvious. The tempo was really ratcheted up—so much so that Eddie appeared to get lost a couple of times. That being said, his solos in the song were spot on. And Dave’s hilarious one-liners were spot on.

I did miss Alex a bit on this one. The drums seemed deemphasized on this one for some reason. Maybe it was just the sound mix, but the normal prevalence of the drums seemed toned down a bit.

Little Dreamer

Dave was just amazing here. He was every bit as good as in his prime if not better. Again, he seems to care more than he ever did before, and he’s sober—that always helps. He’s not bouncing around the stage with a ribbon or some other nonsense—he’s just singing his heart out. This show is the best I’ve ever heard him sing live, and the best vocal performance by a VH lead singer at any show I’ve seen in the past almost 30 years.

Little Guitars

Great rendition here. Eddie was his usual amazing self.

Jamie's Cryin'

Dave was over-the-top on this one. I was sitting there thinking that if they do a DVD or live album of this tour, this song ought to be a single from it. Time hasn’t diminished it one bit.

Ice Cream Man

Easily Dave’s best performance of the night—absolutely incredible. I’d give him and the band an A+ for it. Eddie didn’t miss his cue this time, and the whole vaudeville thing just worked. It was Van Halen at its best.

The story he tells is the same one he always tells, and it’s funny every time. I think he did tailor the story a little more to the hometown crowd this time, but it was essentially the same story and still just as enjoyable.

Panama

They really rocked on this one. They showed again why they’re the best band on the planet with it. Everyone was up out of their chairs, yelling the lyrics at the top of their lungs and just basking in the greatness that is Van Halen.

Eddie’s Solo

Nicely done. A great mix of showing off and having a good time. I heard parts of 316, Eruption, Cathedral, and Spanish Fly, to name a few. I think this may be my favorite solo of his because it was the perfect mix of technical wizardry and fun—the essence of Van Halen.

Ain't Talkin’ Bout Love

Once again, they tore the song up. Frankly, if they’d have saved this one for the encore, I’d have been happier—it would have been a better choice. But, hey, I’ll take my ATBL any way I can get it. I’ve seen other singers do this song—Gary Cherone even did a nice job of it on the VH III tour—but last night proved that no one sings it like David Lee Roth—no one. My God, this band can play. It was just mind-blowing—a great rock anthem if ever there was one.

Encore (1984/Jump)

The place came apart when the opening chords of Jump started. It was just electric. Sure, this isn’t one of my favorite songs, but, damn, they played the hell out of it. Special highlights were Dave’s spot on vocals—they sounded just like the record—and Eddie’s solo—he improvised a bit, but it was basically the same jaw-dropping solo on the album. They signed off with what they probably consider their best song, and I have to admit they just about tore the roof off the place with it.

---

I was having breakfast about 2 a.m. last night with some other folks who went to show when we all realized something that really shocked us. We hadn’t thought about Sammy Hagar the entire night. He was not missed at all. It was almost like he’d never even been in the band—it was weird! What we saw up there was a new band—the new improved version of one of the most original bands ever to grace hard rock music. VH with Roth singing is in its own class. No one touches them—no other band and certainly no other incarnation of this one. Yes, we were transported back in time, but we were also transported forward—forward to hoping that there will be a new album and new music from these guys. It’s the least they can do after making us wait so long.

I Coulda Hada VH · 11.22.07, 07:24 AM

From today's L.A. Times:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...-entnews-music

I Coulda Hada VH · 11.22.07, 07:39 AM

Tuesday night was the first time I've seen VH with DLR since the US Festival way back in 1983. I was out of the country in 1984 and missed that tour. The 24 1/2 year wait, while way too long, turned out to be well worth it!

Diamond Dave sounded the best I've ever heard him sing live. Hands down. No contest. He was simply fantastic. Welcome back, Dave!

Eddie also sounded great. While he's probably lost some of his speed, his performance Tuesday night reminded me of the main reason I fell in love with this band the very first time I heard them. Eddie will always be the king of six strings. I hope he takes care of himself and is with us for a very long time.

Alex was nails. Big Al is a very underrated drummer. The guy can really pound and groove. I thoroughly enjoyed his drum solo.

Wolfie was fine. I would have liked to have seen Mike onstage (where he obviously belongs) but Wolfie did nothing too embarrass himself up there. That kid has to living a dream right now.

The set list was awesome. One great song after another from the Classic Six Pack. The place was electric and totally into it. I don't think I stopped smiling for the entire two hours that the Mighty Van Halen blew the roof off of Staples Center!

I'm going to see them again on December 20th at the Honda Center in Anaheim. I can hardly wait!

stilleddiesangel · 11.23.07, 03:38 AM

Dont expect a objective review here.... I cant..

I SAW EDDIE.... IN THE FLESH!! AND IT WAS FUCKING AMAZING!!!!

Quite simply the best night of my life.. I've waited 27 years and oh Jesus... I can die a happy woman now!!

bfrank · 11.23.07, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stilleddiesangel

Dont expect a objective review here.... I cant..

I SAW EDDIE.... IN THE FLESH!! AND IT WAS FUCKING AMAZING!!!!

Quite simply the best night of my life.. I've waited 27 years and oh Jesus... I can die a happy woman now!!

Congrats - I can tell you from seeing every tour - Eddie was on this night - maybe because he knew you came all this way to see him!

Follow up to my review- I went with 5 friends. My Brother sat on one end and I was on the other. We took different cars so did not get to talk after the show much.

Well yesterday over Turkey he told me he thought the concert felt like DLR solo showcase with the VH's backing him up. I thought this was an interesting spin.

To explain he is a casual fan and has seen both versions. I would guess he has seen VH 8~10 times.

Canyon Carver · 11.23.07, 07:17 PM

Hello all,

I was there with my wife.

It was an amazing performance from the band. Wolfgang holds his own on the bass and whether or not those backing vocals are pre-recorded eludes me.

There were sound problems at times, while at others, all sounded clear and very much like on the albums.

Ed's tone is amazing live, thanks to the new amps and the use of cables. I was very impressed by his sound. He played well and was on the money for the most part.

Alex was awesome and kept everything on check, while DLR was the consumate showman.

It was a memorable concert. My first seein the Diamond One.

Long Live VH with DLR!

soundtracktomylife · 12.16.07, 12:56 PM

wow, i've been so anxious about posting here about my view of the L.A. show on 11/20. i've been lurking this site since the tour was announced but didn't register til today. i felt conflicted about my feelings about the show - it's been kind of a downer, so i wasn't sure i would bother sharing. especially since almost ALL the posts for every concert have been SO positive. but i see a few lately have mentioned that the show wasn't what they expected either so here comes by two cents...

as soon as the tour was announced (for the second time due to eddie's rehab) i went into research mode about how i could get tix. I felt they would sell out instantly in most markets, especially L.A. (where I grew up, went to the strip and shows constantly, etc.) where hard rock really was nurtured and pioneered.

i was really worried and became pretty consumed with the whole thing. made my hair stand on end to think of the original lineup back together - finally. saw them many times before sammy, until they broke up. will always remember the horrible day that they announced to the press that Dave "was out"/"had left" the band, we were aghast to say the least.

saw and liked sammy solo back then also. sammy is a great guy, but the band changed quite a bit when he came on board. maybe the songs would have morphed as the band got older even if dave stayed, who knows. some good stuff created, sure, but not the groundbreaking raw energy that van halen made originally. (btw - no slight meant to sammy, he'll always have very possibly the sexiest rock song ever done: Montrose "Rock Candy"!! not to mention he is an ultra-cool dude anyway and always a awesome frontman).

so...got shut out of the L.A. show online at ticketmaster just like i was worried about (side note: anyone else old enough to remember sleeping over at the ticket outlets before online existed? i can't remember who sold before ticketmaster took over. shit...just buying the tix in line took on a party atmosphere - SO much fun!! so many new friends he he!) so i bought back- up shows in other cities, in case i couldn't get L.A. tix. ended up spending much $ on craigslist for really good L.A. seats, so problem solved. scalping is so evil tho.

i was totally stoked, the kings of L.A. rock back on their throne in their hometown! the band that launched a 1000 wannabee bands that desperately wanted a piece of the "Van Halen lifestyle" (that never even came close to the impact VH made, of course). i was ALL aquiver! envisioning fans showing up way early in the parking lot in all the old tour shirts, partying down, bringing banners, scamming on each other etc. etc. you know...LIKE THE OLD DAYS!!

but it was not to be. we arrived later than i wanted after fighting l.a. rush-hour traffic (but still before many had gotten there). found parking in one of the many spread out lots around staples downtown congestion. whaaaaa????
nothing going on in the lots!...no one hoisting even a beer! uh oh. wondered if the problem was that this tour came around during the cold/dark of fall/winter, not the summer-time tour that could have been if eddie had been ready to tour, not ready for rehab again. more daylight & warmth would have been perfect for my fantasy return!! you know, halter tops, daisy dukes, short skirts, tank tops & 501's for the guys leaning on their camaro's! i know i'm dreaming, but indulge me please.

so we walk up to the arena with a sparse few fans around. upon entering we found the merch station and checked out the wares for awhile. i started to notice that people looking to buy stuff weren't like i expected. i then said let's not get our seats yet, let's people-watch for awhile. and i began to be astounded. WHERE ARE THE ROCKERS! - i wanted to cry out. the crowd make-up looked like what you'd see walking around a mall or swap meet. not what i expected since i thought... of all the cities to still have a large contingent of devoted old-school rockers, it would be L.-fucking-A. we wrote the book on devotion to excess & bad behaviour. the kind of tendencies that don't neccessarily go (completely) away just because you had to "Grow-Up". am i wrong? if you were a rocker then, you can spot another co-rocker a mile away. if you really lived it and own it. it doesn't matter that you're now an older and less impressive version of your former self. does not matter. yes we all suffer the ravages of time together but this group was not the demographic that made up pre-sammy van halen fans. not judging, just observing. ages from 9 to about 69, nothing wrong with that. all nationalities represented, which you might expect given it is L.A. not in & of itself a problem but where where all the old schoolers? VERY few sprinkled in the mix.

we got to our seats and noticed the odd drum beat music that was selected to float around the arena before kymani marley came on. the drum stuff was not good, had no sense of occasion to it at all. wondered if this played at all shows. missed opportunity to play old VH-era rock songs that would ramp everyone up and into this awesome occasion. when i found out originally that kymani would open all VH shows i thought it was an odd decision. why mellow reggae music to open for VH. didn't make any sense. made even less sense after seeing them play. TOTALLY didn't bring anything to the table.

then after no fanfare at all...no intro to speak of, no "TA DA!!" no nothing (another missed opportunity to connect w/ the home town crowd), out came VH and all was right with the world. show was great, many details already written about here. bang bang bang came the most glorious head-banging songs. Eddie was great, nobody like him. Al can bang a drum. wolfie...o.k. i guess. smiling occasionally was about all he could muster. we'll indulge you this time eddie, but if we get another tour out of you w/ Dave can you just get mike back - like you know we all want. you really need him in the band, it's really not optional.

which brings me to david lee roth. he was ripping. i've seen him solo way back, thought it was good fun. his voice on this tour is nothing short of miraculous! he remembers most of the lines which is a good thing, but i wish he would put back most of the squeals and such. i thing he can still reach them, maybe not every song - but here and there would be fantastic! he seemed to be on a leash in regards to jumping around like he used to. even considering we're all older, i think he's under-playing it due to pressure probably from eddie. eddie seems to be happy w/ dave back, but it has always seemed that eddie wants dave to tamp down. yes...dave did spin a yarn during the show but nothing like like the free-wheeling old shows. no reason not to do it again, if you ask me (i know, nobody asked me). that was always a BIG reason VH stood head & shoulders above any other rock act. the shit-eating grin, party like there's no tomorrow vibe. just cuz we're old don't mean we're dead yet! dave ran around the stage some, but could do more. w/ eddie chained to his guitar and alex behind the kit, that left dave to handle ALL the heavy-lifting cheerleading, since all wolf was just gonna noodle in one place and look uncomfortable. (Insert Mike Here). It really did lack crowd interaction and the pacing could use some mixing it up. song after classic song was awesome, but anyone knows foreplay is important!!

when i made myself look away from the stage to check out the crowds response i was again kinda bummed. they were standing but didn't seem to be all that on fire. we had pretty close seats so everyone i could see should have been super-big fans. few people mouthing the words, hardly any lighters in the air, hardly anybody fist-pumping or dancing. rapt attention yes, but not what i expected. as for me, i WAS dancing my ass off, and i got the bruises on my thighs from bouncing off the seats to prove it!! it really was a dream come true to see most of the original band back together. obviously, i have a huge Van Halen-sized spot in my heart for this band. obviously time marches on and i can't dictate how things unfold. obviously i pine for my younger days (ya think?! ha ha) i wrote this to get it off my chest & maybe so anyone else who noticed what i noticed at the show didn't feel like they were crazy. i'm glad that the fans that are going to these shows are getting a taste of the original band. i am a huge rock fan in general, no matter how old i get i can't live without the passionate feeling good rock music gives. and van halen will always be the number 1 soundtrack to my crazy youth.