Just got back from the show and it was everything I thought it would be and more. From the touch of Cream's Spoonful to less microphone bullriding all was great. I'll write more tomorrow once I'm 100%.
__________________
"I wouldn't recommend sex, drugs or insanity for everyone, but they've always worked for me."<br /> - Hunter S. Thompson
All right number 3 for me on this tour, finally at home. Brought my 10 year old to his first concert, he is a cool kid who is little shy but he went off during the show. He loved it, when they were done before the encore he looked heartbroken and asked nervusly if they were done because they hadn't played jump yet, I hate that song now but never enjoyed it more than tonight because of my son. We sat around about 4 other youngsters and an old bald idiot in front of us who lit up a joint as soon as the concert started(father son chat after the show), also during beautiful girls my son saw his first pair of breasts flashed on the big screen(father son talk after the show).
Good concert, I could live without beautifull girls, little dreamer, I'll wait, pretty woman and even dance the night away but all the fans that aren't die hards got more exited for those songs.
Romeo delight and Runin with the Devil kicked ass tongiht, Eddie was not as good as glendale, stayed in middle again, and played an all white guitar most of the night. 2 concerts 3 different main guitars. Also played for one song each some stblack and white striped guitars one with 5150, and one with 1984 on them, probably for ebay.
Dave did some of his signature screams, first time I've heard him do those on this tour, kinda cool. Would love to see a little more improve at least between songs. Like I said Ed was not so tight on most of the songs but still did very good. Dave sounds better each time although still can't hit a lot of notes so he talks through them. Wolfgang did well, I liked his intro to So this is Love a lot. alex was very good.
Great show, miss Mike and Sammy. My dream is to see them play one and a half with each Wolf and Dave and Mike and Sammy, that would be unbelievable.
By the way, on a side note, check out a band called Alter bridge, saw them twice last month and they are outstanding.
See you in Anaheim Tuesday!!!!
__________________
may 13 1984 Los Angeles Forum
july 2 1986 Los Angeles Forum
july 5 1986 Los Angeles Forum
Nov 19 1988 San Diego Sports arena
Sept 10 1991 Pacific Amp--Orange County ca.
May 2 1992 Los Angeles Forum
May 16 1992 Los Angeles Forum
Aug 27 1993 Pacific Amp--Orange County ca.
Aug 28 1993 Pacific Amp--Orange County ca.
April 4 1995 Los Angeles Forum
April 5 1995 Los Angeles Forum
Oct 7 1995 Blockbuster Pavillion in San Bernadino Ca.
Oct 15 1995 Irvine ca.
July 4 1998 Blockbuster Pavillion in San Bernadino Ca.
Aug 16 2004 Anaheim--5*
Aug 19 2004 Staples L.A. ca.
Aug 20 2004 Staples L.A. ca.
Oct 18 2007 Chicago United center
Nov 23 2007 Glendale az
Dec 14 2007 Staples L.A. ca.
Dec 18 2007 Anaheim ca.
Dec 20 2007 Anaheim ca.
Roth is now moving around with much more energy. After 25 shows he is really getting into great physical shape. His voice is getting stronger and he drives the show.
Eddie played great. Very relaxed and it was nice to see the pit lunge forward towards him as he walked to the front edge of the stage during his solo. Can't wait for him to lose the cord as it'll bring so much more to the show.
Wolf plays his part perfectly. No way is Anthony coming back, unless Wolf calls it quits.
I think this band could sell out Staples 100 nights in a row, the fans are that rabid about them and the performance and material is that good.
The flasher had really nice boobs! And she was hot as well.
Some advice if you decide to sit in the seats side stage which are very close to the band and are available the day of the show at the box office.
1) If you choose Eddies side of the stage you will not see Alex as he is blocked by the big black box on stage. Which Roth mysteriously went into during Al's solo.
2) You will be really close to the band, but you won't be able to see the jumbotron for detail shots. Still, you are really close and don't really miss the screen anyway.
3) Ed & Dave are mostly on Ed's side, and will come and sing and play to you a few times during the night which is essentially a front row seat.
4) When Roth (Little Dreamer) or Wolf (Running With The Devil - Open) go to the top of the ramp, you will have very special seats.
5) Wolf's side is best for seeing the whole band without the box obstruction.
6) Face value, availabilty and such close proximity make it a pretty good deal if you decide last minute to go to a show.
Good show last night.
The show began with the Van Halen brothers breaking the silence with a crushing wall of thumping drums and guitar distortion that broke the silence and made the crowd go bezerk.
From the opening,Roth was a huge factor in delivering the songs and keeping the crowds spirit up.His voice is in rare and fine form.His bright clothes,up-beat personality and gymnastics were never boring and came off as very fresh.
IMO,he seems to find a space within the Van Halen brothers manic rhythm,where the music becomes more distinct and the emotional impact of the songs is felt.
Wolfgang Van Halen did a great job.Though I preffer Mike Anthony on bass and vocals.The classic Van Halen songs are about passion,testosterone,and rebellion.A 16 year old kid who will never want for anything,can never convey the yearning and suffering it takes,to work your way out of a suburb,play clubs and pay the dues of rock stardom.
That aside,he took care of the Anthony classic bass lines with innocence that was fresh.
Father Edward was on a one to ten scale,...an 8 1/2.He was charming,strong and consistent.The only negative thing I can say is there is one guitar lick he keeps going to,over and over again.I don't know what it's called.So I'll say it this way.If you go to the 4:49 point in the song "Poundcake", you will hear the guitar lick I'm talking about. He seems to go to this lick often and to my ears,it always comes off frustrating and confusing.
Other than that,he was good.GREAT to see Edward smile again.His personality was effective and connected with Dave in a way I have never seen.
Alex WAS the show for me.If not for Alex,I don't think this show could be what it is .... musically speaking.
ALL of Al's skill is intact and sharp.NO overplaying.TIGHT and passionate.
That Alex kept his health and skill together,while his brother was going in all directions through the years,is the saving grace of the Van Halen "THREE-union".(Ed can also thank his lucky stars that Dave is a fitness nut).
All in all,a great show with a classic crowd.On thier feet even in the top rafters.After seeing this show,one has to wonder:What would they have done next if Roth turned them down?
THE ROTH JOKES ARE OVER ! ! ! www.myspace.com/markfloresmusic
Last edited by mfgtr : 12.15.07 at 09:21 AM.
Reason: forgot to list
Wonderful,Wonderful concert.It was everything I could hope for and then some. I didn't think I'd see them as I wasn't able to get tickets but out of nowhere my sister got me 2 tickets for christmas. Well anyway, the show lived up the expectations and even more so. They kept the energy on high all thru out the evening which was incredible, even the slower, more melodic tunes (Little Dreamer, I'll Wait, The Cradle Will Rock) had this intensity to me. I wish I could say more but all the good points were already made from everyone else and i'm still tired .
A show of a lifetime. I really hope someone recorded it.
"Eddie Van Halen playing the fucking blues!"
-DLR
__________________
The question is not, "Does love exist?"
But when she leaves, where she goes?
I got the feelin' she don't know either
Wait like the wind, watch where she blows
i will make it short and sweet. i HOPE they got a dvd of the show. they were really sharp and energized. i am a very tough judge of the band having seen them since before they were signed and having many friends in common. this show was way better than the one here 2 weeks ago. 2 weeks ago it seemed very sterile, especially for being home. last night just plain old rocked. lots of industry people in attendance and the crowd was loud and appreciative. no doubt in my mind this was the best show they have done so far.
i will make it short and sweet. i HOPE they got a dvd of the show. they were really sharp and energized. i am a very tough judge of the band having seen them since before they were signed and having many friends in common. this show was way better than the one here 2 weeks ago. 2 weeks ago it seemed very sterile, especially for being home. last night just plain old rocked. lots of industry people in attendance and the crowd was loud and appreciative. no doubt in my mind this was the best show they have done so far.
agree 100%
the whole thing was just special. eddie and dave are having the times of their lives and you can tell they have that connection again.
and wolfie can flat out jam. al is amazin.
a night i'll never forget for sure. these guys have worked their asses off
Eddie Van Halen must have gotten a good night's sleep, had his wheaties and taken his happy pill, because he was on top of his game like I've never seen. He remembered the notes to all his songs and actually played them with the precision and flair that made him a legend. He used a wah-wah pedal in various places this time just to change things up and it was refreshing. He also interspersed a bit of blues playing in between songs. It was kinda like watching Kobe Bryant shooting for 81 points in single game. He was that good.
The staples center was once again packed to the rafters, they flew two hindenburg inflatables with the Van Halen logo inside the arena before the show to get the crowd pumped up.
Dave was in screaming good form, high energy, doing his trademark high spinning back kicks to the crowd's delight. He is not a singer who has ever been able to hit all his notes live and last night was no exception. He has somehow made a miraculous vocal comeback compared to his solo fiascos of just a few years ago. He screams lould and strong at the appopriate emphasis points and he sings in a different key when he needs to dodge a bullet.
Wolfie can hold his own. He plays up to professional standards, but the kid has zero personality on stage. He is given the duty to say the classic "Dave, gimme a break" and he says it with no enthusiasm or character. His delivery is very dull. Dave has no worries that this kid is going to steal the show. He's totally blah. He's definitely going through puberty and he looks teenage awkward and goofy. While dad and Dave are shirtless sporting six packs, Wolfie is blubbery and lumpy looking wearing all black and adding a zip up sweatjacket for good measure. He's got a bad breakout of acne all over his face and he hides behind a typical teenagers long hair in the face hairstyle.
Alex is playing very well, looks fit albeit a bit old in the jowls and bit sallow of skin. He's looks his 55+ years old, but he works like an animal behind his kit. much harder than say a Charlie Watts , more like a Neil Pert.
The crowd was standing the entire time, rocking, pumping their fists and smoking high grade dope in aisles. Plenty of people left staggering into and out of the bathrooms. It was Saturday night, they came to relive the past and see and hear their heroes take them back to summer of 1984.
It was like 1984 all over again, except this time , Eddie and a stadium full of his fans brought their kids to experience the time travel. I think the kids will be forever spoiled now, as they watch todays lesser musicians play on MTV, and wonder "Where have all the good times gone?"
vocals are enhanced. noticed one time during ATBL the 'hey hey hey' part. No one was near their microphones and it still sounded like a choir shouting it out. Their mics are on, but ther is some mojo going on.
Ok I had to gather my thoughts and whatnot from last Friday's show.
I was at the last Staples Center show and I’m gonna say this was a better show than the November date. Maybe it was because my seats were fucking awesome and it made me enjoy it that much more, but I was blown away.
I’ve read people slam Eddie on these message boards over the years, not just him personally, but his about his ability as a performer and even as a relevant guitar player (yeah because Vito Bratta, Brian Young, and Steve Vai are so much more technically proficient). I agree that 2004 was pretty shaky in spots. That might be putting it lightly even, but Friday night it was obvious that in 2007, Eddie Van Halen is the greatest living guitar player. There are textures and colors he has added to those old songs that make them sound fresh after all these years. I don’t care if he’s had bad shows on this tour…luckily I didn’t see those shows. I saw 110% brilliance. If they don't get him in the studio after this tour, they are missing the fucking boat big time!
This was only my second time seeing David Lee Roth live, so it would be silly to say “This was the best I’ve ever seen him”, but I’ll say this….unless it was 1984 or earlier, I don’t think he could have ever sounded better. The screams were all there, the kicks and grins…..he got better as the show went on.
Alex…what can you say? He’s the driving force. Underrated as fuck too. I actually stayed at my seat for his solo and watched the whole thing….that is a creative solo. Not too long, he’s not trying to do Moby Dick anymore…none of that “doom---doom----doom----doom----doom”, on the crappy Simmons pad, with the crowd clapping along with a strobe light for 2 minutes too long, while it gradually builds up faster and faster nonsense. I’m glad that part got cut. One cool thing I noticed was when he’s playing along with that piano and horn sample (is it a sample?) it sounds like a little piece of “Outta Love Again”. That would be so cool for them to bust out at one of these shows. That song is a combination of favorite DLR screams and also favorite EVH solos of all time.
I’m a certified Wolfgang fan. I know the reason this tour is even happening is because of him……piped-in background vocals be damned.
We all know the routine by now when it comes to the actual show, so I’ll just post the highlights for me.
Seeing Eddie extend his hand to Dave during the break of “I’m The One”….and Dave soak in the LA crowd…it sounded like the crowd was more into it this time. Again, maybe that’s because of where I was sitting.
During the bluesy section after the guitar solo in Somebody Get Me A Doctor…Dave and Eddie were going back and forth with that vocal-guitar interplay that, in my opinion, could only be rivaled by Page and Plant…it was goose-bump inducing. Then Dave stops after some really tasty playing from Eddie and goes “Eddie Van Halen can play the FUCKING BLUES GUITAR, YEAH!”
Dave forgot the words during Pretty Woman…it wasn’t as cool as in Montreal when he really DID forget the words. I’m pretty sure this was shtick. But it wouldn’t be a Van Halen show without that line!
Ice Cream Man story…exactly the same story. Thought he might change it up just a little.
Eddie’s solo was a high point. He started with Little Guitars intro, into Spanish Fly, into 316, into a mind-melting shred fest that of course ended with Eruption. The crowd was eating it up. It was so good to see Eddie on that stage, back on top of the world. You can tell having his kid in the band has re-energized him. I say good for Wolfgang…and good for us.
I feel I’m starting to ramble so, in closing, that was the greatest fucking concert of my life.
Here are some pictures my girlfriend took. At one point I was feet away from the greatest frontman of all time, and my personal hero…(Side note...start from the bottom and go up)
We met a really cool die hard fan that sent us some of her pictures from both LA shows. I’ll be posting those soon as well as a couple 2 minute videos…
Does this need to be said again???!?!! If you are not posting a review from this show, DO NOT POST IN THESE THREADS. I just deleted 6 posts that had nothing to do with reviews of this show.
__________________
Webmaster
VHLinks.com - Your Van Halen Internet Resource Guide http://www.vhlinks.com
JamToThis.com
Audio/Video Trading Community
Tons of Van Halen!
*** REVIEWS Staples Center 12/14 ***
thanks wolf! 
digital this and digital that
501 Darts
GTA
Bowling Master
Linear Mode
