SHOW REVIEWS » July 28th - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Selma, TX) - Reviews ONLY!

mcr0853 · 07.29.02, 06:38 AM

It's Monday...the day after.

I am back at work one day following an attempt to recapture my Youth.

For the first time since 1984, I paid to hear VH songs being played at a high volume.

(WHO CARES? This space is for reviews)

Dave Opened...I felt really bad for him since most people don't tend to fill the seats until after an hour into the show--the empty audience reminded me a great deal of Spinal Tap "Mark 2." It did not seem to matter to the expression on Dave's old wrinkled face.

It was great to hear the classic VH songs again...some very bold selections in the set (I think I'd drop Little Dreamer and Atomic Punks--those are some really deep tracks).

One reason I never went to another VH concert was because I knew they'd never play "I'm The One" again. To hear Dave pull it (and the others)out of the trunk warmed my heart.

One thing I noticed: Dave remembered more words to the songs then he had 20 years ago. He only repeated song verses on occasion (Certainly better than announcing "I forgot the f....n words, Man!").

As for his voice, well...the years have not been kind to Dave. I tell you the FIRST thing I noticed: "Man, Where is Michael Anthony when you need him?" (Apparently, back stage waiting to come on with Sammy). The VH Vocal Sound always had Dave singing the bottom and letting Mike (and Ed) soar to the top ranges...Dave's band did the best they could, but could not help Dave recapture his youthful screech.

By the end of the show, the audience was very enthusiastic for "Jump" which is both bad and good....for it signifies Dave's/VH's highest point and the beginning of the end of My Van Halen.

---------

I am sad to say as an old VH fan, that Sammy was on top of his game. He sings just as he did when he replaced Dave and the audience responded.

I wondered if it was just because Sammy was singing
10 year old songs and Dave was singing 20, but the audience went crazy any time he launched in to a VH tune...Perhaps having Michael there had something to do with it (I know THAT'S why I was excited).

Even when his tech's failed him (Lead's guitar went out at them right at the start of one of the songs (I'm sorry, don't remember which) Sammy just orchestrated an alternative (Guitar solo became a Bass solo) w/o missing a beat (or showing any displeasure).

"Heavy Metal" got a very enthusiastic response...and he really stunned the crowd by pulling an old one out of HIS trunk ("Rock Candy").

(oh yeah, it WAS "Heavy Metal" that lost the guitar--thanks to the posters below for reminding me)

One word of advice: Don't conclude with "Mas Tequila" No one really knows it....not like they know "55". It actually brought crowd response down ...just reverse them and you've got it.

Good Show, Sammy. Will NEVER be Van Halen, but I can see the appeal.

Good Show, Dave. Will never be in Van Halen again...And that will always hurt.

RIP VH

[ July 29, 2002, 09:55 PM: Message edited by: mcr0853 ]

shovel_man · 07.29.02, 07:22 AM

Just waking up from last nights festivities. My ears are still ringing. Great show last night, I am so happy they postponed the first show, because I would have missed that.

Let explain my Van Halen status. When I was ten, 1984 was the album that made my world go round. When the change came I accepted Sammy only after listening to all of 5150. I have only seen VH with Hagar (and once with Cherone). Although I loved the music of Hagar my favorite VH concert moment was on the "Right Here, Right Now" tour when they did "Unchained." Even though Sammy half assed it it still rocked, and to this day is in my top 3 concert moments. I have never seen Dave and was very excited about the chance to do so last night.

Dave came out in his blue stretch pants and started quickly. My girlfriend pointed out immediately he looks old, good, but old. We also note the kicks were not quite as high.

He opened with "Hot for Teacher," a song I have been waiting 19 years to hear live. Dave was on, his band was on, but the sound sucked. It continued to suck through to "Panama." Very diapointing versions of both. In fact, it was the worse version of Panama I have ever seen.

Dave stepped up, and the sound stepped up for "And the Cradle will Rock,", but it seemed to alternate with each song. Some would sound great, others would sound bad. Finally at about the middle of "You Really Got Me" the sound was perfect for the rest of the gig.

In contrast to the last reviewer, I loved "Atomic Punk" and "Little Dreamer" thought they were perfect for the show and sounded great. The last five songs from "Yankee Rose" on were tremendous. After "Jump," I found it hard to believe that most reviews of past shows were Pro-Sammy. Dave and his band rocked. Dave's total set time was an hour and 25 minutes and his set-list was unchanged.

Sammy comes out and begins with the video into "Red" and then "Runaround." I was suprised at the initial high energy frenzy the crowd went into. Then came "3 Lock Box", "One Way to Rock" and then the tech debacle with "Heavy Metal" There were no guitars for the whole song. I don't know who is doing the sound for both Dave and Sam, but they need to be fired.

Then the moment I was waiting for Michael Anthony comes out. Top of the World, Best of Both Worlds, Why Can't this be Love, Finish What You Started, When It's Love soon follwed that. Unbelievable. The place went nuts.

Two things I noticed. One is that Michael Anthony is awesome and a huge part of VH's music. Mona is a great bass player and back-up singer, but Mikey takes it to another level. Second, was that it was very obvious of Sammy Hagar's increase energy for the show. It seemed as though San Antonio was his only tour stop, while during Dave's set, although it was phenomenal, it seemed mechanical. Dave seemed to be playing for the cameras and not for the people.

Mike left and Sam finished with "Rock Candy," "I can't Drive 55," and "Mas Tequilla". Encore with "Dreams" which was great. 1 hour and 25 min.

Suprising me after the set Dave put out, Sammy wins. I don't see why Dave could not equal or better him if just was less stiff and interacted with the crowd more. Although plenty of Roth backers left early, I think the show would have been a big let down in terms of energy, if Sammy opened.

fastcc · 07.29.02, 07:53 AM

Same basic show that I saw in Albuquerque earlier this year. I few notes:

Sammy DID NOT play "Red" as posted earlier. He started out with Shaka Doobie from his last solo record.

I also prefer Roth Halen over Van Hagar, but Sammy's show is so damn good. He's a fun, sincere performer at these shows and the crowd responds accordingly. Dave is just going through the motions - this must not be his thing anymore. Don't get me wrong, Dave's band is AWESOME and hearing Mean Street and Unchained is worth the price of admission - but Sammy's got Dave beat in the front man competition.

Brett · 07.29.02, 11:45 AM

If you went to the July 28th show, please feel free to add a reply with your review here.

Let's try to keep this thread for REVIEWS ONLY, and not for discussion. That way, it will be easy for people to read them.

If you want to discuss this particular show, just make a new thread for that.

Thanks!

DLR'sCock · 07.29.02, 12:40 PM

www.dlrarmy.com

Posted by BooRadley over at the Army:

San Antonio, Texas get's rocked with big dose of STAR POWER.

I strongly agree with the above reviewers, and I'll try to keep my review more on the aesthetic.

I've only seen DLR once in (1983) with VH. At that show at Reunion Arena in Dallas- I understood VH's frustration of having a frontman that only sang every other verse- leaving the backing vocals hanging out in the wind like lone keyboards. But last night at the VWA in SATX, it was quite evident that Dave knows the buck stops with him and BOY did HE DELIVER. True, he wasn't able to hit the trademark banshee screams, but he DID hit everything else. SHOWMANSHIP with a CAPITAL 'S' Dave is making this tour count and convinced me that warmed over Van Halen songs couldn't have survived this long without a fresh dash of DLR spice.

I heard the posted mp3s from the opening show and realized how much Dave's voice was out of shape- I'm sure a lot of you will disagree, but let's be realistic here. After hearing the mp3s I surmised that Dave's voice will either be worse or phenomenal by the time he comes to SA. Well it was the latter- F+&%'in PHENOMENAL. What obviously happened between the Peoria and SA show was some sharpening and strengthening- both with Dave and the band. And Dave was quite engaged with the fans, referring to every pretty girl he saw as "little Texan" ha ha.

There was nothing average about Dave and the band. Brian Young's guitar goes without saying, and drummer was awesome- which it puzzles me why I've never heard of him before. Probably because I never got into the Nixons I suppose. Ray and James made us FEEL the rhythm- and I am sure they are getting tighter with every show. Something I really can't say regarding Hagar, who treats his performances like a trip to the grocery store. Self-admitted at that. Case in point the local radio interviewed him analyzing his proposed set list like a powerpoint presentation for a marketing proposal. "I'd say it's gonna be about 30/30/30, will throw this and that, the general stuff, and ... so on." In fact, in all fairness to rock fans everywhere- I must tell you that watching Sammy Hagar (even on directv recently) is like eating a bowl of cornflakes with no fruit or sugar. Just plain. Michael Anthony certainly sparked the biggest appause of Sammy's set, but unfortunately it's still Samar Haggy- the party gut. Not that there's anything wrong with that... ahem. I think the best part of Sammy's set for me personally was when the camera panned the crowd early on and showed some topless girls sporting their latest silicone work. Nice. My wife said they really weren't that pretty and I responded... "oh,.. they showed their faces?" To which I earned a playful punch in the arm.

ANYWAY... I think you get the point. I didn't really care for SH.

Thank God Dave opened the show because that's where the REAL definition of ROCK SHOW was explained in full color detail. All my wife could say was... "Look at those pants" "Would you wear those pants?" YEah Baby YEah! ha ha. Let's face it, even I- a happily married heterosexual would have to admit Dave looks damn good and if I look as good when I hit his age- I'll buy some shiny blue pants with the waistline just below my hips. Probably going to take a few hundred laps on the bike. ha.

Shocker of the night- DOA. Just a knock out punch that pretty much sealed any question of the night - about who rightfully deserves any crown of rock and roll frontmen. Sing it with me... Broken down and dirty dressed in rags.....!!!! YEAH. Tha winna... in the Blue corner... David Lee Roth!!!!

It was nice of Dave to say God Bless you at the end of the show. A little something for humbleness from a man who's been through a lot of rejection, misunderstanding and underappreciation. God Bless YOU Dave, for making a lasting impression on us all- and giving us one hell of a good time in 2002. Rock on!

Post #9

valdez44 · 07.29.02, 09:47 PM

Hey cock, I respect the fact that you're in love with Roth. No problem. But if we wanted to hear an obvious biased review, then we would check out the DLR army or redrocker.com. Let the people who were there give their review!!!!!!!!

The Mighty STR · 07.30.02, 07:58 AM

The Mighty DLR Band was awesome. I was there to see Dave and left with a smile on my face. I've seen Dave six times (once in 88, three times in '99, last month in Houston, and Sunday in San Antone) and he has never sounded better.

I'm not going to give a song-for-song review. Dave rocked... PERIOD. Dave IS Van Halen. If Edward Van Heineken doesn't realize that, then he is even more fucked up than anyone realizes. My favorites had to be Little Dreamer and I'm the One.

The highlight was going backstage and hanging with Ray Luzier for a while during Sam's show. I briefly met Brian.

As for Sam... Sam was Sam. His voice hasn't lost any of it's range or strength over the years. He has a great band. Big deal. I'm not a fan. Anything negative I post will be perceived as being "biased". (I AM biased.. so fuck you if you don't like it) I wasn't there to see Sam. I didn't drive 500 miles round-trip to see Sam. Sam puts on a good party. It's the same rehearsed party from town to town. Many people dig it... but I was very happy to see people giving him the thumbs down during his show. It just seems so fucking fake. He has the chicks sticking their tits in his face and giving him drinks. Big deal. If I wanted to see that, I'd go to a fuckin' tittie club. I guess Sam needs those props to get the audience rocking. Dave didn't.

Some people thought it was cool or funny when Sam said, "I reach down between my legs and ease the seat back". I thought it was lame. So did others around me.

It was great to see Mike. The next time I see Mike, I want it to be with Dave, Ed, and Al.... not with Mr. Cabo Wabo. I doubt that will ever happen... but then again... I thought I'd never see Ozzy with Geezer, Tony, and Bill.

My only regret on this tour is that Sam closed both shows that I saw. Maybe I should be thankful that Sam closed. That allowed me to leave a bit early and beat the traffic!

Master Joe · 07.30.02, 10:29 AM

STR - you are indeed Mighty!!!!!! Damn good read.

Down In Flames · 07.30.02, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by valdez44:
Hey cock, I respect the fact that you're in love with Roth. No problem. But if we wanted to hear an obvious biased review, then we would check out the DLR army or redrocker.com.

I've got to agree. Cock, you posted another review from the army in SHOW REVIEWS » July 26th - Sandstone Amphitheatre (Kansas City, MO) - Reviews ONLY! and I didn't say anything but I don't quite get the point of posting their reviews here, or vice versa, for that matter.

I can appreciate the fact that people at the army think Dave's bettered Sam at every show. Personally, I hope he has. [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img] But to talk about "biased" reviews in SHOW REVIEWS » July 25th - Ford Center Arena (Oklahoma City, OK) - Reviews ONLY! , and then go there to find reviews to cut and paste back here... LOL You'd agree that's a bit disingenuous, wouldn't you?

I'd like to see more pro-Dave reviews, too. But I'm not about to scour another site to find them.

Little Dreamer · 07.30.02, 12:09 PM

I hope the Mods will ban any new DLR Army reviews being posted on this site.
What's the point of reading them, they all sound the same!
On the other hand, people who have prefered Roth's show and who posted their review on this site did it in an articulate manner which was intersting to read.
I feel a lot pro-Roth fans are like members belonging to some kind of obscure Cult, preaching some kind of holy gospel, in a Soviet propaganda kind of way.
You don't get that impression from pro-Sam fans or pro-Eddie fans.

Brett · 07.30.02, 12:23 PM

Cock stop posting Army reviews on here. If those guys want to post here and share their review fine, let them do it. I know they don't, so stop cutting and pasting them here. I don't see you pasting the pro-Sam reviews there.

You want pro-Dave reviews only. Then go to every show and write a review here.

This forum was set up for people to post reviews of shows that THEY went to, not for YOU to scour the net and post reviews you like. So stop doing it.

DLR'sCock · 07.30.02, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brett:
Cock stop posting Army reviews on here. If those guys want to post here and share their review fine, let them do it. I know they don't, so stop cutting and pasting them here. I don't see you pasting the pro-Sam reviews there.

You want pro-Dave reviews only. Then go to every show and write a review here.

This forum was set up for people to post reviews of shows that THEY went to, not for YOU to scour the net and post reviews you like. So stop doing it.

Brett, I already stopped before you asked me to, I am done.

The review by bubbleishous, was my last one. For the record I posted two reviews by iceman and BooRadley, then Down In Flames said no more...

I only posted that one by bubbleishous, because I thought people would appreciate the fact that she actually met Dave and his band, and he remembered her name...

Oh well, so much for that. It's done.

Brett · 07.30.02, 01:21 PM

Ok I didn't know you had stopped man. Moving on.

LightBulb5150 · 07.30.02, 08:37 PM

REVIEW: Hagar gets his shots in, but 'Jump' goes to Roth

By Hector Saldaña
Express-News Staff Writer

Web Posted : 07/30/2002 5:27 PM

It was a battle of arena rock titans, past their prime but still able to conjure the old magic and pull a crowd.
More than 7,100 long-in-the-tooth classic rock fans cheered on the so-called “Sammy & Dave Show” starring Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth on Sunday at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.

But it was only waistline girth, flabby arms and thinning hairlines that separated this screaming, energetic audience (many with their fists in the air) from the typical mosh pit and teenybopper crowd.

Hagar, 54, remains the unrepentant party animal.

Roth, 46, still plays the narcissistic role to the hilt. He’s a blond these days, but buff enough to go shirtless much of the time.

If this were a boxing match, Hagar would have taken the later rounds in front of an audience on his side and with the advantage of having more recent hits.

But Roth was impressive early, and any judge would have a hard time deciding the ultimate victor. Arguably, Roth played the better-known tunes.

Dressed in shiny blue bell bottoms, Roth twirled and high-kicked on Van Halen monster hits such as “Hot For Teacher,” “Panama” and “Dance the Night Away.”

“Ah, the guitarist is inspired tonight,” Roth said as his backup band smoked the Kink’s signature tune, “You Really Got Me.”

Roth’s Van Halen copy band was more than serviceable. And as one fan noted, “It’s all about the singer, just like John Fogerty solo vs. Creedence Clearwater Revisited that suck (expletive)!”

“This is definitely better than a (John) Mellencamp show,” venue spokesman Dave Allen said, lamenting last year’s Mellencamp concert, which drew poorly.

Sexy video footage accompanied “Beautiful Girls” (Roth is, after all, all about impossibly sexy women in Size 5 dresses).

A faithful “Pretty Woman” had fans dancing in the aisles. Roy Orbison’s heavily amped riff is as killer as it was 40 years ago.

A definite high point came when Roth donned an acoustic guitar and growled “Ice Cream Man,” a hard-core VH fan favorite.

His encore included “Jump,” complete with twirling microphone stand display (as good as any band major) and acrobatic feats.

Hagar is hardly as physically flexible, but he can knock back the tequila. The Red Rocker downed enough booze to drop a rhino as he charged through rock from the ’70s through the ’90s.

“I don’t drink before the show,” Hagar said. “I drink during the show.”

He then proceeded to suck a body shot off a shapely model in a bikini.

Some of the pandering was shameless, but Hagar was the epitome of the everyman rock star on tunes like the Led Zeppelin-inspired “Three Lock Box.” There were times, though, when the gratuitous cursing seemed only to be aimed at achieving a “Beavis and Butt-head” mentality.

Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony made a not-so-surprising appearance with Hagar on “Top of the World,” one of the last truly inspired Van Halen tracks, dating to 1991.

Hagar often promoted his Cabo Wabo nightclub and tequila, and he even had “Cabo Wabo” fans onstage with him all night. They cheered from bleachers behind the amps.

Then it was time for Hagar to get Anthony into the tequila drinking trip.

“Don’t you want to die and be just like Mike-ee,” Hagar said as several scantily clad woman poured tequila down Anthony’s mouth.

The fans lapped it up. Hagar has been “Wild On” for decades.

Anthony strutted as he played bass on “Right Now,” “Best of Both Worlds” and “Why Can’t This Be Love.”

San Antonio treated Hagar like a hometown boy. The love did not go unnoticed.

“I’ve played every facility in this city,” Hagar said. “I’ve played places they’ve torn down!”

Hagar continued with a cheeky shot at Ozzy Osbourne: “Remember, we go way back baby. But we do not (expletive) on the Alamo.”

“When It’s Love” reached epic majesty on its sing-along chorus, but there was much to be said for the appeal of the 1973 Montrose hit, “Rock Candy.”

Past met present on “I Can’t Drive 55,” as Hagar played a red Gibson Les Paul electric guitar and the old MTV video played quaintly behind the Waboritas band.

Who won this battle of the hams is debatable, but both Hagar and Roth delivered knockout punches. Not a bad way to spend a summer night.

hsaldana@express-news.net

07/30/2002

Hangman · 07.30.02, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Little Dreamer:

I feel a lot pro-Roth fans are like members belonging to some kind of obscure Cult, preaching some kind of holy gospel, in a Soviet propaganda kind of way.
You don't get that impression from pro-Sam fans or pro-Eddie fans.

You know, I hate people that clutter up the review threads so I will apologize to everyone in advance-I'm sorry...

But, get a fucking grip dude!!! "Soviet propaganda kind of way" - calm down!!! it is only a music fans message board for Christ's sake! Luckily Brett and Cock settled this, I don't want you to write and warn your senator or congressman of some pinko activity over at the links. Bin Laden secret messages over the net and now this!!!

And as far as your opinion about Dave fans and their tactics, well it just so happens I have mentioned a couple times in the last month about this being a Sammy biased board-which is my opinion [img]smile.gif[/img] As far as Eddie fans, well I won't even go there since they think that anything he does is golden, ANYTHING, and that he is God himself.

I just can't believe you took this whiny attitude over Cock posting that review-LOOK AROUND THIS SITE-there are plenty of assholes who deserve your comments more than Cock, much more. He is just an enthusiastic pro Dave VH fan. And no matter your preference-isn't that what this site is supposed to be about; enthusiastic fans?

Again, I apologize to everyone for cluttering up the thread with a non-review response.

Peace

[ July 30, 2002, 10:52 PM: Message edited by: Hangman ]