Van Halen 1984 Montreal Video

**dropdeadlegs** · 07.24.02, 03:22 PM

I just bought the infamous Van Halen 1984 Montreal video on Ebay, While I'm waiting for it in the mail, has anybody out there seen it.? I know it's not a band sanctioned video so the quality is not that great but otherwise what can I expect?

[ July 24, 2002, 02:23 PM: Message edited by: dropdeadlegs ]

**theodore templeman** · 07.24.02, 03:24 PM

It's good.

I think it may be one of the only video documents around of that tour.

**dropdeadlegs** · 07.24.02, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by theodore templeman:
It's good.

I think it may be one of the only video documents around of that tour.

Are you serious? Couldn't these guy foresee how fans would crave this stuff almost 20 years later.

**paragliderIB** · 07.24.02, 03:35 PM

I bought a bootleg from the 1984 tour. The quality of the tape is pathetic and the sound warbles in and out (poor tape). During Al's solo, you cannot even hear the solo...its a wall of noise (no, Al's not that fast). I hope you arent buying the same vid, or maybe I just got a bad copy??? (hint: I would REALLY like to get a good copy

**Opporknockity** · 07.24.02, 03:38 PM

This is a great video if you're wanting a concert from the 1984 tour. I haven't seen any other videos from this tour so this is a good one to have.

**Marion Barry** · 07.24.02, 03:55 PM

Someone once posted the contents of the classic VH video vault over at the Army. Included in that vault was a PRO SHOT full length home video of the 1984 tour that was going to be released in 85.

I want DAT shit!

**Marion Barry** · 07.24.02, 03:59 PM

While we're at it, I want to request ALL this stuff be released by VH and DLR:

Pro Shot Oakland Show - 81 (DOES exist)
Pro Shot Buenos Aires Show - 83 (with clips of U.S. Festival too) (DOES exist...I have it.)
Pro Shot 1984 Tour Show (probably does exist)

Pro Shot Eat Em and Smile show (??)
Pro Shot Skyscraper Show (DOES exist-MTV has shown clips of it before)
Pro Shot Lil Ain't Enough Show - 91 Sweeden (DOES exist)
Pro Shot Video of the Vegas Show Dave and the Mambo Slammers- 95 (???)

**Trennasol** · 07.24.02, 04:01 PM

Hey you get what you 'pay for' and there's less complaining about quality when you get what you
'trade for.'

I've got a copy of the video and it's OK. The sound is kind of thin and the pic is what you should expect from a bootleg 1984 video. If your not expecting it to look like a pro shot show, you'll like it just fine.

**paragliderIB** · 07.24.02, 04:33 PM

no, I mean mine is a REALLY REALLY bad copy (I know its a bootleg). Shot totally from nosebleed section with extremely bad sound quality...the focus is way off...etc. There has GOT to be something better out there.

**Top Jimmy 1** · 07.24.02, 04:41 PM

Conisdering that it's a bootleg video camera shot, it's amazing. The guitar solo is worth the whole show. Eddie is way aggresive in this show. A great show all around.

**79th and Sunset** · 07.24.02, 04:55 PM

You know ole' 79th here has this video, just watched it a few weeks back.

It kicks ass !!

Yeah, its bootleg, but its all good !! [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

**Diver Down NJ** · 07.24.02, 05:15 PM

The one I have looks and sounds like it was filmed from inside a luxury suite. Did the Forum have them back in the '80s??

**YankeeRose** · 07.24.02, 05:54 PM

I don't have it, but I have heard that the bootlegs from that tour aren't great quality unfortunately.

I'm moving this topic to songs/albums/video's.

**hain23x** · 07.24.02, 06:29 PM

this particular video was the 3rd VH video I ever got, and after getting my hands on USfestival, Baltimore/washington, and Argentina I was REALLY looking forward to a "pro shot" 1984

what I got was shit

1 cam, muddled sound and just plain shit.

being a fan, I guess I kinda enjoyed it, but I was really pissed when I got it.

too bad that this seems to be the only video out there from that tour

[ July 24, 2002, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: hain23x ]

**Rikk** · 07.24.02, 08:55 PM

Funny, I've always loved that video. For a mid-80's audience boot, it's pretty damn good. It's actually my favorite VH video I own. I mean that...I like it more than any of the officially released stuff, mainly because it has my favorite VH singer and the tour from my favorite VH album.

No, the quality ain't professional at all. But with a good sound system and a big T.V., you really feel like you're in the audience watching a sold-out 1984 show. They were really on top of the world when this tour happened, and the audience reaction is pure hysteria.

The guy focuses in a lot, but the limits of camcorder technology at the time mean that the camera can't get closer than maybe a band member's full figure taking up half the screen. There's also no stabilizer. Still, the sound is heavy, you can hear everything Dave says...the colors are pretty vivid. It's really pretty damn good.

Now, I also have a 1st or 2nd generation copy...so maybe some people are getting crappy copies out there, which would make sense.

Anyway, the set list is great, the performance is great and energetic. Eddie and Dave are awesome. The only bad parts are Alex's mess of a drum solo (it's really the camera's fault in terms of its sound capability, not Alex's) and RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL (where the high-powered lights are too much for the camera to handle).

If you have a good copy, you should enjoy it. [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]