When was your first Van Halen concert?

[Jedi McFly]

Today's the 20th anniversary of my first VH show. I'd been into the band for two years and thought I was the luckiest kid in the world because they got back together and started touring again. I remember my parents picking me up from school early so I could go home and buy tickets via I Love All Access. $175 for 4th or 5th row. Clearly it was a time when Ed was battling his darkest demons. Even as a young naive teenager and could tell there was something wrong with Ed and the entire band’s dynamic. But I left having seen my guitar hero in person, and I’m still oddly nostalgic for aspects of this tour - Peavey era Wolfgangs, the striped cabinets, the (soberly striped) Art Series guitars, etc. I walked away from the show with a guitar pick from Ed too!

I’m very grateful it gave me an opportunity to see both Sam and Mike with the band, and if nothing else it at least serves as part of Ed’s story of beating addiction and beginning his path towards the victory he claimed over it a few years later.

When was your first Van Halen concert?

[Jamie M]

RHRN tour. April 1993 for me when VH came to Birmingham UK. 3rd row seats. I had only discovered VH 2 years before and FUCK was my favourite album at that time. I couldn't take my eyes off Eds Musicman guitar which i badly wanted but they were just not available in the UK at that time and even if they were they were well out of my price range as a 16 yr old. I was this skinny kid surrounded by hairy biker types. The whole atmosphere was electric and i am very fortunate that i saw VH live which was a rarity as they just didnt tour England. Great times.

[CaboChris]

November 2, 1986. Cow Palace.

My sister had gotten tickets and attended 1984 tour. She's three years older than me, and at 12 years old, I'm way too young to go that. I was crushed. I was envious. I was mad. Why? Because I was the true VH fan among my siblings. You better get me a shirt, bitch.

Two years later, it's my time, and my mom was not gonna let her baby miss this one. She buys 5 tickets. One for me and a friend. 3 for my brother's and one of their friends. We set out for the night, and on the way, my brothers are trying to act sly and doing crank. Trying to hide it from us youngsters but little did they know, me and my friend were veterans. His father was a dealer.

Anyway, get to the venue, and what struck me was the haze in the place. I don't recall a weed haze just a general like fogginess if you will, and there's music playing in the arena over the system. Rock music always attracts a diverse crowd ESPECIALLY in the Bay Area in those days. Burned in my memory is seeing a vato loco ese wearing a VH tour shirt bobbing his head up and down to a song I had to know who it was from. That night was the first time I heard Over The Hills And Far Away.

I was not prepared for what was about to happen. BTO was nothing really crazy. They got a shitload of toilet paper rolls thrown at them and looked fat and old.

VH came on, and the GA crowd went complete apeshit. My feet weren't even touching the ground. I was tossed and turned. Thrown left to right, forwards and backward. It was hard to see. I just got glimpses, really. I'm on Ed's side of stage. I never really saw too much of Sam or Mike. It was frenetic. The only really clear image I have is of Ed plopping himself down on the stage, feet dangling, for his solo. I was close enough to see gum on the bottom of his shoe. His eyes closed for 316, but cracking them open. I remember my friend grabbing ass in the melee. Rubbing on this girl and she didn't flinch. She liked it. We're 14 fucking years old. I can't remember if I hit and run grabbed some ass.

He's wearing the LWAN outfit. The next night, he cut off his hair, and the tour was finished. This was my exact viewpoint, but I was facing him.

[Jamie M]

November 2, 1986. Cow Palace.

My sister had gotten tickets and attended 1984 tour. She's three years older than me, and at 12 years old, I'm way too young to go that. I was crushed. I was envious. I was mad. Why? Because I was the true VH fan among my siblings. You better get me a shirt, bitch.

Two years later, it's my time, and my mom was not gonna let her baby miss this one. She buys 5 tickets. One for me and a friend. 3 for my brother's and one of their friends. We set out for the night, and on the way, my brothers are trying to act sly and doing crank. Trying to hide it from us youngsters but little did they know, me and my friend were veterans. His father was a dealer.

Anyway, get to the venue, and what struck me was the haze in the place. I don't recall a weed haze just a general like fogginess if you will, and there's music playing in the arena over the system. Rock music always attracts a diverse crowd ESPECIALLY in the Bay Area in those days. Burned in my memory is seeing a vato loco ese wearing a VH tour shirt bobbing his head up and down to a song I had to know who it was from. That night was the first time I heard Over The Hills And Far Away.

I was not prepared for what was about to happen. BTO was nothing really crazy. They got a shitload of toilet paper rolls thrown at them and looked fat and old.

VH came on, and the GA crowd went complete apeshit. My feet weren't even touching the ground. I was tossed and turned. Thrown left to right, forwards and backward. It was hard to see. I just got glimpses, really. I'm on Ed's side of stage. I never really saw too much of Sam or Mike. It was frenetic. The only really clear image I have is of Ed plopping himself down on the stage, feet dangling, for his solo. I was close enough to see gum on the bottom of his shoe. His eyes closed for 316, but cracking them open. I remember my friend grabbing ass in the melee. Rubbing on this girl and she didn't flinch. She liked it. We're 14 fucking years old. I can't remember if I hit and run grabbed some ass.

He's wearing the LWAN outfit. The next night, he cut off his hair, and the tour was finished. This was my exact viewpoint, but I was facing him.

You dirty bugger CC, 14 and grabbing ass, respect :-)

[jimmy812]

It should've been '88, but I couldn't go. So my first VH show was the FUCK tour in '91. After that, I never missed them when they came around. If I could, I'd see them multiple times each tour, which happened in '93; '95; '98; '04; and '07-08;

[Simon Ribeiro]

When was your first Van Halen concert?

Like ... never? I never saw them live. I was there in São Paulo City in January, 1983 (22nd or 23rd, not so sure about the day now).

Here's the story: I went to São Paulo City to see the Might Van Valen. Me and a cousin from that city were going to that gig. His father was ill and we were worried about his health. We agreed that when we arrived at the venue (Ibirapuera Gymnasium), we would call him to find out how he was feeling and, depending on how he was, we would attend the concert or not. Unfortunately, my uncle wasn't feeling well at all. My cousin went back to his house and took him to hospital. I stayed there in line to see if I could get into the concert. Let's remember a few points: we were living through a period of military dictatorship here in Brazil back then and an underage person like me couldn't be alone at a concert like that. No one in the line wanted to take responsibility for me, since they didn't know me and the repression for something like that event would be severe. Finally, I remember hearing the 1st two songs by the opening band (Patrulha do Espaço) and then I decided to get a bus and go to my uncle's house.

VH with Gary Cherone was supposed to play here in 1998, but due to some issues with the promoters, they cancelled 03 concerts (Curitiba, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro cities). In 2006, I had the chance to see DDLR's band - it was the Monsters of Rock Festival. After that, the lead singer rejoined =VH=.

[ZORBA5150]

My first show was in 1993 at the Jones Beach amphitheater in Long Island, NY. It was also my first concert, period. It was right before I went off to college. My friends and I brought a case of beer with us; except being the rookies we were, we did not realize that we should use keg cups and not drink from the cans. So security busted us and took away all of our beer. Maybe it was better that way, seeing them sober for the 1st time/1st concert period.

I thought Vince Neil (with Steve Stevens), was very good/entertaining playing mostly Motley Crue of course. Van Halen came out with a huge amount of energy from the beginning and never let up. I was pleasantly surprised to hear them play Mine all Mine, Unchained, and cover Rockin' in the Free World. I was blown away, period. I bought a concert T-shirt there, which I still have buried somewhere in storage.

[Greenpaw]

April 22, 1986
Rosemont Horizon

It was my first concert ever as well as first Van Halen show.

We waited overnight at Sportmart to get tickets and we got the shittiest possible seats all the way back in the upper balcony but we were stoked to just be in the building. When the lights went down and Eddie started wailin, it was surreal. Then when the lights came on it was like when The Wizard of Oz goes from black and white to color. Everything changed that night

We snuck in a disposable camera, best we could do in 1986 lol

[James in New York]

MSG in 1984, my older brother took me, he loves Hendrix and Allman Brothers.

After Eddie's amazing guitar solo he looked at me and said now I understand.

Will never forget Dave asking everyone to light their lighters during Eddie's 1984 introduction, light them if you believe in rock and roll.

The Garden was so lit up and Eddie was playing those spacy sounds and Dave said New York, you're fuckin beautiful...

Then those first notes of Jump! Incredible!

[CaboChris]

MSG in 1984, my older brother took me, he loves Hendrix and Allman Brothers.

After Eddie's amazing guitar solo he looked at me and said now I understand.

Will never forget Dave asking everyone to light their lighters during Eddie's 1984 introduction, light them if you believe in rock and roll.

The Garden was so lit up and Eddie was playing those spacy sounds and Dave said New York, you're fuckin beautiful...

Then those first notes of Jump! Incredible!

Your brother ever see ABB at The Beacon?

[Pacfanweb]

December 5, 1982, William Neal Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. It was my first concert, period. Ruined me for most others, what a hell of a bar to set right from the start. I was 17.

2nd row, first 2 seats on the right side of the center aisle. Right in front of Eddie.

So damn loud. Then the crowd would erupt between songs and was just about as loud. Ears ringing for 3 days.

Romeo Delight
Unchained
Drum Solo
The Full Bug
Runnin' With the Devil
Jamie's Cryin'
Little Guitars
Where Have All the Good Times Gone
Bass Solo
Hang 'Em High
Cathedral
Secrets
Everybody Wants Some!!
Dance the Night Away
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
(With "I'm So Glad")
Ice Cream Man
Intruder
Oh, Pretty Woman
Guitar Solo
(Including "Eruption" + "Spanish Fly" + "Little Guitars" & "Mean Street" (Introductions))
Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love
Bottoms Up!

Encore:
You Really Got Me
Happy Trails

[danielleesale]

Balance 1995. They didn't move around a lot, but the songs were great.

I was supposed to see the FUCK tour when it was happening. Unfortunately I got into trouble for computer hacking, and was grounded.

[Naked Wake]

1993 at the Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey (they've since changed the name of the venue but I've been in CA for the last 28 years so I have no idea what it's called now)

I had the opportunity to take an extra ticket with some friends for MOR at Giants Stadium in 1988 but then something happened either with a school assignment, or a probation officer letter or something like that so my parents wouldn't let me go. Bummer. Missed out on a chance to see VH, the Scorpions, Metallica, and hell, even Dokken all in one day

[Bugs Meanie]

Sunday, May 11, 1986 Detroit - third of 3 VH shows they played in Detroit

I was in 9th Grade and going to Downtown Detroit back then was scary for scrawny 110 lb suburban kids like me and the friend I went with. It was my first "real" concert. We had $16.50 GA admission tickets and we got dropped off by my mom at the door right when they opened at like 5:30p or something. We tried to look as "tough" as we could by wearing our older siblings' old AC/DC concert shirts.

I bought a black 5150 tour t-shirt before we found our way to the stage. We sat on the concrete floor right in front the stage for like 2 hours before BTO went on.

I was gobsmacked by VH and the energy. The sight of EVH playing 15 feet in front of me just blew me away.

I barely slept that night. My ears were ringing like a telephone. I made sure to wear my VH shirt to school the next day to school and it seemed like everyone at school was talking about Van Halen

[CaboChris]

Yeah. Me and my friend looked stupid wearing the exact same concert tee, walking down the street with "Van Halen Kicks Ass" on the back.