I was all geared up to go to the Charlottesville show and out of nowhere they postponed it! I’ve been waiting for 23 years to see Dave and Eddie on stage together and now I’m just trying to figure out if they’re going to cancel this show. Rumor has it that Wolf got in an argument with his dad. Any truth to this? Bring back Mikey! Sorry Ed, but you’re kid just doesn’t show the intensity that Mike has.

I’ve been a Van Halen fan since I was a kid and was really looking forward to the show here in Jacksonville Florida, Feb 16th. What a crappy sound!! I don’t care how old Eddie or any of the other members are or how much damage they may have to thier ears. The sound people should have made it better. I wrote the promoter and of course they pointed fingers at the Van Halen guys. I’m no expert by any means but Jacksonville is not the only place I’ve seen complaints about the sound. I would think sound checks at individual arenas would be done?? What a dissapointment.

To “Metalbob” what you said I couldn’t have said better myself dude!!!!! I’m a musician and really appreciate what VH are doing on this current tour. They are their to ‘create not recreate’ how true!!! Dave has brought back that bluesy feel of VH that was missing the moment Sam came in. I don’t care what anybody thinks or says, Dave brings out a different beast in Eddie’s playing/writing and VH turn into the “MIGHTY VAN HALEN”!!!! As a result of Dave being back where he rightfully belongs, the VH 2007 sound sexy, heavy, groovy and bluesy than never before. I use to hate “Running With The Devil” live in the past, but VH 2007 version is pure CLASSIC!! It just thumps like no other. Alex’s groove is so heavy and right on the money. There are so many gems on this tour and some songs sound better than when they first played them live eg: “Everybody Wants Some” Bands today can only dream to have songs like that to get the show rockin!! VH on the other hand has a smorgy’s board of classic tunes!!!
VH ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!

I notice that some people who have been to a VH show (lucky bastards!!) have complained about the sound being too loud or muffled, some nights it sounds great and some not. Lets not forget that venue after venue acoustics change. Plus not forgetting both Eddie and Alex have major ear damage through the last 30 plus years of living & playing hard and loud. So if your going to a VH show, take into consideration what these guys have been through, they are survivor’s, musicians and human beings. Oh yes Eddie plays like someone from another planet but he breaths and bleeds like us. To look at the journey king Edward has embarked it’s damn great he’s survived the cancer, alcohol, drugs & divorce. It is pure joy to see that classic Eddie smile again!!! Damn it’s great Dave’s back in together with Eddie rewriting Rock again!!! Life is good!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. to the person calling himself Hagar. Study your facts pal, Sammy did not sell more with VH than Dave sold with VH. The Dave era VH has two diamond awards (10 million+ sold!) and I hear VH 2 album is creeping up to 10 million. It’s a fact the Dave era VH were selling more (and still selling today!) and Sammy era VH sales were dropping off.

GM Place, Vancouver
Dec 5/07

Sounds like NC got ripped off…but Van Halen gave Vancouver one hell of a concert!!!

VH exceeded expectations and tore down the full house. Eddie was astounding, and DLR’s voice was top notch, nailing it on every song. The concert’s sound quality/clarity was also incredibly good, especially for a large venue.

The cradle still rocks!

I saw them in Greensboro, NC on the second night of the tour. I was in hog-heaven to be honest. OMG! Eddie and Dave on the same stage again….? F@%k yeah! Now, while I am being honest, I must say that the sound was WAY to loud and it was muffled (actually I am not sure that the muffled aspect was not because my eardrums were being overloaded by the EXTREME volume). I am planning on seeing them again in March when they return to NC. I was hoping the volume thing was just a glitch in the production in that the show I saw was at the beginning of the tour. However, I have read about this complaint several times now. I guess I will bring earplugs for the next show (that going to make me look real cool…not). Oh well, I am just happy they’re still alive and kickin’ and I can’t wait to see them again.

Well if any body’s out there besides Karl, Waldo and the people placing bets after many days of serious deliberation pro bono publico “Birthday” is what it is. “Day Tripper” is also one begging for an Eddie intro… “I Feel Fine” has historical value as the first rock n’ roll feedback ever recorded according to John Winston and a Van Halenized version would set me free… Swing on that Tarzan…

I’ll bet a toon towards a charitable cause that Waldo is not DLR.

I’ll bet 3 dollars Waldo is DLR.

I have attended 4 shows on this tour and have seen a bootleg from a fifth. I have enjoyed every last minute of these shows. The last hour of the Madison Square Garden show possessed the strongest performances that I have seen so far on this tour.

Watching a band perform live is about seeing and hearing a band *create* music, not recreate music. Too many bands go through the motions and play the songs just like the records. Most new bands are afraid to step one note out of line with their albums out of fear of boring the audience, or they simply don’t know how. A true music fan - especially a fan of world class musicians like Edward and Alex Van Halen - would really want to hear them let loose and push the boundaries within the framework of these great songs. This sometimes involves bringing in new musicians, like a jazz group with a revolving lineup reinterpreting great songs and making them better or different. Sometimes it involves reinterpreting a riff or rewriting a solo or even reinventing a vocal melody. A true music fan wouldn’t get caught up on exact recreations of songs you could listen to at home or whether or not the guy on the album, or even simply the cover, is not on stage.

I would love to see Michael Anthony back in the band, but he really isn’t missed all that much. Is Michael a great bass player? Yes. Is he a great guy? Of course. But are his contributions the reason why anyone would want to listen to Van Halen? No. Are these things that make or break classic Van Halen songs? Of course not. The core sound of the band is Edward Van Halen’s guitar playing and David Lee Roth’s voice and ability to entertain. That’s what made the first six Van Halen records the great albums that they are. Not Michael Anthony’s bass playing or background vocals.

Wolfgang’s performances are not only good for a 16-year old, but better than many from men twice or three times his age. The kid is a child prodigy and will only continue to get better. While visually his inclusion in this lineup is a bit odd, his playing certainly is not. While Michael Anthony’s playing on the old Van Halen records had more of a slinky feel too it, sort of bobbing and weaving around the band’s true rhythm section of Ed and Al, Wolfie’s playing is very straight and in step with the band. With his bass running through a wall of EVH 5150 III guitar amplifiers, he achieves a distorted tone approaching that of Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead that meshes well with Ed’s rhythm parts creating a wall of sound from only two instruments. This gives these songs a sense of urgency and power they didn’t have before.

As for David Lee Roth’s vocal range, it may have diminished over the years, but there is absolutely no question that his overall performance on the 2007 tour is light years better than it has been since his first recorded work. He sings with a power he never possessed before, holding notes and just giving 100% at all times. Anyone that has heard bootlegs of the band’s live performances from 1974-1984 will never confuse Roth with Luciano Pavarotti, but one thing for sure is that not only his, but the band’s overall live performances really started to suffer from 1982-1984. This current lineup and tour clearly deliver on a level that the band never did before. Those that reference the US Festival 1983 as the band’s shining moment - especially Roth’s performance - are sadly misinformed and must possess a tin ear. While it was a crowning achievement in the band’s history to headline this now-famous festival, the performance they delivered was substandard and one of several reasons why it remains officially unreleased to this day. It is sad that much of the publicly available material on video of that lineup is from those three years of the band’s career. They are marred mostly with Dave’s sloppy vocals and ability to remember lyrics.

The new lineup is mean and lean and I look forward to a live DVD of this tour (several well shot bootlegs may have to do) and a new studio album in 2008. Eddie and Dave are clearly getting along well on stage. If Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne can become great friends after their far less publicized, but equally vicious battles, anyone can. As far as Michael Anthony returning to the band, I don’t think it will ever happen. Much like when Jason Newsted left Metallica, Michael Anthony sadly appears to be the sacrificial lamb that has allowed the band to return to it’s roots. Not even money can make it happen as, even with Wolfgang, the band is still putting people in the seats. I guess many fans don’t view Michael’s contributions to be essential as very few seem to be holding out for a reunion of the original four.

“… problem is Wolfie will be putting the old men to sleep…” lol

No crit of Ed for bringing his kid along. Who wouldn’t give their kid the chance to play a sold out MSG. And the kid can certainly play and sing (not surprising considering the genes!) and there was nothing wanting from his side of the stage. I don’t know, I just though some of the rock ‘n’ roll was missing and I think having your kid around (or your dad for that matter) when you want to cut loose kinda embodied that.

The above is just an observation though. My only real complaint was my gripe about the sound and also that they didn’t play Me Wise Magic. I think throwing that one in would have reinforced the ‘new band’ thing they talked about at the press conference. If that song is a hint of what they might be capable of if they can hold this thing together we’re in for some special music. Beatles thing is a good idea. Wonder what they could do with something less obvious (in VH terms) like Hey Jude…

Yeah, I saw them a couple of times around ‘79 (I think it was around then). Saw them once with Sammy, a second gig I went to in that period being cancelled. God I’m getting old…

Karl you rock, thanks for flying in… the problem is Wolfie will be putting the old men to sleep and THAT’S WHEN THE PARTY STARTS! SIXTEEN IS ROCK N’ROLL FIFTY SUCKS! By the way I saw VH before Ed ever met Valerie. 1979

With any luck Eddie’s lunacy will be rewarded… it always has, why change now? Taking your child on a rock and roll tour that makes millions of dollars is an option not many have… I applaud his out-of-the-box approach and think Wolfie will benefit tremendously. Hell he’s probably getting high school credits for co-oping and hundreds of thousands of people have seen him play live.

I take my kids to Florida, Eddie takes his on tour… NEW MUSIC ED, DAVE… gotta get Wolfie some royalties… do a Beatles cover if nothing else. They’re even better than the Kinks… you paying attention Waldo?

Ya know with all this attention to havinf DLR back in the saddle, SOMEONE at Rolling Stone ought to maybe take a look at their VH pages…
I see not the current singer, nor even the prior singer, but Mr. Cabo Wabo.
Geez-uz! Lets get current people!!!

What’s wrong with a sixteen year old in a rock band? Does anybody remember Steve Winwood singing “Gimme Some Lovin’” with the Spencer Davis Group? Or teen idols? Sixteen is what rock and roll is all about. The rest of us just can’t grow up!

The sound absolutely sucked at MSG. Probably the worst concert sound I’ve ever heard (and believe me, I have heard some crap over the last 30 years!). Now, sure it usually depends where you’re sitting, but in this day and age it’s absolutely unacceptable that any seat in the house should have sound so bad that it makes it hard to pick out songs that you could sing in your sleep. Part of the problem was simply the volume overdriving the equipment and the listener’s ears. Don’t do it guys, it’s not big and it’s not clever.

I was impressed with Wolf as a player and singer but, I mean, bringing a sixteen year old kid out with a rock band… And that’s the problem, you just know it ain’t rock ‘n’ roll anymore. Apart from EVH being the man who changed guitar playing and Van Halen being one of the greatest bands of all time, part of the allure was that you’d have sold a testicle to be at the aftershow party. Hey, maybe it still rocks backstage… they just got to wait until Ed puts Wolfie to bed!

And before anyone questions my credibility as a VH fan (which is the usual comeback on this thread to anything less than a glowing report) I flew from London just to see this gig and, despite the gripes, actually enjoyed the show.

Anyone who thinks they sold more records with Sammy is misinformed, with DLR they have two Diamond certified albums,that is over 20 million right there, not counting the other four recoreds with Roth,Sammy era lovers are just that Sammy lovers who are jelous of the facts that the world prefers DLR to Hagar

For those complaining about Dave forgetting lyrics, seek out video of the band at the 83 US Festival.

Ed packed light for this tour - two pair of capri pants and no shirts. Somebody please get this dude a shirt! Reminds me of my neighbor perched on his John Deere cutting grass on a Saturday morning.

Stormbutthole-
Don’t like it much eh?

You called me StuBUTT, so eat me.

This is childish.
These guys rocked MSG, and if you dont think so, then you are the MINORITY.

I’m sure you walk away from a BJ and complain about teeth, or that she (or he?) could have gone down further, or better yet, maybe you just need to stay home and jack yerself off and leave the comments about how bad the show was to yourself. I didn’t see anyone complaining after the show.

As goes- I don’t see RS writing about you, and I dont see YOU writing for them, so your opinion is amateur at best.

Dave? Sammy? Gary? Who gives a shit! I listen to Van Halen for one reason: Eddie! I love all of their music, regardless of who fronts. Hell, I’d love to hear The Wabos or The Worms cover anything VH, as well! Well, almost all: I like Up For Breakfast, but the other two songs release during the 2004 tour don’t play for me. Van Halen music makes me feel great! Period.

I caught the MSG show from up in the Sec 403 nosebleeds and it was fantastic. Great energy, great vocal delivery, great to see Eddie and Dave back together. Wolfgang and Alex were also spectacular. Last time I saw them was 20+ years ago opening for Black Sabbath. You can nitpick all you want, but I thought they sounded just as good or better than way back then. The VH crowd is getting older too and we are also showing signs of wear and tear. We can forgive Dave and Eddie if they dont jump around as much as the old days.

You tell ‘em Waldo… besides everybody knows even on the recorded version of Pretty Women Dave forgot the lyrics. What the fuck, he’ll pay you for it. As far as not sounding like they did I vote for the general consensus that Dave is not as good live. But Eddie is better! How many fucking guitar gods have we all seen that couldn’t play their own songs? Wolfie is the only reason these guys could get it up now that they’re all over 50 so give him a break. Better to have VH with Wolfgang than no VH at all…

People,
we’ve just wrapped up the Eastern swing & man, did it swing. All the lines are still there, all the energy, and we’ve even been inject with some young blood. Van Halen is hitting on all cylinders, bringing you the songs you’ve been hearing for the last 25 summers at your local Motorola. All the players are intact, THE singer at the helm, everthing feels new, its all in place, just the haircuts & shoes are different. I’ve brought a sword in one hand, a torch in the other & from what I’m hearing around the campfire, we’re showing everyone how high velocity Rock n Roll should be played. Its a full contact sport, but I’ve always been more Tarzan than Singer….and show is stellar, it looks like it sounds, rocket fuel, bump & grind proposition. Grab your gal, a drink, & come see us. I’ll guarantee you’ll leave in a better state, but I’ve always been an optimist, I bring a Nikon & a frying pan when I go fishing…unless there’s an act of nature, or Ferarri, we’ll be swinging back East & hitting some cities we missed the first time out. We’ll be in 5th gear by that point. Give us a try, we’re your last loose end!

I saw them at the Meadowlands and at MSG. I thought they sounded both loud and muffled at the Meadowlands, but I thought they sounded loud and crystal clear at MSG. At the Meadowlands, I was high and in the back. At MSG I was low and nearer to the front. So I think sound quality really is a matter of where you sit.

if you did your homework Mr. wannabe real Rolling Stone writer you would know that Dave always screwed up and forgot his lyrics back in the day. Much more so than on tues night. It’s one of the reasons he got canned!

Speaking of spelling errors: It’s “TEMPLEMAN”, you fuckin’ tool!

CJM, (if that’s spelled right?) I hate to be a dick, or a troll, but man, that some of the worst spelling I’ve ever seen! I love it, you’re your own man! where are you from, lets get some good guessing going? Last grade graduated? Are you the stereotypical mulletheaded VH fan cranking “Dreams” from your Camaro? I’m kidding, but it was just priceless.

1st off, I never called you a name, that’s not my style, just throwing out an opinion. It is indeed subjective, & I understand that, my opinion is not fact…You have no idea what talent i have, & if I have none, I can still have an opinion. Please, relate your credietials. Punk. I saw this band when they were stellar. They aint that anymore, namely Roth. If you CAN”T do what you once did, even close, then its SUBPAR!…Eddie’s still got some flair, some passion. Creatively, dried up majorly…and I used to worship this guy. Please, jump on Youtube, check out “Unchained”, Oakland ‘81, & pull up the current tour. It’s silly. Roth is contending “all the parts are there, its still got legs, same songs you’ve been hearing at the Burger King for the last 25 summers, I bring a sword & torch to the campfire”…like a bad comedian, same lines, same SHOW, EVERYnight. lackluster. I went away bummed I spent $140. Ed, get a new solo. I’m not going to get off on his ripped abs & the fact he was once Diamond Dave. He’s a Liberace, Vegas act now. Again, Eddie’s been saying that for 10 years, what changed. Nothing, other than his friendship with Sammy soured…I’m not a Sammy fan, seems like a good guy, but i like the Roth VH. This was watered down.

I find it funny that in nearly every review from all over the country everyone indicates that Dave’s singing may not be quite as good as it used to be. Clearly, they are comparing his old studio work to his current live shows. I have news for everyone, he never was all that good of a live singer. I can vividly remember this as a 15 year old telling my friends that Dave can’t sing, but he sure puts on a good show. I guess over the years people’s memories get foggy about what used to be. Either that or most reviewers are under the age of 35 and never really saw the real thing. BTW - the sound at the DC show was equally horrendous. Nearly ruined it for me.

Stormbringer you are a troll.

Calling me names?
Get a life.

You can’t do a fraction of what these guys can and HAVE done. All you do is sling venom on the net, you HAVE NO TALENT- everyone on that stage last night does.

Perhaps Andy can stop pissing his pants–or worse–long enough to get a clue. His hard on for anything Sammy has clouded his judgment. Perhaps he can explain–in his middle school newspaper style of reporting–just what was wrong with Sammy Hagar. Most of us liked both Van Halens, you see. One was fronted by a guy who loved the fans and the other by a guy who loves himself.
Good that self love, poor vocals and schmaltz appeal are what gives Andy piss shivers. Someday, when you grow up, you’ll understand all about flash over substance.

The only vocalist and co-songwriter for Ed is David Lee Roth!!!

WHERE’S MIKEY EDDIE?
SHAME ON EDDIE AND ALEX!
I WONDER WHY THERE’S NOT A WAY TO E-MAIL THE OFFICIAL VH WEB SITE!

TOO BAD YOU FORGOT THE MAN THAT NEVER SAYS A BAD THING ABOUT ANYONE! MICHAEL ANTHONY!

THERE WAS ZERO STAGE PRESENCE WITHOUT MICHAEL AND IT SHOWED!

THE BROTHERS DUPED THE FANS YET AGAIN!

Backdoor969 - Great thought about a G3 tour. However, do you think Ed’s over-inflated ego would permit him to share a stage with Vai and Satriani? Just wondering!

cool deal

According to RIAA:

Units sold with Roth 30 Million
Units sold with Hagar 18 Million

Only #1 albums were with Hagar,(5150, OU812, and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
Hagar’s a better singer, Roth is a bigger jerk.

According to RIAA:

30 million units sold with Roth
18 million units sold with Hagar
only #1 albums were with Hagar, (5150,OU812,and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)
Sammy a better singer, Roth is a bigger asshole.

Totally Amazing. DLR is the man. ED was giving guitar lessons. Take note other rock bands, this is the gold standard. now if Ed can tour with Satriani and Vai for the next G3 tour. that would be incredible.

CJM,

Use a spell check you fucking idiot.

I diddint know any of the songs before going to this concert and i thought they were fucking unbaliveable. I looved the concert so much that i ordered all there cd’s online. I think that Eddie van hallen is the best gatarest that ever lived (next to soon to be threetime rock and rool hall of famer Erick Clapton), I thought wolfgang was fucking incredible for his age I used to think that tommy lie was the best drummer that ever lived but after heering the drumest last night during the first of three set changes my mind has been completly changed, David Lee Roth was incredibl but far from the best becouse he is no steven tyler. It amazed me that so much fucking tallent could come out of one fucking familly. I also loved heering Bob Marleys son sing some of the clasic Bob Marley songs like no woman no crie, and i shot the sherrif that i havent heard in fucking forever. So all in all it was one of the fucking best concerts i have ever and probibly will ever see and on top of that it was at the gratest concert hall in the world (MSG)

Is it me or does every pic posted by RS of David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen on this site look as if they’re getting ready to make out with each other?

come on StubutNYC, dont’ get vH? I’ve been a major fan since 1980 at 12. I know I’m not the only one, & I know I was more impressionable when I saw them in ‘84, but yeah, I expect the scream. Tyler, like him or not, can still almost give what he used to vocally(though their songs suck now)….you made my point, he can’t do it. I don’t care if his abs are ripped, let’s hear the lungs. Hot for Teacher was an embarrasement. Just totally watered down…and I agree w/you re: Floyd, who I like alot, but it was boring….and NO, they don’t have to play note for note as a matter of fact, I’d like them to Improvise, like they had in the past, & barely did the other night, save maybe that short cream jam…Another blogger said it, & I won’t harp on this, but Ed did play sloppy. The lead in section to the solo in Mean Streets, where he slides those notes, he messed it up nearly each time…but that’s rock n’ roll…its the energy level that left me wanting. They used to attack the stage, it was insane. Eddie ran UP his speakers & leaped off in the day…I know they are 50+, I’ll cut some slack, but how much? When is it just VH in name alone. Or THE WHO. Please. I saw the Stones a few years back & a girl sang Mick’s scream part in Monkey Man…what’s the point??? Why not just have them stand there & have a whole other band play, or they can Karyokee like they do on JUMP. It was PIPED in keyboards, that’s pathetic!…what about the intro to “Cradle will Rock”, piped in. PLAY IT!

Dear sound n stuff…

can I be your best friend??????

Critics WILL be critics.

Perhaps no one has seen 20-30 year old legacy bands play large arenas for extended tours? Did they sound exactly like they recorded it? Every note? Every nuance?

What VH did was present the songs in a very accurate fashion, very true to the originals, with the exception of every single studio recorded scream of DLR’s. Can you scream every night for months in a row and then sing every SUNG note in 25 songs back to back at 23….33…43…53??? David Lee roth ROCKED HARD, was in insane shape, and entertained. Vegas my ass, you buttwipes are probably Van Hagar fans and never did anything worth mentioning in your local newspapers in your whole life.

Namely, Pink Floyd, Yes, the Who and many more that I’ve seen over the past 10-15 years and even IN THEIR HEYDAY played sloppy, forgot lyrics, changed the whole WAY A SONG SOUNDED just because it was tiresome to play it over and over again the way they did in the studio. There are many of those same bands that have NEVER sounded the way they recorded it.

Something changed in the last 5 years that I’ve noticed is that bands are really trying to sound like the studio recordings because fans know these songs in and out, heard them for 25 years.

Its because of numbnuts critics who will bash them like a few here over a few screams.

Bottom line, Van Halen- either you get them or you don’t. If you have true appreciation of that band that stopped playing together in front of audiences back in 1984, you were in concert nirvana.

Learn the names of the songs, dipshit

THE KING are back !!!!

I saw this show all 3 times in the NYC area (Meadowlands, Nassau, MSG). I am lucky enough to be goods friends with a major industry (Concert promoter) bigwig and can sit where ever I want at any show I want…for FREE! TAKE THAT! So needless to say, my seats were good all 3 times. Same can’t be said for the sound at all 3 shows. Granted, different venues create different challenges, but the reality is that arena concert sound absolutely SUCKS these days. It isn’t my ears…I’ve seen a few shows lately where the sound has been fantastic…I won;t mention band names…just trust me! I don’t know exactly what the problem is, but I’ll say this: DIGITAL SOUND SUCKS, USING THE SAME AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT TO PLAY A 8,000 seat arena and a 20,000 seat arena SUCKS, and generally-speaking…sound techs SUCK THESE DAYS! I could mix a better sound!

Back to VH…they were tight all 3 nights…the sloppiest Eddie played was at Nassau (and he WAS brutally sloppy)…but that’s rock and roll and that was still my favorite of the 3 shows…the crowds at Nassau and MSG were great…Meadowlands was sleepy…This is a great tour and if you missed it, it seems like you will have another chance soon…anyone know how to start a petition to get Mick Jones or some other throw-back live sound engineer to do the mix?!?!?!

What am I missing? I didn’t see the NYC show, & they may have been “up” for it, but is no one willing to call them out at all, on MANY issues, mainly the once mighty DLR? I’m a huge ROth Era fan, saw them in their heyday(1984) & after. Where was the energy(they walked around on stage, barely mustering up a kick…one that night, or the Flying Eddie(one lackluster)…No one cares Roth Can’t pull of his pattened scream anymore? That was his calling card. He sang the verse to mean st. like a jazz shuffle. (the “I forgot the lyrics” is a nightly gimic). Or the fact they piped in the keyboards to Jump & I’ll wait? It was Karyokee!! It was great to hear the old tunes on the guitar again, for sure. It was indeed very loud. The solo section, please update, its the same everynight since 1984, Catherdal, Women in love, Spanish Fly, Mean Streets(now played with the song), Eruption…Wolfie, he’s not a prime time performer yet, like a kid at a battle of the bands…Anthony was a season veteran, brought alot more performance wise than is given credit. There were some high notes, but it was light years from the heyday. Even the reviewer of this article gives a laundry list of “dave can’t sing the high notes, blah blah”…so, call them on it. It a shadow of their greatness. Its not enough that its dLR & EVH together. It was tired. ROth is pure Vegas now, its not cool. (its also what the VH Bros have been saying right up to this tour, & it proved true, no voice anymore & Vegas-y). I for one was left empty. great set list though

good gawd, these guys sucked a long time ago, and they still suck.

Great show - my ears are still ringing! Did anyone else see Valerie Bertinelli holding hands with her new bald boyfriend?

All i can say is this reunion was a life saver for the band, i heard they were in talks with Barry Manilow for their next singer!:)

One other comment about the sound-
It sounded loud and muddy to you because that was your EARDRUMS BEING SHREDDED TO BITS!

When you can hear SPL’s of way over 120DB from the other side of the arena, it’s way louder than your human hearing can handle.

I heard microphones record this show that were capable of dealing with the high SPL of this tour, and I can tell you, the sound is nothing short of INSANELY AWESOME! (sorry, my 80’s-ness is showing)

It’s not the sound guys fault- its the fault of us VH fans turning 40 rapidly by the hundreds per hour.

Hagar? Well thanks to hagar for keeping the VH dream alive while he was at the fake helm (ed holds the rudder no matter WHO holds the mic). BUT, he never got me and tons of original VH fans to adopt him or accept VH from 1985-2004. I never wanted to buy an album after 5150 (I actually liked that album, but its like watchin homemade porn of your girlfriend and her ex), I never wanted to attend a show.

This one I was NOT going to miss, and got a steal of a deal at 200 dollars on ebay for the ticket…and for those saying OMG 200!!?? Consider this: I saw a seat in VIP going for 9600.00 on stubhub, and scores more close to 2k.

EDWARD VAN HALEN LISTEN TO ME….
this is what you had to do since 1985, I totally give you kudos for including your son, it was truly touching to see you two play together, there is no greater gift you could give him than what you’ve done.
BUT…. dude, learn to forgive more, I really think you are getting that now. It’s great to see you guys work it out, but do extend a hand to Michael Anthony. You guys always felt like cooler older brothers to me, and it hurt me and millions of other fans to see you guys fight over the years. It is good to see you flourish as a musician, father and most importantly, a man. You are inspiring.

Makes me wanna kick the doobs and cigs.

The sound sucked from Section 51 too. Too loud and muddy. While I LOVED hearing the classic VH tunes, I thought the show lacked a sense of intesity - I thought they were mailing it in a bit. Strangely, the background vocals sounded amazing, and that’s where I thought Michael’s missing would hurt the band the most. Still, the worst Van Halen show is better than any Van Hagar show. Welcome back boys. Come around again with new music soon, please!

great show glad to see Dave and ED having fun, and all the great tunes. Hope the tour continues.

The show was simply amazing, sounded great from sec 96
.
I heard a really high quality boot from the NC show, and you could tell from last night that they are even tighter than that first show (which was amazingly tight). Ed’s playing was nothing short of mesmerizing, Dave payed more attention to vocal cues (even with the “I forgot the f*ing words!”) and sounded even more confident and way better than I had heard any of them in 1984 at the same venue (besides that total terminator Alex).

Wolfgang. WOW.
He really amazed me- you find a 16 year old on this planet that can stand along with the most powerful band in Rock that ever roamed the earth (arm wrestle with Led Zep).

It suddenly made sense why he chose to have his son play with them on this tour at the moment when father and son were knee to knee on the floor shredding; he took one hand and placed it behind the neck of his son and kissed him tenderly on the forehead. This had a lot to do with a father leaving his son a legacy that went far beyond merely telling him stories and showing him scrapbooks. He got to play with his father, the greatest guitarist in rock and roll history in front of a sold out crowd of screaming fans in the greatest city in the world.

How can you argue with that logic?

http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=KH-chwDDL8o

I agree with you on the sound. I saw them last night and at the Meadowlands and for both shows it was LOUD and muddy sounding. I thought the shows were great however. Dave is by far the greatest frontman this or any band has had and add to it 25 killer songs (ok maybe I’ll wait and Jump are weak) and you have one hell of a good time.

That’s okay Hagar, my girlfriend likes the Hagar records, too.

You should do the math they sold way more with Roth than they have with Hagar. Because they were a better band with Roth. I agree they were different with any other singer just not as good.

Really uncool of you to knock Sammy. Sammy is a great musician and they sold more albums during his reign that with DLR, so give credit where it’s due. It was a different band, if you didn’t like it, so be it, but be cool about it.

That last paragraph says it all.. i can’t say a thing. he’s right.
Amen.