A Van Halen concert review...

[Jim Price]

Since the Van Halen reunion tour was recently a hot topic here on Rockpage, I thought I'd share a review of Van Halen's concert in Cleveland this past Wednesday night, submitted to me by the Right Honorable Tony Mollick:

Hey, I saw Van Halen in Cleveland last night.

I wore a Steelers' jersey, LOL !!!

I wrote the songs down, they did 22 tunes.

The first three were:

You Really Got Me
Running With the Devil
Somebody get me a doctor.

The Encore was Jump.

The rest in no particular order were;

Atomic Punk
Mean Street
Jamies' Cryin
Pretty Woman
Little Guitars
Hot 4 Teacher
Panama
Unchained (Wolfgang said"Come on Dave Gimme a Break")
Eruption/Cathedral
Ice Cream Man with a killer Dave intro that had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
Aint Talkin Bout Love
So This is Love
Takin Whiskey to the Party Tonight
Dance the night Away
Beautiful Girls
Cradle will Rock
Everybody Wants Some

Dave wore black leather pants, black button down short sleeve shirt, open most of the night.
Eddie played without a shirt on.

Dave had a washboard stomach and Eddie was skinny but you could tell by the arms he had been in the gym a lot.

Dave was very cool and understated. Not the old Diamond Dave at all. Totally concentrating on his vocals. Sounded real good.

They were obviosly sober and genuinely seemed to be enjoying each other.

There was a lot of interraction, smiles and hugs between Ed and Dave.

Ed walked over and kissed his son on the head while he was playing no less than 4 times.

At the end, they did two things I thought were very symbolic.

1. They did Jump. Dave hated that song, regretted writing that song, quit Van Halen over that song and was quoted as saying, "I have no ill will towards Sammy, as a matter of fact my heart goes out to him, he has to sing Jump every night."

That tells me Dave has made peace with not only his band mates but with the fans and his past. Dave has grown immensly.

2. At the end of jump, after having been the consumate super cool, grown up front man / singer, dave goes off stage and comes back riding the giant inflatable microphone from the jump video (Obvious Phallyc symbol. They caught a lot of heat for it.) and wearing the same red cowboy hat.

That tells me that Dave was acting the way he was acting because that is who Dave is now. He's not Diamond Dave anymore but he's better somehow. More grown and refined.

The Microphone bit was a tip of the hat to who he used to be and it kind of gives it closure.

Whew, so there's my report.

Catch them if you can dude!!!

[mjb]

thats really great to hear, i've been hearing alot of good stuff also and seen some clips on youtube, ed looked fit and sounded great even from a phone vid. i hope it lasts and all that crap is in the past. not many get a second shot at it or 3rd or 4th. i still wouldn't pay that kind of doe but i'm sure happy for them it's working out, ed has been to hell and back andit is great i'm sure for him to up ther with his boy, how proud he must be to be sharing the stage with his son.

[Diavolo]

I saw VH on October 1st is Philly. I've been a longtime DLR-era VH fan so I'd knew I'd dig the concert from a nostalgia standpoint but the musician in me was hoping to see a well -executed genuine reunion show. I was not at all disappointed. I've seen VH with Hagar twice and Eddie was as good as ever. It was especially cool to hear him shred on tunes he hasn't played since 1984. Hot for Teacher was hyper speed and ruled. I've seen DLR solo about 5 times prior to the VH reunion show and I can honestly say I've never heard Dave in better voice. He seems to be really concentrating on singing and actually remembering the lyrics (a new for him). His voice is what it is but he's getting his money's worth.

Dave and Eddie did a couple of improv parts that were bluesy and they seemed to really get along. Dave kept the cock rock stuff to a minimum but still had some classic Diamond Dave lines ("get off the fat dress and get on the mattress"). DLR also seemed to know the tunes inside and out. For example, at one point in one of Ed's solos, Ed turned the beat around (see HFT as an example) and Alex looked a little confused. Dave went back and moved his arm on the downbeat until Alex adjusted. Pretty sweet and not to shabby for a singer.

I'd pay to see this again but I'd love to see ticket prices come down so a younger generation can get acquainted with this music.

[bassman]

im a big vh fan seen some utube stuff and i liked it . but i think they should have mike with them i dont see what he did wrong . but im a bass guy lol . i hope they prosper and do a new cd that would be cool ...........

[BDR]

DLR also seemed to know the tunes inside and out. For example, at one point in one of Ed's solos, Ed turned the beat around (see HFT as an example) and Alex looked a little confused. Dave went back and moved his arm on the downbeat until Alex adjusted. Pretty sweet and not to shabby for a singer.

Yes, because singers know nothing about down beat, let alone back beat, song structure, cadence, tempo or anything else music related. We all just make sound out our effing mouths. We're just singers.

I love this mentality.

r:>)

[Diavolo]

Easy BDR! You're missing the context of my comment on DLR's actions. Don't assume.

1.) DLR is routinely slagged for being the flamboyant and flaky frontman unconcerned with the music so long as he gets his time on the mic. I was merely defending Dave by illustrating his obvious care, concern, and professionalism for ALL parts of their performance.

2.) In many bands where the singer is not also an instrumentalist, he(she) is often the band member least likely to have any formal training and/or lessons. There are probably some exceptions to this rule, but they're in the minority. It's not a "mentality". My opinion is based on fact.

3.) I understand your sensitivity. I'm a drummer who actually knows music theory. Trust me, I've heard enough drummer jokes to aggravate me so I generally think twice before I blast other musicians. My intent here was not to blast singers but to defend and praise DLR.

So, take a breath. I understand your sensitivity but you assume a "mentality" that doesn't exist. At least not with me.

[PanzerFaust]

Yes, because singers know nothing about down beat, let alone back beat, song structure, cadence, tempo or anything else music related. We all just make sound out our effing mouths. We're just singers.

I love this mentality.

Finally someone hit the nail on the head when describing frontmen !!!

Oh, that was sarcasm..... My bad..... hehe....

[BDR]

1.) DLR is routinely slagged for being the flamboyant and flaky frontman unconcerned with the music so long as he gets his time on the mic. I was merely defending Dave by illustrating his obvious care, concern, and professionalism for ALL parts of their performance.

Then maybe, "not too shabby for DLR" would have been a better way to say it rather than clump all singers in with his level of musical knowledge and work ethic.

2.) In many bands where the singer is not also an instrumentalist ...

This is the mentality I'm speaking of. Vocalists are instrumentalists. Voice is my instrument as I have to manipulate that instrument to create the notes and sounds, just as perceived "real instrumentalists" do with their guitars or their clarinets or their pianos.

If you hand somebody a cello and tell them to play it, just about everyone could make some type of noise with it, but few could make music with it. Same goes with voice. Most people have one, few can actually make music with theirs.

r:>)

[BDR]

Yes, because singers know nothing about down beat, let alone back beat, song structure, cadence, tempo or anything else music related. We all just make sound out our effing mouths. We're just singers.

I love this mentality.

Finally someone hit the nail on the head when describing frontmen !!!

Oh, that was sarcasm..... My bad..... hehe....

LOL ...

r:>)

[grimmbass]

VanHalen without Mike isn't VanHalen. Period. Eddie is screwing the fans for the one thing they've been asking for since 1986: The original band one more time. Wolfgang might be a shredder, but he wasn't one of the original crew.

Once more time: Fuck you Eddie VanHalen. Good luck staying off the bottle.

[BDR]

Once more time: Fuck you Eddie VanHalen. Good luck staying off the bottle.

LMAO ... Yeah, I agree, a reunion tour is not a reunion tour without the originals unless, of course, somebody's dead.

r:>)

[Banned]

1.) DLR is routinely slagged for being the flamboyant and flaky frontman unconcerned with the music so long as he gets his time on the mic. I was merely defending Dave by illustrating his obvious care, concern, and professionalism for ALL parts of their performance.

Then maybe, "not too shabby for DLR" would have been a better way to say it rather than clump all singers in with his level of musical knowledge and work ethic.

In defense of DLR, he is a bit of an instrumentalist. He played acoustic guitar and harmonica on a few tracks. Check out "The Full Bug" where his harmonica solo owns Eddie's guitar solo.

[Banned]

Oh, and fuck you Eddie Van Halen. Michael Anthony stuck with you for THIRTY YEARS.

[VENTGtr]

Most people have one, few can actually make music with theirs.
r:>)

Too true.

Check out "The Full Bug" where his harmonica solo owns Eddie's guitar solo.

Dang. There's one I haven't thought of in a while. Great tune.

Ya. Need Anthony in there.

[Diavolo]

BDR - thanks for the journalistic suggestions. I'll be sure to send you all my writing for editing.

AGAIN, if you want to flame me get it right! I wasn't blasting you, or even singers in general. But you have to admit, most singers/vocalists (whether you consider the voice an "instrument" or not) are not formally trained to the extent of other musicians (guitar, keys, bass, drums, horns, etc).

[bassist_25]

I like beans...and Van Halen.

[metalchurch]

That's a good combo.

Weed and Sabbath is better.

(I always find a way to mention them don't I?)

[metalchurch]

But on a serious note,
I saw some youtube footage and I was very impressed with what I saw.
They seem to be gettin' it on pretty good.

I can't believe that 'I'll Wait' was not on the set list, or 'Runnin' with the Devil'

The ticket prices scared me away, otherwise I would have been all over this.

Michael Anthony's absence was another factor.

[Jim Price]

Just announced for the upcoming Rockpage Rumble:

Diavolo vs. BadDazeRob - ladder match. First grappler to climb the ladder and grab the Snickers bar suspended from the ceiling wins; the loser has to listen to an hour of Bea Arthur singing...

[metalchurch]

Hahaha!
I have ear plugs for sale gentlemen. Get 'em before they're gone.

[Jerry C]

I was listening to this clip on you tube. Is it just the recording quality or is Eddie seriously out of tune? I first thought it was the recording, but then I wondered why the keyboard sounds ok. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjx_GjyXCs4&NR=1

[whitedevilone]

Wow ,i ain't Ed or anything ,but wow.

[Marsman365]

Here is the explanation of what happened in Greensboro...

http://warmowski.wordpress.com/2007/10/ ... -in-pitch/

Sucks when you sample!!!! LOL


PS - I hear BDR lip syncs all his parts...

(Just kidding, it was a joke!!! Lighten up Francis...)

[BDR]

PS - I hear BDR lip syncs all his parts...

Shhhhhhh ...

r:>)

[Jerry C]

I wonder if Sammy And Mike were in charge of running the sampler?