VAN HALEN 07/03/04 review

[TimmyB]

Last night I saw one of those bands I grew up on, Van Halen. I first saw Van Halen on Canada Day in 1993 in Molson Park. I remembered that day fondly especially the last song of the night a cover of Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World." I also think back to my old friend Steve Carins who was right up front for that gig and threw a Van Halen banner up on stage that I helped him make. Sammy Hagar picked up the banner and drapped it over Eddie during "Panama." Good times.

I grew up in Burlington, ON and went to Central Public school. That was where I meet Cyberhippie nearly twenty years ago! But back then he wasn't known as Cyberhippie, he was just Trevor McCartney. One of the first conversations I ever remember having with Trev was in Mister Brooker's science class and I remember the conversation included Van Halen and David Lee Roth.

Last night as I went to relive some old childhood memories by seeing the recently reunited Van Halen with their second singer Sammy Hagar the Red Rocker. I didn't even consider asking my old friend Cyberhippie to go with me to this gig as I know he would have chuckled and politely said no. Not to my surprise I had a hard time finding anyone to go to this gig with me so I went solo.

The show started off with the opener Silvertide from Philadelphia, PA. I saw them only a month or two ago open for Velvet Revolver at Kool Haus. They are a very cheesy band that sound a bit like The Black Crowes but are nowhere near as good as the Crowes.

Van Halen took the stage at exactly 8:30pm and started off their show with "Jump." Talking about starting with a bang. It reminded me when the Rolling Stones started their Bridges To Babylon Tour in 1998 with "Satisfaction." It is the first number one hit for the band, the song that many people think defines the band and here it is in the opening song of the show.

After "Jump" the show hit an immediate roadblock with a couple of new songs that will end up on the new greatest hits package later this year and a bass solo by Michael Anthony and a drum solo by Alex Van Halen. Actually not often being a fan of the drum solo, I did enjoy Alex's last night and so did the crowd.

The second half of the show was a lot better for me with Roth classic's "Unchained," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," "Panama" and the Kinks' classic "You Really Got Me." Also great Hagar tunes like "Why Can't This Be Love," "Dreams," "Best Of Both Worlds" and to close the show "When It's Love."

During "Right Now" the band played the video on the screens that Halen allowed in the use of the the Pepsi advertisement for product that failed miserably, Pepsi Clear. The band had the video updated to show George W. Bush with the heading about something to do with regret.

Through out the show Sammy actually signed autographs for people up front. Some of the things that were signed were tickets stubs, CD and album covers and even a couple of bras, I guess they still have some groupies in 2004.

It's not like I put Halen on much anymore, but it was still a fun night for me and the main reason that almost everyone was at that gig, including me, was because of Eddie. Who looked great after his divorce from Valerie Bertinelli and his tongue cancer treatment. Though I still saw many a smokes on his headstock of his guitar through the course of the show.

Here's the set from the show last night.

Start time 8:30pm

1. Jump

2. Runaround

3. Humans Being

4. Up For Breakfast

5. Bass Solo

6. Call Me A Doctor (Michael Anthony lead vocals)

7. Poundcake

8. It's About Time

9. Drum Solo

10. Top Of The World

11. Unchained

12. Why Can't This Be Love

13. Where Eagles Fly> Deeper Kind Of Love (Sammy Hagar solo)

14. The Seventh Seal

15. Best Of Both Worlds

16. Guitar Solo (Includes "316" and "Eruption")

17. Dreams (not the Allman Brothers song you damn hippies)

18. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love

19. Right Now

Encore1: 20. You Really Got Me

21. Panama

Encore2: 22. When It's Love

End set: 10:37pm (Total time 2 hours and 7 minutes)

[Jaimoe]

Nice review. I walked up to the ACC that night with an old Kingston friend who had 100 level tickets. He tried to get me to go, but I'm not a Van Hagar fan, even though I like a lot of 5150.

Anyway, I'm glad you liked the show. If David Lee was in the band, I would have camped out for tickets.

[CyberHippie]

Glad it worked out for ya Tim!

And yes, the "Rockin' In The Free World." from back in 93 was sick! Although at the time I didn't know it was 'sick', I just thought it was awesome.

[Fuckholes]

So You had some fun... eh? Kewl. ::

Glad to see thier cash grab is going smoothly.

[Blane]

cool review. I too was at the '93 Van Halen show that you mentioned. I think I was 16 at the time.