Van Halen
Desert Sky Pavilion
Phoenix, AZ
July 01, 1998

Set List - Click here!

Photos by Steve Mueller ©1998 - mueller@appsware.com
Click photos to download full-size images.

Review by Don Kirkpatrick - donk@rapidaxcess.com

I have been a VH fan since '78 and I have seen them twice w/ Dave and never with Sammy. I wasn't heartbroken over the Sammy tunes Gary sang but the David Lee Roth songs were a sonic harshing. I don't like Gary Cherone with Van Halen. I wish they got a different singer. Gary is tooo much of a FANCY LAD!!

The highlight of the show was when Mike (Biff Malibu) Anthony sang a tune all by himself. "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" was a totally excellent surprise for me. He WAILED!!! I was actually amazed. You go Mike!!

Great show. Eddie was astounding. He is a true virtuoso on the axe. I paid 12.50 for lawn seats. Not too shabby for Gary's first time in Phx with Van Halen.

I can only say one thing - KILL ASS. This concert rocked from the opening Unchained to the last song Jump. It was awesome that they played a bunch of DLR songs, and not so much Spammy Fagar. The best parts were Alex's killass drum solo and Mike screamin out Somebody Get Me a Doctor. Gary sounds so much better live, and I hope he stays with them.

KILL ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First off I would like to tell Gary welcome aboard. He made a lasting impression on Arizona. I had to pawn my VCR to get tickets and it was worth it. I am one of the older fans but Van Halen still rocks as good as they ever have.

The opening Band Monster Madness did not fit with the diehard Halen fans but we understand you are appealing to the younger fans. Gary fit right into the music and nade it sound so good. Alex, is the best "FREAKIN" drummer I know of. Arizona loves him. Eddie was so awesome. Solos that only he can master.

This concert is the Best concert I have been to. I recommend everyone go see it. Gary rocks. You need to have Mike play his solo. That was a real heartbreaker for the people of Arizona.

When we were chanting EDDIE! EDDIE!... We did not mean any disrespect. Arizona loves you all. It just was the easiest thing to say at the top of our lungs. Awesome!!!

I hope to see you in Salt Lake, Denver and San Diego if I can get enough money for pawning my TV. I was upset about the Sammy situation, but now all I can wonder is "Who is Sammy?" Long live Van Halen. I will stay Diehard till I die.

Great concert: Cherone is a spaz, bounding all over the stage with more enthusiasm than I could have generated when I was 15. He totally nailed "Mean Streets," which was surprising, and made everyone forget Hagar on great renditions of "When It's Love," "Dreams," "Why Can't This Be Love," and "Right Now."

The big disapointment was that the set list hasn't changed. I read on VHND that Halen was going to make some changes, but the songs were exactly the same from previous concerts this year.

The only low points during the show were the momentum-killer "Year to the Day" (right after Mikey's rousing "Somebody Get Me a Doctor," big mistake) and the opening encore "How Many Say I." Both songs were like sucker punches, causing huge lulls in the show: I think it's telling that both songs were from "3," and I hope the boys realize the weakness of the new material compared to the old stuff. Other than that, the show was *PERFECT*.

There's been a lot of talk about the elfin Cherone and whether is the man to carry Van Halen forward. If you've seen them live, there would be no question. VH rocked Phoenix last night and it was one of their best shows ever. I've seen them at least 15 times dating back to the Roth era (4 times on the Balance tour alone) and I'd have to say this ranks near the top.

It kicked ass!!!!!! No other way to say it.

First let me say that I was a skeptic. I still have mixed feelings about Gary's vocals on "3". In places on the album, he just didn't seem to fit.

Last night he made a convert. I can't say he's the best vocalist ever, but then again, I never really made up my mind in the old Hagar/Roth debate. Maybe he is the best, ask me again in a decade or so after I make up my mind. He _is_ worthy of the band. Live he came across quite a bit differnet from the album. He just flat out rocked!! Now I see why VH chose him. He is welcome aboard in my books. Get off his back.

Over all, they had more of an edge than I've ever heard from the three Hagar era shows I've seen. They sounded.... angrier, harder. Even "Dreams" had a bite to it. It was almost like seeing the Van Halen from 10 or more years ago. Younger fresher, more energy.

The set list was incredible!!!!!! A perfect balance of "Old, New and Middle". The drum solo was intense!!! Reminiscent of John Bonham almost. Alex Rocks!!!! I did miss Mikey's bass solo though and hope they add it back in. However, his vocals on 'Somebody Get Me a Doctor' were incredible! And Ed, what do I need to say about Ed? If you're even reading this, then you know how good he sounded, I won't waste the space stating the obvious. He is the greatest to grace the instrument, 'nuff said. I could however have stood a longer solo from him (then again I also think 2 hours or so would be a good length for his solo), although I did like how they wedged it in the middle of 'Year to the Day'.

I'd like to close this this review with a message to the people who are pissed about Hagar or Roth. Quit your god damned whining, shut the fuck up, and go see the greatest rock and roll band on earth. You don't have to like Gary to go, you don't have to trust me when I say he did well, even if you hate him, you can still be pissed over whichever former vocalist you fancy, they still kick ass. Besides, when was the last time you heard 'Mean Streets' live?

All in all, easily one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life, only rivaled by Pink Floyd, and other Halen shows. Simply said, God is Ed.

For weeks I have been telling my friends that Gary Cherone would make everyone forget that Van Halen ever had another vocalist, and he proved me right last night.

From the moment Van Halen stepped on stage at DSP around 9pm until they gracefully bowed under the final curtain call at 11pm, Alex, Edward, Gary & Michael were excellent together. Gary's voice brought every era of classic VH music to a new level and Eddie played his new Wolfgang with emotion unseen for years. Poor Al still had his neck brace from the 1996 tour, and his arm was in a cast, yet he continues to play with style and ease!

The set was typical of this World Tour so far, but the energy level was like no Van Halen show I had ever seen. The evening highlight had to be when Michael Anthony stepped to center stage and sang the lead on "Somebody Get Me A Doctor!" and belted every high note with a wink and a smile - you could see he was having a blast! We all were...

I'm not one to compare the three line-ups, because I've sincerely enjoyed all three, but I will say this: If you've missed the tunes from the first decade of Van Halen, go see this show! Gary will sing anything in the catalog, and it was so good to hear some of the older songs again live. And this is a fact - the guy can flat out sing (not talk, or scream) and he may be the reason this band will keep on getting bigger and better.

Well, just getting back from the concert I've been anxiously waiting for since the Balance Tour of '95, my ears are ringing with pleasure and am proud to say that I've seen one of the best shows in my life.

The guys were all in top form tonight, for having taken close to a month off due to Alex's arm injury. I knew this was going to be a great show, and I wasn't disappointed. Most of the set was the same as it has been for the previous shows with a couple of exceptions. The songs were executed with fervor and finesse and had the crowd on their feet the whole show.

Gary is one of the best singers and performers of all time. Michael was equally impressive rounding out the backing vocals, his lead vocal work in Somebody Get Me A Doctor, and of course his bass playing. Alex, what injury?!! He delivered a peformance that deserves the purple heart! Through songs and solo he gave everything he had, and the audience rewarded him graciously.

And on the 7th day God created Eddie!! I can't say anything that hasn't already been said a zillion times before, just that he truly looks the happiest he's been in years, and from that happiness comes awesome guitar playing and musicianship. Thank you guys for making my summer this year, and can't wait for the next album. Everyone else, GO SEE THE SHOW!!!!

WHAT A CONCERT! It was hot in Phoenix to start with, but Van Halen scorched us better than nature ever could. Eddie showed why he is the true master, even taking a shot at lead vocals with "How Many Say I" during the encore. And Alex, a 7 minute drum solo when it's 100+ degrees? My gosh, he's in better shape than most of Arizona's professional athletes!

I only have two complaints about the evening. 1: I wish it was longer, total running time was right on two hours. How could you not want more? 2: The VH fans at the concert who got up and left as soon as the house lights went on. Gary said three separate times at the end of the show, "How long we play depends on how loud you are". When the lights came on, every one stood up and headed like sheep for the exits. What a bunch of Weenies you fans were, these guys were truely deserving of a real encore call. I would have stayed screaming untill sunrise if necessary!

Lastly, I took my little brother to the show for his birthday. When VH released "Humans Bieng" he had asked if VH had any other albums. He's a true generation X'er and has been to many concerts (he works for an event security company). His take on VH: "Best concert I've ever been to. Wow!" Enough said. Go see the show!

Well, I was a bit apprehensive about seeing them, because I didn't know if Gary would be able to fill the deep shoes of his predecessors, but he did.

Van Halen was awesome! All the guys came out energized and ready to rock the house.

Mike's vocals on Somebody Get me a Doctor were great. Alex's drum solo kicked ass...

Eddie's playing brought me to my knees several times; especially Humans Being, which I had never heard live before.

I was suprised at the amount of Sammy material that they played, and how they mixed it up quite a bit.

Gary did a great job with all the material. He was a bit more in tune with the new stuff, but he did pull off Roth tunes rather well. I was actually a bit saddened by the way he did some of Sammy's stuff though; I guess I was hoping for him to stick to more of the Sammy formula then him singing it to his style.

Anyway, they were all great, except, Get Gary some t-shirts or create a different style for him, cause the Black suit just didn't fit.

I loved it, and I hope they come 'round again.

Before I walked in to blockbuster desert sky pavillion, i really didn't know what to think. This would be my twelfth van halen show, the previous having had been with either Dave or Sammy. Let me tell you about the difference in energy level. It was about 100 times more than I had ever seen these guys ever put out live.

It didn't seem like gary was much for audience interaction, but that was ok. He sang his nuts off, and the crowd loved it. For the first show in America, they set the tone for the rest of the tour.

If you are contemplating going and seeing these guys, you need to. Go for music, not for a certain singer. These are world class musicians, all of them, and have shown it every time I've seen them. This show was clearly not an exception.

Thank you for what I consider to be the best Van Halen show I've seen.