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Review by Lori McClintock - LBunches@aol.com

This was one of the most exciting concerts I've seen. The band appeared to be having as much fun as the audience. There was so much energy!!! There was a great mix of new and old songs. The guitar and drum solos were totally mind blowing!!!!

I feel bad for everyone who was not at last nights show. IT WAS AWESOME! I also feel bad for people that think that Gary Cherone isn't right for the job. He's perfect for it!

I have had the pleasure of seeing the VH3 show twice, but last night was by far the better of the two. The energy was fantastic. The guys we clearly having a blast with their new frontman.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd, a guitarist similar to Stevie Ray Vaughan opened, I was impressed, he's only 21 years old. However when Van Halen came out they BLEW the opening act away. Ed came out soloing and then drove into the riff of Unchained, I was pumped.

Ed also was clearly having the time of his life. He was jumping around grinning and constantly moving to a new place in the stage. And as usual he proved to be the best guitarist on the planet.

Al, well what more can we say about Al except for the fact that although he looks like he's falling apart he was still rippin it up on the drums, his solo was awesome especially when he played with another drum track.

I wish Mike played his bass solo but instead he sang "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" which was just outstanding, he hit one note that made everyone's ears pop, I loved it.

And then there is Gary, the birthday boy. All of the Hershey Stadium sang "Happy Birthday" to him. He has a great voice, and great stage energy. Sammy and Dave will never be able to take the stage after this tour. Gary just blows them away. If you still don't believe me then SEE THE SHOW! I Guarantee you that you won't be left unsatisfied. This is the GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!! See ya at a Van Halen show!

I am 42 years young and have only wanted to see one band in concert, VAN HALEN. This was my first concert and I don't think any other band could top it. It is safe to say that no one was disappointed. From my 11 year old daughter standing on a chair clapping to Jump, to my 15 year old daughter singing to Why Can't This Be Love. Even her boyfriend (who didn't even know who VAN HALEN was), was totally blown away with Alex's drumming and Eddie's guitar.

I want to thank VAN HALEN for giving a concert that an entire family could enjoy together. Gary is the lead singer the VAN HALEN boys have been looking for. He can sing any VAN HALEN song old or new and make it sound like they just wrote them. He is 100% energy loose on stage.

Alex's drum solo was AMAZING for a man who looked like he just got out of traction. Michael gave everything he had to his lead vocals on "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" and looked like the was having the time of his life. Together they are the foundation holding up the best VAN HALEN yet.

What can be said about Eddie that hasn't already been said? I have seen all of the VAN HALEN live concerts on video and I have never seen him enjoy himself as much as he did Sunday night. There are people who play guitar, guitar players and then there is EDDIE VAN HALEN....

After a decade this is truly ALIVE VAN HALEN...

Whoever thinks that since Van Halen tickets aren't selling like they used to means that Van Halen can no longer put on a show is damn wrong. The Hershey show (moved from the Stadium to the Star Pavillion) was an intimate gathering, where you felt right there, right now.

The show kicked off with "Unchained" and followed the usual set list. Van Halen was in their usual rockin form as Eddie was jumpin around, Alex was laying down so hard beats, Mike was drinking down his JD, and even the birthday boy was high-kickin it. There was a sing-along for Gary's birthday, as the crowd joined in with Eddie, Alex, and Mike singing "Happy Birthday."

My only complaint about the event. The crowd was relatively tame, and rather uninterested when new material was played. When Gary and Eddie returned for the encore "Josephina", everybody sat down and you overheard more talking than the song.

I was able to see the show from the 14th row, straight in front of Eddie. Judging from the start of the tour when I saw them in New York City, they're gettin' better each time.

Only wish the fans were doing the same...

I haven't seen a whole lot about Kenny Wayne Shepard in the reviews but this guy is the future of the blues. He was just awesome. His version of Voodoo Chile is a must see!

All I have to say is Sammy Lee Who? Gary sure didn't take it easy on his birthday! This show flat out rocked! The set list was pretty much the same as the rest of the tour, but the surprise of the night is when everybody in the crowd sung Happy Birthday to Gary. The only complaint I had is that all the Hagar stuff, except Humans Being, was ballads. Poundcake or Best Of Both Worlds would have been cool. There were even a few guys in the crowd dressed in Gwar costumes! The crowd loved pretty much the whole show. They definitely won some people over with the new album material. The energy they all played and sang with was intense!

There has been a new definition for fantastic now for about 20 years. It is Eddie. What a monster live. He was jumping around like a man possessed. Thank God he didn't have the hip replacement! The guitar solo was a little short but then we actually got to hear Mean Street so that was obviously left out of the solo.

It was cool to see an abnormal drum solo for once too. The music Al played along to was a great way to break up the solo. I can't see how the man's head is even attached to his body. No wonder he wears a neck brace.

I'm glad the bass solo was left out because that left time to play Somebody Get Me A Doctor. Mike is one hell of a bass player and solid as a rock too. Too bad he only took a sip of the Jack Daniels after the song.

...And someone said Gary Cherone!!! Happy Birthday buddy! This was the third show in three nights, and I can't see how this guy gets out of bed in the morning. He never stopped dancing and playing to the crowd. He knows how to work it. He was great in Extreme and he still is an amazing presence to see. Next to Steven Tyler he may be the best in the business right now.

All in all a great show (it was a little quiet though, the crowd sure wasn't). To witness the show in true stereo reproduction I suggest you go a second time, or get two tickets.

The Hershey show on Sunday was outstanding!!! I saw the Philadelphia show in May and this one just seemed more energetic, the band seemed really really tight, and needless to say, they really rocked!!!

The opener of "Unchained" was definitely a crowd pleaser. I think the crowd loved the classics like "Romeo Delight" just as much as the new stuff. By the way, all you Gary nay-sayers, he pulls off the old Halen even better than Sammy and Dave themselves. He is extremely entertaining and definitely gets the crowd into the show.

I think Eddie and Alex were enjoying the energy of the crowd as well. Both of their solos were longer than the ones they played in Philadelphia. If this showing of energy and compatability in the band is a preview of things to come... look out Halen fans because we are in for some spectacular music.

If you haven't seen the show yet, you're definitely missing a lot, and better get out and see them soon.

This is my third time seeing VH and definitely the best. I was at the Monsters of Rock show in Philadelphia in '88 and at the OU812 show at the Philadelphia Spectrum on October 26th.

After the OU812 show, I vowed to never see the band again. I thought the sound was bad. The music is great, but bad sound can ruin the best.

A few more albums came along...
Then a new singer...
Then they play 5 minutes from my humble abode. I figured "What the Hell". Besides, I knew Ed would rip. When hasn't he?

The concert was nothing short of spectacular. The sound was impeccable. What a change from 10 years ago. You could hear everything. Nothing was muffled and they weren't tramping on each other with excessive volume.

The drum solo was neat. The first half was good, but it got better when the keyboards kicked in. A nice twist.

I laughed to myself some teeny bopper in front of me said, "Eddie is awesome." I'm thinking he's way beyond that. You need a couple other adjectives in there to describe him completely.

To anyone who doubts, "Yes, Gary CAN sing!!!"

If your schedule permits, maybe you could play at my birthday bash next year around the end of June. Then I wouldn't have to drive anywhere to see ya'.

Once again, Van Halen proved to me why they're still the best touring band in rock 'n roll. From the opening notes of "Unchained" to the final notes of their third encore "Jump", VH melted Hershey park, and its overheated fans. I saw VH at Madison Square Garden back in May so I knew the the music was going to be awesome. My curiosity was lying in how Hershey would react to the revamped VH. More on that later.

Eddie, of course, was tearing through songs and solos like a man with the weight of 100 worlds finallly taken off of his shoulders. He crawled, leaped, and ran all over the stage like it was 1978 all over again. Hats off to you Ed, you're still the King.

Alex was just as hyper as Ed was. His backbeat during the entire show had everyone in awe. His solo was incredible. Alex is still one of the top three drummers in rock 'n roll. So quick, so fluid, so perfect.

Michael Anthony!!! My God that man can sing! He's more than just the most easily recognized background vocalists in music today. His bass playing was so solid. He and Alex are so tight, easily the tightest rhythm combo around. When Mike sang "Somebody Get Me A Doctor", it was better than any other live version that Dave ever did. His range is phenomenal. God bless you Mikey!

And then there was Gary...I was a huge Extreme fan, so when I found out he was taking over for Sammy, I nearly hit the floor. Gary didn't let me down. His vocal style on all incarnations of VH's music fit the band perfectly. The best part about Gary is that HE SINGS!!! He doesn't scream, mumble, or bore you with endless banter. The man is a geniune showman with all the right tools for this band. He's easily THE BEST singer in rock music today. If you don't believe me, go see this show for yourself. You will not be let down.

As for the fans in Hershey, WAKE UP!!! I traveled 200 miles to see this concert, and I swear me and my buddy Rob were acting crazier, (singing, dancing, air guitar, etc) louder, and having more fun than anyone at the show. A number fo times during the show, either Gary, Ed, or Alex was trying to coax the crowd into being loud and crazy, with little or no response. C'MON HERSHEY!!! GIMME A BREAK!!! This is a VH show!!! Not a library!!!

I have been listening to Van Halen since I was in 7th grade. Now I teach 7th grade! They opened the Hershey show with "Unchained." I was just hoping to hear one old tune. Needless to say, I thought they were incredible! Van Halen is the standard by which all other bands are compared. Eddie and Alex are the best!!

I feel compelled to apologize to Van Halen for some of my less intelligent and less tasteful local fans who stated that Kenny Wayne Shepherd was better than they were. I like Kenny, but he was a boy among MEN. Van Halen is the greatest band of all time!!!

I have loved Van Halen for as long as I can remember. I play guitar also, and of course Eddie is my main influence. I have always wanted to be in the front row at a Van Halen concert on Eddie's side. Well, this sort of came true at Hershey. I was in the 5th row, and man was I blown away!!!! The show was great. I also saw them in Philly, and I think this performance was better. I think with the smaller crowd (about 6500 people) the band felt "more involved" with the people, and vice-versa. They had so much energy, and this was the 4th straight they played! It was a dream come true for me. KYS was great too! He really kicked ass! That boy can play the guitar!!

If Van Halen comes around again, I will certainly be there. I think Gary is great. Sure Sam was great, Dave was great, but it's about the music, no matter who is signing. I truely and honestly believe that Van Halen is one of the last "true" rock and roll bands left. Think of what music would be like if Van Halen never existed. Scary isn't it??

VAN HALEN RULES!!!!!!!!!!