BY BARRY FOX
Of The Patriot-News

With some shows postponed twice, Eddie Van Halen's undisclosed medical condition and the band's volatile history, the Van Halen tour appeared to be a disaster waiting to happen.

It still might be, but Sunday night at the Giant Center, all that was forgotten.

As lead singer David Lee Roth said early in the show, "Better later then never."

It was worth the wait.

Eddie Van Halen -- a 53-year-old cancer survivor who's had hip replacement surgery and various chemical addictions -- looked and sounded healthy while spanning the full range of guitar virtuosity. Whether using a deft touch or a loud, bombastic flurry, Van Halen had a pleased-with-himself grin for more than two hours.

And for much of that time, he, Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie's 17-year-old son, rolled back the clock to the band's glory days.

"You Really Got Me," "Runnin' With the Devil" and "Romeo Delight" led into "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" with an exchange between Eddie and Roth that careened from thundering to delicate to bluesy while weaving in Robert Johnson's "Crossroads."

"Beautiful Girls" and "Dance The Night Away" preceded the peak of the show, "Everybody Wants Some."

Firing on all cylinders -- Eddie's screaming guitar work, Alex and Wolfgang pounding out the tribal rhythm, Roth's "liking the way the line runs up the back of your stockings" -- it was Van Halen at its best.

They played on a stage with ramps and a runway that formed an S that surrounded the first seven rows. With columns of lights, colored laser beams shooting around the arena, a massive video screen and confetti cascading down to end the show on "Jump," it was appropriate rock excess.

Of course, there were the required rock guitar and drum solos by the Van Halen brothers. Late in the show Eddie was again impressive alone on stage for a long, spacy solo flight into "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."

But through the band's litany of hits -- "So This Is Love?" "Pretty Woman" "Unchained," "I'll Wait," "Hot For Teacher," "Jamie's Cryin'" -- Roth's vocals at times sounded thin and he was not as agile as Eddie, Alex or Wolfgang.

In between serving as the show's ringmaster (complete with red and yellow top hats) and his usual kicks, twirls and crotch grabbing, Roth also fumbled the lyrics on the "Cradle Will Rock."

However, Roth had his moments, too, in particular on "Ice Cream Man" playing the acoustic guitar and telling stories about growing up in Pasadena, Calif.

All this took place before a surprisingly small crowd. Large sections all around the arena were empty.

But for those in attendance, it was surely a memorable evening.

Rock reunions generally fall into two categories -- sad nostalgia or epic reminders of what used to be.

Van Halen are proving that the chemistry they had 25 years ago is still as explosive and exciting as ever.

[Return to Current Headlines]