9/27/07 Charlotte, NC:
Waving a giant red flag with the utmost of confidence, tonight the mighty Van Halen declared war on today’s brand of rock ‘n’ roll. The songs may be older than any of the college students in attendance, but the music’s power, precision, and passion were as fresh as a Pasadena orange.
Like thousands of others, I’ve been waiting for this concert for quite a long time. My loyalties to Van Halen go back to the early days of MTV, and I have watched the soap opera unfold every step of the way. Since Van Halen has continually made headlines for their intra-relational squabbles, I was especially curious to see how the bandmates would be on stage.
Time heals most wounds, and so does the potential to make a boatload of money! What I saw tonight, however, was true joy on the stage: Eddie and Dave slapping each other high-fives, Alex smiling during his drum solo, and Wolfgang relishing the opportunity to jam with his legendary father and uncle. Believe it or not, one of the most magical moments of the evening came at the very end, after the encore. From my seat, I had a great angle of Dave and Eddie walking off stage, arms around each other, laughing, and enjoying the moment.
Some other relational highlights include Eddie giving Wolf a kiss, Eddie and Wolf playing together while facing Alex, Dave garnering applause for both Alex and Eddie with full gusto, Eddie saying that his brother was the greatest drummer on the planet, and even Eddie revving up the crowd by yelling “David Lee Roth!” twice after Ice Cream Man!
Eddie and Alex sounded as tight as always. Alex drove the rhythm of the evening with tremendous ferocity. He wore his signature headband, and sat in front of his enormous gong (remained unlit). Alex’s drum solo once again displayed his technique and speed.
Wolf kept up every step of the way. Actually, I found Wolf’s embelishments (including a tapping solo) refreshing, and his background vocals were on target. With more seasoning, Wolf’s showmanship will certainly flourish.
By the end of this tour, Eddie will undoubtedly recapture his crown as the greatest rock ‘n’ roll guitarist. Too immitators have come and gone, and all they have left are their swollen, arthritic hands. Tonight, Eddie played with a renewed vigor and energy, the likes of which rock fans have not witnessed in a while. His creative mastery over his instrument was inspiring. He kicked. He spun around. He blew smoke rings.
Diamond Dave shined! Instead of a toned-down Dave (as some predicted), I saw the same old Dave, minus the ego-maniac antics. He was on fire! Dave’s vocals sounded better than ever, and he actually sang more words than I had ever heard at other concerts.
In sum, the entire show was a smashing success. The set list was sensational! The staging, lights, jumbo screen, and props all added to the experience. I knew ahead of time that the band would use recorded keyboard tracks. Nonetheless, I was a little bummed not to see Eddie play the keyboard those few times. Moreover, the recorded tracks sounded cacophonous a few times; maybe the balance was off. Only one other criticism: the band could have added at least one more song in the encore.
I entered the Charlotte Bobcats Arena tonight with high expectations, and they were surpassed! Van Halen blew me away; I could not be happier for the landscape of rock music. At the August 13th press conference, Dave said that this is not a reunion, but instead a new band planning to make new music in the future after this tour ends. This MUST happen. Tonight was too bone-tingling amazing! Van Halen must continue!!!
Mark Conforti
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Magical evening.
I just returned home from the big show. One word sums it up for me, a fan of over 20 years, Magical. Really, it was the show of a lifetime and Eddie, Alex, Wolfie and Dave, yes Dave, all delivered. Thanks to the guys for putting the past behind them. This is what Van Halen should have always been. It was a great group with Sammy, but they are now officially back as one of the best of all time with the original showman back in the saddle. As I heard one fan saying on the way out of the Bobcat Arena “they should have just paid Dave what he wanted and put him in a seperate touring bus 20 years ago. We have missed two decades of FUN”. Well said. We may have missed out, but at least we can now make up for missed time! You could feel how happy and greatful Dave was to finally be back where he belongs and he sang his guts out to prove it. It was touching watching Eddie play with his son for the first time (and Wolfgang sang and played far better than I could have hoped for). Go see this show.
Sincerely,
David Wilson
Nashville, TN
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I was there.
Do what you can to get to the show.
Show starts off by kicking you in the nuts and doesn’t stop until it’s over.
Fucking awesome.
JD
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9/29 Greensboro, NC:
Just wanted to let you know, just attended the greensboro show. WOW!!! I went to the show expecting alot and that is just what I got, along with all the others in attendance. This was a show, no I am sorry, this was a great show. Now if I may critique just a bit. Dave, well dave was Dave, but a much better Dave. Still the main man. Alex, an animal as usual. Didn’t miss a beat. Eddie was rippin, hot and right on! Now not to sound too critical, but I know Wolfgang is young and he has to and will learn alot, but once he gets his feet under him he will shine bright. Lets face is, not every 16 year old gets this kind of chance or has his ability, Cheers Wolfie. The show started off with a bang and thats where it ended. The crowd was really into it and I myself wanted more participation.
Mike, missed you bro but thanks Dave, Eddie, Alex and of course Wolfie.
R.Cook
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I don’t know how Charlotte was, but they were awesome Saturday night in Greensboro. I read that Wolf didn’t move around much on stage in Charlotte, but he was a monster in Greensboro. The dude was all over the place and fretting every note on the bass as a full chord……not even looking at what he was doing. Vocals were dead on. Set list was awesome. I forgot how good Alex is. His solo was right on. Ed, of course, was incredible. Seemed like he was having some problems during his guitar solo. “Cathedral” kept cutting in and out, but otherwise he tore it up. He played the Frankenstein guitar a few times, which was cool. Man, I hope I’m that good at something when I’m 50 years old. Dave was really focused on his vocals, you could tell. He wasn’t hitting the high notes, but then again….that was 23 years ago and nobody can expect him to duplicate the original recordings at age 53. Those albums are too classic to reproduce perfectly live. However, he didn’t forget any lyrics and he put on a great show and kept the talking to a minimum. His voice sounded fine to me. Plenty of high kicks, but no jumping off the riser. Man, they tore through classic after classic. I was amazed. It was so much better than I thought it would be. I was sad that Mike wasn’t in the band, but honestly….I kinda forgot about it after the first song. I hope one day he’s back though. Wolf could play guitar beside his dad. Either that or go start his own thing, which is what I’m sure will happen one day.
Dude, in the middle of “I’m the One” they stopped and just stood there. The place was sold out and the crowd went balistic and blew the roof off. The band just stood there with ear to ear grins and their eyes wide open. They were obviously dumbfounded. Then Dave walked over and he and Ed hugged for at least 3 or 4 minutes. You could see on the big jumbo-tron screen behind them that it was for real. Then when they stopped hugging they did a close up on Ed and dude was wiping tears away. It ruled. It was like he finally woke up after 23 years and realized that the break-up was a mistake and they should’ve resolved things years ago. Also, Ed kissed his son on the cheek 50 times, I bet.
It was a powerful show. The music was tight as hell. Stage and lights were very cool. I’m still in shock. Been waiting on this a long time and it’s finally happened. I gotta catch another show somehow.
Scott in Greensboro
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From the time I woke up (8:30) Saturday morning, I was on Van Halen mode. The day was beautiful and there was approximately 310 miles to drive. I left Frederick, Md. at 10:00, bags packed, and I must had checked to see if I had the tickets to the show at least three times.
Van Halen was to play at the Greensboro Coliseum this night, the second show of their 2007 tour. With great honor, Charlotte, NC was the opening city for the tour, and the reviews from a local news station and fans were nothing but good, describing a concert they had witnessed the night before … “The Mighty Van Halen”. The reviews were 99% saying the band is back and rocking like there’s no tomorrow.
I have to admit, but I’ve been checking out VH links on the internet before the band had their press conference announcing the 2007 tour. I had been keeping my ear to the ground and reading as many reviews of the rehearsals that I could, not to mention all the short video feeds of a few songs that came from the rehearsals that were on the concerts song list … and those clips … nothing but a tease … I thought the band sounded great during the rehearsal clips.
So, as you can see, I’ve been waiting for this day a long time … Hell, we’ve all be waiting for this day … 22 years to be exact. I’ll tell you this, since the first time I placed the needle to the vinyl of Van Halen I, back in the late summer of 1978, I’ve been hooked. At the age of 14, I started the self-induced mind programming of Van Halen … I became genetically wired to VH … I couldn’t play it loud enough and I wanted more. And more we got … Five more albums and tours of the most energetic, free-spirited, American-Grown, Rock-and-Roll band that just simply created an atmosphere of uninhibited fun, with a sound that changed the face of rock. I don’t think the boys really understood then, the impact that they would have … well, maybe they did understand … I know I did … those concerts at the Capital Center in Landover, Md. were awesome and for me that was enough proof of their success and stardom … they were the “Mighty Van Halen”.
And then it ended … an era with Diamond David Lee Roth as the bands front man. For me, it would never be the same.
So with much awaited anticipation and almost having this sense of disbelief, I was going to see Van Halen at the Greensboro Coliseum with Diamond Dave, Eddie, Alex and the next generation of Van Halen’s, Wolfgang.
Hours before the concert, fans were all congregating at the hotel bar where I was staying (Marriott) and swapping VH stories, inquiring where each of us were from, reminiscing about the DLR days and Van Halen in general … we were all having a great time and just waiting to get over to the show. As soon as I parked my truck at the Coliseum parking lot (VH playing loud-Fair Warning), there was a party atmosphere in the air. The parking lot was full of tailgaters listening to VH and catching a buzz … just like the good old days … this was great and we weren’t even in the door yet. Once you were in, you could here people shouting out and screaming Van Halen and just gearing up for the concert … the beer line was even fun, talking with others and just people watching. Folks were pumped. There was this good sized VH remote control blimp buzzing around the inside of the coliseum which was fun to watch while the VH stage crew was setting up and making last second tuning … and then the lights dropped. I’m sitting on Eddies side about 60 feet away (great seats), and Eddie comes out on to the dark stage … the lights come up on Eddie and the crowd just went nuts … it was AWESOME … followed by Dave, Alex and Wolfgang. This was such a great moment … surreal … The entire coliseum was on its feet … looked like a sold out crowd to me by the time the show started. Van Halen opened with, “You Really Got Me”, and from there, it was on … I don’t care what anyone says, the band sounded tight. David Lee sounded great, Eddie has never sounded better, he is truly amazing, Alex was the steady anchor that he is, and Wolfgang … Hell Yeah, Wolfgang did the job … I miss Michael Anthony, but if you’re going to replace Michael, at least it was with flesh and blood. Wolfgang did a GREAT job all the way around. This was a timeless evening and to see David Lee and Eddie give one another hugs was great, and if they do that at each show, then that’s there way of showing us fans that everything is going to be Ok … and then they just got down to business and rocked the house.
The stage was very cool … nothing to over the top. You can see the difference between the youthful Van Halen and the today’s Van Halen … the band has changed, and it’s good. We’ve all gotten older … lol! I know that some fans reported poor sound … all I can say is that it sounded great to me … every note, every lyric … sounded real good. But damn, you sure do get the sense that DLR and VH sure do belong together and always have meant to be together. The night was magical, euphoric, and historic … it was just good old-school, kick-ass, Rock-and-Roll. You’ll either feel it or you don’t.
Folks, if you have the chance to see this show in a town near you, you really should make the effort to do it … it’s worth every penny. You will not be disappointed in the least bit. This is Rock-and-Roll history. This is Van Halen. The next two shows are in Philadelphia. Hey Philadelphia, Let the Cradle Rock, because you’re in for a very long night tonight … have fun!
To: Van Halen/DLR, Thanks for the awesome show in Greensboro … can’t wait to see you again in D.C. (11/1) … I sure hope that a new CD is being planned very soon … it’s been a long 22 years without you all together and doing what you’re supposed to be doing here on earth, and that is giving Rock-and-Roll a fucking pulse again.
VH/DLR Fan-For-Life,
J. Griffith
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Well…being the diehard fan that I am, and given the amount of time that has passed since I last saw Dave share a stage with the Van Halen brothers, I had to pack up in NY and head down South to Greensborough NC to see the second show of the tour. I always promised myself that if these guys ever got it together to go out on tour….I would try to get to as many shows as I could if my calendar was clear (and my finances were secure). Since they both were, I had the pleasure of heading down to NC for the second show (9/29) with my wife, then hitting the Philadelphia show Monday night (10/1) with 2 other die hard fans, and now looking forward to VIP’s in Connecticut this Friday!
This is before they even come to NY! The MSG show is a special one for me. Not only because it’s in NYC…..but because in October of 1982, 25 years earlier… my older sister took me to see the Diver Down tour, and Van Halen literally changed my life. After experiencing the fire of Van Halen in 1982, and witnessing their commitment to their craft, I simply “got it!”…..and nothing could turn it off.
They successfully changed my view of live music, and saw first hand how it should be done! It was the “experience” of a Van Halen show. It was the ‘Feel Good’ show you waited all year to come to town, performed by a couple of talented guys that didn’t seem to take themselves too seriously, but could also walk the walk. That’s what separates VH from other bands. The confidence…the drive and the commitment, (and a little fun never hurt either!)
For those who have never seen the original line up……I beg you to GO! (You never know when we’ll wake up from this dream and find that it really never happened)
For those who have seen it, expect to be impressed. By everything. (Yes, even Wolfie)
At 38 years old, I cannot wait to bring 2 of my own boys to the Nassau Coliseum show in NY …..so they can finally see first hand what I have been describing to them since they were each 2 years old…….The greatest rock band on the planet, Van Halen!
Rich
Northport, NY
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I will keep this review short and sweet. Awesome concert, they rocked, from the curtain drop to the end. The only downside was we all left wanting more! The only difference to the early 80’s tours and this one is that DLR is no longer the over the top front man that he was. The band is equal part DLR and EVH. If the band wants to pick up from were they left off Dave needs return to the showman that he once was, he looks like a guy who was just released on parole, happy as hell to be out but afraid to say the wrong thing only to be locked up again!
I am looking forward to the studio album.
If you are a fan of the old VH, go see their show, awesome.
C. Marshall
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I have never seen that much energy and enthusiasm from the fans at any concert that I have attended! Everybody was absolutely Van Halen crazed. After all, everyone has been waiting…just a bit. The band just fired off one great song after another. It was two hours packed full of all of the best VH songs you could ask for in a super high-energy show. As with the other reviews I have read, everyone in the arena stood for the entire show. The band seemed to be having a great time doing what they do….Rockers with Walkers…I think NOT! This was, by far the absolute best concert I have ever been to. Absolutely not one complaint. I loved the VH Blimps, and the confetti, too.
Toni