[67blackcherry]

Yup - last night of rehearsals, "friends and family" show - maybe a few thousand people there, the floor of The Forum wasn't even full, and the band KICKED ASS.

Set list
You Really Got Me
Running with the Devil
She's the Woman (new tune)
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Tattoo (new tune)
Everybody Wants Some
Beautiful Girls
Ice Cream Man
Chinatown (new tune)
Dance the Night Away
Hot For Teacher
Blood and Fire (new tune)
Eruption
Panama
Jump

Kool and the Gang was great - Van Halen was awesome (not quite as good as the Fair Warning / Diver Down / 1984 tours I saw but still....) and Wolfie did a fine job.

Nothing off Fair Warning or Diver Down.....bummer.

The band seemed to be really focusing on staying in the groove; tempos were (I thought) slow at first but then it was just....."ok, got it, you guys are just laying down a groove".....Alex sounded great, he was right in the pocket all night - Wolfie's playing was great, Dave sounded fine....he missed a few notes but that's par for the course for him, he never was Freddie Mercury or anyone like that. Very entertaining, he had a huge smile on his face all night too.

Ed's playing......I would say he's playing a just a bit bluesier these days. He's not really doing any of the wide intervalic stretches and weird chromatic end of the world "I'm Eddie Van Halen and I rewrote the book" type of stuff like the solo on "Girl Gone Bad" yet he still has that awesome sense of melody. His tone - big and thick, he used the wah sparingly all night - it sounded great. Was Eruption on par with the 14+ minute solo on the Largo MD Diver Down dvd? IMO, no. Was it substandard like it has been in recent years? Absolutely not. He looked good, he's put on some weight, he didn't blow a fhag all night long (maybe he quit?) there was chemistry between Dave and himself - he looked like he was having an absolute blast up there, big smile all night long.

Kool and the Gang - very risky but a great choice. Celebrate (Good Times), Jungle Boogie, Ladies Night, Get Down On It, etc etc....I'm 48, the audience was for the most part my age - some older, some younger - and everyone was digging it. There was a lot of energy, folks were dancing and having a good time, they were singing along..... the band did just fine.

Buy the cd and catch the tour, you won't be disappointed.



And oh how I wish I had upgraded to an iPhone.....my crackberry sucks! There's a lot of footage on YouTube - check it out!

[MikeNoun]

Very cool! Love the set list.

You Really Got Me
Running with the Devil
She's the Woman (new tune)
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Tattoo (new tune)
Everybody Wants Some
Beautiful Girls
Ice Cream Man
Chinatown (new tune)
Dance the Night Away
Hot For Teacher
Blood and Fire (new tune)
Eruption
Panama
Jump

I was not a big fan of 'Women And Children First, 'Diver Down', or 'Fair Warning', I thought their first 3 albums were their best, and I'd rate them 1, 2, 3, following their release order 1,2,3.

Interesting, one song off 'Women And Children First', the rest off their first 2 albums, and '1984', along with their new tracks. Apparently they ignore those 3 'middle albums' too. And nothing post-1984?

Heck, Sammy sang Dave's tunes, not sure why VH had to stick to only new songs, and then ignore their past 28 years of music?

[Johnny406]

Wish they could get Sammy & Dave on the same stage. Unfortunately, there isn't a stage big enough for those egos. I remember many years ago Sammy & Dave were on tour together. I think it was the Damn, we need the money tour.

[Rodney R]

That's awesome! Thinking about getting my dad and I tickets to the show for his birthday. Can't wait to them to come to Phoenix!

[67blackcherry]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Very cool! Love the set list.

You Really Got Me
Running with the Devil
She's the Woman (new tune)
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Tattoo (new tune)
Everybody Wants Some
Beautiful Girls
Ice Cream Man
Chinatown (new tune)
Dance the Night Away
Hot For Teacher
Blood and Fire (new tune)
Eruption
Panama
Jump

I was not a big fan of 'Women And Children First, 'Diver Down', or 'Fair Warning', I thought their first 3 albums were their best, and I'd rate them 1, 2, 3, following their release order 1,2,3.

Interesting, one song off 'Women And Children First', the rest off their first 2 albums, and '1984', along with their new tracks. Apparently they ignore those 3 'middle albums' too. And nothing post-1984?

Heck, Sammy sang Dave's tunes, not sure why VH had to stick to only new songs, and then ignore their past 28 years of music?

Mike
You play guitar, and you're not a fan of Fair Warning? That's borderline blasphemy...

No way in hell will Ed ever do a Sammy tune....too much animosity.

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by Johnny406

Wish they could get Sammy & Dave on the same stage. Unfortunately, there isn't a stage big enough for those egos. I remember many years ago Sammy & Dave were on tour together. I think it was the Damn, we need the money tour.

Sammy didn't need the $$$, his career was not dead like DLR's at the time. If anything Sammy helped him revive his career. DLR had nothin going on at the time -

Might be a BS story , but I heard the members of VH had go through counseling to deal with DLR -

Originally Posted by 67blackcherry

Mike
You play guitar, and you're not a fan of Fair Warning? That's borderline blasphemy...

No way in hell will Ed ever do a Sammy tune....too much animosity.

What is it with Sammy & guitar players ? First it was Ronny Montrose -

[MikeNoun]

Not sure if it's a problem with Sammy and guitar players, but more the Van Halen's and...the world. They loved DLR, then hated him, and gave him the boot. They loved Sammy, then hated him, and gave him the boot. They loved Michael Anthony, then hated him and gave him the boot. Gary Sherone was a one night stand I guess. Seems like no one can work with the two brothers.

Actually (someone chime in here if they can answer this), over the decades, I can't think of any other artist that pals around with Eddie or Alex. They don't seem to go to parties, rarely ever attend any official functions, and I've never heard anyone say, "I was hanging out with Eddie Van Halen, how cool is that?"

Obviously they are both enormously talented, but their antisocial attitude makes me think it's more them against the world. Never really heard anyone relay any stories about Van Halen parties or get togethers.

[Mister Pontiac]

Glad to hear the show was great! I've been rockin' the new record all week long, and I can't get enuf!

I too can't wait for them to make it to Phoenix!

[cdnroundport]

Always wondered how the royalties worked it looks like most songs are written by "Van Halen" so would the lead singer get royalties only when he is in VH for the music wrote during that time and once booted get royalties when that music is played or would the new lead singer get then since he is now part of VH?

[MikeNoun]

Whoever is on the songwriting credits gets the royalties. If it says Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth, they get the royalties. If it says Van Halen as a group, they share the royalties 4 ways. I'm sure there's some details in their contracts that may give higher royalties to the stars of the group. Every artist is different.

They may also sell a portion of their publishing rights (which happens quite frequently) to a 3rd party in exchange for cash, which usually happens after the band falls from popularity, and breaks up. In that case, royalties may go to someone not having anything to do with the band.

In the case of this Van Halen and DLR reunion, I'm sure that there are details in the contracts that prohibit anyone from performing songs with Hagar's name, unless Hagar gives them permission. I'm sure Eddie never called Sammy to check on that, so they ignored any post-1984 music.

In rare circumstances, the artist may have to obtain permission from someone ELSE to perform their OWN song, and that must really suck.

[pmdclassics]

I bought the new cd the day it came out and it is the bomb. Back in the day Van Halen was the only band that I would drive 100 miles to buy the new record the week it came out. "Truth" is like the follow up to 1984. It really rocks like only VH can.

[GoatDr]

I'll see them on May 1st at the BOK in Tulsa, OK. Can't wait. Saw the originals 3 times. VH2 tour in 1979 at CenturyII, W&C First tour in 1980 at the Wichita Coliseum and another time in OKC on the Diver Down tour.

[Brian Baker]

I caught the video of Eddie's guitar solo on youtube. It's quintessential EVH, where he takes Eruption and blends in bits of Spanish Fly, the Mean Street slapping riff, Cathedral, etc. but I found the whole thing to be tired. Although I will never get bored of hearing him play Cathedral, the solo break as a whole needs to be freshened up a bit...a little more improvisation perhaps instead of bits and pieces of his solo-schtick over the last 3 decades crammed together. Nonetheless, I think I am going to have to scrounge up some tickets for my son and I.

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by Johnny406

Wish they could get Sammy & Dave on the same stage. Unfortunately, there isn't a stage big enough for those egos. I remember many years ago Sammy & Dave were on tour together. I think it was the Damn, we need the money tour.

Shoot...you're lucky there's a stage big enough for Eddie, Alex, and Dave...and you want to throw Sammy in there too?

Sammy didn't need the money, but Dave might have. I think Sammy did that just to stick his finger in the Van Halen brothers eyes.

[67blackcherry]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

I caught the video of Eddie's guitar solo on youtube. It's quintessential EVH, where he takes Eruption and blends in bits of Spanish Fly, the Mean Street slapping riff, Cathedral, etc. but I found the whole thing to be tired. Although I will never get bored of hearing him play Cathedral, the solo break as a whole needs to be freshened up a bit...a little more improvisation perhaps instead of bits and pieces of his solo-schtick over the last 3 decades crammed together. Nonetheless, I think I am going to have to scrounge up some tickets for my son and I.

Brian
At least he's playing much better than he was a few years ago - did you see the NAMM footage from 2007? It was sad......

Buy the cd and catch the show - you won't regret it.

Hopefully this will motivate Aerosmith to get off their ass and get some new material out....

[jal]

Well,
I guess I have to throw my 2 cents in here......

As big a fan I am of VH, I will never PAY to see them in concert again.
They owe me or, all their fans really, of all the bull$h1t shows they tortured us with once they got big.
Damn it, I paid for at least 3 shows with the original line up where they played like a total of maybe 6-8 songs where, we had to sit through DLR talking crap and telling stupid ass stories for 30 minutes. SING Damn it. That's what I came here and paid for!!
20 minute drum solo. You sure ain't Neil Peart..
20 minute guitar solo.... Come on, I play guitar, pretty damn good too but, I know you're awesome, play some f-in songs,,,,,, pleeeaaassseee.......

First time I saw these guys, they opened for Black Sabbath, had something to prove and were freekin INCREDIBLE. That's the band I miss.

When they apologize to their fan base for those miserable shows and, wasting our $'s, maybe I'll take a chance again...

Sorry, had to vent....
Still listen to and love the records though. What guitarist doesn't love Eddie.....

joe

[sisco]

I saw a clp on you tube and we decided not to go see them because they sounded not good. Seemed David was kinda talkin the songs. However we di see Judas Priest and Black label society in Charlotte,Nc and that waas off the ook good. Rob Halford is still bad even in his old age

[PonchoV8]

Originally Posted by 67blackcherry

Hopefully this will motivate Aerosmith to get off their ass and get some new material out....

Aerosmith has been dead since Pump or at least Get a Grip. They should change their name to, They Whose Goal is to Compete with Living La Vida Loca for Air Play.

[pmdclassics]

You and your Blues is a great, great tune...

[Cobrabill]

http://awards.music.yahoo.com/blog/1...ds-grammy-buzz