Extreme performs “Mean Street”

August 11, 2009 83 Comments

August 8th: Extreme wrapped up their Summer 2009 tour at the House Of Blues in Boston. The band was in perfect form, ripping it up for the hometown crowd (over 200 family and friends were on the guest list!). Their incredible two-hour-plus set closed with a blazing rendition of Van Halen’s “Mean Street.” The show was filmed for an in-concert DVD that Gary Cherone tells us will be released later this year.

Here’s more EXTREME from July 28th; Ripping it up on “Get The Funk Out” and Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’:”

Congrats to Gary Cherone, Nuno Bettencourt, Pat Badger, and Kevin Figueiredo for the exceptional album Saudades de Rock and an amazing tour!

Filed Under: Gary Cherone, Van Halen

Elizabeth

I got to see Extreme 3 times on this tour and all I have to say is one word “FANTASTIC”!!!

Extreme is now one of my top 3 favorite bands (VH, Chickenfoot and now Extreme).

Nuno is an amazing guitarist and all members of the band are super talented.
swingin sinner

Not bad!
Frank

Not bad at all!

Frank, NL
steve

The ’98 tour with Gary was one of the best VH tours; all the best songs from the Dave and Sammy eras in one show with no attitude.
theREALchris

Couldn’t agree more Steve. Gary butchers a few, but overall the band was real tight, Ed was…just on point, you know? Really, really good.
Don Ablone

I was at the Boston H.O.B show and was blown away by Extreme’s rendition of “Mean Street”! I’m a huge VH fan and realize that there is only one Eddie Van Halen but Nuno’s rendition (spot on!) of that tune to close the night paid great homage to one of his idols. I believe he threw in a small “Erruption” intro as well. The whole band nailed it, Gary sounded great, Pat and Kevin kept the whole thing rolling. Too bad Extreme couldn’t have performed at VHs induction ceremony to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as they would paid the Band the tribute they deserved instead of that embarrassing performance by Velvet Revolver.

Best Extreme show I have seen, and I’ve seen my fair share dating back to 1989-90! This was a great appetizer for the upcoming VH tour (2010-2011???). Won’t come soon enough.
Izzy

This rocks! I saw the 98 tour 6 times. Gary gave one hell of an effort and played a legendary set list. Its funny how he still uses some of the same ad libs 11 years later. Right before the solo he says “dance”. Check out a 98 vid to compare. We need some multi billionare fan of VH to make an offer to all parties for an Ultimate VH concert. Extreme open for an hour. Chickenfoot for 1 1/2 hours. Van Halen for 2. Then joined by Mike, Sam, and Gary for 45 legendary minutes!
Jim W.

The tour with Gary was the best I’ve seen with VH. I’ve seen the 2004 Sammy tour and the 2008 Dave tour. As a guitar player wanting to see both eras performed live, the 1998 tour with Gary wins. Opened with Poundcake, played meanstreet, I’m the One, Why can’t this be love. Just great. Eddie was also in his best for on that tour. Drunk in 2004 and didn’t move the whole night in 2008 (at least in the show I saw).
Colby

Awesome! I saw them and Ratt in Hampton Beach, NH. Extreme killed and at the end of Get The Funk Out Nuno came down and gave me high five it was amazing!
Keith

I totally agree with all above. Gary rocks and so did VH3 live.
Tammy

Thank God for the true & good remarks for the VH3 live!!! Gary is an awesome vocalist & yes there is no attitude with him; he has fun & it shows!!! 04 tour sucked & 07/08 were good shows, but it’s just not the same anymore!!!
Chris D.

Darn good sound for a hendheld. Not a bad performance at all. I never saw VH3 live but a buddy saw them in Indy and said Gary left it all on the stage for sure. One of the most energetic live vocal performances he ever saw. Up there with Corey Glover. If I were built like Nuno and could play as well, I’d have my shirt off, too.
Brian

Great cover. I saw them a week earlier with RATT @ Crocodile Rock. Too bad it wasn’t part of there set that night.
Vanicionado

I second, thrid, and forth all the comments above.

I loved the ’98 tour!
Kimberly

I can dig it..I like his voice a lot.

Props to Gary and Extreme! <3
nick

The 98 tour I also agree was the best.Everyone in the band was just balls out best of VH.I think Gary just didn’t get a fair shake as far as the album went.If you really listen to the tracks on VH3 and compare to Balance you may or may not agree but Ed played a harder set.Also Mike was able to be more up front with the bass lines.As always great comments guys.
DiamondDLR

Extreme kicks ass. Said it before but it bears repeating, Saudades de Rock is one of the best rock records out there. Lots of sleazy, crunchy 70s rock influence all over it but still 100% Extreme. You don’t pick that one up, you’re missing out.

Incredible cover of Mean Street by the guys here too. Gary, Nuno, Pat, Kevin, keep rocking the hell out of it. (Aside: if you want to see Gary rocking some Who tunes, search youtube for Slip Kid.)

The VH3 tour was amazing, Gary brought an energy to the band’s live show that hasn’t been seen since. At least we get to see that same energy with Extreme. Would love to see Extreme bust out “Without You.”
TIM MCKENNA

VH fan for 30 years. Saw both Chickenfoot and Exteme this summer. Chickenfoot was good, Extreme kicked some serious ass.Only ones from VH I did’nt see playing were the Royal Family of excuses.(Dave gets a pass because you know he would be playing somewhere if he was allowed)
theREALchris

Nick- Mikey actually didn’t play bass on the whole vh3 album. I think he only played the singles. All 2 of them…and also for “One I Want.”
Kevin

great cover

Nuno Bettencourt apparently has a better understanding of EVH’s tone then he himself does nowadays…
BTD

I love seeing all the love here for Gary!! Again, he had too big of shoes to fill and his live antics during VHIII were a little strange for us die hard VH fans. Gary is talented very talented. I love VH III and honestly I could live with I, II or III. Just being honest…the constant is Ed & Al.
RickieVanWhalen

I love VHIII and this video just proves my point. VH should have done another recording with him and gotten a better producer that would have focused on the commercial aspect of the business. Gary rules. He is better singer than Dave and Sammy combined.
http://www.gemproductionsinc.com kappdog

Sorry…a little lame. Kinda Like Van Halen’s little brothers trying so hard to capture that sound. Proves again how incredible Van Halen was and is.
Dooley

I dissent. Lots of love for Gary in this thread, God bless him. And yeah, Extreme is a very talented band. But at at the risk of being a grumpy grouch…I still prefer Classic VH tunes with Dave and Hagar era tunes w/Sam. Nothing else will ever do for me. OK now, I got a thick skin, let me have it. I can take it.
Bocephus

I was privileged enough to have been at the show and Extreme was on that night.

Gary earned the right to play that tune.

And he and the band performed it with great homage to Van Halen and to the fact that Extreme can still bring the House down.
Nate Teikari

I went to see them on August 5th out here in Virginia, and that was actually where Nuno got the idea to close with Mean Street. Phenomenal Concert.
Erick

Sounds good! I like it!
Skutch

It’s cool that so many people like this, but it doesn’t work for me at all simply because of my view on covering songs. I think bands should reinvent the song if they cover it and this is just playing it as it was. Nothing creative here. But hey, whatever floats your boat. Not trying to start an argument or anything
Dee

I think it’s funny that since VH has put out ANY new music:

- Chickenfoot has formed, recorded and released an album, has toured Europe, and is now touring the states

- Extreme has reuinited, recorded and released a new album, and has COMPLETED a tour.

I’m just sayin….
Gee Lopz

Well, that´s it. Not bad hu??

Better than Chickenfoot!!

SH and CHF can´t sing/play this song!!

And nobody do a encore with a cover of a “Van Hagar” era tune…

When you think Van Halen, speccialy if you are a musician and born on the late 60´s or 70´s, you think, Eddie, Alex, David and Michael…The Real Van Halen. All the Classics songs.

Nuno and Gary are Van Halen fans. The Classic Van Halen. That´s why they don´t play right now, dreams or why can´t this be love…

They even can play, but is not Van Halen (real Van Halen) songs for them…
BTD

Skutch,

the fills weren’t anything Ed did on the record…what were you listening too…not trying to pick at fight.
http://www.musicgeekmedia.com Matt Collen

Extreme is a great band. I realize that Gary had a lukewarm tenure in Van Halen, and as a Van Halen fan, I only want to see Sammy or Dave singing. However, it is good to see Gary back with Nuno and kicking ass. Extreme has to be one of the most underrated bands. They are talented musicians, and I am glad to see them playing together again.
Dr. Jones

Hey all.
Just a little note about VH3. Apparently…from what I’ve read, that Gary, Ed, Mike and Alex DID have an album in the can, and ready to go before Gary quit or was fired…depending on who you ask.
VH3 is one of my favourite records to this day. Ed’s playing was great. No overproduction. Just 4 guys rockin’ in the studio. Awesome! From Afar is still one of my favourite songs.
The VH3 tour was amazing! Saw them in Toronto, and it was absolutely excellent. If I remember correctly, they came on with Unchained.
We’ll see if Ed and Dave can get their shit together and actually release an album this year…or next…or the one after that…or maybe the year after that….riiiiiight.
No matter what…in any incarnation…VH are still the kings of rock!
kenny

98 Tour was a waste of time.
Troy Con

I saw the ’98 tour and it was amazing. Gary is truly the best pure singer VH ever had. But DLR is still the best fit for VH. VH3 one of my all-time fav albums, just incredible music that was written for that album.

To this day, I don’t know why EXTREME wasn’t a bigger band media-wise. One of the most under-rated bands ever IMHO.

I think if EXTREME released that re-make of “wanna be startin’ something” it would be a radio hit today. Great cover!!!
APE

NUNO BETTENCOURT IS FUCKING AMAZING!!!!
nick

Thanks Therealchris your right.I remember now Mike had said in a interview that he didn’t play on most of the songs on VH3.Maybe that is why it sounded different to me.With Ed playing bass and guitar it meshes together.I do think Extreme did put on a better show then Chickenfoot.Gary is underrated,he is really good live.
Erick

Watched it again; Amazing!!!

I’m sorry to say it guys, but this is much better then CF.
phil

very cool
Big AL

I just read where the band filmed this show for a DVD to be put out later in the year and that Mean Street was the finale! Should be pretty cool!
Kayser Sozay

Now it’s a contest between Extreme and Chickenfoot is it? I must have missed that part of the story.
Bosox

That is awesome! Wicked awesome. Saw the 98 tour 3x. Saw them at the begining in Boston, midway with tour at Great Woods ( skid row opened, the night Gary lost his voice, had to come back the next night to see the show) and one of the last shows in Vegas. The last show in Vegas was really great Just glad to see Cherone back with Extreme.
just the facts

Some facts y’all.
Extreme is an under rated band.
Gary can really sing, and that band is ultra talented.
The 1998 tour was cool , hearing lots of classic VH.
But the album was horrible.
Anybody who thinks that album was good needs to purchase Fair Warning and hear how hard rock is supposed to sound.
Guitar Zero

I don’t recall Van Gary doing Mean Street at our show in ’98 ($9.99 lawn seats!), but I DO remember how amazing it was to see them playing it on MTV’s “The 10 Spot” in Sydney. That opening riff sent shivers down my spine.
Skutch

BTD, I know the fills and solo were different but I’m talking about the tune in general. It’s pretty much just playing it as is. Look at the way the Cardigans did Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or Shirley Bassey did Light my Fire. Totally reinvented the song. That’s more interesting to me. Not picking a fight either. Glad you liked it bro. Nuno is a stellar player. I met him back in ’89 and he was floored that us kids wanted his autograph. Cool guys. totally.
mjc

Van Cherone was underrated and fuckin rocked!
Kimberly

Skutch– Completely agree. It just looks a whole lot better and makes you much much more original and creative when you try and reinvent a cover.

But yeah I did think it was pretty good! Still prefer my Dave, but Gary has a nice voice.
http://none Ducky / Dirty Duck

The first EXTREME album I bought was “EXTREME: III Sides To Every Story” back in 1991 i think. Yes, I’m not gonna lie…LOL…i bought it for “More Than Words”.
I was 16 and had my first REAL girlfriend that summer and she loved it. So i went out…bought the album…and dedicated the song to her on her sweet 16. So embarrasing but sweet at the same time. One of those moments that you never forget…but everytime I hear the song I smile…and cringe at the same time. So it looks like im passing gas.
Personally I dont listen to it at all anymore….but there were some other songs I got into due to buying the cd.
This was the first time i heard a singer so strong since mercury. The track that stood out the most to me was: “Who Cares?” WOW. To this day I still love that song man. One of the most powerfully sang songs out there. The last 30 seconds of singing on that song is goosebump material.
“Stop The World” is another cool track. Caught it on MTV when it was being played constantly. Good stuff!
Funny though….for many years it was kinda embarrassing to admit you liked extreme. But its good to see they are getting the credit they deserve. Nuno is a great guitarist and Gary is a stellar vocalist. Hope the new album continues to sell!

…and someone said FAIR WARNING! Lord strike that poor boy down!
BTD

SKutch, Kim,

You don’t mess with perfection. Case and point; Rock n Roll by Zepplin or Won’t Get Foooled Again by The Who; many have covered the song but it is ALWAYS along the orginal blueprint… of course the solos are varied. Fans DON’T like when a band takes liberty of bastardizing a classic song. I understand the reinventing the song thing but boy a band needs to really think about that before they stick their neck out most the time your dealing with Rock royalty.
BTD

Kust the facts,

III is special because ED went completely out of the box… I would agree it’s no Fair Warning but a decent release.