Despite sound problems at Staples Center, they give high marks to the reunited rock legends' show.

We asked those who attended the Nov. 21 Van Halen show to share their thoughts of the concert. Here are some of their responses:

I attended the show last night at the Staples Center up in Los Angeles. I went in with no expectations considering that the guys have aged, internal conflicts between band mates and the absence of Michael Anthony on bass guitar and key background vocals.

What I experienced was a high energy performance by old friends that looked like they genuinely were having a great time performing together only mere miles from where they had formed back in the mid-'70s.

To put it bluntly, Van Halen tore the roof off the Staples Center at times. The version of "Hot for Teacher" was so intense, that it could have been mistaken for a borderline punk song. Eddie Van Halen's solo was mind blowing. David Lee Roth's antics were controlled. He appeared to pay homage to Eddie through out the entire show.

The best part of the evening was seeing the interaction between Eddie and his son Wolfgang playing a mean bass guitar. Eddie looked so proud. And Wolf had the stature of a seasoned pro playing in front of 20,000-some odd, air guitar-playing fans.

I went in with no expectations and walked away feeling as though I just witnessed a good old fashioned rock concert circa the early '80s.
Siegfried Koschel
San Clemente

Right off the bat, the Van Halen show was an event. The band, the crowd and the energy were at peak levels. Now the downside. The sound was terrible. The sound man should be cracked upside the head. Diamond Dave's voice was at times unintelligible and I don't think it was his fault. His mic just seemed a level below the instruments.

Otherwise awesome performance by the band, Eddie not only looked ripped, like he's been working out, but he also ripped up the guitar, reinforcing his status as one of the premier guitarists in rock. Eddie's kid, Wolfgang, played a nice bass and Alex Van Halen was rock solid behind the drums. Alex did a very entertaining five-minute drum solo that was just long enough as to not be annoying.

But the spotlight was squarely on Diamond Dave and Eddie and they looked like they were having a ball onstage. Dave was also in top physical condition doing his karate kicks and prancing all over the stage. My favorite songs were "Running With the Devil," "Panama," "Dance the Night Away" and of course the encore of "Jump" sent everyone home very satisfied. Great night, great band, great show!
Mark Mahoney
Seal Beach

David Lee Roth was amazing. I've seen him perform live many times, but have never heard him sing better. And at age 53, the roundhouse kicks (and the abs) are still there. Tuesday night he cemented his stance as the greatest frontman ever.

Eddie was back in top form, looking and playing great. He and Dave fed off each other, reminding everyone there was the real Van Halen is all about -- fun, loud, non-stop rock. The two-hour show didn't pause for an instant. And Michael Anthony's absence was only noticed in body form: Wolfgang slayed it on bass and backing vocals.

Something I really appreciated was that Dave and Eddie didn't make a big deal about being back together. They didn't get up there like the Police or the Eagles and hug and get sappy and soak up applause making the audience feel lucky to be there. Van Halen just rocked.
Mike Miller
Yorba Linda

I am a long time VH fan and have been waiting a long time for this tour. I was sitting in one of the business suites during this show and I don't know if sitting in the suite behind the glass affected the way the sound came through. I had a hard time hearing what David Lee Roth was saying, even though I knew all the songs. I also thought that the music mix was off. I thought Eddie's guitar should have been louder and cleaner. It was hard to make out most of the time and sounded like they had a lot of bass going through the system. I was disappointed with the sound quality of the show.

I was impressed with the performance of Wolfgang, especially the background vocals. Of course, David Lee Roth put on a great show as one of the best frontmen in music. So overall, I would have to say that I was disappointed, but I'll have two more chances to check them out at the Honda Center in December.
Paul Habermacher
Costa Mesa

As someone who has never seen Van Halen in concert before (because they stopped touring in 1984 and I was born in 1988) I didn't know what to expect. Would David behave, would Eddie and Alex still have it, and would Wolfgang satisfy?

I am happy to say they did satisfy, all of them. I couldn't ask for more. It's been my dream that they would come to tour after all these years and I wasn't going to pass it up and I'm glad I didn't. The show was well balanced, the boys sounded the same, and it was sad when it ended. There were many Micheal Anthony loyalists, but for me Wolfgang did great. You could tell he was nervous, but after a little while he did warm up, and (with) encouragement from his dad, he was jumping around the stage.

I got to share this experience with my uncle, a Van Halen concert veteran, and he was blown away. He thought they were just as good as they were more than two decades ago. So with my T-shirt and my key chains I went home with an experience I'll never forget. Long Live Van Halen!
Chantel Diaz
Montebello

Call me sentimental but to me Van Halen is not Van Halen without David Lee Roth. He's still jumping around and doing his kicks. His voice sounded great and Eddie and Alex ... ah what can I say? Eddie is still the Guitar King, as I'm sure most would agree. Watching both the guitar and drum solos alone is well worth the money. Wolfgang is awesome! Not surprising, since it seems he's caught on the music gene. Very talented young man indeed. Nice to see all of them last night -- the music brought back great memories!
Eva Hackler
Lakewood

Awesome show. Diamond Dave is back and looks to be in great shape. Alex is crisp as ever on the drums. Eddie is still the king of guitar and at his age to be able to play shirtless. Wow. The man is toned and has no middle age belly or love handles. Maybe I will start smoking! He really seems to be enjoying being back on tour with Dave. More than anything you see a real proud papa. Seeing him onstage with his son Wolfgang playing bass you can see Eddies' eyes light up and feel the love he has for his son. The songs make time stand still. They closed the show with "Jump". Tickets were worth every cent. I can't wait to go see them again.
Frank Responts

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