Van Halen
Performing Arts Center
Saratoga Spr., NY
August 23, 1998

Set List - Click here!

Review by Jim Liotta - JimL@global2000.net

The show ended just 30 minutes ago and my head is still reeling. I've seen Van Halen with Dave and Sammy, but with Gary..whoa I can't believe the energy that this band now puts out. This was the third night in a row that they played, but you'd never know it by this show. Everyone was fresh and in top form.

The show started out with the growl of Eddie's guitar which lead into the opening riffs of Unchained and nobody looked back from there. They played the typical set list with Romeo Delight, but I loved the mix of old and new songs. After Alex's awesome drum solo we were treated to a great version of Jamie's Cryin'. Mikey then brought out the Jack Daniels bass for Humans Being which lead into his great rendition of Somebody Get Me A Doctor with him doing lead vocals. During this song Gary jumped over Mike's amp & disappeared. I can't believe how much Gary throws his body around & doesn't get hurt. He was all over the stage and climbing on everything...boy he sure can move. Eddie was no slouch either. He was doing flying Eddie's and spins all night. During Jump he did a spin and fell to the floor..Gary took this opportunity to jump over Eddie..so goes the song..Jump.

These guys looked genuinely happy on stage and were having a great time. All kinds of goofing on each other.

See this show when it hits your town...WOW !!

MY GOD!!! This was the second time I had been to a VH3 show and I was even more impressed...They have tightened up even more since MSG! Gary was ROCKING the whole house and won a lot of skeptics over! The most common comment I heard from the audience as they were leaving? "Sammy who?" "David Lee What?"

Eddie and the boyz looked like they were having the most fun they've had in YEARS...They were all doing flying V's and at one point Gary ran across the stage and jumped over Michael's head! It was amazing. Gary's "Right Now" is one of the greatest songs I have ever heard...He took that song and made it his own SCREAMING with authority!

Other big highlights were: Without You, One I Want, Mean Street, When It's Love, Panama (complete with singalong) and Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love! I don't care what anyone says...GO SEE THE SHOW! Gary will show you why Eddie made the best decision he could have made!

It started with some riffs echoing on the breeze as the lights when out. Then out of the black came one small light, then the stage lights when up and it was revealed to be none other than the guitar great himself, Eddie Van Halen!

The band roared through "Unchained" and managed to get the crowd excited. Then came 2 songs from "III", "Without You" and "One I Want". Then came my personal highlight of the show when the band performed the classic "Mean Street", to which the crowd responded to Gary's monologue "FAIR WARNING!".

After "Fire in the Hole" (which the crowd oddly enough, didn't seem to know. Thank you MTV.) Gary asked the question "You guys wanna hear some old stuff?" to which the crowd responded a resounding "yes". The band acknowledged and played "Why Can't This Be Love", where Mike and Eddie stole some of the lead lines from Gary. "Romeo Delight" was a blur to me because immediately following that up was Alex's drum solo. I could feel the vibrations from his kit, that's how powerful a drummer he is.

Next up was "Jamie's Cryin'" a welcome addition to the set list. Some other highlights included Eddie's guitar solos during "Year To The Day", Mike singing lead on "Somebody Get Me A Doctor", the acoustic "Josephina", and finally just the pure vibe of "Panama" and "Jump". You could not help but get a rush from those final 2 numbers.

On a final note, I had my doubts about Gary (though I love "III"). After tonight though, I can see that he fits right in, and even though he didn't make me forget about Dave, he definitely made me forget about Sammy. Sammy who? GO SEE VAN HALEN WHEN THEY COME TO YOUR TOWN!!!

Very good concert, with new member Gary the band sounded very good. Eddie, Alex, and Mike were great as usual. Great solo's as well. On a scale from 1 to 10 this concert was a 10. Keep up the good work VH and don't stop what you got which is great music..

I can't remember the rest of the songs, but let me assure you, it was not the Van Halen we have loved for some many years. To the young fans, rent the old concerts, and see.

We got to Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center hours before the show, to hang with other die-hard fans like ourselves. Time went by fast listening to VH in my cousin Dave's car. We were here once again, to see one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

Now, the review. Here is "Fair Warning" for all that like EXTREME, and thought that Gary would bring VH to the top again. It didn't work, in fact I was embarrassed to call myself a true VH fan after the show. We drove over two hours to see the show that always rocked, till now.

I have seen Van Halen with Sammy Hagar five times. Gary doesn't have the look, feel, or sound of a true rocker. The latest album is also a let down, a pale comparison to the past. WE NEED Sammy BACK. WHERE IS SAMMY???????