STILL FLIPPANT, STILL KICKING AND STILL ONE OF THE GREATEST ROCK BANDS OF ALL TIME EVERYBODY WANTS SOME VAN HALEN, NATURALLY
BY CLAY JONES
THE FREE LANCE-STAR

One of my first concerts was Van Halen way back in the '80s. In fact, it was Van Halen's very first concert with new lead singer Sammy Hagar.

That was a show where they only played three David Lee Roth-era songs, and led an audience through every track on their then-new album "5150," which nobody knew any words to.

Gone is the Van Hagar set list, and Sammy with it. Also gone is original bass player Michael Anthony. Last Thursday night, the almost original line-up brought their reunion tour to the Verizon Center--where David Lee Roth summed up the band as "three parts original, one part inevitable."

Inevitable was this tour after 20-odd years of feuds, fake starts and God knows how many Hagar songs with food analogies.

Starting the show with the first single and Kink's cover "You Really Got Me," Van Halen returned to their roots of loud swagger, cocky frontman, guitar and drum solos and still more loud '70s guitar rock.

This was the rock 'n roll that made every teenager want to become a guitar player, and every awestruck guitar player want to quit and take up needlepoint.

Pounding through a set list mapped out by new bass player (and Eddie Van Halen's son) Wolfgang Van Halen, the band gave the audience live versions of songs we haven't heard in years, such as "Beautiful Girls," "Panama," "Everybody Wants Some" and even almost-forgotten classics like "Little Guitars."

The question on everyone's mind was: "How will little 16-year-old Wolfie hold up in the shoes of adequate bass player/impressive vocalist Anthony?"

Little Wolfie came through. Though you couldn't really hear much bass in the loud guitar mix, his background vocals were spot on--to the point the listener might have wondered if they were piping in taped recordings of Anthony's vocals.

Roth's vocals, on the other hand--well, he pulled it off. He knew what notes he couldn't hit, so he just avoided them altogether. An expected high note would be replaced by a much lower one or nothing at all, as sometimes Roth just wouldn't finish a line.

But he's still the ring master at the circus. Never has there been someone more confident than David Lee Roth on a stage. Though his hair might be different and the kicks not as high, he can still talk to an audience. You think at some point this guy will try to sell you a car.

Before leading the band through "Ice Cream Man," Roth regaled the crowd with a tale of being in the band in 1972. It was a tale so enthralling that I forget the point of it. But Roth is a front man who understands that a great deal of a live show is entertainment along with musicianship.

The musicianship was there, too, to accompany Roth's hyperbole and grandeur. Fresh out of rehab and looking happy and healthy to be on stage again with his old band and mostly family, Eddie Van Halen took us back to school.

At times it was difficult to tell if a note was missed or what song was starting, as the distortion was insane at some points, but Eddie Van Halen is still Eddie Van Halen. An average guitar player can feel ill just watching this guy do something with such ease that would be hard for anyone else.

Drummer Alex Van Halen seemed a little off at times, but would rebound before the song was destroyed. Starting up "Dance the Night Away" it seemed as though Alex couldn't decide how the tempo went.

Making rock 'n roll fun was what Van Halen was good at so long ago. "I heard you missed us--we're back!" yelled Roth during "Hot For Teacher."

Yes, Dave, a lot of us did miss Van Halen and we're glad you're back. Let's hope this tour leads to you guys sticking around for a while.

[Return to Current Headlines]