By Terry Perkins
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH

Three decades after releasing a debut recording that literally rewrote the rulebook on how to succeed in rock and roll, Van Halen's original lineup -- three-quarters of it anyway -- finally made it to its long-delayed concert at Scottrade Center Saturday night.

Brothers Eddie Van Halen on guitar and drummer Alex Van Halen were joined by long-exiled vocalist David Lee Roth and Wolfgang Van Halen on bass (Eddie's 17-year-old son). Judging by the non-stop, two-hour barrage of rock energy generated by the quartet at Scottrade Center-- and the unbridled enthusiasm of the close to capacity crowd for the music, Van Halen seems to be back at the top of the hard rock hierarchy among St. Louis rock fans.

How long the group might stay there is debatable, given its past history, which reads like a rock and roll soap opera since Roth was fired from the band in 1985. After Eddie Van Halen dumped Roth, vocalist Sammy Hagar kept the Van Halen juggernaut rolling with a string of hits that continued until 1996, when Hagar was dumped and the band began recording once again with Roth.

But Roth's vocals only appeared on two cuts of a greatest hits release, and the band moved on without him, using Gary Cherone briefly instead. Hagar rejoined the band for a 2004 tour, but soon departed again -- as did original bassist Michael Anthony, who also was fired unceremoniously after the tour.

Despite all these "can't tell the players without a scorecard" maneuvers, the current Van Halen lineup -- described by Roth Saturday evening as "three-quarters original and one-quarter inevitable" -- blasted through 23 classic Van Halen tunes from the 1978--84 era with energy, style and undeniable talent.

Opening with a no-hold-barred remake of the Kinks classic, "You Really Got Me," the band immediately took the crowd back to its 1978 debut album, and followed with two more tunes from that recording, "I'm The One" and "Runnin' with the Devil."

Roth bounced around the stage with a Cheshire cat-like grin, occasionally walking out into the audience on a semi-circular ramp. Roth still has the same energy he had three decades ago, but his mane of hair has been shorn to a short two-tone surfer cut, and those signature leg kicks don't make it quite as high anymore. (Hey, he is 53.)

But Roth still looked buff after doffing his shirt, can still hit all the notes and can still twirl a microphone stand like a demented drum major, which he did to great effect throughout the show.

Alex Van Halen was a dynamo behind his massive drum kit, and his obligatory drum solo was actually concise and enjoyable. Wolfgang Van Halen proved to be an adequate replacement for Anthony on bass, although he wasn't required to do too much heavy lifting on his instrument.

Of course, the heart and soul of the band is Eddie Van Halen, and his guitar work throughout the evening once again underscored his amazing technique, tone and unerring ability to create sizzling rock riffs.

The band rolled out hit after hit -- from "Dance the night Away," "I'll Wait" and "Hot For teacher" to "Panama," "Ain't Talkin' About Love" and the inevitable encore, "Jump."

Van Halen may have disappointed local fans with two previous cancellations on this current tour back in October as well as March, but Saturday night, all was forgiven. For at least the time being, Van Halen rocks on.

Vocalist Ryan Shaw opened the show with a short set that featured his soulful renditions of classic tunes by Janis Joplin, Otis Redding and the Beatles.

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