Pasadena’s local TV network Pasadena Media has released video of the October 11th Eddie Van Halen plaque dedication at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Above is the video posted to the Pasadena Media YouTube channel, which features speeches from Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, Councilmembers Tyron Hampton and Felicia Williams along with comments from Catherine Enmark – a former classmate of Eddie’s at Pasadena High School. Also on hand were Vice Mayor Andy Wilson (who wore an EVH T-shirt for the festivities), Councilmember Gene Masuda and Randa Schmalfeld who, along with Julie Kimura, started the fundraiser and awareness campaign Pasadena 4 VanHalen.
“I met [Eddie and Alex] when they came to Pasadena High School,” said Enmark. “Go home real quick to play their instruments and then eventually were a garage band. And we went to many, many parties and many, many garages and peoples homes [to watch them play]. It was very loud [laughs] and very raucous and [we] partied to the band Mammoth.”
Enmark and her former Pasadena High friends had the chance to see Eddie perform his last-ever concert on October 4th, 2015 at the Hollywood Bowl.
“I did gather a whole gang of us from Pasadena High ’73 for their last concert,” she said. “We bought a block of tickets at the Hollywood Bowl for the October 2015 concert. Little did we know it would be the last time that Eddie played but a lot of classmates went that night and he was incredibly awesome. He was…he was amazing. As he is as a guitarist.”