On this night 35 years ago Van Halen’s 5150 tour finished on a high note with the last of four shows at the jam-packed Cow Palace Arena in Daly City, California.
The Cow Palace shows ran from October 31st through to November 3rd and would cap off a highly successful 111-date tour which began on March 27th, 1986 in Shreveport, Louisiana. As was the case with many of the dates on the 5150 tour, Bachman-Turner Overdrive was the opening act.
Below is video of the bandmembers along with Eddie Van Halen’s solo posted to YouTube by Will Chapman, who played keyboards for BTO:
Here is an audio clip of the band performing the track “5150” at one of the Cow Palace shows:
The setlist for Van Halen’s last show was, for the most part, standard with the exception of one song. The band included Sammy Hagar’s 1977 solo song “Red” as part of the three-song encore along with “Why Can’t This Be Love” and their cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll”. According to the website setlist.fm, this was the one and only time Van Halen performed “Red” in concert.
November 3rd, 1986 Setlist
1. You Really Got Me
2. There’s Only One Way to Rock
3. Summer Nights
4. Get Up
5. Drum Solo
6. Dreams
7. 5150
8. Bass Solo
9. Panama
10. Best of Both Worlds
11. Love Walks In
12. Good Enough
13. Guitar Solo
14. I Can’t Drive 55
15. Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love
Encore:
16. Red
17. Why Can’t This Be Love
18. Rock and Roll