Fans attending David Lee Roth’s show last night in Glenside, Pennsylvania, got something far deeper than a typical concert introduction.
Before performing Van Halen’s “Ice Cream Man,” Roth delivered a heartfelt and often funny six-minute story about writing songs with Eddie Van Halen — recalling the tiny Pasadena space where the earliest Van Halen songs were born.
“Almost every song, the beginnings of every song we sing to you tonight, I started with Ed,” Roth told the crowd.
Roth described how both he and Eddie grew up in modest homes, and how shocked he was when he first saw Eddie’s tiny makeshift bedroom in Pasadena.
“It wasn’t even a room,” Roth said. “You had to go from the backyard to the kitchen, and you moved through what they called his room, but it was just a little alcove for a washer and a dryer.”
According to Roth, Eddie’s mother wouldn’t allow him to plug his guitar into an amplifier, so the two future bandmates would sit knee-to-knee listening to Eddie play electric guitar acoustically while working out ideas that would eventually become Van Halen classics.
“Our knees would touch,” Roth recalled. “I’d take home a little cassette tape, write lyrics, and come back and say, ‘I think it’s a song about “Runnin’ With The Devil.” What do you got next?'”
In classic Roth fashion, the speech bounced between heartfelt memories, comedy, and vivid snapshots of the early 1970s music scene — from Queen releasing their debut album to David Bowie’s glam-rock reinvention.
But one of the most touching moments came when Roth described reconnecting with Eddie decades later after rejoining Van Halen.
By then, Eddie had built a massive recording studio next to his mansion. Yet despite the luxurious surroundings, Roth said Eddie instinctively recreated the same closeness they had as kids.
“He put a cigarette in his mouth, brought a chair right in front of me, and scooted forward until our knees touched,” Roth said. “That’s how I realized… full circle.”
For longtime fans, the speech offered a rare and intimate glimpse into the chemistry that fueled one of rock’s greatest partnerships.
Watch the full video below.
David’s on tour this summer. Here’s the remaining dates:
DAVID LEE ROTH – A NIGHT WITH DAVID LEE ROTH
2026 TOUR DATES
May 19 – Glenside, PA
May 21 – Niagara Falls, ON (Canada)
May 24 – Boston, MA
May 26 – Schenectady, NY
May 29 – Hampton Beach, NH
May 31 – Wallingford, CT
Jun 3 – Port Chester, NY
Jun 5 – Asbury Park, NJ
Jun 7 – Huntington, NY
Jun 9 – Huber Heights, OH
Jun 11 – Fort Wayne, IN
Jun 13 – Battle Creek, MI
Jun 15 – Sioux Falls, SD
Jun 17 – Moorhead, MN
Jun 20 – Milwaukee, WI
Aug 7 – Sturgis, SD
Get tickets here: davidleeroth.com/tour