Van Halen. The first rock band I had ever heard. That probably explains why, when I went to see them live this past weekend, I stood staring dumbly for the first half-hour of the concert. The band was in top form, despite the ever-present accusations that the real Van Halen died when David Lee Roth left, and that the band should be called "Van Hagar." I myself can't judge one way or the other: I like 'em both.
The show started with six or so songs from their opening act, a band from the Land Down Under called Baby Animals. Now, I had been told that Alice in Chains was going to kick off the show, and had been looking forward to it, so I attempted to sulk through the Animals' guitar-laden intro, but to no avail. My foot started tapping about halfway through the first song, and I had decided by the third song that I liked these three guys and a girl. I wasn't the only one, either -- the crowd started out booing vigorously, but ended up cheering and clapping enthusiastically.
Then Van Halen took the stage. The boys played surprisingly few old songs: only 2 each from Van Halen, 1984, 5150, and even their last album, OU812, and maybe one or two songs from Van Halen II, Diver Down, Women and Children First, and Fair Warning. This time the spotlight was definitely on For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, their latest album in a long line of winners.
Alex Van Halen did several lengthy drum solos, proving once more that he's one of the best there is. Looking barely tired, he kept right on going when the rest of the band came back on to do "Panama." After a few more songs, all but Sammy left the stage. The blond-haired veteran picked up his acoustic guitar for a hold-up-your-lighter version of "Give To Live," another from his solo career.
Finally, up came the part I'd been waiting for: Eddie. He came onstage grinning, with that goofy smile that's made him famous, and proceeded to wail. My jaw dropped, and stayed there, while he played the heart-wrenchingly sweet "316" (named for the day his daughter was born), and pieces of "Eruption" and "Cathedral," along with parts of several other solos. I was barely aware of the start of the next song.
Overall, the show was great, with only one complaint: the stage. I think it was supposed to look like the front of a car (I figured it out when the platform Alex was drumming on rose nearly twenty feet during his solo), but I couldn't see it worth a damn from the side. I've never been able to figure out why so many bands make their stages one-sided. If I couldn't see all of it, the poor fans behind the stage probably couldn't even see past the amps! The lighting was really good, though, changing colors for different songs and making shadowy pinwheel and fan shapes across the crowd below. The fireworks at the end were pretty impressive, if a bit close (I could picture a stray spark landing on Sammy Hagar's frizzed out mop of hair at a bad moment).
All in all, I had a great time. The music was awesome, the fans were great, and the show was good. These guys are true showmen. They joked and laughed with one another and the crowd all night, and whenever someone in the audience threw something onstage, Sammy incorporated it -- wearing it, in most instances. Despite the joking around, however, the music was serious -- a perfect balance. Even though they've come a long way from the days of Roth's flying judo gymnastics, Van Halen is still one of the best of the pack.
(The Rice Thresher, Volume 79 No. 19, February 7, 1992)