Contributed By: R. David Smola
Created On: Sunday, 21 October 2007
Hits: 128
 Van Halen Roth doesn’t have the same pop in his voice that he used to, but he makes up for it in energy and overall presentation. He is a carnival barker, a ring master, and he lives to entertain you. Alex is his usual noisy bombastic self. Wolfgang is adequate and seems fairly comfortable, or as comfortable as a 16-year-old can be playing in one of the biggest rock bands of all time. And then there is Eddie, the newly sober and refocused guitar virtuous who changed the way millions of guitarists played their instrument. He, boys and girls, is worth the price of admission.
The entire set was culled from Roth-fronted records (from 1978’s Van Halen I through 1984’s monstrously successful 1984). Unlike tours fronted by Hagar and the short-tenured Gary Cherone, in which the entire catalogue was represented, Roth only does Roth songs. Every track in the setlist was at least 23 years old, but a great song is a great song.
They busted out hit after wonderful guitar-blasting hit, from “Jaime’s Crying,” “Running With the Devil,” “The Cradle Will Rock,” “Panama” and everything in between. They also dusted off the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” which opened the show, and Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.” They gave good runs to “So This Is Love?” from 1981’s Fair Warning and my favorite performance of the night on “Little Dreamer” from Van Halen I. After hearing Eddie ripping out memorable riff after riff, the realization of how great this music was and still is slaps you right in the face. He is an absolutely lightning-fast freak, and to watch him takes your breath away.
The fact that Michael Anthony wasn’t there to add those ridiculously high harmony vocals did make the songs suffer, and Roth’s voice is diminished. There aren’t nearly as many screams as there used to be, and he just can’t get to the places he used to. Even with those caveats, it is a fabulously entertaining, fist pumping, air guitar-playing festival.
It doesn’t feel nostalgic because the songs have a ferocity and vitality. This is fucking Van Halen, man, not the Monkees. I can dream, but wouldn’t it be great if Michael Anthony was welcomed back and both Hagar and Roth could tour with the Van Halen boys? Let Wolfie play keyboards and give us the complete show. It will be fascinating to see if Roth’s notorious ego can coexist with the cantankerous guitar genius. I would love to see them do another record, but the chemistry with Roth has always been fragile at best.
Go check this out, because the histrionics and bizarre stops and false starts that this band has been through don’t indicate a long and prosperous future. As a footnote, the the hip-hop/R&B/reggae drenched Ky-Mani Marley (yep he is one of Bob’s kids) is a really bizarre choice of opener. His band was tight, and he weaves some interesting textures into his reggae-based tunes; I just didn’t expect an opening act, yet alone Ky-Mani Marley. Oh, those crazy Van Halen boys, what will they do next? I hope they keep playing, because Eddie is beyond brilliant. Still.
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