Van Halen's Last Show......

I made this video in fall of 2015. Even uploaded links to a 2-DVD set here in this forum a year later.

I had in the meantime remastered it in 1080p. Did not upload it to youtube until August of 2020.

How the fuck was I to know it would wind up being Van Halen's last show? Ironically, I uploaded it to youtube because one day I thought "If I died today, nobody would get to see this in HD on Youtube".

So the very next day I uploaded it. I had no idea that Ed was having health issues, as of course they were keeping it under wraps as much as possible.

6 weeks later, Ed was gone.

The video is now a piece of rock history.

Enjoy it in HD if you have not already.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j0mN_DsHUw

I saw the last VH tour in the Seattle area. I’ve seen VH live many times but I think Ed played the best that last show I saw him. The guy was solid. He looked happy, healthy and even looked like he was spending some time in the gym. I was shocked hearing Ed had passed. I’m glad he did get himself straightened out and was happy with his family and had a great tour before he went. I’m glad he didn’t go when he was in that awful Smoking Loon meth bum phase. Glad he got out of that and enjoyed a quality life for a bit.

Thank you for sharing this!!

I didn't know that was you that did that Hardrock, I've returned to that show a few times recently Ed was in great form a fitting way to bow out.

How many other rock bands can you think of that still play arenas do it that bare with just guitar, bass drums no backing tracks or gimmicks?

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Originally Posted by Hardrock69

Enjoy it in HD if you have not already.

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Well, I won't be enjoying it in HD or whatever else. Matter of fact, I'm personally going to write a letter to management to complain.

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Originally Posted by Kristy

Well, I won't be enjoying it in HD or whatever else. Matter of fact, I'm personally going to write a letter to management to complain.

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Of course, forget the music you are just here for the love. :)

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Originally Posted by Nitro Express

I saw the last VH tour in the Seattle area. I’ve seen VH live many times but I think Ed played the best that last show I saw him. The guy was solid. He looked happy, healthy and even looked like he was spending some time in the gym. I was shocked hearing Ed had passed. I’m glad he did get himself straightened out and was happy with his family and had a great tour before he went. I’m glad he didn’t go when he was in that awful Smoking Loon meth bum phase. Glad he got out of that and enjoyed a quality life for a bit.

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The Van Halens - all three of them - were playing very well on that last tour. LOT of deep, DEEP cuts.

I mean, opening up with Light Up The Sky...Drop Dead Legs...Dirty Movies...

I'm kinda wishing these days that I had caught this tour despite the unevenness of Dave's vocals, if only to hear the Van Halens and those deep tracks. But, c'est la vie.

Wolfgang was on his game. Great bass playing and great background vocals. Yeah the band was tight.

Dave’s frontman skills were top notch. Father Time took his voice. He was struggling singing wise but he was Dave and not Sammy thank God. I would take Dave with laryngitis over Sam the ham any day.

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Originally Posted by Nitro Express

Dave’s frontman skills were top notch. Father Time took his voice. He was struggling singing wise but he was Dave and not Sammy thank God. I would take Dave with laryngitis over Sam the ham any day.

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To be sure, but is this really the metric of success in terms of how low the bar needed to be placed for Dave to limp over it circa 2015? That he was still preferrable to Hagar?

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Originally Posted by Terry

The Van Halens - all three of them - were playing very well on that last tour. LOT of deep, DEEP cuts.

I mean, opening up with Light Up The Sky...Drop Dead Legs...Dirty Movies...

I'm kinda wishing these days that I had caught this tour despite the unevenness of Dave's vocals, if only to hear the Van Halens and those deep tracks. But, c'est la vie.

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Also important to remember you are watching it on fucking YouTube, way different from being there.

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Originally Posted by Terry

To be sure, but is this really the metric of success in terms of how low the bar needed to be placed for Dave to limp over it circa 2015? That he was still preferrable to Hagar?

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Dave was the weak link for sure. He clearly was past his sell date but the rest of the band was just killing it. But hey I was at the US Festival where Dave was pretty wasted, so even in his younger years Dave wasn’t always on his game either. Was going to the US Festival still worth it? Hell yeah!

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Originally Posted by Seshmeister

Also important to remember you are watching it on fucking YouTube, way different from being there.

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Right, but a youtube video posted from someone in the audience who shot the concert on their phone doesn't by default autotune lead vocals so they sound dreadfully strained and offkey for half the concert, correct?

But I would agree that had I gone to a 2015 show, the excellence of what the Van Halens were doing instrumentally WOULD have offset the uneven nature of Dave's vocals to a degree, as was the case in 2012.

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Originally Posted by Nitro Express

Dave was the weak link for sure. He clearly was past his sell date but the rest of the band was just killing it. But hey I was at the US Festival where Dave was pretty wasted, so even in his younger years Dave wasn’t always on his game either. Was going to the US Festival still worth it? Hell yeah!

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Van Halen Mach IV 2015 vs. CVH US Fest 1983...not sure what the point is of THAT comparison, but I will say that in retrospect I do kinda wish I had caught Van Halen in 2015. I mean, I certainly could have. They were playing in the same venue that I saw KISS in last fall, and if I recall correctly Van Halen were playing on a Saturday night and tickets for the lawn section weren't nearly as expensive as they had been for the 2007 and 2012 tours.

At least with Dave he went out there without the aid of any canned pre-recorded vocals (Paul Stanley) or to even have the band tune down songs to the point where they don't even sound like they did originally (Ozzy, 2018 tour).

It was what it was. And afterwards Dave tried to improve and did improve his vocal delivery on those dates he did with KISS in 2020.

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Originally Posted by Vinnie Velvet

At least with Dave he went out there without the aid of any canned pre-recorded vocals (Paul Stanley) or to even have the band tune down songs to the point where they don't even sound like they did originally (Ozzy, 2018 tour).

It was what it was. And afterwards Dave tried to improve and did improve his vocal delivery on those dates he did with KISS in 2020.

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Auto tune can make anyone a singer and pro-tools can make anyone a musician. Digital technology is creating a fake world for us to live in. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us have a CGI president soon. We are almost there. Ha! Ha!

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Originally Posted by Nitro Express

I wouldn’t be surprised to see us have a CGI president soon. We are almost there. Ha! Ha!

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“And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”-Rev.13:15

CGI Ronald Wilson Reagan 2024!!!! :eek1:

You could say Ronald Reagan was kept in a cryogenic freeze state at Area 51 and we now have the technology to revive him. Better yet. Say they froze Eisenhower. Ha! Ha! Ike returns to save America from itself.

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Originally Posted by Vinnie Velvet

At least with Dave he went out there without the aid of any canned pre-recorded vocals (Paul Stanley) or to even have the band tune down songs to the point where they don't even sound like they did originally (Ozzy, 2018 tour).

It was what it was. And afterwards Dave tried to improve and did improve his vocal delivery on those dates he did with KISS in 2020.

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Which is certainly true: Dave's live lead vocals were sung in real time, rough spots and all.

I'd say in general for any singer that wouldn't necessarily be something that should stand out by way of compliment, but the sad fact is that all too many aging rock singers are either miming, singing along to pre-recorded live lead vocals or having the band tune down to the point where the songs sound weird because they weren't written and recorded a half to a whole step down originally.

These days, I don't even chastise a band for having pre-recorded background vocals, because virtually all of them do it...or if not that approach, they have so many backup singers onstage the net effect is exactly the same.

Dave's best vocal?

Little Dreamer.

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Originally Posted by Kristy

Dave's best vocal?

Little Dreamer.

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He sounded pretty good during Ed’s solo.

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Originally Posted by Heater

He sounded pretty good during Ed’s solo.

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Yeah. That was like someone turned off that noisey fan with the squeaky bearings in the motor.

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Originally Posted by Kristy

Well, I won't be enjoying it in HD or whatever else. Matter of fact, I'm personally going to write a letter to management to complain.

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Poor little Krusty has a sad....awwww....boo hoo.....

:deadhorse:

I saw them two weeks prior to the above Hollywood Bowl show. And I was impressed enough with the big picture that I thought about MAKING a big picture.

Then a friend of mine came up with a pair of master audio recordings (audience AND soundboard), and when I saw how much footage had been uploaded to the tube, I decided it was worth it.

Took me 3 months or so to create the finished product. And then another week or so when I upgraded it to HD.

If any other frontman sucked in any way, it would make him look lame overall.

Dave has two parts to his stage performance. Even when the voice is shot, the personality and ability to keep your attention are always there.
And he WAS at least trying in the vocal department.
Something idiots like Vince Neil seem to be incapable of these days.

Yes. I would prefer to see Dave with a shot voice, than a spamuel the unmitigated disaster any day.

Rock on.

Love you Kristy. :anal:

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Originally Posted by Hardrock69

Poor little Krusty has a sad....awwww....boo hoo.....

:deadhorse:

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You're the one who's acting career is over, Kirsten

I never had one darling.

Would you like to meet me at a certain cheap motel on Colfax Ave. so we can celebrate our love?

I usually don't go slumming, but for you I might make an exception.

You hot wench, you.

:nuts:

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Originally Posted by Hardrock69

I saw them two weeks prior to the above Hollywood Bowl show. And I was impressed enough with the big picture that I thought about MAKING a big picture.

Then a friend of mine came up with a pair of master audio recordings (audience AND soundboard), and when I saw how much footage had been uploaded to the tube, I decided it was worth it.

Took me 3 months or so to create the finished product. And then another week or so when I upgraded it to HD.

If any other frontman sucked in any way, it would make him look lame overall.

Dave has two parts to his stage performance. Even when the voice is shot, the personality and ability to keep your attention are always there.
And he WAS at least trying in the vocal department.
Something idiots like Vince Neil seem to be incapable of these days.

Yes. I would prefer to see Dave with a shot voice, than a spamuel the unmitigated disaster any day.

Rock on.

Love you Kristy. :anal:

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Dave was in top physical condition for his age. Vince Neil became a fat slob. Voices are fragile, some guys like Robin Zander can sing as well as they ever did and others can’t. I give Dave a A+ plus for effort. He gave his all.

True.

I don't argue with people who use the tired old "But he can't sing!" argument. Spare me........that argument is irrelevant.

John Lee Hooker was out there doing his thing when he was EIGHTY-FIVE FUCKING YEARS OLD.

Nobody was telling HIM he could not sing.
Even if he couldn't, lol.
He sounded just like he did when his first record came out in 1948! :D


But look at Dave....dude still looks buff enough to be able to kick your ass while screwing your momma and drinking your daddy's liquor cabinet dry.....all at the same time!

And if anything....his schtick has just gotten even more refined, and his wit even more razor sharp over the years. I never did give even one fuck about his singing ability....his personality transcends that.