The 1984 World Tour.

[Dirty Duck]

At the time this Tour ruled the world I was 10 years old and obviously couldnt see the concert. I wanted to know who out there saw this concert and I would love to hear some memories or stories. I heard from a few people that you could see the tension between the band, and they all seemed seperated from each other. I'm sure this has been done before but I'm really curious. Please share some stories...I'd love to hear em'

[Va Beach VH Fan]

I'll start it off, what the hell...

The concert, of course, was sold out for a while... I actually got my ticket a day or two before the show because a classmate of mine couldn't go (I was in Navy "A" School in San Diego at the time in May '84)....

The whole week was nothing but Van Halen in San Diego... On the beach, downtown, in fucking Tijuana, EVERYWHERE.... The radio played nothing but VH....

My ticket (along with my buddy's) were in the upper deck, but we never even headed that way... We snuck our way to Eddie's side of the stage not on the floor, but on the seating area.... By the time the house lights went down, we were 20 feet away !!!

Honestly, I don't remember a whole helluva lot of the show... The best thing I remember about the entire night is that I've never seen a crowd, even to this day, that was in such a frenzy for the entire night !!! I'll never forget that much...

The best part ?? The Navy chick I was banging at the time couldn't get a ticket and wouldn't talk to me for 3 days, which just happens to be the same amount of time that my ears were ringing....

[Fairwrning]

I remember it was my last year of high school..1 of the last times I ate blotter..sold-out(of course)crowded as hell..we were on the floor roughly mid-way in an 11,000 seat house..so pretty damn close to the stage..February 4th..
elbow to elbow and TRIPPING..so i can honestly say i dont recall alot of details..stage was huge..opened with "unchained".. one of the best opening song's in history of rock!!!
I swear i thought Eddie was passing joints into the crowd..he was passing something..and not sure why you would pass a cig at that point..but always wondered if he was possibly switching out joints and cigs from the end of his guitar..

[diamondsgirl]

I saw them right around St. Pattys Day so it was cool. Also, I remember VH being given the key to the city (Worcester, MA) and also a a radio station started a petition to have them play a second (or maybe it was a third) night. I can't remember the details. But, I think it was Charles Laquedera from either WAAF or WBCN who was involved because he was a huge Roth fan. Anyone around these parts remember him?


Anyway, the set list was incredible, each song I was high fiving everyone around me. I was shakin' my money maker(s) to Hot For Teacher. They played old stuff and new stuff.

It was a BLAST.

[Terry]

Don't recall any tension between band members onstage at all on the 1984 show I saw.

I do remember that it was by far one of the biggest concert productions I'd seen in an indoor arena, and got one of the loudest audience responses I'd ever heard. Also remember finding it weird that the band only did a few songs at a time then went into a drum break, bass solo, Dave rap or Ed's 10 minute guitar solo. Was definitely there to see Ed play more than Dave at the time, and remember during Ed's solo, towards the end of it, that people were yelling out "Play a fucking SONG!"

Tickets for it were somewhere around $16. Had a tour shirt with the top-hatted pesticide logo guy with the hammer, but eventually got ripped to shit.

[conmee]

Gentlemen,

Part of the requirement for being a Webbie, and at one time, a requirement for being a mod, was to be an old ass fucker like VA Beach, with verifiable proof that you'd seen the original Classic David Lee Roth-led Van Halen in front of your very own steaming naked eyes!!!!

Since I'm almost as old as VA Beach, and in the same ballpark as Pojo and Brownsound... I'll let you guys know that they kicked ass in '82 and '84... Here's the link to another thread where I posted my sophomore high school picture, and I'm wearing the 1984 world tour concert shit... lmao... yeah, I was a dork, but I wasn't a virgin, unlike VA Beach....

So... the 1984 tour rolled into Las Vegas and, well, the chemistry was fantastic.... truly one of the best days of my life... For memories of that night, check this thread... http://www.rotharmy.com/forums/showt...threadid=27412

I really feel bad for the youth of this country who will grow up never knowing what it was like to be at a Van Halen concert.... lol

Icon.

[conmee]

Speaking of memories.... I'm in 8th grade, and we're all going to Disneyland as part of this field trip... my girlfriend at the time is Gail Davis, the niece of the principal... so we get down to Anaheim, and boys and girls are separated after dinner... EXCEPT for Gail and her three friends, me and my three friends... we're all goofing around in Gail's hotel room, playin' truth or dare, spin the bottle, etc... I'm torturing the group by playing my Diver Down cassette over and over again on one of these small boom boxes, and my first real girlfriend kiss on the lips make-out action occurred that night to the strains of Pretty Woman and Little Guitars!!!! lol

Van Halen and DLR have been my guide through thick and thin, first kisses, loss of virginity.... DLR has led the way for me.... rotflmao!!!!!

GOD BLESS VAN HALEN AND DLR!!!!

Icon.

[MAX]

Originally posted by conmee
Gentlemen,

Part of the requirement for being a Webbie, and at one time, a requirement for being a mod, was to be an old ass fucker like VA Beach, with verifiable proof that you'd seen the original Classic David Lee Roth-led Van Halen in front of your very own steaming naked eyes!!!!

Since I'm almost as old as VA Beach, and in the same ballpark as Pojo and Brownsound... I'll let you guys know that they kicked ass in '82 and '84... Here's the link to another thread where I posted my sophomore high school picture, and I'm wearing the 1984 world tour concert shit... lmao... yeah, I was a dork, but I wasn't a virgin, unlike VA Beach....

So... the 1984 tour rolled into Las Vegas and, well, the chemistry was fantastic.... truly one of the best days of my life... For memories of that night, check this thread... http://www.rotharmy.com/forums/showt...threadid=27412

I really feel bad for the youth of this country who will grow up never knowing what it was like to be at a Van Halen concert.... lol

Icon.

Cool to see you Icon.

It may sound crazy but I'm STILL beyond thankful that I was fortunate enough to see The Mighty VH Live in my lifetime. To this day I still fucking remember that concert like no other.

Tis' cool talkin' Halen on here.

And by Van Halen, I mean Dave.

[MAX]

Yup.

[rustoffa]

I saw 'em alot earlier than that. It was the WACF tour in ActionJacksonville....I looked for the post I made previously to no avail. A friend and I weasel'd our way into going with his older hoodlum brother and friends. We were way too young to appreciate it, and just ran around making fun of people smoking dope and shit. It'll never be like that again...the dude that was driving stopped on the side of I-95 to puke on the way home, then kept driving. We were laughing about it, and he told us to shut up or he'd throw us out of the car.....we shut the fuck up.

[MAX]

Stoff,

My brother, why tis' it that soooo many stories involving puking, shitting and other disgusting bodily functions seem to follow you?

Poor guy.

How about some mac and beef? Followed by a soiled baby diaper and some ground beef to top it off? :p

[Romeo Delight]

I was front row right in front of Ed's mike stand.

All I see is Dave...coming across stage towards me doing about twenty flips as Edward lays down mighty riff of motherfucking Unchained!!!

Hard to put into words what that was like...

Best thing about the show that I have never heard before or since was that the crowd was at least twice as loud as the band.

Ed wore my frankensteined baseball cap, got Ed's and Mike picks...a pretty good night for a teenage headbanger

[Nitro Express]

My friends mom worked at the university that Van Halen was playing at. She managed to get us all access campus security passes. Things were a lot less regulated in 1984 and that was my senior year in high school so we could pass off as college students who were hired to work security for concerts, sporting events, and other big goings ons at the sports arena.

We watched them set up the stage and even helped carry cables from a truck. I was amazed at how fast the roadies could put all that complicated shit together.

The highlight was not the concert, in fact, we were backstage and could see it from the side or even go into the barracade area but you didn't get a very good view of things. The highlight was getting to watch Mike and Ed warm up for the show. Mike told us to help ourselves to the catering which some of it was pizza from my favorite local pizza parlor. Alex was eating spagehtii and made some funny jokes about this fat ass 300 pound dude in a orange security shirt. Mike was tottaly nice to anyone backstage. He realized it was a very big deal for many people and wanted us to have a good time. Eddie was very quiet and reclusive. Alex was sarcastically cocky and kind of annoying. He seems buzzed on something. Eddie just seemed shy. Mike was just a normal dude. Dave was nowhere to be found. The only time I saw Dave was when he was onstage and he was great.

[fryingdutchman]

Fuck....1984.

I was a sophomore in high school and got tix for the show at the Philly Spectrum.

It was one of the first really "big" shows I ever went to. We were on the second level, Mikey's side of the stage. To this day, the night is a sonic blur. I can't put my finger on any one specific memory, because I was so blown away by the spectacle. Eddie must have thrown a hundred picks into the audience during the course of the show...and I remember thinking how I'd give my left nut to get down there to catch one.

I had just started playing guitar about 3 or 4 years prior, inspired by EVH....and I remember thinking that getting one of his picks on a chain would be SWEET!

I do recall Dave telling everyone that the show was being filmed. He didn't need to, because everybody in the fucking place was going INSANE.

But every time I see the video for "Panama", I'm transported back to that night. A lot of the footage for that vid was shot in Philly.

[Fairwrning]

Now that i am thinking a bit about that show...Quiet Riot was in town about a week before..even the local paper ripped on em'..saying something to the effect of
"true rock fans have no fear..Van Halen is on its way"..
They had only started the tour a couple of weeks earlier so i found it very cool that i was getting an early look at the show..

[ULTRAMAN VH]

I was 16 and I got to see them in March which was the beginning of the tour. They were fresh and ready to kick some ass. The tickets were general admission which meant you could sit anywhere your heart disired. I made a b line to Ed's side of the stage and went to the second level of the arena so I could be at eye level with THE KING OF SIX STRINGS!!!! It was my 1st VH show, so I didn't want to screw it up. Unforunatley, I had to sit through the opening act which was a band called Autograph. They were one hit wonders with a tune called Turn Up The Radio, but they did possess a pretty decent guitarist who really relied on hamer ons like Ed.
Finally VH hit the stage with UNCHAINED, the crowd went nuts and they followed up with Hot For Teacher, which got Alice's drum solo over with early. They played On Fire during that set also, which was a surprize. I remember the crowd really digging Panama and ATBL. They would hit the house lights when the crowd sang along with HEY HEY HEY during ATBL. I looked around and there was not an empty seat in the house. 1984 was a great year for Hard Rock acts and The Mighty VH lead the way. That show and the Kiss reunion were the 2 greatest shows I have ever scene. I count my lucky stars that I was able to catch VH in 84 because they transformed into VAN FAGAR 2 years later.
A buddy of mine and I went to see Van Fagar out of curiosity. What a nightmare, the stage was stripped bare, very little classic VH was played and the presence of Roth was sorely missed. It was like attending a funeral. My buddy and I bowed are heads and walked out. They were a totally different band and we just could not stomach it.
Well here we are 21 years later and I still wonder if the juggernaut that roamed the earth all those years ago, will rise from the ashes and bring Hard Rock back to the top of the music scene??? We can only hope.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by conmee
Gentlemen,

Part of the requirement for being a Webbie, and at one time, a requirement for being a mod, was to be an old ass fucker like VA Beach, with verifiable proof that you'd seen the original Classic David Lee Roth-led Van Halen in front of your very own steaming naked eyes!!!!

Since I'm almost as old as VA Beach, and in the same ballpark as Pojo and Brownsound... I'll let you guys know that they kicked ass in '82 and '84... Here's the link to another thread where I posted my sophomore high school picture, and I'm wearing the 1984 world tour concert shit... lmao... yeah, I was a dork, but I wasn't a virgin, unlike VA Beach....

LMFAO, you fuckin' bastard !!!!!

I do remember that pre-requisite now that you mentioned it....

[fret_buzz_blues]

Originally posted by conmee
I really feel bad for the youth of this country who will grow up never knowing what it was like to be at a Van Halen concert.... lol

Icon.

Must you rub it my face?! God!! :p

[Thorman]

Originally posted by Dirty Duck
At the time this Tour ruled the world I was 10 years old and obviously couldnt see the concert. I wanted to know who out there saw this concert and I would love to hear some memories or stories. I heard from a few people that you could see the tension between the band, and they all seemed seperated from each other. I'm sure this has been done before but I'm really curious. Please share some stories...I'd love to hear em'

I remember seeing Sammy before he hit it big with CVH..Oh man, what a show he put it on and it truly was a sight to see and to see what CVH become after 85...WOW

BAM

[diamondsgirl]

Originally posted by Thorman
I remember seeing Sammy before he hit it big with CVH..Oh man, what a show he put it on and it truly was a sight to see and to see what CVH become after 85...WOW

BAM

Fuck off, Thorman.

[thome]

Missed in 84 saw in 78 or 79 ive looked it up but keep forgeting like
the rest of the 70s. i wish i would have seen the 84 tour holli bejesus .

I was on the floor center stage always, way in the back for the best sound.Working my way up front as the night went on .Louder Faster
Closer I did this at every concert .

Van Halen Hit the Stage ( warm up for nugent or Aerosmith i forget).
the only thing i remember is my jaw dropped at the Sound and Daves singing.The whole place went silent like wtf like god showed up and in a split second the place went NUTS. I wish i a camera . Because i do not remember anything else.....Thats the way it should be.......... good Times........... well be havin good times.........Roth On!

[diamondsgirl]

Originally posted by thome

Van Halen Hit the Stage ( warm up for nugent or Aerosmith i forget).
the only thing i remember is my jaw dropped at the Sound and Daves singing.The whole place went silent like wtf like god showed up and in a split second the place went NUTS. I wish i a camera . Because i do not remember anything else.....Thats the way it should be.......... good Times........... well be havin good times.........Roth On!

Awesome

[Thorman]

Originally posted by diamondsgirl
Fuck off, Thorman.

You are being quite the Beeeeatccccchhh now arent ya??

BAM

[diamondsgirl]

Originally posted by Thorman
You are being quite the Beeeeatccccchhh now arent ya??

BAM

lol

yup :p

[Thorman]

Chickie...lets get along..there is no need for any of this animosity...seriously. Do not be mad at the truth...Come on babe lets get it on!!

BAM

[SammySucks1984]

i would pay all the money i have to see them play in the 1984 tour

[diamondsgirl]

Originally posted by Thorman
Chickie...lets get along..there is no need for any of this animosity...seriously. Do not be mad at the truth...Come on babe lets get it on!!

BAM

if that means listening to Hagar

[jojo2371]

i saw them at the capitol centre for diverdown and 1984 ,both shows kicked ass!! and yes that is the very same live in largo show thats being passed around on the net , actually at the time i was 12 for the diverdown show, so i really couldn't decide which was better at the time, seeing my cousins girlfriends 19 yrs old tits for the first time up close (as she flashed the band ,we were 2nd row) or the actual show itself!!!!

[jojo2371]

funny story about that was i idolised my cousin donny who was 20 at the time and when he made a big deal about"van halen " coming to the cap centre i totally knew this was something i had to be in on ,so i basically threw a major shit fit about wanting to go! and god bless him he was cool enuff to take me !!! what really stands out is that before we left, my grandparents gave me 10 bucks for the concert,and while we were tailgating i saw him buy a 5 dollar bag of weed ,at the time i had no idea what he actually bought, i just saw him give some dude 5 dollars for some bag of green,and thought " hey i could buy 2 of those!" lmao although he did let me drink a 8ounce stubby of miller high life out in the parking lot before the show ! jesus anybody remember those ,the little bottles of beer ?? lol

[EbDawson]

Originally posted by thome
Missed in 84 saw in 78 or 79 ive looked it up but keep forgeting like
the rest of the 70s.

So what kind of drugs were you doing in the '70's?

[wombattt]

saw them in '79 and '84.

'84 was a wild show...I remember the band not sounding too well...
the audience was loud and rowdy.

[Lloyd Anger]

I regret not seeing them in 84. Fortunately I have great memories of earlier shows.

The "1980 Invasion". St. Paul Civic Center. They were young, raw and kicked fuckin ass. I was set on a blind date from a buddy at work. She was hot, I was shy. No pussy for me that night. That"s ok cause I was at a Van Halen concert.
1 bottle of cheesy High Karate colone: $1.50
3 cases of Phiffers: $9.99
1 oz. commercial Columbian weed: $15.00
Seeing legends in the making: Well, you know!


Summer of '81. Fair Warning tour. Took my future wife. Loved it. Ed's rockin' hard, Al's pounding hard and Dave was just plain old hard! Assless leather chaps. Think my wife shot one in her drawers that show.

More memories for the future? Lets do it boys!!

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by wombattt
saw them in '79 and '84.

'84 was a wild show...I remember the band not sounding too well...
the audience was loud and rowdy.

Your avatar is fucking hilarious...best i've seen!!!

"I need more cowbell!....I've got a fever and the only perscription is more cowbell!!"

[thome]

Originally posted by EbDawson
So what kind of drugs were you doing in the '70's?

I was mainly into Ciggaretts.Beer, Wine ,Whisky, Vodka,Pot, Coke, Acid,
Smack ,Tea, Crank,Qualudes, Black Beauties ,Yellow Jackets,Hash, Hash Oil
Shrooms,Mescaline ,Demerol,Jus could keep on going with the list .

But you wouldnt catch me sniffin glue thats just stupid :eek:

Oh yeah and pussy a addiction i still am struggling with to this day.

As a matter of fact i think I will do a bit tonight He He.

I really didnt do all those i jus thought it would have been fun to try all of that.I couldnt afford that much stuff.

[Dirty Duck]

Guys...thanks for all your kick ass stories! For a min. I felt like I was at the concerts....just for a min.

[totland]

Saw the Donington show.The solos were fucking boring.

[Thorman]

Originally posted by diamondsgirl
if that means listening to Hagar

Nope..who u listen to is your business...I just get frusterated when I hear people call Dave the frontman for CVH which is the farthest from the truth. Look at it this way, in the sports world a new franchise starts up...sucks for a while and builds their following...Eventually after a few years all those people who contributed to the suck factor of the team are gone and the team gets better and better and wins the cup.....That is what happened with Sam the Man....Dave was a warmup, introduced Eddie's music in the minor leages, the team went professional and did so with a big gun pick!!! Hence, the rebirth of the world champions Van Halen!!

BAM

[thome]

Nice writ \rite wrong Boom!

[Thorman]

Right

BAM

[DABSR]

Well Duck,

Although I didn't read all the replies to your original post, I have to add my 2 cents which I know in turn ... will cause a few knuckleheads to go off on a tangent.

As with each of the previous tours from WACF up to today, I purchased a few tickets to each and every show that was coming to my area, which at the time could have included the Boston Garden, Providence Civic Center, Worcester Centrum and later in the years, Great Woods.

The 2 shows I went to from this tour were in the end, for me, saddening. I knew that something was going on and it wasn't in a positive way.

I won't take sides although it will appear that way in print, but on more than one occasion, Diamond Dave literally talked through most of a song as the band ripped through it as if he were singing the lyrics instead of getting friendly with the locals.

Of all the tours I saw with Dave up front, 1984 ranks lowest on my list of Van Halen tours.

You think you missed something when 1984 rolled around ..... you can't even begin to imagine what you missed a few tours earlier.

Friends of mine who were unable to see them during those previous tours with me to this day, bring up just how disappointed they are that they didn't see them then.

just sayin'