Official 1/5 NYC Cafe Wha? Review Thread

[ToraToraTora]

Check out WARF rockin like a MUTHA

[fourthcoming]

Sweet......i'm glad it wasn't just my imagination or wishful thinking as far as Ed's tone goes. It's been far too long since the brown sound.

[WARF]

The beautiful Brunette led me into this historic Landmark. She asked me, "Where would you like to sit?" My response still mesmerized by the fact I was inside Cafe Wha was, "I'll sit anywhere close to the stage!" At the exact moment I look inside at my surrounding. There was no seat that wasn't close... this place has got to be the smallest jam packed venue I have ever seen! The back of the building was literally 20 feet from the stage!!! All I could remember at this time was the BLARING BLUE LIGHTS on stage and the surrealism off it all. There stood in front of me was a microphone stand within arms length, and a few feet behind that was Alex Van Halens' ludwig drumkit with the motherfucking new Van Halen album cover logo on it. She finally sat me down, and I look over there is Jimmy Fucking Fallon sittin next to me. My mind is fucking blown away to fucking shit... here is Jimmy Fallon just as stunned and in awe just like me... I heard him whispering, "Is this really happening???" Now I had two fucking choices at this point... I could sit here and drink TOM COLLINS and shoot the shit with Saturday Night Live jerkoffs, or I could make way to the front of the stage, where nobody was standing and have Van Halen skullfuck my ears!

I chose the latter...

Now I am solid dead front center stage. I had two choices at this point. I could stay firm and be two inches away from band and have Dave sweat on me... or I could be a douchebag and go around and talk with everyone who already in there own journalist land soaking up the enviroment. I saw many people who I could have spoke with, Eddie Trunk was across the room...Patti Smyth etc etc. However, I was fucking shellshocked! I am standing an inch a fucking inch from the only band that ever mattered to me... and nobody was gonna stop me from rocking my fucking skull off...nobody.

I was then approached by GreenEyedMurder, and she was completed baffled as myself... here we are two fucking bleeding relentless Van Halen fans. Trying to jot down information about setlists and report back to the army. I was unable to make conversation. I told Greeneyedmurder can you take a pic of me touching David Lee Roths' microphone??? Then I look over and it's JEFF from VHND, and he was walking around like another zombie. I asked him did you reserve the seat in front of the stage that was literally touching the stage? He said nope just walked in and grabbed it. That was a strange occurance to me, we had tons of reserved tables... but the most important table was not taken! Jeff was a total class act. I told him that I appreciated his leadership in ressurecting the VHND, and how people and Van Halen fans around the world appreciate his site.

I continued to stand firm just to the right of the stage, like a hurricane victim waiting for the first gallon of water to arrive....

(stay tuned)

[jhale667]

The beautiful Brunette led me into this historic Landmark. She asked me, "Where would you like to sit?" My response still mesmerized by the fact I was inside Cafe Wha was, "I'll sit anywhere close to the stage!" At the exact moment I look inside at my surrounding. There was no seat that wasn't close... this place has got to be the smallest jam packed venue I have ever seen! The back of the building was literally 20 feet from the stage!!! All I could remember at this time was the BLARING BLUE LIGHTS on stage and the surrealism off it all. There stood in front of me was a microphone stand within arms length, and a few feet behind that was Alex Van Halens' ludwig drumkit with the motherfucking new Van Halen album cover logo on it. She finally sat me down, and I look over there is Jimmy Fucking Fallon sittin next to me. My mind is fucking blown away to fucking shit... here is Jimmy Fallon just as stunned and in awe just like me... I heard him whispering, "Is this really happening???" Now I had two fucking choices at this point... I could sit here and drink TOM COLLINS and shoot the shit with Saturday Night Live jerkoffs, or I could make way to the front of the stage, where nobody was standing and have Van Halen skullfuck my ears!

I chose the latter...

Now I am solid dead front center stage. I had two choices at this point. I could stay firm and be two inches away from band and have Dave sweat on me... or I could be a douchebag and go around and talk with everyone who already in there own journalist land soaking up the enviroment. I saw many people who I could have spoke with, Eddie Trunk was across the room...Patti Smyth etc etc. However, I was fucking shellshocked! I am standing an inch a fucking inch from the only band that ever mattered to me... and nobody was gonna stop me from rocking my fucking skull off...nobody.

I was then approached by GreenEyedMurder, and she was completed baffled as myself... here we are two fucking bleeding relentless Van Halen fans. Trying to jot down information about setlists and report back to the army. I was unable to make conversation. I told Greeneyedmurder can you take a pic of me touching David Lee Roths' microphone??? Then I look over and it's JEFF from VHND, and he was walking around like another zombie. I asked him did you reserve the seat in front of the stage that was literally touching the stage? He said nope just walked in and grabbed it. That was a strange occurance to me, we had tons of reserved tables... but the most important table was not taken! Jeff was a total class act. I told him that I appreciated his leadership in ressurecting the VHND, and how people and Van Halen fans around the world appreciate his site.

I continued to stand firm just to the right of the stage, like a hurricane victim waiting for the first gallon of water to arrive....

(stay tuned)

Frickin' awesome, WARF!!

[WARF]

All of a sudden the blue misty light are cut off, and I look behind me there is Alex Van Halen directly, and I do mean directly... when I turned around I bumped onto him. He made a warm smile on his face, I gave him dabs and he entered the stage. My mind is fucking blown into a zillion pieces, who is that behind him? Oh... it's David Lee Roth I give him dabs too... now it's Eddie and Wolfgang behind them... at a total loss for words I think I screamed out THIS IS FUCKING AWESOME to Eds' face... him and Wolf literally bumped into me and entered the stage. I am not gonna give a song for song review, as I stated before my head was blown away. Dave is doin' his Roth faux dance or whatever fucking dance it was from the trailer vids huh uhuh uh uhuh. I am literally insane at this point as they begin wailing You really got me! Here's David Lee Roth inches from my face and the rest of the band within 6 feet from me, on a stage with ceilings so low, it almost touches the tip of Roths' hat. I begin to rock my ass off with METAL CLAWS for the left hand and a cell phone recording in the right hand. I look over there is JAMES FROM NEW YORK from vhlinks, just shaking his head in disbelief. He kept giving me high fives throughout the night, later telling me after the concert amongst other people that I was VAN HALENS' FIFTH MEMBER tonight. The band continued to go through the set flawlessly. The band looked HAPPY on stage. They were just having so much fun infront off 250 people. Enjoying what they do best playing their instruments. Roth was very nostalgic last night having played in his uncles club Manny Roth, who sat in the back watching the entire performance having a blast... beer in hand. Eddie van Halen looked GREAT and sounded fucking brilliant. His guitar tone was amazing, and he smiling the whole night. Long gone was the miserable musician savaged by alcohol abuse. Here was a revitalized virtuoso, looking healthy... hitting each chord brilliantly. There was a fire in Eds' eye not seen almost 30 years. Van Halen was back! Eddie was reborn!!!

(More to come!)

[WARF]

Now let's go to the subject of Wolfgang Van Halen. A 20 year old kid getting backlash from some Van Halen fans because he replaced Michael Anthony. I will confess, I was skeptical at first about his arrival in the band band. Michael Anthony was never the greatest technical bass player ever, but his vocal background were the best in the business and his harmonies were as much as the Van Halen sound as having Roth in the band.

Wolfgang stole the fucking show tonight!

The kid couldn't have played any better. We locked eyes on many occasions as I was fist pumping... and let me tell you WOLFGANG was unfuckingbelievable so much funk and heart into his playing. It was almost stealing Eddie's thunder!! Wolfgang was not the nervous 16 year old trying to fill in Michael Anthony's footsteps... he was WOLFGANG VAN HALEN playing tight, focused music... and singing his ass off with NO CLICK TRACKS, nothing... WOLFGANG was singing.... and he sounded awesome.

After a few songs out of nowhere the band starts performing, "She's The Woman" and within the first couple seconds I screamed to Dave, "When was the last time you sang this live? The Starwood?!" He smiled over locking eyes with me, and he had no fucking choice.... just like the on fire song... I'M IN YO' FACE!!!! YO FACE!!!! uh uh uhuhuhu

People were all saying this was the new Van Halen song in the audience. These people are idiots for not recognizing this classic. I swear to god when this was performed between the smell of cafe Wha? and the surreal campy feel of the place. I could have sworn I was in like GAZZARI'S circa 1975 or the whiskey.... at some points I had to look around me to make sure there wasn't any 70's feathered haircuts or bell bottoms... because it felt like it was Van Halen in their club days before they were famous. She's the woman was the highlight for me, but like I said they rocked my head off the whole night.

The most intimate moment of the night was Dave bringin out his guitar and reminiscing over years gone by... about a young Bob Dylan playing inside this very room.... about how much this venue means to him, and that this was the greatest venue they ever played at. It was just Van Halen raw, live, and completely epic... and it will NEVER be duplicated.

(Stay tuned)

[gbranton]

2. Wolf has been practicing. I think that was the point of playing "She's the Woman". He is for real. The dude has some chops. You may be familiar with his lineage....

I said the same thing last night in the "Roth Army will be represented....." thread. I think that's the whole reason why they played "Woman" and it worked brilliantly. I doubt it's even on the new album.

[WARF]

How do you really review something of this magnitude? I am in a fucking room with John McEnroe fist pumping behind me... bangin his head like he lost a wimbleton match. All the celebs, reporters, packed into a place the size of a living room. Rockin to Van Halen. I look down at my notepad in my pocket... completely empty. I throw the fucking thing to the ground. No more fucking notes... no more reporting. I am just going bang my head til it explodes to this once in a lifetime experience! Alex Van Halen is destroying the drums on hot for teacher... I am gonna enjoy this! I was on a mission to become the PINK PEPTO BISMOL GIANT destroying everyones youtube videos, bangin my head and rockin my ass off!!! I have seen some of the vids, I am in everyone... singin at the top of my lungs. You can hear me more than Dave in some videos... but anyways.... The magic was there at Cafe Wha? , and I lived it. Just like somebody passing through the whiskey with $5 bucks in there hand. I got to see Van Halen inches aways, and I loved every second of it, and none of this would have been possible without Tony or the rest of the Roth. Army staff. Max would have been proud to see this, and I believe him Alinchainz, Blondgirl and everyone else who passed away was with me in spirit. I was there to represent the greatest Van Halen site ever... the Roth Army... period.

There are many more stories...
I shook hands with Wolfgang at the end... he actually went out of his way to shake my hand... it was awesome.
After the show rapped up, I was sitting there with a jack n' coke left on the table that was in David Lee Roth's hand onstage when he was sippin' on it....
Hell... I saved the straw and put it in my pocket hahaha
Great times.... great people... great music...

Van Halen is back better than ever. They are on fire.... lookout for the new album...
If it's indication the way they played at Cafe Wha? it's gonna be a classic incorporation into the six pack.

Thank you so much Roth Army!
I Love you guys!!!

Brian

[Sensible Shoes]

Shoulda tasted that Jack & Coke and put to rest all the rumors that it was just iced tea in those bottles!

Seriously, Warf, thank you for being there for us. Last night was a RA live party right along with you - the board was updating so fast you couldn't keep up with it! Post more as you remember it!

[Sensible Shoes]

Oh and where's the dog, dammit!!!!!!

[WARF]

Sorry to everyone who wanted live Van Halen. There was no reception. My inbox is flooded with people giving me their phone numbers. My mind is still blown away, and I had no time to talk to everyone.

[DONNIEP]

It's already been said, but THANK YOU WARF! Dude, after reading your posts...I'm just blown away..thanks man.

[Full Bug]

Awesome review Sir WARF! You did us all proud....
So how do you like all the pics with Dave you were captured with, like this one?

[WARF]

Awesome review Sir WARF! You did us all proud....
So how do you like all the pics with Dave you were captured with, like this one?

It's surreal.
It's awesome, it feels like a photoshop.
Plus, my hair NOT pink wtf?!?!?! hahahaha
This picture is in a newspaper in Belfast...
I am everywhere dude!!!
OMG... it looks like i'm gonna spit on him...
I'm winding back like Ace Ventura...

[POJO_Risin]

Uh...it's SIR Warf...

well done WARF...well done indeed...