"Van Halen looks bit rusty" - Beacon Journal

[dave_is_vh]

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/music/9073110.htm?1c

Posted on Sat, Jul. 03, 2004

Van Halen looks bit rusty

Band does play songs of Roth era, but Hagar doesn't seem happy


``Are we having fun yet?!''

That was the question Sammy Hagar, once again the lead singer of Van Halen, asked the large and loud crowd Friday night at Gund Arena.

The answer seemed to be yes as fans -- a mix of mullets, yuppies, longtime fans and a few youngsters -- welcomed Van Halen back to active duty.

Appropriately, the show began with a classic squeal from Eddie Van Halen's guitar, followed by a huge drum roll from brother Alex and another squeal from the Hagar voice box. The band has been inactive since the failure of the Gary Cherone experiment in 1998, Eddie's bout with tongue cancer (which apparently didn't scare him enough to quit smoking), and Eddie's divorce from actress Valerie Bertinelli. Hagar, meanwhile, returned to his solo career and embarked on an ill-fated tour with original VH singer David Lee Roth.

Since the re-formation and tour announcement, VH members have talked about the happy vibes, and Hagar promised that his long-standing aversion to playing material from the Roth era was over. That claim appeared true, as the band opened its two-hour set with a version of Jump that was marred by the terrible mix that made the drums and guitar sound as if the amps were in a high school bathroom stall. By the third song, Human Being, from the Twister soundtrack, the sound was better, just in time for one of the band's new songs, Up For Breakfast, an unexciting midtempo grinder.

Hagar soldiered through an otherwise blazing Unchained, but bassist Michael Anthony sang Van Halen II's Somebody Get Me A Doctor, and Hagar didn't appear to particularly enjoy singing Ain't Talkin' Bout Love or Panama, repeatedly shoving the mic into Anthony's face, forcing him to sing the verses of the latter.

Eddie Van Halen, who has been relatively incognito since the turn of the century, pulled out all the usual tricks. His 15-minute solo spot consisted of bursts of guitar acrobatics that included bits from his guitar manifesto Eruption as well as Cathedral, the intro to Mean Streets.

The band members, all older than 50 except for Eddie (49), play with energy and drive, but seemed a bit rusty, occasionally missing cues and flubbing some of the trickier parts of songs such as the sing-along Why Can't This Be Love and Poundcake.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malcolm X Abram can be reached at 330-996-3758 or mabram@thebeaconjournal.com

[scottydabodi]

VH Rusty, huh?

Well THERE'S a shocker... VH looks "RUSTY"... Hmmmm..... sounds to me like SOMEONE's not been practicing. Lessee... could it be Michael Anthony?!? NO... his basslines are so simple, an orangutang could play them without practice. Could it be ALEX?!? Maybe, I mean the dude was NEVER a great drummer, except for "Hot for Teacher" which I consider a MIRACLE... Well I guess that leaves ED. ED, you fuckin' HOMO, put down the GODDAMN CELLO and whip your ass into shape, you drunken ASSHOLE!!! I can't believe that you're fucking over the fans like this... you WERE Eddie Van Halen, greatest rock guitarist ever, now you're Eddie VanHasbeen, living under the thumb of an empire you helped(ever so slightly) build. If you can't hang, then step aside and let DAVE and Brian Young show you how to do it, you BITCH!!!

[guwapo_rocker]

Another Crappy Review

Hagar helps revive band's chemistry
Monday, July 05, 2004
John Soeder
Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic
"Go ahead, Cleveland - turn your clocks back!" singer Sammy Hagar instructed the audience during Van Halen's two-hour time warp of a performance Friday night at Gund Arena.

The venue was about four-fifths full. Aging frat boys with a beer in one hand and a beer in the other dominated the crowd.

They had ample cause for celebration. Hagar was back in the hard-rocking fold, dude, alongside the Van Halen brothers - guitarist Eddie and drummer Alex - and bassist Michael Anthony.

The foursome announced its return to the tune of "Jump." Too bad an abysmal mix, later improved, buried Hagar's vocals and the canned synthesizer accompaniment.

For those keeping score at home, Hagar replaced original Van Halen singer David Lee Roth. After Hagar and the band had an ugly falling-out, Roth returned briefly. Then the group gave Extreme's Gary Cherone an ill-fated try.

These guys go through vocalists the way J.Lo goes through grooms.

Nonetheless, all was well with Hagar aboard again in concert, at least when Van Halen revisited "Runaround," "Top of the World," "Why Can't This Be Love," "Best of Both Worlds" and "Right Now."

Hagar steered clear of some high notes in "Dreams," however. And he was less than convincing on such Roth-era favorites as "Unchained," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and "Panama."

Compared with Roth, Hagar has a stronger set of pipes. But he can't muster the egomaniacal swagger crucial to the material popularized by Diamond Dave.

For his part, Eddie was none the worse for wear despite a bout with tongue cancer and hip-replacement surgery in recent years. Throughout the night, he was never at a loss for a fleet-fingered guitar solo or a rip-snorting riff.

Then again, at 49, Eddie is the "baby" in this group. The other band members are in their 50s.

They went out of their way to exchange hugs, high-fives and slaps on their behinds. The nicey-nice was excessive, if not flat-out forced.

A tracklike stage allowed the band to interact with fans. Hagar, for one, seemed hell-bent on autographing every last souvenir tossed his way.

"When It's Love," the final encore, drove home the rekindled chemistry within Van Halen's ranks.

OK, fellas, we got it: You don't want to kill each other anymore.

Rounding out the set list were a couple of ho-hum new tunes, "It's About Time" and "Up for Breakfast." The latter was rife with eye-rolling double entendres.

"Gotta get up! Gotta get up!" Hagar sang. Quite possibly, he wasn't referring to rolling out of bed.

Viagra Halen, anyone?

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1089019947102130.xml

[Diamondjimi]

Originally posted by guwapo_rocker
Hagar helps revive band's chemistry
Monday, July 05, 2004
John Soeder
Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic
"Go ahead, Cleveland - turn your clocks back!" singer Sammy Hagar instructed the audience during Van Halen's two-hour time warp of a performance Friday night at Gund Arena.

The venue was about four-fifths full. Aging frat boys with a beer in one hand and a beer in the other dominated the crowd.


The foursome announced its return to the tune of "Jump." Too bad an abysmal mix, later improved, buried Hagar's vocals and the canned synthesizer accompaniment.

For those keeping score at home, Hagar replaced original Van Halen singer David Lee Roth. After Hagar and the band had an ugly falling-out, Roth returned briefly. Then the group gave Extreme's Gary Cherone an ill-fated try.

These guys go through vocalists the way J.Lo goes through grooms.


Hagar steered clear of some high notes in "Dreams," however. And he was less than convincing on such Roth-era favorites as "Unchained," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and "Panama."

Compared with Roth, Hagar has a stronger set of pipes. But he can't muster the egomaniacal swagger crucial to the material popularized by Diamond Dave.



They went out of their way to exchange hugs, high-fives and slaps on their behinds. The nicey-nice was excessive, if not flat-out forced.

Rounding out the set list were a couple of ho-hum new tunes, "It's About Time" and "Up for Breakfast." The latter was rife with eye-rolling double entendres.

"Gotta get up! Gotta get up!" Hagar sang. Quite possibly, he wasn't referring to rolling out of bed.

Viagra Halen, anyone?

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainme...9947102130.xml

What a fuckin load. The SHEEP are getting fleeced. Looks good on 'em.
Fuck 'em all !!!!
Can you say -"Screen door on a submarine " ?

[Warham]

Viagra Halen?

LOL

[Jano]

I guess we don't miss anything,what to expect from VAN FAGAR anyway.Come on Ed bring the magician back,bring DAVE back on!

[Figs]

A couple of fans after the Van Hagar show....

[bobthedog]

Originally posted by guwapo_rocker
Hagar helps revive band's chemistry
Monday, July 05, 2004
John Soeder
Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic
"Go ahead, Cleveland - turn your clocks back!" singer Sammy Hagar instructed the audience during Van Halen's two-hour time warp of a performance Friday night at Gund Arena.

The venue was about four-fifths full. Aging frat boys with a beer in one hand and a beer in the other dominated the crowd.

They had ample cause for celebration. Hagar was back in the hard-rocking fold, dude, alongside the Van Halen brothers - guitarist Eddie and drummer Alex - and bassist Michael Anthony.

The foursome announced its return to the tune of "Jump." Too bad an abysmal mix, later improved, buried Hagar's vocals and the canned synthesizer accompaniment.

For those keeping score at home, Hagar replaced original Van Halen singer David Lee Roth. After Hagar and the band had an ugly falling-out, Roth returned briefly. Then the group gave Extreme's Gary Cherone an ill-fated try.

These guys go through vocalists the way J.Lo goes through grooms.

Nonetheless, all was well with Hagar aboard again in concert, at least when Van Halen revisited "Runaround," "Top of the World," "Why Can't This Be Love," "Best of Both Worlds" and "Right Now."

Hagar steered clear of some high notes in "Dreams," however. And he was less than convincing on such Roth-era favorites as "Unchained," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and "Panama."

Compared with Roth, Hagar has a stronger set of pipes. But he can't muster the egomaniacal swagger crucial to the material popularized by Diamond Dave.

For his part, Eddie was none the worse for wear despite a bout with tongue cancer and hip-replacement surgery in recent years. Throughout the night, he was never at a loss for a fleet-fingered guitar solo or a rip-snorting riff.

Then again, at 49, Eddie is the "baby" in this group. The other band members are in their 50s.

They went out of their way to exchange hugs, high-fives and slaps on their behinds. The nicey-nice was excessive, if not flat-out forced.

A tracklike stage allowed the band to interact with fans. Hagar, for one, seemed hell-bent on autographing every last souvenir tossed his way.

"When It's Love," the final encore, drove home the rekindled chemistry within Van Halen's ranks.

OK, fellas, we got it: You don't want to kill each other anymore.

Rounding out the set list were a couple of ho-hum new tunes, "It's About Time" and "Up for Breakfast." The latter was rife with eye-rolling double entendres.

"Gotta get up! Gotta get up!" Hagar sang. Quite possibly, he wasn't referring to rolling out of bed.

Viagra Halen, anyone?

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainme...9947102130.xml

Doesn't sound like a very positive review to me. Another satisfied Van Hagar attendee filled with regret !!!!!!!!!!!!!