Sesh, I'll tell you this...
My wife & daughter just went to bed. I've been sitting in my home theater downstairs, watching this incredible spectacle from my projector. The picture quality ain't 4K or Blu-Ray...but this is still THE SICKEST, MOST AWESOME concert video I've seen in years.
The last time I felt so adrenalized watching concert footage was 2003 when Led Zeppelin released the DVD set of professionally-released footage.
AND THIS HAS THAT SET BEAT.
Everyone always says that Led Zeppelin were the best live rock band ever. And I used to think that was possible. But watching this...the original Van Halen WAS THE BEST LIVE BAND EVER.
THIS FOOTAGE IS FUCKING INCREDIBLE!! I'm getting goosebumps just writing about what I've been watching.
I hope & pray we get a professionally-released film of the original band. I really enjoyed the Dave reunion era...but even that didn't hold a candle to 1978-1984.
IF we never get a proper home video release of the original band, I can accept vids like this leaking. This is STILL 1,000,000 times more exciting than anything we've watched before. I've watched the US Festival and South American vids 1,000,000 times. I've watched the audience-shot Montreal '84 more times than I can count. But watching the band THIS up-close and this "on fire," this is like nothing I've ever seen.
DID YOU NOTICE HOW HAPPY THEY ALL LOOK ON THAT STAGE? We all know what's going to go down in just a few months. But they were still so great at this point, they couldn't fake how good they still were.
And I'm a sucker for the 1984 album. I know it's not many fans' favorite...I know so many fans prefer the debut. But 1984 was my first Van Halen album. I got it when I was eight years old. To see the classic line-up playing material from that album and the rest of the six-pack...
...and these close-up shots of the band kicking ass on-stage...
THIS IS TRULY THE HOLY GRAIL. I still have to pinch myself watching it.
It's nice to be reminded of why I cherish this band so much.
(Let's hope there's more leaked footage to come our way in the months to come... Largo '84, let's go.)