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Van Halen fans will probably argue the David Lee Roth/Sammy Hagar thing until the end of time. And both sides have valid points. But last night at American Airlines Center, Hagar proved that when he's fronting the band, it runs and sounds like a well-oiled machine.
But it didn't quite start that way.
The opening number, Jump, was a little off kilter as the band played along with the pre-recorded keyboard. After that though, it was smooth, hard-rock sailing.
A nearly sold-out arena greeted each hit song ecstatically as they ripped through Run Around, Poundcake and Top of the World, with Hagar standing atop a riser behind the stage in front of a giant video screen.
Van Halen has always been for the 15-year-old in all of us. Sexual innuendo and "partying" have colored their lyrics from Roth to Hagar.
Along with lyrical themes, extensive guitar and drum solos have always been a part of any Van Halen concert experience.
We got them all in abundance last night.
Eddie Van Halen, shirtless the entire show, looked fit and seemed to be enjoying himself, even if it appears at times like he couldn't quite hit the picking speeds he o_nce did. He noodled at his guitar between songs and took center stage each time a song called for a solo, which was o_n all of them.
Before Hagar did several solo numbers, including a sweet rendition of Where Eagles Fly and Tropic of Capricorn, he told the crowd, "This is gonna sound like bull---, but it's not. We've been o_n tour since June and some shows you really look forward to. Tonight is o_ne of them."
Bassist Michael Anthony and drummer Alex Van Halen each got a chance to shine with solos of their own, but the spotlight was clearly o_n Eddie and Sammy.
Hagar was in constant motion throughout the show, slapping high-fives, signing autographs and talking to fans near the stage. Eddie's 20-minute solo started slow and sounding a bit aimless as he touched o_n Van Halen classics such as Hot for Teacher, Cathedral and of course, Eruption. By the time he was deep into Eruption, the crowd was screaming its approval.
After the solo, the band tore through some of their best songs: Dreams, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love and Right Now, which were accompanied by vintage MTV video from the '90s along with some modern-day political images.
GRADE: A-
Note: By Stefan Stevenson
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
But it didn't quite start that way.
The opening number, Jump, was a little off kilter as the band played along with the pre-recorded keyboard. After that though, it was smooth, hard-rock sailing.
A nearly sold-out arena greeted each hit song ecstatically as they ripped through Run Around, Poundcake and Top of the World, with Hagar standing atop a riser behind the stage in front of a giant video screen.
Van Halen has always been for the 15-year-old in all of us. Sexual innuendo and "partying" have colored their lyrics from Roth to Hagar.
Along with lyrical themes, extensive guitar and drum solos have always been a part of any Van Halen concert experience.
We got them all in abundance last night.
Eddie Van Halen, shirtless the entire show, looked fit and seemed to be enjoying himself, even if it appears at times like he couldn't quite hit the picking speeds he o_nce did. He noodled at his guitar between songs and took center stage each time a song called for a solo, which was o_n all of them.
Before Hagar did several solo numbers, including a sweet rendition of Where Eagles Fly and Tropic of Capricorn, he told the crowd, "This is gonna sound like bull---, but it's not. We've been o_n tour since June and some shows you really look forward to. Tonight is o_ne of them."
Bassist Michael Anthony and drummer Alex Van Halen each got a chance to shine with solos of their own, but the spotlight was clearly o_n Eddie and Sammy.
Hagar was in constant motion throughout the show, slapping high-fives, signing autographs and talking to fans near the stage. Eddie's 20-minute solo started slow and sounding a bit aimless as he touched o_n Van Halen classics such as Hot for Teacher, Cathedral and of course, Eruption. By the time he was deep into Eruption, the crowd was screaming its approval.
After the solo, the band tore through some of their best songs: Dreams, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love and Right Now, which were accompanied by vintage MTV video from the '90s along with some modern-day political images.
GRADE: A-
Note: By Stefan Stevenson
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
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