David Lee Roth: Opinions on live performances.

[vai87]

Has anybody seen Dave on the EEAS/Skyscraper or ALAE tours as I would love to know if he was amazing live or was having a bad day.

Please give meloads of info as I was too young to see him in his golden solo years of the late eighties and have never seen him live due to me living in the UK.

[Dirty Duck]

I will tell you this..I never got to see him back then.But I saw him play with Sammy in 2002 and he rocked. I'm sure it was NOTHING compared to the shows he put on back in the day..BUT,he was amazing. I heard a lot of haters talk about how Sammy blew him out of the water. Fuck that! I was at the Jersey show and although I love the guy I'd be honest if he sucked. To start off the min. he was introduced the crowd was on their feet screaming. He didnt stop moving once..his voice was stellar and he ended the show doing a split off the drum riser to JUMP. Fucking amazing. Sammy? He was a joke...people started taking bathroom breaks the min he came on. And he was sweating like a pig the whole show. Trust me...DAVE is the fuckin man!

[bigc]

Originally posted by vai87
Has anybody seen Dave on the EEAS/Skyscraper or ALAE tours as I would love to know if he was amazing live or was having a bad day.

Please give meloads of info as I was too young to see him in his golden solo years of the late eighties and have never seen him live due to me living in the UK.

You sound similar to me.

You live in Guilford!

ever been to the train station London Road? when I've been drunk, I've got confused on the rail times website cos its given me times to London Road,Guilford,which is many many miles from my house, as opposed to London Road,Brighton, which is 2 minutes if I'm quick.

[Hardrock69]

I saw him on the EEAS tour on August 30, 1986.

One of THE most mind-blowing shows I have ever witnessed.

Easily a continuation of the over the top shows CVH used to put on.

With Billy Sheehan and Steve Vai up front with Uncle Dave, the intensity was staggering...

[Keeyth]

I have never seen a concert or a frontman that can live up to Dave on the 1984 tour and the show's he did with Vai and Sheehan. There is simply nothing that has come close. Ever.

[jhale667]

I also saw them on the EEAS tour....AMAZING. There were flights of stairs on either side of the drum riser, they opened with 'Shy Boy'...with Sheehan and Vai RUNNING full-tilt down the stairs while pulling off the crazy-ass unison hammer-on run that starts the song...Vai played 'Eruption' with his teeth, yawning.....unbelievable. Roth was in rare form, too. I believe he made some comment like "Does my new band kick ass or WHAT?" :D

[katie]

Originally posted by bigc
You sound similar to me.

You live in Guilford!

ever been to the train station London Road? when I've been drunk, I've got confused on the rail times website cos its given me times to London Road,Guilford,which is many many miles from my house, as opposed to London Road,Brighton, which is 2 minutes if I'm quick.

WTF has that got to do with seeing DLR back in the day?

TWAT!:rolleyes:

[Carmine]

EEAS- 3 times.
Skyscraper - 3 times.
ALAE - 2 times.


I have no complaints.

[Keeyth]

May 10th 1984 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

My first real concert. In all my life so far, I have not seen one better. It was the standard to which I held all future concerts, and while many have been great, there has been none greater.

Drove up with a bunch of buddies and some chicks in about four cars doing speeds of up to 100 mph on 280 just to get to the parking lot and tailgate party for 4 or 5 hours before the show. Talk about an off the hook party!

When we finally went to get in line, the line going into the Palace went in a big square about 100ft x 100ft with a single garbage can sitting in the middle. People were hurling glass bottles as high into the air as they could trying to make a basket in the can. Meanwhile, drunk as f**k morons were making the dash right across the middle of the square amidst all the broken glass in a mindless streak of glory I guess.

I remember a big drama between two of my buds about this chick, and she didn't go home with the one she came with, and all this transpired while waiting in the drunken, stoned line...

Inside the show, they had this band called The Velcros I think, playing and they were the worst thing I had ever heard. People were throwing everything they could throw at them. VH had a reputation back in the day for hiring lame openers so as not to detract from their show. Well, they needn't have worried.

All of the sudden, the lights go down...

There is an explosion of light, and I see this blonde, long haired wild man jump 20 feet into the air and do the splits, touching both his feet with his hands and arms outstretched... ...an onslaught of music and sound as his background... ...and I have never been the same person since.

And from then on it has been Dave or the Grave, baby!!

Rock on Classic Van Halen!! May you again rise from the ashes one day!!

[bigc]

Originally posted by katie
WTF has that got to do with seeing DLR back in the day?

TWAT!:rolleyes:

equally, what does that?

[DavidLeeNatra]

skyscraper tour (mondsters of rock)...dave had not his best day, voice was not in top form from a cold, but worked the crowd perfectly...vai was amazing (sheehan already left the band)

ALAE tour...dave was in good shape but the band wasn't that good and the sound was way too loud...

both were great concerts though....they put on a good show with the boxing ring and the pissing devils and the inflatable legs and all this shit....

[bigc]

what was the setlist like for the ALAE gig you saw Natra?

[DavidLeeNatra]

Originally posted by bigc
what was the setlist like for the ALAE gig you saw Natra?

holy shit...this is about 15 years ago...included a lot of stuff from ALAE (title track, shoot it, hammerhead shark, lady luck), yankee rose and CVH like RWTD, panama, ice cream man, you really got me (opener), ATBL (in the boxing ring), jump, happy trails (!!!)...he did the microfone ride to california girls...bad ass setlist...

[Vinnie Velvet]

I have the honor of saying I saw CVH LIVE!

Saw them on the 1984 tour at a very young age of 10!

My memories of the show are still somewhat vivid. I remember the band being drunk as hell though.

And remember Dave's changing outfits, not to mention the LOUD music.

I saw Dave on the EEAS tour and with being a bit older, I have a better memory of it.

I remember Dave saying in the middle of "Unchained" -- "What do you think of the new band so far!!"

the highlight was of course the Steve Vai-Billy Sheenan guitar-bass battle. Holy shit! Was that mind blowing.

[Thorman]

Originally posted by vai87
Has anybody seen Dave on the EEAS/Skyscraper or ALAE tours as I would love to know if he was amazing live or was having a bad day.

Please give meloads of info as I was too young to see him in his golden solo years of the late eighties and have never seen him live due to me living in the UK.

Can't sing
Can't dance
Rubs himself with a microphone at every chance
Certainly does not understand "style"

BAM

[Keeyth]

Your user rating says it all...

[Buford Pusser]

Originally posted by Hardrock69
I saw him on the EEAS tour on August 30, 1986.

One of THE most mind-blowing shows I have ever witnessed.

Easily a continuation of the over the top shows CVH used to put on.

With Billy Sheehan and Steve Vai up front with Uncle Dave, the intensity was staggering... Agreed 69!When Dave hit the stage on the EEAS tour or better known as "The 97 tons of Fun Tour"..He hit the stage with as much fury as he did when I first saw him in 1981,the man flat ruled the stage as He always has,and always will..:cool:

[Keeyth]

I remember at one point in the show on that ('86 EEAS) tour, Dave did this thing where he was up on stage, and then all of a sudden there was this huge explosion of smoke in front of where he had been standing, and all of a sudden he was on the little mini-stage out in the back of the crowd by the sound board. He then ran thru the crowd back up to the main stage and continued the show. And what a show it was!

It was a total magician act, and I never could figure out how he did that.

Did anyone else see this on this tour?

[Carmine]

Originally posted by Keeyth
I remember at one point in the show on that ('86 EEAS) tour, Dave did this thing where he was up on stage, and then all of a sudden there was this huge explosion of smoke in front of where he had been standing, and all of a sudden he was on the little mini-stage out in the back of the crowd by the sound board. He then ran thru the crowd back up to the main stage and continued the show. And what a show it was!

It was a total magician act, and I never could figure out how he did that.

Did anyone else see this on this tour?


the story was that a few of the road crew pushed Dave, who was inside a prop cart, through the venue and out to that small stage.

[hungryfreakdad]

I saw the EEAS tour in DC. It was my first concert. I was only twelve, but of course it was unreal seeing Dave live. Great performance, tons of energy, the band was huge part of the show. From dualing guitar/bass solos to Bissonette playing a hub cap while Dave told a story. He did the thing were he went into the crowd too.
Saw ALAE in MD as well. Have to say I was extremely disappointed. He opened w/ YRGM and didn't sing it at all, he spoke about half the words. I was also really close so I see to see that fake goofy ass grin all night long. He really didn't seem into it at all. A lot of people were also disapointed. I remember a lot of peaole saying how bad the show was. Cinderella were much better tht night. The tour was cancelled shortly after that show.

[Buford Pusser]

Originally posted by Carmine Raguzza.
the story was that a few of the road crew pushed Dave, who was inside a prop cart, through the venue and out to that small stage. Thats how I heard it went down:D

[Keeyth]

Originally posted by Carmine Raguzza.
the story was that a few of the road crew pushed Dave, who was inside a prop cart, through the venue and out to that small stage.

Yeah, but the explosion of smoke, and time from him being on the main stage to appearing on the mini-stage was immediate. It would be physically impossible to get there that fast. It must have been an imposter on the main stage when the smoke blew up for him to have gotten out there that fast is all I can think.

[shaggydoo]

Yeah, I was lucky enough to see David Lee Roth performances twice on the Skyscraper tour. With Steve Vai on guitar, Greg Bissonette on drums, Matt Bissonette on bass, and (I believe) Brett Tuggle on keyboard. Dave was a wildman onstage and gave the energetic athletic performance I had come to expect from seeing the videos of the day, and yet he sounded in great voice throughout despite the gruelling physical performance. And the band just rocked so hard and sounded so close to what you heard on the albums it was uncanny. Dave had the crowd eating out of his hand, and I'm sure everyone there felt they were personally involved in the performance he just worked the crowd so well. This was most evident when he went into the audience got into the little boxing ring and also rode a surfboard on wheels around the audience, ensuring everyone (not just front row) got to experience Dave up close and personal, live before their naked steaming eyes. So many people attending, and yet I did not see or hear of anyone not enjoying the experience. I feel privileged to have been there when Dave was at the top of his game, at the top of the charts, and had some top band members too. Money well spent!

[Romeo Delight]

In 1984 tour show in Vancouver, first song they played was Unchained.

Picture it...Ed and Al laying down intro while Dave does flips across front of stage...absolutely jaw-dropping shit.

When he was touring with Vai and Sheehan, he obviously was out to prove something and somehow took that performance to another level.
I never really liked Bissonette, but Vai and Sheehan were amazing together.

For me, Dave's live show did suffer a bit when Sheehan left, although still better than anything else at the time.

[scorpioboy33]

Originally posted by vai87
Has anybody seen Dave on the EEAS/Skyscraper or ALAE tours as I would love to know if he was amazing live or was having a bad day.

Please give meloads of info as I was too young to see him in his golden solo years of the late eighties and have never seen him live due to me living in the UK.
honestly I've seen him on both and recently..he's better now!

[Three Lock Rock]

Originally posted by scorpioboy33
honestly I've seen him on both and recently..he's better now!

YOUR JUST A BIG FAGGIT, HUNH!




THREE LOCK ROCK
NO STOPPIN THE RED ROCKIN

[Keeyth]

Ignore Three Inch Cock... ...he's got issues.

[Polk High]

Everytime I've seen him its been essentially the same setlist, but each is better then the previous. I'd pay any amount to see him live.

[RuzDNailz]

Originally posted by Keeyth
Ignore Three Inch Cock... ...he's got issues.

Ignore her and she'll go away.

[ULTRAMAN VH]

Saw him in 84 with VH, EEAS, and ALAE. The shows were great, except for the sound during the ALAE concert. The clowns running the PA should have been fired. Did not recognize the guitarist who was in the band either.

[Terry]

St. Patrick's Day, 1984. CVH Live. Roth had command of the audience from the first drum riser split until the end of the show. Back then, Roth was the apex far as active rock frontmen went. This was before posers like Jon Bon Jovi, Vince Neil and the like really had kicked their careers into high gear. All the man had to do was hold the mic out to the crowd and the whole place went nuts...

Still has the same enthusiasm these days. Voice is more or less intact. Still exhibits the same physicality onstage, served up with his perma shit-eating grin.

[Bill Lumbergh]

Originally posted by Keeyth
May 10th 1984 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

My first real concert. In all my life so far, I have not seen one better. It was the standard to which I held all future concerts, and while many have been great, there has been none greater.

Drove up with a bunch of buddies and some chicks in about four cars doing speeds of up to 100 mph on 280 just to get to the parking lot and tailgate party for 4 or 5 hours before the show. Talk about an off the hook party!

When we finally went to get in line, the line going into the Palace went in a big square about 100ft x 100ft with a single garbage can sitting in the middle. People were hurling glass bottles as high into the air as they could trying to make a basket in the can. Meanwhile, drunk as f**k morons were making the dash right across the middle of the square amidst all the broken glass in a mindless streak of glory I guess.

I remember a big drama between two of my buds about this chick, and she didn't go home with the one she came with, and all this transpired while waiting in the drunken, stoned line...

Inside the show, they had this band called The Velcros I think, playing and they were the worst thing I had ever heard. People were throwing everything they could throw at them. VH had a reputation back in the day for hiring lame openers so as not to detract from their show. Well, they needn't have worried.

All of the sudden, the lights go down...

There is an explosion of light, and I see this blonde, long haired wild man jump 20 feet into the air and do the splits, touching both his feet with his hands and arms outstretched... ...an onslaught of music and sound as his background... ...and I have never been the same person since.

And from then on it has been Dave or the Grave, baby!!

Rock on Classic Van Halen!! May you again rise from the ashes one day!!

I was there motherfucker! Sounds like you were actually sober though...........:D

[Keeyth]

Originally posted by Bill Lumbergh
I was there motherfucker! Sounds like you were actually sober though...........:D

Not at all, I can just hold my liquor and weed very well. Actually, I think I had gotten stoned for the first time the day before, and we had plenty of weed there that day too. There has never been a show like that one. It fucking rocked.

What High School did you go to Bill?

[conyo]

EEAS - I saw VH w/Sammy. My first concert. (Unfortunately) I was 17 and blown away by Eddie, the VH idiots toured before 5150 came out so I had no idea what the songs were...until I saw how it was supposed to be done. First of all, EEAS came out in like the begginning of the summer(?) and I had about three months to literally listen and memorize every song. I was ready, then I heard the announcement on the radio. I can still remember it to this day. "Guess who's coming to town." (Guitar strum to Yankee Rose) "David Lee Roth." I couldn't wait. When the day came, Oh my God! Cinderella opened the show and they were booed and they threw bottle caps at them. The lights go dark and the Hollywood Sportatium goes freaking nuts. He jumped from the riser and goest into Shyboy. He had the audience in the palm of his hand. At one point he just stood there and held the microphone to the audience to make it louder. He didn't have to say a word and I loved every minute of it. I remember that he was nastier/dirtier/funkier than VH w/Sammy it wasn't forced. It just seemed like he cared for the show.

Skyscraper: Okay album, unbelievable show. Same intensity as EEAS. I remember Dave wearing a Mariachi costume. (I don't know why that kicked so much ASS!) He did the Skycraper thing from the top of the lights and the boxing ring. it was crazy, but great. Sold out show.

ALAE: All I can say is...what happened. Weaker album (sorry) weaker tour. Dave looked and was forcing the performance. Had Extreme (Oy) and Cinderella (Oi Oi!) open for him and the crowd just wasn't into Dave like they used to. It seems that his guitarist learned all the VH songs of Hal Leonard/mel Bay songbook. It sucks when the featured performer in the band is Gregg Bissonette. (a super nice guy, that I met at a drum clinic a few months before. I am a drummer and he shouldn't be the featured performer. Sorry.) I knew things were fucked up when Dave walks off the stage and immediately talks to his manager. They cancelled the rest of the tour a few weeks later for low ticket sales.

a sad day indeed...a sad day.

P

[Nitro Express]

I saw Dave on three different Van Halen tours. I saw Van Hagar on the OU812 tour. All I remember from the OU812 show was the sound was making me sick and I puked my guts out and left the show early during the drum solo. Yeah, I was pretty fucked up at all those Dave shows too but I had a good time. Van Hagar made me puke.

[Molly Blue]

I saw Dave live with CVH... and then again this year. But missed all the years in between. Cool thread, and always great to hear about Dave. I think his solo years don't get near enough attention.

From reading the thread though I would gather his first years following Van Halen were his best as far as touring goes?

His live performance is still amazing. Dave always has, and always will have a way of working the crowd. Even if you know his lines by heart... when he throws one out at you... you think he is saying right to you. And I guess maybe he is. The worst thing about his live performance these days, in my opinion, is his continued use of the same set list. But, since Dave does hit and miss shows... and visits different areas, I can see where it works for him.

[SloBurn]

I saw Dave on the Skyscraper tour in Sydney, Australia. To this day it is the BEST show i have ever seen (and i've seen plenty). I was over awed to finally be seeing my hero DLR!

In contrast i saw VH with Gay Cherone at the same venue about 10 years later and well.....if you can't say something nice....

[moose]

EEAS..............SOLID had the goddamn crowd freakin unfuckinbelievable show.


Kudos for the Skyscraper tour(saw him 2x) excellent.

Recently, I'd say Dave is in top form.
Can grab the fuckin microphone and take Van Halen back to the top from where that fuckin spammy has helped leave em, at the bottom of the Marianis trench!

[Matt White]

Saw EEAS in ANN ARBOR MI.....

Have a 6-8 song Boot vid of the show i was at.......

DAVE & the band were STELLAR........

played between 10-12 CLASSIC VAN HALEN tunes.....

KICKED THE SHIT OUT OF THE 5150 tour.......