Official 6/16 Phoenix Meetup/Review Thread

**jvmaz77** · 06-17-2012, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by SunisinuS

Wow at 1:50 the first real scream I have seen in any of the clips.....sure do miss that.....I wanted a few more on the album as well.....

Dave actually screamed like that, I think, more than a few times throughout the show. He was clearly 'on' last night. I noticed that Alex couldn't stop laughing in a few spots. Dave's singing was excellent. No drop outs minus a line or two. I didn't notice any signs of this nearing the end of the first leg from anyone.

**Momshell** · 06-17-2012, 03:53 PM

Originally posted by Light Em' Up!

Happy Father's Day to all you rockin' dads out there!

Ditto!

**chi-town324** · 06-17-2012, 03:54 PM

panama sounded great!!

**jvmaz77** · 06-17-2012, 04:48 PM

credit to YouTube filmer named 'azsunsfan' :

Edward's solo plus Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love.

**jvmaz77** · 06-17-2012, 04:56 PM

Unchained......credit to same YouTube uploader 'azsunsfan'.

**Light Em' Up!** · 06-17-2012, 05:06 PM

RWTD and STW....

**Light Em' Up!** · 06-17-2012, 05:08 PM

EWS and SGMAD

**Light Em' Up!** · 06-17-2012, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by PETE'S BROTHER

we don't have a time zone in az, we just borrow others.....

Yeah, I figured that one out

**Light Em' Up!** · 06-17-2012, 05:16 PM

Originally posted by Dan

BTW.........................Pants Were Off For most of the Show.

I think we all figured as much! Glad you all had a killer time! Sounds like it was an awesome show!

**Va Beach VH Fan** · 06-17-2012, 05:32 PM

Methinks this will generate a comment or two.....

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2012/06/van_halen_us_airways_center_61.php

Van Halen, US Airways Center, 6/16/12
By Mike Escoto Sun., Jun. 17 2012 at 9:00 AM Comments (24)

When the recently reunited Van Halen (featuring original vocalist David Lee Roth) announced it was postponing a handful of dates on its current tour, most people assumed that it was due to some conflict within the band. Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth wasted no time dismissing the theory and chalked it up to the band's biting off more than it could chew with this tour.

Fortunately for Van Halen fans in the Valley, the band's Phoenix date went down as scheduled, and if there is any animosity within the Van Halen camp, they certainly didn't display it. But, after watching the band perform Saturday night in front of a packed US Airways Center, another reason for the postponing of those tour dates seemed more likely: They're not very good.

Allow me to clarify. I'm not suggesting that Van Halen is a shitty band, because it isn't. In fact Van Halen, fronted by David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar, is undeniably one of the greatest rock bands of all time. (The Gary Cherone-fronted Van Halen? Not so much.)

And it's not even that the members of the Van Halen clan aren't very good: From a technical standpoint, drummer Alex Van Halen was good and virtuoso guitarist Eddie Van Halen was amazing (the later performing a guitar solo -- surprise -- that was without question the highlight of the night), and even Eddie's son, Wolfgang (the least experienced of the crew) held his own on stage. This brings us to David Lee Roth, who sadly was the weak link of the group on Saturday evening.

To his credit, Roth was just as much the showman as he's ever been. The problem was he focused too much on the antics and not quite enough on the musicianship (which can be a big problem when, you know, Eddie Van Halen is onstage).

Any time Eddie Van Halen ripped into a guitar solo, Roth would strut around the stage, hamming it up for the audience. It was funny at first -- "Hey, it's Diamond Dave" -- but at a certain point, he just started to look awkward. Essentially, he turned into that guy who shows up at a party and just tries way too hard to impress everyone there. You wanted to say, "You're David Lee Roth. You don't have to try so hard. We already like you."

When Roth wasn't goofing, he'd engage the crowd with stories that lacked much sense, and you wondered if you were missing an inside joke. There was also a video package of Roth with his sheepdogs, and it felt strange and out of place.
Minor gripes aside (Roth's always been eccentric), all real offense came from the vocals. Roth just seemed to be all over the place. For the most part, all the songs were performed in a sing-speak style, and he had a hard time hitting the high notes and just omitted large chunks of songs for no apparent reason.

As much as I wanted to like this show I didn't. There is an inherent coolness to seeing Van Halen perform songs like "Hot For Teacher" or "Runnin' With The Devil." But a minute or two into each song, I realized that Dave was kind of fucking up the song, and the nostalgia factor just went right out the window. So if they need to postpone some dates so that they can recharge their batteries and get Roth sounding better, then I'm all for it.

I don't think anything sums up this concert better than this. On the light-rail ride home, a man in the same car as me started singing the song "Hypnotized" by Bob Welch. A woman sitting behind me yelled out, "You sing better than David Lee Roth." The sad thing is, she wasn't wrong.

Critic's Notebook:

Last Night: Van Halen and Kool & the Gang at US Airways Center

Personal Bias: I've always really liked Van Halen, more so with Roth than Hagar, so it was a pretty big disappointment I didn't like this show.

The Crowd: Mostly older couples and a few parents with their younger children.

Random Notebook Dump: Enough with the kung fu moves already, Dave.

One more thing: Kool & the Gang seem like a really weird opener for Van Halen, but they were actually really great.

Setlist:

Unchained
Runnin' With The devil
She's the Woman
Romeo Delight
Tattoo
Everybody Wants Some!!
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
China Town
Hear About It Later
Oh, Pretty Woman
You Really Got Me
That's the Trouble With Never
Dance the Night Away
I'll Wait
And the Cradle Will Rock...
Hot for Teacher
Women in Love...
Beautiful Girls
Ice Cream Man
Panama
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Jump

**Light Em' Up!** · 06-17-2012, 05:38 PM

Opinions are like assholes. Everyone's got one. I think I'll stick with what the folks here at the Army have to say.

**perrin29** · 06-17-2012, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by Light Em' Up!

EWS and SGMAD

Looks like the crowd was on fire last night. Dave was tearing up the intro of EWS. Great stuff!

**perrin29** · 06-17-2012, 05:52 PM

I read the article and again, another writer who doesn't fully understand the act he is going to see. Sure you like the music pal. I get that. And you would be devoid of taste if you didn't but did you happen to cross any live footage from the early days before putting your opinion to print. Roth has always taken liberties with the melodies and vocals at the shows. Fuckin' ass-clown.

**Dan** · 06-17-2012, 06:01 PM

Good Afternoon All, From,Holy Shit,My kiwi balls Are On Fire,Mesa,AZ.

My Review from last Nights Van Halen Show will Be Short but Sweet.

As You Know I Dont say much But i Love You All.

Never seen Van halen Live In My Life,until last Night With Pete's brother And great friends.Let me Start By Saying That Kool And The Gang Was A sweet As Choice To start The Night off.I had been Drinking At Cooper's Town bar And Grill Trying To Met Up with DON DON.No Sign Of That Fucker At All.

Now Pete's brother And Bean had Great Seats Near Eddie's Side Of the stage.Now My seat Were Still Good But In The Middle,near The back.This sweet As People give This Crazy kiwi from the heat their seats.No Shit,that Meant Alot To Me.I was just A touch Away From Eddie Van Halen.Please Note:My heart is Races Like crazyyyyyyyyyyy.

Now To the Main,In Your face show.

David "The Rock king" Lee Roth,what Can I say,Live In front of My kiwi Eyes.100%.You gave Everything he Could.No Fucking way was he Off at All.True Front man of Van Halen.End OF End.

Eddie "Hot Fingers" Van Halen.Nothing But,How Does He do It.The Love he has For Van Halen is So strong.:d

Alex "The Drum Master" Van Halen,His solo Was Cool As.Played Out Of his Socks.

Wolf "Fuck Off Bass" Van Halen,Thank You For being You.You ARE The Glue In Van Halen.

BTW...............Thanks For reading This,My English is Not the Best As Kiwi is My First Choice of Words.

BTWA.............First Kiwi Roth Army member In History To See Van Halen Live.So proud that I Could say That.

BTWAA...........My hat Goes Off To Pete's Brother And Friends for making This Kiwi's dream Come True.

**SNIPER** · 06-17-2012, 06:25 PM