UK tour?

[vandeleur]

sack the prodigy .. i dont know how there on the bill any way .
The mighty Van Halen, the tallica and sabbath thats some bill

[Seshmeister]

My expereince of seeing VH and DLR at Donnington in the 80s, is that as many metal fans hated them as liked 'em. I don't think outdoor shows are their best environment, either.

Especially nowadays when so many kids seem to like the 'shouty shouty I'm telling the devil on you mummy' crap.

Van Halen is pretty much the opposite of thrash metal or black metal or speed metal or whatever they are calling that pointless shite this week.

[VHscraps]

Spot on, Sesh.

I just think if they make it to the UK, they've got to get THEIR audience out. I really don't wanna stand in a park or a field surrounded by speed metal fans booing when I'm trying to get down to the Halen!

And thinking back - even when I saw DLR in Edinburgh on the Skyscraper tour, there were plenty of boos when he went into his raps - those kind of folks probably weren't really Dave fans.

[Seshmeister]

I was at that gig too but don't remember the boos, main memory was how pissed off my bass player pal was about getting Matt Bisonette instead of Billy Sheehan.

It was a long time ago right enough.

[VHscraps]

I remember being disappointed about the lack of Billy Sheehan.

I was in the balcony - there was booing up where I was, but probably only audible to those around it. Scattered, but not isolated - a fair number of people, saying 'just fucking get on with it', and stuff like that.

[Seshmeister]

'Just fucking get on with it, ken'

I knew we were in trouble when for the whole bass solo in the opener Knucklebones MB took one finger and just moved it chromatically down the string.

Big shoes to fill but FFS.

[VHscraps]

I don' remember that ... but I can imagine him thinking, 'okay, better not even try and compete'.

[binnie]

Especially nowadays when so many kids seem to like the 'shouty shouty I'm telling the devil on you mummy' crap.

Van Halen is pretty much the opposite of thrash metal or black metal or speed metal or whatever they are calling that pointless shite this week.

I think you'd be surprised by the spectrum of 'heaviness' in the average young metal fans' ipod. Many of them will appreciate CVH, especially because Dimebag Darrell used to idolise EVH.

I imagine your dad used to think that the music you listened to was 'pointless shite', too. Old git :D

To me, it's about emotions. If someone explores the darker side of music in paint, sculpture, theatre, film or print then that's OK. Why is music as an artform different? Why can't it be valid to explore aggression, social injustice or so on in metal (most bands are not the 'scream bloody gore' of the death metal of the '80s which you seem to remember).

It all reminds me of the girls I used to date in my teens. 'This is shit. You can't dance to it.' Yeah, because that's what they were trying to do.....

Some rock/metal is a celebration of life, a tongue in cheek, ass kicking experience. And some of it isn't.

[binnie]

I actually think a one-off date at the O2 is most likely. Maybe even Wembley if they're worried about ticket sales....

[Johnniebhoy]

I'd be surprised if they were second on the bill at this stage of their careers and I'd rather they stayed clear of Donnington after what happened the last time DLR was there in 1988!

They could quite easily sell out an arena tour over here, they really do underestimate their potential over here!

If Chickenfoot can sell out a couple of shows @ 2,500 - 3,500 then VH can quite easily pull in arena sized crowds!

That said... Fuck it! I'm going to Boston!

[VHscraps]

Never been to the O2, but I've heard it said that it is simply the best arena for rock music anywhere - and it's nearly twice the capacity of Wembley Arena.

Yeah, would love to see them do a show there.

I've seen a few shows at Wembley Arena, but I've never heard a band sound good in the venue.

[ToraToraTora]

Download festival this year is 8th, 9th, 10th of June. Although there are gaps in the VH tour schedule for those dates, it would mean leaving California to fly to Britain for 1 day, to fly back to California for the gig on the 12th. And do you think Sabbath would have them on the same bill after what happened last time

[binnie]

Sonisphere in July is more likely, i think.

[Seshmeister]

Never been to the O2, but I've heard it said that it is simply the best arena for rock music anywhere - and it's nearly twice the capacity of Wembley Arena.

It's soulless but I guess all these places are.

You also wouldn't want to be in the cheap seats unless you have a good head for heights.

[binnie]

The only arenas that have any 'vibe' to 'em in the UK are the M.E.N and Sheffield Arena, imo.