How many of you actually have seen Van Halen live?

[Va Beach VH Fan]

As amazing as it was to see CVH, it was equally amazing to see the audience at a CVH show. Never in my life have I witnessed any other band who could cause 12,000 people to go absolutely nutso-bonkers and ROAR at the top of their lungs.

NO OTHER BAND has EVER been able to consistently create that extreme level of out-of-control fanatic response on such a consistent basis. At least in the US. Now if you go down to South America, those rock and metal fans down there go absolutely ape-shit when attending concerts.

Well said....

[Warham]

July 30, 1993 - Right Here, Right Now Tour
May 16, 1998 - III Tour
November 6, 2007 - Van Halen Fall 2007 Tour

[sadaist]

As amazing as it was to see CVH, it was equally amazing to see the audience at a CVH show. Never in my life have I witnessed any other band who could cause 12,000 people to go absolutely nutso-bonkers and ROAR at the top of their lungs.

NO OTHER BAND has EVER been able to consistently create that extreme level of out-of-control fanatic response on such a consistent basis.

Dude, when I saw the 2007 reunion tour, it was the first time for me seeing Dave & Eddie together. In my late 30's and I was a little worried I would tear up being so happy once the curtain dropped. As soon as You Really Got Me started and Dave was waving that flag & Eddie was ripping the notes...I looked around me.

I saw hundreds (if not thousands) of other grown men tearing up as well.

WOW!

Fucking Van Halen! Very few bands can get that type of emotion from a fan. I mean, a few people might tear up during any given show when a special song is played. But 12,000 people all at once?! Only VH.....and only Dave & Ed at that.

It wasn't about Alex or Wolfgang or even what song they were playing. It was the fact that Dave & Eddie were actually on the same stage playing any song together.

There were no fights in the parking lot after. No honking during the traffic jam. Just thousands of car stereos cranking CVH tunes and people hanging out the car windows high fiving everyone else & screaming the songs. 100% of the crowd would have U-turned if an announcement came out that they would play just 1 more song.



*hoping to add San Diego 2011/2012 to this list very soon.

[sadaist]

I saw the original line up twice. I don't have any real big stories about it though.

I'd say seeing the original line up twice are your big stories. Good enough for me. Don't really need to add anything else.

[VAiN]

Dude, when I saw the 2007 reunion tour, it was the first time for me seeing Dave & Eddie together. In my late 30's and I was a little worried I would tear up being so happy once the curtain dropped. As soon as You Really Got Me started and Dave was waving that flag & Eddie was ripping the notes...I looked around me.

I saw hundreds (if not thousands) of other grown men tearing up as well.

WOW!

No kidding.. I know I got teary when they launched into it... It was like a religious experience for me.

I can't wait to have the 'I'm going to see Van Halen' feeling again, soon!! Wherever show #1 is - I am there.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

No kidding.. I know I got teary when they launched into it... It was like a religious experience for me.

I can't wait to have the 'I'm going to see Van Halen' feeling again, soon!! Wherever show #1 is - I am there.

Oh no.... That point, for me and Poj anyway, was when both Dave and Ed teared up during the stop in the middle of "I'm The One" in Greensboro (about the 7:40 mark) .... By the way, wanted to also mention that video doesn't do the crowd justice... When they stopped playing in the middle, that crowd was fucking ROARING !!

You were there bro, there wasn't a dry in the house !!

[VAiN]

Oh no.... That point, for me and Poj anyway, was when both Dave and Ed teared up during the stop in the middle of "I'm The One" in Greensboro (about the 7:40 mark) .... By the way, wanted to also mention that video doesn't do the crowd justice... When they stopped playing in the middle, that crowd was fucking ROARING !!

You were there bro, there wasn't a dry in the house !!

Yeah, that fucking place went nuts! I know I did my part.. I believe Dave & Eddie were also a bit overcome with emotion...

This has me feeling all sentimental and shit... I may have to dig out my Charlotte & Greensboro DVDs and relive some of this shit!

[VAiN]

Oh, and to stay on topic...

I've seen VH

December 13, 1991 - Miami, FL - My first time seeing Eddie in person.
March 14, 1995 St. Petersburg, FL
March 17, 1995 Miami, FL
September 16, 1998 - Orlando, FL
September 17, 1998 - Fort Lauderdale, FL
June 11, 2004 - Greensboro, NC
September 11, 2004 - Fort Lauderdale, FL (hearing spambo ruin Unchained was like an act of terror)
November 4, 2004 - Ames, IA
November 19, 2004 - Tucson, AZ ('Black Friday', I was certain this was the last time I'd ever see Eddie alive again)
September 27, 2007 - Charlotte, NC (Show #1 - Dave is back motherfuckers!)
September 29, 2007 - Greensboro, NC
November 13, 2007 - New York City, NY (MSG)
February 12, 2008 - Sunrise, FL
February 20, 2008 - Sunrise, FL (Last show before Ed's "break")
April 26, 2008 - St. Louis, MO
2011/2012 - Comin' Up!!!!!

[jero]

New York 2007!

[george]

I've seen the original line up for Diver Down, 1984 and two for the 07/08 shows.

I almost had a chance to go to the Hershey PA show in 2008 but it didn't work out. I have a boot of that show and it sounds like Ed and Dave were on better than ever.

What is the best show video? I've seen a bunch of the YouTube vids people have posted (much appreciated, btw) but I didn't know if there was a pro-shot one running around on the torrents. Love to see that if it exists.

[FORD]

As far as I know, no pro-shot videos of the 07/08 tour have surfaced yet. But since a DVD of the tour was supposedly planned, I'll bet there's all kinds of footage in the vault at Howdy Doody Mountain.

Audience boots of this tour seem to range from a B- to Absolute Crap in terms of sound/video quality. Probably the closest thing to a pro-quality was the rehearsal gig right before the start of the tour.

I'm hoping that maybe some pro shot shows escape from Down Under on the upcoming tour.

[Sweet Irony]

Well as long as we're talkin old news....NYC in 07...me & Jay....incredible!
(In depth reviews were posted on DDLR and here...way back when/then!!)

[VAiN]

Audience boots of this tour seem to range from a B- to Absolute Crap in terms of sound/video quality. Probably the closest thing to a pro-quality was the rehearsal gig right before the start of the tour.

I'm going to disagree here... A few DVDs that instantly come to mind as being A+ are Charlotte - which has virtual soundboard audio from Steeco, San Diego 07 - shot from the first 3-4 rows with incredible waist to head close-ups and Grand Rapids 08, the final show of the tour... There are several more in there, but those 3 are the ones that I instantly think of.

So, what's this rehearsal gig you speak of? I'm pretty on-point with the boots and have never even heard of this... do tell..

[Fairwrning]

Its coming up on 30 years to the day..I just remember being in complete awe of these guys...and the fact I was finally going to see em live..July 27, 1981,,Roanoke,Va. Also saw the 82 and 84 shows here..Greensboro 07..God willing, Greensboro again soon.

[jhale667]

I too was in awe of them when I saw them in '84, but I could tell they were kind of phoning it in at that point. I would've looooved to have seen them earlier, but wasn't allowed to go when they came to town on the WACF and Fair Warning tour, I was (still young enough to be) grounded for some dumb reason that I can no longer recall, but both times! I'm still amazed I was ever let out of the house to go see Ozzy in Feb '82 - and if that hadn't happened, wouldn't have met Randy Rhoads for 5 minutes, and got an autograph and a pep-talk that are part of the reason I am where I am today...


Not sure in regards to the VH shows I was grounded for any other reason besides the fact that Mom had seen DLR on Entertainment Tonight and didn't want me "associating with those types of people". Little did she know then I WAS that type of person. She thought Ozzy was just theater like Alice Cooper, though, so I got to go to that show! By '84 I could buy my own concert tickets, and was like "I'm going whether you like it or not."