It's a time for reflection at Van Halen's Vancouver show

by Steve Newton on May 7, 2012 at 10:03 pm

Alex Van Halen's doing his drum solo, so it's time to sit down and reflect on how my esteemed colleague John R. Lucas hit the nail on the head with his Pop Eye in the latest Georgia Straight. Read that for a good idea of what's happening in Rogers Arena right now.

Music writer Steve Newton is filing items of interest from tonight's (May 7) Van Halen show at Rogers Arena. Check back tomorrow for the full review at www.straight.com/music.

Comments (18) Add New Comment
A. MacInnis
May 7, 2012 at 10:22 pm
Y'know, I don't think back very often on the Van Halen show I saw as a kid (the "Lock Up Your Sheep" tour for Diver Down, at the Pacific Coliseum) but I'm kinda glad that that's the concert I went to, not this one. Even back then (at age 13 or so), having recently discovered punk, I felt kind of superior to Van Halen's music - and that was before "Jump!" - but I remember being blown away by their onstage exuberance. Dave was one cartwheelin' mofo, and I *believe* the band took turns pouring massive quantities of alcohol down Michael Anthony's throat at one point. I don't remember much else besides, but they seemed superhuman to my childish, awestruck mind.

I think that's where I'll leave them.
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salami
May 7, 2012 at 11:59 pm
Awesome show. Baaaad audience. Get up and dance! Show some appreciation. What an embarrassment for Vancouver you "fans"....
Seeing Eddie Van Halen's solo was like seeing "God"!
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Tyler
May 8, 2012 at 6:11 am
Never thought I'd say this, but BRING BACK SAMMY!!! The 3 Van Halen's were all amazing. Music was tight, back up vocals perfect (I didn't even miss Michael Anthony). But David Lee Roth, oh man that was bad. Constant scat singing. Rarely in tune. Constantly changing the words. Bad timing. If they had Sammy there and managed to convince him to sing David era tunes it would have been a show for the books. At least Dave gave up the Madonna headset for a microphone at this show.
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Frankie Zappie
May 8, 2012 at 8:01 am
Esteemed colleague? That article was garbage. Who is John Lucas to be knocking David Lee Roth? Oh yeah, Steve Newton was the one who trashed Paul Stanley. David Lee Roth and Paul Stanley!
Go have a beer together you pompous nobodys.
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John T
May 8, 2012 at 8:59 am
Van Halen put on a decent show, but the fretboard gymnastics of the legendary EVH are what really stand out. He sure seems like hes enjoying performing these days, and it really came through for all the guitar freaks in the crowd. One thing that caught my attention was DLR. it looked like he was really struggling to move around last night, and I'm hoping hes Ok from a health perspective. Hopefully, he's just getting a little older ....... like the rest of us. Overall, a fun time rolled in with a bit of nostalgia, and special thanks to all the 40 - 50 something ladies who showed up in stillettos and tight pants ...... you still make me and my friends very happy...
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Slider
May 8, 2012 at 9:09 am
Worst show I've seen in a long time. The sound techs should be fired. I felt sorry for Dave!
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Joel H
May 8, 2012 at 11:26 am
took my 10 year old son to the show, his first concert. He enjoyed it....so didn't have the heart to tell him how BAD it was.
I couldn't quite figure out DLRs performance, it seemed an odd combination of 'too much time away' / 'too little rehearsal time' / 'disinterest' / and I hate to say it...'age'? I was actually embarrassed for him at times, he seemed just a puppet that the VH family had in place to keep us trying to imagine it was 1984. Eddie's guitar was of course great ( I guess that talent doesn't age ) but because the singer had SO little to offer, the guitar(s) really had to take over and became almost too much. It almost seemed like a Joe Satriani show rather than a BAND. Sorry, I love DLR and VH but....it wasn't very good.
Like I said, my son loved it and I high fived him and agreed but....sorry, DLR was bad and we left before long before it ended.
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Steve Newton
May 8, 2012 at 11:30 am
you're so right, Slider. I should have mentioned that the sound was awful. Didn't want to sound TOO negative.
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Fancy Pants
May 8, 2012 at 12:36 pm
I was standing outside the building waiting to pick up a bunch of 16 year olds who'd gone to the show. Most of the crowd were smiling as they came out.

The kids liked it. They liked Dave and his dog and sheep show. I had to prod them about their feelings for the spectacle- they were already onto school gossip and life.
I remember when I saw a show: Elton John, Led Zeppelin, The Stones, E.L.O., etc. You couldn't shut us up. We'd talk about it for days.

(glad I didn't go)

Now if we could just get Paul McCartney...
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R2
May 8, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Sounded great to me 20 rows back on the floor, ya bunch of ponces. Maybe you should of bucked up the cash and got better seats.
Those that didn't go to the show please keep you're pieholes shut cause you weren't there and have no idea how good, bad or indifferent it was.
Also I'm supposed to care what 16 year old kids who have very little concert experience and absolutely no history with Van Halen think?
I can't believe some of the wanker comments that are being made here.
Wake up people this band began 40 years ago and we were fortunate to see 3 out of the 4 original members last night and the band put on an incredibly tight, solid show.
Those that didn't attend missed out on a cool night of music, my only complaint was that too bad it wasn't on a Friday night.
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R U Kiddingme
May 8, 2012 at 2:33 pm
I wonder about people's expectations of a 57 year old Diamond Dave.

In theory he could be perfectly preserved if he had gone to bed early, taken care of himself, been low key types like the fellows in Rush. Those guys can't be any younger, and they manage to sound exactly like the records still.

But this is VH the party band. I admire them for still being around at all.

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Joel H
May 8, 2012 at 2:51 pm
to Diamond Daves credit....he did throw a few wicked scissor kicks that would have put me in the E.R with a ruptured something I'm sure and I'm a good number of years younger than ole Dave is.
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J P Hobbit
May 8, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Tyler, you're a tool. "Bring back Sammy?!" That ship has sailed dude. You would rather Hagar tunes I suppose. Your critique loses all merit once you drop that one. The two bodies of music are not even in the same universe. Knob.
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karmadog
May 9, 2012 at 8:17 am
Most disappointing show I've seen in a long time: while I thought that the backup vocals were pretty tight, and Eddie's and Alex's playing is still off the hook, the sound was pretty bad making it hard to hear the different instruments... and DLR's singing pretty much ruined the show for me. For $170 I expected much more. DLR should have focused more on singing on key and remembering the words versus doing Kung fu, dancing, sliding around on his super slider stage floor, talkin about his freakin dogs, pretending his mic was an erect penis, and grinning the whole time like a maniacal, simpering idot. Not sure what's going on with his voice because he was consistently flat in his lower register and screechy and sharp in his upper register. I was so pissed off I amost walked out halfway through the show...I was kinda hoping by the end that the encore would be Eddie smashing Roth upside the head with his guitar!
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wendy allison
May 9, 2012 at 1:23 pm
I applaude the band, after all these years, they pulled it off, what did ya expect people, for his age it was awsome a flashback at most. loved it...
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MELONBAUKER
May 11, 2012 at 2:46 pm
The show was a trainwreck in vocals . Alex was superb...Eddie as always was a god........Wolfie is coming into his heritage nicely and seemed far more comfortable than he did in 2008......however DLR......wow......he was brutal......I would bet on the fact that Eddie has a major sit down with him and says this is the end of the road for him.......I have never missed a Van Halen concert in Vancouver ever and have even followed them to Seattle before and even Las Vegas.........but after this show........this is it .....no more Van Halen for me cuz I have seen enough........hang it up DLR !!
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Ian G62
May 15, 2012 at 12:44 pm
I saw Van Halen in 1980 at the Manchester Apollo - they were shit, DLR vocals have been all over the place, even back then, I vowed never to see them again and time and time again I'm glad I never did. Don't get me wrong, I love DLR - his solo stuff in the 80's with Vai was class, as with all Van Halen studio - but live they just suck and are not worth the big $$$ you earn
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TimboAlogo
May 21, 2012 at 11:59 am
Jeeeeze...all you HATERS!!!????...WTF!!! Remember the line in the famous Stones tune..."it's only rock n roll....but I like it!!" All you people blasting what was a hell of a fun night....time to put something else in your koolaid kids. You're probably the same bunch that didn't want the Olympics to came to Van either cuz ya thought it might cost too much and wouldn't measure up to your "entertainment" expectations? Anyway, thanks VH and Kool and the Gang for just a fun night of good old fashioned Rock N Roll. Me and the 16 year old son had a blast. ;)
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