FAN REVIEWS

Just wanted to give a review of the Van Halen show at
Hershey Pa on June 13th. Let me start by saying...WOW!!!
Great stage, great performance, great song selections, and
after having seen Van Halen in good times(5150-Live Right
Here Right Now) and barely speaking(Balance) it was
incredible to see happiness on that stage. You could see
genuine happiness among them. They sounded incredible.
From the new material to old it all was great. I have to
say Michael sounded pretty good singing "Somebody Get Me A
Doctor". To all those yet to see them...be excited. I have
been a fan of Van Halen and Hagar since the late '70's,
and when they teamed up it was even better than ever. I
was truly sad the day Sammy was out of the band. As one
banner at the show said "Plain and Simply- Thank You!"
Anyone even thinking of going to this show...do not
miss it. This is one reunion living up to the hype. I did
not get to see them with the VH logo stage-it was an
outdoor arena show. I had great seats close up. It was
even nice of the attractive young lady in front of me to
bare her chest for the band several times.
The only negative I would have to say about the show
is, what's up with the ponytail on top of Ed's head? I
also have to say I was dissapointed to see Ed smoking
again...thought cancer would have taught him a lesson.
All in all one incredible show...here's hoping it
doesn't end anytime soon.

Shaggy5150

--------------------

First let me say this wasn't a SAMMY SHOW that I've come accustomed to through out the Waborita's days and I didn't expect it to be nor do I say this negatively.....Security was tighter , more restrictions ect ... got camera inside and security warned me..... Take pictures WE will KICK YOU OUT and I wasn't going to miss this, but thats ALL COOL , dealt w/ this @ other shows but this wasn't just another SHOW, this was The Van Halen Re-union Show ,something I thought would of never of happened even when rumors started last year.

Before the show one of the Hershey's local radio stations did a giveaway promo outside the Stadium , an auto'ed SAMMY HAGAR Guitar to the one who could lay down the best RIFF in 60 seconds , six tried out all did EDDIE RIFFs but one guy did a EDDIE solo backwards so the crowd was saying . Don't ask me what it was cuz it was backwards but DAMN it sounded GREAT but different for sure . He didn't win though.

Let start of w/ the opening act, they started about 7:30.
First what a hell of a thing to do, open for VH Re-union, many weren't even in their seats when they came on and everyone was there for one reason and only one reason to see One of the GREAT ROCK BANDs of ALL TIME but what an opportunity for a band out of Philly that nobody knows and their first release would be until Sept.

I love music LIVE n LOUD n playin w/ VH's PA system oh yeah they were LOUD. I counted 57 speakers ea at least 4 ft high n 3 ft wide STACKED on top of ea. other on both side not to mention their own stack of Marshalls , well at least thats what the lead guitar player had w/ a Les Paul . I thought he was OK n DAMN it was LOUD n LIVE. They did a tune I Aint Comin' Home which the leader singer , { who reminded me of what Robert Plant might of looked like @ 14/15 } tried n to sum extent accomplished ..... getting the CROWD involved . He jumped into the audience and got their hands clappin' and singin along . It was a ROCKER of a TUNE but 30 min set and ANTICIPATION started to mount..... it was literally 8:05 on my watch , TIME to ROCK!

PA system pumped out sum great tunes Zep , Man on the Silver Mountain , then Ted Nugent's STRANGLEHOLD came on n I thought GREAT selection right before come on , come on , come on up baby........... lights went dim and the WORDs VAN HALEN came across the BLACK DROP CLOTH behind the stage......

Out comes EDDIE then MIKEY , Alex and SAMMY last w/ a BIG SCREAM YEAH ! ! ! ! but wait a minute where's this BIG VH SYMBOL STAGE SET I'd seen n heard about ? ? ? I truly was lookin' forward to seein' ..... It wasn't there just a plain flat stage w/ three mikes . Two large screens on each side and that MINE-LOOKIN' screen hangin in the middle of the stage. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT there....but Eddie hit the first note and all that was forgotten for the TIME.

This wasn't the best VH show I've ever seen and to my surprise far from sold out too but it was the one show I looked forward to the MOST ....
The four guys to me showed ALL the SHIT from the PAST was behind them and they have moved on . ALL seemed to enjoy each other and excited about being on stage together again . Just like their last tour I saw BALANCE . Sammy may put out a better PARTY STYLE SHOW w/ the Waborita's but sorry Vic , Mona , David and Jessie you can't hold a candle to these four musically...... not that many can or could ! ! !
.
For me this wasn't a VH re-union as much as it was a EDDIE's COMING OUT PARTY .
Too many yrs went by I wondering what he was up to.... why he wasn't out there puttin' summin together but not thinkin the MAN had overcame divorce , alcohol problems , helpin to raise his kid Wolfgang {who by the way didn't play w/ Pops but who knows may of been @ Hershey} and an illness and was declared cancer-free in 2002 Not that Sammy wasn't Sammy , he was dressed for the beach , yellow pants w/ a Red shirt changing it to a Yellow RedRocker w/ the palm tree on his right shoulder. As far as I could see also the new Tat was never shown.

Mikey did do his thing but I've seen him n Sammy together throughout the yrs here n there.... Alex was monstrous behind the skins but for me it was ALL ABOUT EDDIE . No he didn't dominate the show but was my main focus during the whole show out side of each members solo's . And it showed he was having a GREAT TIME doing what we does best ..... playing in front of his FAN while the chant EDDIE , EDDIE , EDDIE swirled around the stadium .....

Same set as Greensboro , a very tight , well rehearsed set w/ very little interaction w/ the crowd but full of ASS KICKIN' ROCK n ROLL
Started @ 8:30 ended @ 10:30 w 23 tunes countin solo's squeezed into 2 GREAT HOURs of MAGIC ! ! !

Jump ,
Sammy starts off w/ HELLLLOOOO BAABBBBYYYYY and Eddie n the Boys JUMP right into the GROOVE . Eddie shirtless n w/ that Samaria hair thing looked awfully thin and kinda sickly at first but once he started whaling' , smilin' and movin' about the stage one knew he was FINE

Runaround
endin' w/ alittle Who's "My Generation" riff
Mikey's harmonizing w/ SAMMY , him n Alex holdin' down the rhythm section but a tune heard many atime LIVE.......

Humans Being
Totally AWESOME , never seen VH playin this one , think Sammy did it in Tahoe but he had so many surprises that weekend who knows . All I know is was ENJOYABLE to hear VH do this tune for the first time and Eddie was fantastic on this one .
{Did they do it for the VH III Tour , one I missed }

Up For Breakfast
Eddie came out w/ the 5150 Kramer for this one , it sounded much better LIVE to me but the lyrics were hard to understand for those who hadn't heard it yet . Sammy did do alittle talkin to the crowd @ the start of this one how this was the last one they recorded and how he usually STAYs UP all NITE n sleep all day but he was UP for BREAKFAST this morning.... while pumpin his arm up thru out the song .
Sure to be a LIVE STAPLE in the future ! ! !

Mikey's Solo
He came out w/ his Jack Daniel's bass but nothing new and very short ending w/ abit of the Star Spangled Banner , less than two minutes but @ the end SAMMY brings out shot for the two of them.... the only drinkin' I seen the whole show , that is in front of the crowd behind the stage who knows LOL

Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Another tune I've not heard in the SAMMY era Mikey did lead vocals w/ Sammy n Eddie doing the background vocals on this one which was a change for sure . I really liked the DLR tunes played summin new to hear .

Poundcake
Eddie came out w/ the drill to start this one off bringin back memories then Alex n Mikey kicked it up a notch and SAMMY sang like he was DOWN HOME n HOME GROWN , WRAP UP NICE n TIGHT ...... one of my fav's here

It's About Time
Sammy did sum talkin about this on too , how it was the second tune they recorded and how it all began w/ him n Alex just gettin together as OLD BUDs and things started from there about the getting back to the GOOD TIME's
I really think this tune they should of opened with for numerous reasons but LIVE it ROCKs showin' off all this bands talent . Another much better LIVE too ! ! !
Oh yeah one of the few banners thrown up on stage during this one it siad :
PLAIN n SIMPLE ....... THANK YOU VAN HALEN

Al's Solo
As SAMMY said "The Human Time Machine..... Alex Van Halen"
The first thing I wrote about Alex's solo @ the show was EFFORTLESSLY
Every part of his extremities were MOVIN' , hands and feet all going in different directions..... At on point he got the audience clappin to the beat while pickin' it up faster n faster to the point one couldn't clap that fast . No special effect or gimmicks like lightin his set on fire or risers just Al pounded away like no other human capable.... About a six minute solo

Top Of The World
As Eddie started the lead into this one all eyes were on him and then SAMMY starts YEAH BABY he's ON TOP of MIKEY n EDDIEs AMPs . The first time I seen the steps leading to the TOP which surprised me and I'm sure many others....

Unchained
At this point one of the BEST TUNEs of the NIGHT , I got off on this one . Eddie seemed to like it too he had that EDDIE smirk on his face breakin out into a great big smile as he did thru most the show . Tho Sammy could of sang this one better it was still another great DLR era tune I thought was GREAT

Why Can't This Be Love
At this point it was getting pretty dark n I was unable to write anymore but I remember everybody sang this one w/ Sammy going from one side of the stage to the other to share mic's w/ Eddie n Mikey

Eagles Fly / Deeper Kind Of Love
Sammy's solo and the only time he played his guitar which was sum what disappointing cuz I think Sammy play the HELL OUT of his axe and he was putting alot of effort into Eagles makin' it sound HEAVIER than normal and half way thru it he jumps into Deep Kind which was very refreshing and new while singin' w/ so much emotion . Still would of preferred the RedRocker doing more ROCKIN' along w/ his singing.....
but as I said earlier this was more a EDDIE's COMING OUT PARTY ! ! !

Learning To See
This one surprised me ... it was much HEAVIER than I excepted , thought it may be more a Sammy type Ballad but this was the best of the three new tunes by far. Eddie's guitar work was AWESTRUCK'

Best Of Both Worlds
What can I say about this LIVE STAPLE .... SAMMY did try to do their strut but the boys weren't in step but it was still GREAT

Eddie's Solo
Damn where does one being to describe a Eddie solo , the beginning sounded new to me and Eddie did everything to this guitar.... at one time playing the neck like bongo's , finger tappin' , moving up n down the neck like no other , feedback , turnin n switching every dial and switch on his guitar ..... Smiling all the while , everytime he paused the chant EDDIE EDDIE EDDIE came screaming form the crowd and Eddie seemed humbled by it all ending it w/ 316 .....
Now that is what I paid ALL my $$$ for , just to see Eddie do his solo was worth every penny and then sum..... 15 minutes of PURE ENJOYMENT from the crowd and Eddie
Eddie the Greatest Guitar player and innovator since Jimi .....

Dreams
One of the tunes the Crowd responded to the most to this point

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Sammy pulled this one off FANTASTICALLY . Alex starts it off and as Eddie hit the first note the crowd went wild .....

Right Now
New video up-dated to the here n now on the screen , grabbing everyones attention of what was being said w/ out having to say it ..... sum very controversial topic's thrown up on the screen too but it was great and made at least me think of what is happening into todays world.... which I guess thats what the boys meant to do from the begining

Encore:
You Really Got Me
They came out thanking everyone who waited and believe that this would happen sooner or later...... Later than many thought but I never thought it would happen but damn I'm so happy to be part of this ROCK n ROLL HISTORY

Panama
Not sure if it was this was because most knew the show was almost over , the booze had taken it's toll or that it was just the best damn tune the crowd enjoyed not counting Eddie's sole but they responded to this one the most singing along and clappin their hands

When It's Love
Would of preferred a true ROCKIN TUNE to END a WONDERFUL NITE but IT seemed appropriate for Van Halen to end this way ...... as if they were singing to themselves

AN AWESOME SHOW ..... AN AWESOME NITE .... AN AWESOME MEMORY
PLAIN and SIMPLE .... THANK YOU VAN HALEN
EDDIE , SAMMY , ALEX n MIKEY

MichiganMike aka MM