Van Halen plays the first of two shows at the Savvis Center in St. Louis tomorrow (Wednesday, July 28th).

Last week, the band released a two-CD greatest-hits set called The Best Of Both Worlds that also features three new tracks, including the singles "It's About Time" and "Up For Breakfast."

Courtesy of VHStrungout.com

Van Halen Shuts Down Soul Sirkus
Van Halen is on the look-out for a new support act after mysteriously ditching plans to team up with Journey star Neal Schon's side project, Soul Sirkus, on tour.

Drummer Alex Van Halen gave the group the go ahead to play upcoming shows as his band's support act but brother Eddie has since vetoed the plans.

Eddie swiftly, and without comment, shut the Sirkus act down.

Courtesy of VHStrungout.com

Charvel To Introduce New Production Run of EVH Art Series Guitars
NEW PRESS RELEASE:

CHARVEL® TO INTRODUCE NEW PRODUCTION RUN OF EVH ART SERIES GUITARS & LIMITED RUN OF CUSTOM SHOP REPLICAS SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (July 20, 2004) - To follow up the recent news of the collaboration between Edward Van Halen and Charvel to produce a limited run of hand "striped" art guitars, Charvel now proudly announces that it will introduce a production run of EVH Art Series guitars that are based on Van Halen’s own original, iconic designs.

This new line of production run EVH Art Series guitars will be painted and built exclusively by Charvel at its facility in Corona, California, and they will be introduced at this summer’s NAMM show in Nashville, Tennessee.

These new Charvel EVH Art Series guitars will feature three instruments, each with its own striped color scheme, including white with black stripes, black with yellow stripes and red with black and white stripes. The artwork for each different model will be based on the designs originally created by Edward Van Halen for his personal guitars, which have since become legendary rock ‘n’ roll icons.

Charvel will introduce these production guitars to its network of retailers at this summer’s NAMM show, and it will begin taking orders immediately. Production will begin after the show’s conclusion, and delivery to Charvel retailers is expected to begin by November of this year.

In addition to the new Charvel EVH Art Series guitars, the Charvel Custom Shop will introduce a limited run of guitars that will be faithful recreations of Edward’s classic red guitar with black and white stripes. The Charvel Custom Shop will work closely with Van Halen to create no more than 100 pieces, all of which will replicate the original down to every detail, including original specifications, as well as its nicks, scratches and wear marks. More details with regards to pricing and availability will be forthcoming.

For more information, please visit www.charvel.com and www.evh-guitars.com.

Cincinnati, OH AOL PreSALE password is AOLVH113
US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH on Sat, Sep 18, 2004 07:30 PM
They go on sale to the public on July 31 at 10:00 AM

Van Halen Tri Cities WA Petition
I've been privately working on getting these guys to come and play at our venue for 2 months. I helped set up the eagle 106.5 f.m. radio station here and also have established a website for the entire planet to vote for these guys to come and play here. It's :www.petitiononline.com/vhalenwa.

I contacted wplj FM in New York to help me with this, as well as wapl radio station in appleton wisconsin. I am probably the only private citizen outside the radio station doing all I personally can to try to get them to agree to do a show here. it's my no profit pleasure to do so. Sincerely, JJ Highstreet.

BOBW Review in July 30 issue of Entertainment Weekly
Should be on stands any time now if not already.

Good Brian Young (DLR guitarist) Interview
So, for any of you who have seen DLR Band in the past couple of years or The Atomic Punks (www.theatomicpunks.com), you know who Brian Young is.

This guy does not think or want to be Eddie Van Halen.. however he has sky rocketed his career thanks to him. The guy can flat out play!!

Here's a really good interview with him: http://www.tormentedvhfans.com/young.htm

Going to See Van Halen in Las Vegas?? Here is a good mailing list for you.
If you're going to either of the Las Vegas shows and you want to hear about what pre and post parties are going on please join the vhvegas list.
Moreover please forward this to the other various lists, message boards and chat rooms.

VhVegas@yahoogroups.com
VhVegas-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Michael Anthony sighting in St. Louis
One of the kids at work came in my office yesterday. GUESS WHAT? I was at this bar Saturday night & Michael Anthony came in! He said it was some Irish bar downtown & he came in with all kinds of people, he thought to be body guards. When they announced that he was there, the place went crazy & he had to get out of there. He didn't want to go approach him for an autograph (for me) or anything, wanted to let the guy have a night out. Which is probably the same way I would've been.

I don't know if they are back in town or not, but thought was kind of cool that there was a chance they were hanging out in our town! Sammy used to say he'd come & stay before a show, maybe he & Sammy did?

Story Courtesy of Cathy

Standing the test of time
BY NIZ PROSKOCIL ( WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER )
Like the title of Van Halen's 1991 hit song, the band is on "Top of the World."

From left, Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony.

After a six-year absence - preceded by a revolving door of lead singers and well-publicized bickering among band members - the hard-rock veterans have a new album, a new attitude and a 47-city U.S. tour that stops Saturday at the Qwest Center Omaha.

The band has put aside its rocky past and is ready to rock its fans. And this time, singer Sammy Hagar is back.

Hagar, to the dismay of many Van Halenites, replaced the band's original lead singer, the flamboyant David Lee Roth, in 1985. Depending on whom you believe, Roth quit or was fired.

The "Van Hagar" era lasted until 1996. Again, depending on whom you believe, Hagar quit or was fired.

But to hear band members talk now, everything's peachy.

In a recent teleconference, Hagar, 56, and drummer Alex Van Halen, 51, talked about how they're reunited and it feels so good.

"We wouldn't do this if it didn't feel right," Van Halen said. "When we got back in the studio, we just picked up where we left off. It was like we didn't skip a beat."

Since the release of Van Halen's first album in 1978, the Pasadena, Calif., quartet has sold 75 million albums worldwide.

In the late '70s and '80s, Van Halen - which includes guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen and bass player Michael Anthony - had a steady radio and MTV presence with songs such as "Jamie's Cryin'," "Dance the Night Away," "Runnin' with the Devil," "Hot for Teacher," "Jump" and "Panama."

But under Hagar's helm, Van Halen's live shows lacked some of those songs, which were strongly identified with Roth. This time around, Hagar has promised to sing many of the classics.

"The idea of going out and being able to do the whole catalog is a very great thing for the fans, and I think it would be cheating them for me or any other person in this band to say, 'No, I won't play that song or this song,'" Hagar said. "This set we're playing right now is better than any set we ever played before. I used to be a little sensitive to the old material . . . and I'm not now. The set list will kill you. It's awesome."

Not so awesome was Hagar's 2002 co-headlining tour with Roth, which fans jokingly dubbed "Sans Halen."

"It wasn't a good idea," Hagar said. "It wasn't an enjoyable thing because he wasn't an enjoyable guy. He's just not a friendly guy, and we didn't get along too good. Two different people, two different planets."

While that tour fizzled, the current tour sizzles.

A reviewer from the Hershey (Pa.) Chronicle wrote: "Van Halen ripped through just about every song any longtime supporter would want to hear. Sammy's voice was in top form as he nailed songs from both his and Dave's tenures with the group. 'Ain't Talkin' About Love,' 'Panama' and 'You Really Got Me' sounded just as good - if not better - than the Dave originals."

So how did the reunion come to be? Here's the condensed version:

After not talking for years, Hagar called Alex Van Halen last November while Hagar was vacationing with his family in Southern California.

Hagar invited Alex and his family to join him. They kissed and made up. Hagar asked Alex how Eddie was doing. Alex suggested that Hagar give him a call.

Eddie invited Hagar to his home. They also kissed and made up.

"The whole point of being older is time going by, water going under the bridge," Hagar said. "You kind of forget what happened or why you were mad to begin with. All of that stuff goes out the window."

The result is the reunion tour - which Hagar calls more of a "continuation" - and a recently released greatest-hits package, "Best of Both Worlds," which includes three new songs.

"The whole idea of the way this thing happened, it happened so fast and so freaky. It wasn't planned," Hagar said. "It just snowballed, and we're still running."

Frontmen of Van Halen

We asked vintage Van Halen fan Robert Dornsife, an associate professor of English at Creighton University who teaches a course on mass media and modern culture, to give his take on the band's various lead singers.

Said Dornsife: "The key to understanding the lead singers is an understanding of Eddie (Van Halen). Eddie was the first guitarist of his generation to combine real technical wizardry with a sense of heavy suburban groove."

1973 to 1985 - David Lee Roth
Dave complemented Eddie's blend of technical wizardry and good suburban groove by keeping his tongue firmly in his cheek. Other hard-rock bands were essentially dark and pessimistic. Van Halen with Dave was mostly celebrative, in a suburban sort of way, while remaining guitar-driven and heavy. That's why it reached into the '80s suburbs. It has been said that the '80s smiled. No such smile was bigger than David Lee Roth's. If you look at pictures of him now, you can see that his face is disfigured from years of working to engage the people in the farthest rows. That gave early Van Halen its spirit.

1985 to 1996 - Sammy Hagar
When Sammy joined, Van Halen became more of a pop band. Fans of classic Van Halen still listened, because Eddie was still the primary writer. Sammy brought a much broader humor to the ethos of the band. Sammy's locker-room humor appealed to a younger fan base.

Roth rejoined for two new songs on the first "Greatest Hits" album in late summer 1996. They parted ways again in October 1996.

1996 to 1999 - Gary Cherone (formerly of Extreme)
By the time Gary joined, the music world had moved on. Flashy guitar was out of vogue, labeled as self-indulgent and shallow compared with the supposed flannel sincerity of grunge. Remember when Spinal Tap's manager explained that the crowds weren't smaller but were "more selective"? With Cherone, the Van Halen audience also became "more selective."

Van Halen took a hiatus.

2004 - Sammy's return
The big question once Gary left was who would take over the lead-singer helm. Sammy and Dave even toured together in 2002, sans Van Halen, as split headliners. Van Halen followers speculated ad nauseum about whether one of them would return. In the end, Sammy did.

Courtesy of Omaha.com

The formula is a familiar o­ne: Best-selling band mends differences, reunites, assumes a pose of let-bygones-be-bygones fellowship (all in the name of the music, not the cash, of course) and plays hits dating to the eight-track cassette era.

Despite sprinkling three new songs among 15 oldies, Van Halen was all about re-conjuring the spirit of '85, with the world's oldest frat boy, Sammy Hagar, as party meister.

"Makin' up for lost time, I think it's high time we laid it o­n the line," Hagar sang o­n o­ne of the new tunes. But who's he trying to kid?

The always dicey band chemistry that has seen Hagar come and go over the years was still in disrepair, with guitarist Eddie Van Halen mastering his domain, Hagar his, and the rhythm section blissfully pounding away.

The foursome's interaction was passable, full of manly schmoozing, hugging and an o­n-stage toast. But it was weighed down by lengthy solo sections accorded to each musician that ate up o­ne-quarter of the two-hour concert. Did anyone really pay to hear Michael Anthony take a five-minute bass solo? Or to hear Hagar sing ballads about "where Eagles fly" and a "deeper kind of love"?

Hagar, the band's lead singer from 1985-96 before leaving in an ego clash with Van Halen, consented to sing a few of the hits made famous by his less technically polished but vastly more entertaining predecessor, David Lee Roth. But even as Hagar signed autographs, it was the guitarist's showcase.

Though hampered by gear glitches, Van Halen hardly seemed like a 49-year-old man coming off hip surgery and cancer treatment. His harmonic imagination, owing more to avant-garde European classical music than it does hard rock's traditional blues template, remains astonishing, his baroque fills elevating even mediocrities such as "Up for Breakfast."

Van Halen's rhythm section has always been workmanlike, with Anthony pounding the bass nearly as hard as he pounded the whiskey, and Eddie's brother Alex walloping the drums as if hammering metal spikes into the road instead of driving the band over it.

The music didn't swing, it slogged, and the band never quite sounded in sync, the four individual gears never meshing.

Part of the problem is that Eddie Van Halen just played rings around everyone; he's a phenomenal soloist, but an indifferent rhythm guitarist, and the songs lacked drive. Hagar screamed but sounded exhausted trying to climb after the high notes in "Dreams." Mimicking Roth's midair splits, he looked rickety.

Not that it dampened the party. The audience was thrilled to see its heroes approximating past glories, even if they weren't up to transcending them.

Courtesy of Greg Kot ( Tribune music critic )

I'll have pictures up with my review as soon as I get them developed.

WLUP 97.9 The Loop is giving away Golden Ring Seating
The Loop presents Van Halen in concert Monday & Tuesday July 19th and 20th and we want to give you an incredible view of the stage from inside the stage!!

We’re going to put you in the Van Halen “Golden Ring” - a festival style seating area in the stage where you’ll get a 360 degree view of Van Halen!!

To grab your pair of passes to the “Golden Ring” - listen for Van Halen twofers all week on The Loop. When you hear the 2nd song of a Van Halen twofer start be caller 15 at 591-ROCK and you’ll be in the Golden Ring built into the stage!!!

Courtesy of WLUP.com

Eagle 106.5 wants VAN HALEN in the Tri-Cities as much as YOU do!!
We have been trying to raise atleast 10,000 signatures with your help. Petitions are available at Crown Paper & Janitorial Supply in Walla Walla. Also at South Gate Exxon in Pendleton, OR. In Richland, there are petitions at the PRICED-LESS CIGARETTE Store in the Washington Plaza o­n G Way.

The Tri-Cities VAN HALEN fans that signed the petition are being talked about o­n the East Coast! The EAGLE is sending the VAN HALEN people a 'care package' (to show how much we care) consisting of things that represent the area. The Americans have already donated some hockey items, some local wines will be included, etc. Drop-off point is the lobby of the station at 830 N. Columbia Center Blvd. in Kennewick (across from Ranch and Home).

Also get signed up to be a part of the HUGE picture we are taking of fans forming the VAN HALEN logo to send in with the package. Sign ups are in the lobby of Eagle 106.5.

The new VAN HALEN 2 disc set of favorites will be released July 20th with 3 new tracks o­n it called 'The Best of Both Worlds'. For a chance to win 2 free tickets to sit o­n THE STAGE during a VAN HALEN show see the VAN HALEN official website www.van-halen.com (Golden Ring contest)

Download a fan made video for "Learning To See" - ONLY THIS AFTERNOON
Enjoy. More special downloads to come - keep it here!

06-14-04 Buffalo, NY (The Video is from Buffalo, but the audio is from the FM Broadcast as is matched up as close as possible because the original audio is very poor). Thanks goes to Craig C. for passing this onto this Site. [ Download Unavailable ]. Stay tuned to VHReunion.com for more surprise downloads!

Guitar Eddie Van Halen pulled off a fan's homemade banner that singer Sammy Hagar had wrapped around himself like a cape. It read "Right now Sammy's in Detroit, Dave's unemployed," a shot at former Van Halen frontman and co-founding member David Lee Roth, whom Hagar replaced 17 years ago.

Hagar was booted, or at least strongly encouraged to leave the band in 1996, the result of rising tensions, particularly between Hagar and Van Halen. They traded bitter barbs in the press. Hagar felt betrayed, but rebounded - albeit with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
Van Halen tried to move on with a new singer, Extreme's Gary Cherone, but fans weren't happy.

The futures of Van Halen - the guitarist and the band - looked bleakest four years ago when he was diagnosed with tongue cancer.

The good news is that Eddie Van Halen beat the cancer and has a new lease on life. His band is back, healthy and very happy with Hagar again in the fold.

Maybe that's why Eddie didn't make a big deal out of the banner/cape Saturday, the first of two Detroit-area appearances (the other was Sunday at The Palace of Auburn Hills) expected to draw around 30,000 people over the weekend.

He didn't rip it from Hagar's shoulders, or make a big stink about it, as he might have done years ago. He discreetly pulled it off.

The man considered one of rock's premier guitarists might have stomped around in a huff had he accidentally unplugged his guitar, as he did at the start of "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" on Saturday. But that Eddie Van Halen is gone.

At 49 and clearly appreciative of his new lease on life and a chance to return to the spotlight, Eddie Van Halen was all smiles Saturday night. He was also playful - dancing, jumping, spinning around on his back, high-fiving his bandmates, frequently raising a clenched fist in the air, even hugging and kissing Hagar on more than one occasion.

Oh, yeah, he played a pretty mean guitar, too.

This wasn't the well-oiled machine version of the band, known for its extensive touring in its heyday. They've only been back together for a few months. They relied heavily on the hits, though all three new songs from their forthcoming double-CD greatest hits collection, were included.

Hagar seemed to embrace Roth-era songs with a clear appreciation of the legacy that he is a part of and that came before him.

Explosive versions of "You Really Got Me" (their first hit in 1978) and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" were particularly impressive, as was the formidable power of bassist Michael Anthony and drummer Alex Van Halen.

But it was an obviously appreciative Eddie Van Halen who played with the most ferocity and intensity, reminiscent of his and the band's early days, when Van Halen rewrote the book on hard rock guitar.

"It's good to be back," he said during his perfunctory solo segment.

The audience felt the same way, pelting the stage with everything from cigarettes and T-shirts to bras and panties.

"Right now is the appreciation of reality," Hagar said, introducing the inspirational anthem "Right Now."

"Right now," he added, is all that really matters.

But maybe one of the messages that ran on the giant video screen behind the stage during that song put this whole love fest in perspective.

"Right now," it said, "Eddie is feeling great."

Clearly, he was. So was the audience. And why wouldn't they? Van Halen is back.

Best Buy has Best of Both Worlds for $14.99
Pre-order BOBW now at Bestbuy.com for $14.99 (FREE shipping)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1367225&skuId=6681101&type=product

Soul Sirkus (new Planet US) is tentatively stated to open for Van Halen
Soul Sirkus (new Planet US) is tentatively slated to open for Van Halen on August 10th in San Jose, and August 13th in Oakland. Go here for
further details: www.soulsirkus.com

Release dates for the Best of Both Worlds Album
July 19 UK Release.
July 20 US Release.
July 26 German release.
Aug 4 Japanese release.
Aug 13 Australian release.

Atlanta AOL Presale password is AOLVH122
Password: AOLVH122
On Sale July 14 at 4:00 PM

Bobby Yang Playin' Eruption on Violin!
http://www.bobbyyang.com/video/750kb.htm

Note from Van Halen's Webmaster - Young VH Fans Are In!
There's actually more new fans coming on board then you'd think. I've posted in the past about how many emails I get from teenagers just discovering VH, thanks to an older sibling, their parents and the like. Now that the band is on tour, these kids are going with their parents and getting into the band even more.

I'm also seeing more and more emails from new guitar players (in the 12-16 year old age bracket) wanting to know how to play Eruption (and other assorted riffs) who are just floored with Eddie's technique and musicianship while at the same time, growing tired of Slipknot, Korn, et al.

'Halen is becoming cool amongst the 14-16 year olds of the new millennium.

it's 5150 Time!!!

Brad
The Official Van Halen Web Site
http://www.van-halen.com

Alterbridge's Guitar Player is into Van Halen told by Brian N.
So, on Sunday I had a conversation with a buddy of mine that plays in this new band called Alterbridge (formerly Creed). Funny thing during the conversation pops up.

I hear this noise in the background and I ask what it is when he says "Brian... you gotta pick up The Early Years Van Halen DVD, it's inspired me to start playing and getting my chops up". I asked him what took so long to get it, I have had it since x-mas or so:) I just thought it was funny to see/hear. At the same time, if you check out the first publicity photo of the band, you see he is wearing a VH shirt. Nice work! http://www.alterbridge.com

I also mentioned to him about the EVH Art Guitars. He immediately asks how to get one. Just like a little kid at x-mas!!! He already has one of my Musicman's and a Wolfgang that Ed gave to him for opening up for them back in '98, but he wont stop until he gets one of these. I think the addiction has begun for him.

Just thought it was a cool story about the dvd. Is there someone Ed hasnt touch with his music? I dont think so.

VHReunion.com Intregrates New Features and Better Navigation
Here is a brief description of what has changed:

The calendar feature that was on the main page has now been moved to it's own page: the_facts.htm









This is the brand new navigation that contains just the Major places of interest (as explained below).

Main: Home page, contains extra info that is NOT include on the main navigation bar, such as Deja Vu (downloads, The other guys (Updates on David Lee Roth, Gary Cherone, etc.), the Reviews (contains links to the setlists/reviews that are completed), the Gallery (Access to all the photos with 1 click), the Support (Contains a VHReunion.com banner, and paypal link to donate towards our website costs).

Facts: contains the Facts calendar as described above

Press: Used to be called News, this contains all the press website links

Rumors: This is where the rumors are listed, I also merged the stats into this page.

Tour: This contains the entire tour schedule with setlist & review links. (Review links contain link directly to the gallery for each individual show)

Resources: All the Van Halen website links are located here. (official and fan pages). The sponsor banners are also located on this page.

and lastly...

Inside The Vault: VHReunion.com has adopted this message board as it's own! (It's shared with VHVault.com if your wondering).

Case in point: Van Halen's performance Friday night at Van Andel Arena, a two-hour marathon of hits featuring muscular performances from guitarist Eddie and drummer Alex, bassist and backing vocalist Michael Anthony and lead singer Sammy Hagar, who's back after a nine-year estrangement.

Yes, they're at midlife-crisis age, but their exuberance and energy on stage was impressive nonetheless, with Alex pinching his eyes shut in concentration during his battery of a drum solo, yet never losing his breath; with Hagar and the mulleted Anthony running endless laps on the oval-shaped stage flanked with ramps; and with Eddie looking fit and trim after a highly publicized bout with cancer.

This tour could be considered Eddie's second coming, the man still evoking vociferous praise from the estimated crowd of 8,000. And, let's face it, when he solos, people still stop what they're doing to gawk and listen.

So when the spotlight hit Eddie for his solo halfway through the set, the quaffing of beers and dancing in the aisles came to a halt as he flirted with his trademark histrionic parade, "Eruption," and made his axe squeal and squawk as only Mr. Van Halen can. Sure, at 10-plus minutes, his occasional dawdling got wacky and tiresome, but give the guy his due for reinventing rock guitar and possessing awe-inspiring talent.

Speaking of standing the test of time, Hagar's voice is as strong as ever. The Red Rocker -- clad head-to-toe in crimson -- didn't miss a note during David Lee Roth-era tunes "Jump," "Unchained" and the fiery "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" as well as his own VH hits, "Dreams," "Why Can't This be Love" and "Best of Both Worlds."

The ever-likable, mop-haired Hagar seemed especially jovial Friday night, clowning with fans in the stage pit, slapping hands and signing autographs midshow, as well as playfully trading vocals with Anthony during "Somebody Get Me a Doctor." Add in Anthony's ever-sharp harmony vocals, and the ultimate party band's chemistry seemed totally inspired and rejuvenated.

Of course, this is a greatest-hits tour, so pleasing the crowd was the main priority. The group happily ran through "Poundcake," "Panama," "Runaround," "You Really Got Me" and "Right Now," which was updated for 2004 with new phrases projected on the tyrannovision screens -- i.e., "Right now, fear is trying to rule you," as terrorism alerts scroll by -- and still remains fairly endearing despite its cliches.

The show wasn't without its lulls, however. Hagar's solo-with-guitar rendition of "Where Eagles Fly" found many fans running for the restroom, and new songs "It's About Time" and the very silly "Up for Breakfast" (which will end up on the group's upcoming two-disc best-of CD compilation) lacked the hooks of classic Van Halen. And Anthony's rumbling, bumbling, grumbling bass solo? We all needed the shot of Jack Daniels he downed afterwards. Yech.

So, perhaps it's appropriate VH's backdrop consisted of a giant depth charge with a screen cut out of it. Eddie and Co. exhibited a degree of explosiveness that was absent during their last visit to Grand Rapids with much-maligned lead singer Gary Cherone.

Of course, they since have been transformed into a nostalgia act -- we'll see if any new material comes out of the reunion, and if it stands up to their legacy -- one that arguably is worthy of an expensive concert ticket nowadays. It's nice to see a classic rock band ready and rarin' to go, not resting on their live-show laurels.

So maybe Eddie and Alex's physical trainers deserve a pat on the back too, eh?

Courtesy of The Grand Rapids Press

Heady Van Halen: Group feels great about another time 'round the rock horn
By John serba

Alex Van Halen and Sammy Hagar can't stop laughing.

The two recently reunited bandmates are on one end of a conference call, goofing and cracking jokes. Their banter is lighthearted and unpretentious, like old friends who are happy to be spending time with each other again -- and there's no hint of the animosity that resulted in Hagar's departure from Van Halen in 1996, after 11 years.

In fact, drummer Van Halen and singer Hagar can't say enough about how inspiring it is to be playing music together -- with guitarist Eddie Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony, of course -- after a lengthy layoff. Although it's simply a matter of semantics, Hagar doesn't like to call the re-formation of Van Halen Mark II a "reunion" but, rather, a "continuation."

It all started last winter with a simple phone call from Hagar to Alex Van Halen. Their families spent time together at the beach, and the two didn't necessarily bury the hatchet as much as they forgave, forgot and looked to the future.

"When you spend that much time with somebody, you really do have a deep friendship, and all of a sudden you realize, after time -- hey, forget it," the ever-affable Hagar said. "I mean, we decided rather than go to therapy like some of these other bands and dig around in the dirt, we said, 'No, no. Here's what we're going to do: We're going to pretend like it never happened. We're going to, like, rise above it.' And it's really what we did."

Both sides had a lot to rise above, considering the ongoing Van Halen soap opera, which has been bubbling for nearly 20 years, since original singer David Lee Roth quit -- or was fired, depending on who you ask. The Van Halen brothers and Anthony recruited Hagar in 1985 and maintained the group's superstardom for a decade, before Hagar quit -- or was fired, depending on who you ask.

A reunion with Roth in 1996 culminated in two new tracks for "The Best of Van Halen," but it proved to be disastrous. The flamboyant singer was ousted for former Extreme frontman Gary Cherone, whose lone album with the band, "Van Halen III," flopped. Cherone was shown the door in 1999, followed by more rumors about Roth re-rejoining the group.

"There was an attempt to put something together (with Roth), but it was ill-fated," Alex said. "It never materialized, and it just went away. I don't mean to trivialize it, but there's a little expression, you know, 'An idiot is somebody who does the same thing over and over and expects a different outcome.' "

Then there was the highly publicized 2002 co-headlining tour featuring Hagar and Roth performing solo sets -- a tour jokingly dubbed "Sans Halen."

"It wasn't a good idea," Hagar said. "I'm not here to bash him or nothing. He's just not a friendly guy, and we didn't get along too good. Two different people, two different planets."

Reality struck in 2000 when Eddie Van Halen was diagnosed with mouth cancer. The profoundly influential guitarist recovered completely, and once again began writing music with his brother -- music that eventually would benefit from Hagar's contribution; three new songs were tacked on to "The Very Best of Van Halen," a two-disc retrospective due in stores July 20.

According to Hagar, inspiration for the new material came in a flash.

"It was just like, kapow," he said. "I just instantly came up with melodies, instantly came up with lyrics. I just grabbed the microphone. ... We jammed for probably five or six hours until my voice was completely worn out. So it was the four of us getting together that inspires everything.

"The chemistry between the four of us is very, very special."

For the current tour, Hagar has shed his infamous dislike for the Roth-era songs and is raring to sing old favorites such as "Jump," "And the Cradle Will Rock" and "You Really Got Me."

"It's like we have a whole different outlook on everything," Hagar said.

"It's just like, 'Let's make this the greatest (set of) songs that the Van Halen fans have ever heard.'"

If there's any question about the band's age or ability to perform a two-hour-plus set, it's quickly refuted by Hagar, who geared up physically for the tour by running, working out and wearing ankle and wrist weights while rehearsing.

But what about Alex?

"I eat nails," he quips, and they laugh some more.

Courtesy of the grand rapids press

Each of these EVH Art Series Guitars will be hand striped and autographed by Eddie, and verified by a Certificate of Authenticity. And to showcase and protect these one-of-a-kind guitars, each one comes with a specially designed and distinctive guitar case.

These EVH Art Series Guitars will be based on his famous three original artworks:

1. White with black stripes
2. Black with yellow stripes
3. Red with black and white stripes

And no more than 30 guitars in each model will be made available in 2004.

Many of these EVH Art Series Guitars will be offered through the EVH-guitars Online Auction Store on eBay. Availability depends upon Eddie's schedule, so check the EVH-guitars Online Auction Store often to make sure you don't miss out on owning a one-of-a-kind Eddie creation.

SPECIAL GIVEAWAY The highest winning bidder during 2004 will not only own a one of a kind guitar, but will also be the proud owner of Eddie’s personal customized Harley.

Eddie playing the first EVH Art Series guitar live in Columbus, OH on July 7, 2004! This guitar will be available in their eBay Online Auction Store.

Story and Photos Courtesy of EVH-Guitars.com

Hagar and Eddie Save Van Halen Performance
by Christopher Robbins

07.01.04 @ Verizon Wireless Music Center

Van Halen fans flocked to Verizon Wireless Music Center Thursday evening to catch what may be their last glimpse (and first in almost a decade) of guitar legend Eddie Van Halen. Several in attendance, however, preferred the moniker Van Hagar for the band as Sammy Hagar, the second vocalist in the band's history was back as their front man. Oddly the band opened the show with "Jump," a tune from the David Lee Roth era.

While the diehard fans overlooked several flaws in the band's performance, it was noticeable that Van Halen was not on top of their game anymore. The three "new" songs the band played were more tired and repetitious than any of the older material. Van Halen's stage show reeked of the 1980's glory days of the music video, which is to say there was much more flash than substance.

Hagar's attention to the fans via high fives, sharing drinks, and wearing various shirts and accessories handed to him by those close to the stage was the bands saving grace. That and a 15-minute "epic" guitar solo. Eddie Van Halen, certainly one of rocks most celebrated guitarists, still has some of the fastest fingers out there. He remarked "I'm having a f*cking gas, I hope you are. I don't have a f*cking clue what I'm doing."

The other band members' solos were not nearly as entertaining. Bassist Michael Anthony's time in the spotlight was more a commercial for Jack Daniels than a musical showcase. Hagar's two song solo medley proved he's a great vocalist, but also proved he should not be playing guitar. Drummer Alex Van Halen's spotlight was average at best.

Van Halen played a total of four songs from the David Lee Roth era, but the only standout songs in the set were Hagar tunes "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Right Now."

While Van Halen did their best to portray a rock band in it's prime, their efforts resulted in an artificial, commercial feel.

Courtesy of Indianapolismusic.net

Legendary rockers Van Halen promise a party
BY BRIAN McCOLLUM FREE PRESS POP MUSIC WRITER

There are two places these Van Halen shows can go this weekend: into the land of rock 'n' roll redemption, or into rock 'n' roll hell.

Based on the band's erratic past decade, we may very well be carted along to both.

In a concert season marred by slow ticket sales and growing industry panic, Van Halen should be jumping out as one of the summer's highlights: Sammy Hagar back out front. Eddie Van Halen back on stage after six years away. One of rock's most storied outfits back in action after an extended absence.

The band has used the word "celebration" to describe this 47-city tour, which kicked off last month in North Carolina and lands in Michigan this weekend for three shows. But for fans who have learned to be leery -- even in the prime Van Halen territory of Detroit -- the party hats aren't tied on just yet.

Van Halen long ago earned itself a place among the 20th Century's giants, rightly standing elbow to elbow alongside Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Black Sabbath inside the hard rock showroom. But few great bands have done as much grave injury to their names as these onetime California mavericks, who gloriously roared onto the scene back in the disco days of '78. And that leaves the question hanging as the quartet visits Grand Rapids tonight, Joe Louis Arena on Saturday and the Palace on Sunday: Is Van Halen beyond damage control at this point?

This is a band, after all, that has some fans still steaming over frontman David Lee Roth's dismissal two decades ago. The seemingly relentless turbulence that has followed that 1985 move -- the hiring and firing of Hagar, Gary Cherone's awkward frontman stint, Eddie Van Halen's public disappearance -- has only served to taint what once was among rock's most solid legacies.

Tension has defined Van Halen since the Roth split, manifested in various guises: dirty laundry aired in public, fans' well-honed griping, reports of physical confrontations between band members. Roth and Hagar even managed to build a whole summer tour out of the feud game, partnering for a 2002 run that caricatured the two singers' perceived animosity.

There's a lingering bright side, however, to the topsy-turvy Van Halen saga: The group knows its way around a comeback. These days, 49-year-old guitarist Van Halen is as regarded for his survival skills -- triumphing over alcoholism, cancer and hip-replacement surgery -- as for his groundbreaking hammer-tap technique. The Roth firing, which came at the crest of the band's commercial success, turned out to be not a nail in the coffin but a nifty turn of the screw, as the Van Hagar incarnation whipped out five multiplatinum records.

But we wait with bated breath. "The Best of Both Worlds," a two-disc career anthology due July 20, features three new songs -- three not-so-magical new songs. The lone saving grace is Van Halen himself, who seems to have retained his facility on the fretboard and whose quarter-hour solos on this tour have reportedly sizzled.

It's weird, and too bad. Far lesser bands have more successfully negotiated their mature years. Van Halen's members, to their credit, seem to understand what they're up against. In recent interviews, they've delivered the standard reunion lines: We're not licking old wounds. We're a family. We're using our past to look ahead, not back.

Maybe so. There are too many moments of brilliance in the Van Halen legacy to lose all optimism. But when you're talking about a group that has spent more recent effort on stuff that doesn't have much to do with music or brilliance, it's hard not to find a little skepticism mingling with your high hopes.

Of course, in a summer where the pickings are slim, that might be just enough to make for one intriguing rock 'n' roll weekend.

Courtesy of Detroit Free Press

The VH e-card has been updated with the new VH commercial
From: bradman@van-halen.com
Subject: Updated VH E-card

The VH e-card has been updated with the new VH commercial:
http://ecards.concerts.com/van_halen/

The Official Van Halen Web Site
http://www.van-halen.com

Van Halen VIP Concert Sweepstakes!
You might as well JUMP at this chance to win a couple of choice seats at this unforgettable concert of a lifetime. If you win the Grand Prize in our Van Halen VIP Concert Sweepstakes, you and a guest will be going to see the Van Halen boys kick out the jams live on stage! Musician's Friend will pick up the tab for the travel, lodging, and meals for this awesome vacation.
The Grand Prize winner will also be packing home a Peavey Wolfgang Quilt-Top Special EXP Guitar (retail value $869.99)

The total retail value of the prizes is approximately $2,094.99. The venue location, time, and date of the concert are to be announced soon.

Winners will be selected in a random drawing Tuesday, August 20, 2004. You're automatically entered to win every time you place an order between May 15, 2004, and August 16th, 2004. No purchase is required, see official rules for details.

15-minute guitar solo cements status

VIT WAGNER
POP MUSIC CRITIC

For the first time in more than two months, the Air Canada Centre resounded last night with chants of "Ed-die, Ed-die, Ed-die." But this time it was rocker Eddie Van Halen, not Leaf netminder Eddie Belfour, who brought a roaring capacity crowd to its feet.

Van Halen, back on the road with the band that bears his name, had just wrapped up a blistering, 15-minute solo that reaffirmed his reputation as one of the most fleet-fingered guitarists on the planet.

It was the kind of virtuoso display that has long since fallen out of fashion. But the veteran quartet — also featuring stalwarts Alex Van Halen on drums and Mike Anthony on bass, along with returning vocalist Sammy Hagar — has never been about following trends. Heck, these guys were retro when they started out, crashing the punk party back in the 1970s with a steady barrage of loud, head-smacking rock.

"Turn your clocks back," urged Hagar during his introduction to "It's About Time," one of a couple of new numbers in the set.

Hagar, who put in a solid stretch with the band after replacing original belter David Lee Roth, has rejoined the fold after a lengthy absence.

"It's been three weeks on tour," he said, "and from the first show it was like we never stopped."

While Hagar's inclusion restored an element of authenticity, he was an incidental — if undeniably enthusiastic — figure. Anthony stepped up to handle much of the vocal duties on "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" from Van Halen's sophomore disc of 1978.

And Anthony might easily have done the same on opener "Jump," the signature hit from 1984, for all the difference it made.

Hagar, who spent much of the night goading the fans into greater fits of frenzy, was granted solitary command of the stage to deliver unaccompanied renditions of two songs from his solo repertoire, "Eagles Fly" and "Deeper Kind Of Love." Likewise, Alex Van Halen and Anthony each had a turn to stretch out on their own.

But it was Eddie Van Halen who kept the party going, particularly during a late-set stretch that rang up "Best Of Both Worlds," "Dreams" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."

The rail-thin and shirtless 49-year-old delivered an inexhaustible display of every imaginable technique, at one point sliding an electric drill up and down the strings.

You don't see stuff like that at your average Blink-182 show.

Courtesy of TheStar.com

Regaining their Jump
Van Halen pulls off rock reunion revival at a sold-out ACC
By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VAN HALEN
Air Canada Centre, Toronto
Saturday, July 3, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TORONTO -- Who says reunions don't work?

Witness Van Halen's sold-out show on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre which saw the '70s rock vets reunite with Sammy Hagar, who acted as the band's frontman from 1985-1996.

I won't get into all of the gory details of the band's lead singer soap opera but the short story is that Hagar, 56, took over from original frontman David Lee Roth only to be replaced himself by Extreme's Gary Cherone for one album -- 1998's poorly received Van Halen III and a subsequent tour.

Hagar and Roth even toured together at one point in a gimmicky trek dubbed Sans Halen.

Add to the melodrama the fact that guitar god Eddie Van Halen, 49, battled tongue cancer over the past few years, and you have the makings of what could have been the end of this group.

Thus the excitement at seeing Van Halen, including original drummer Alex Van Halen, 51, and bassist Michael Anthony, 50, together again on Saturday night for their first stop in Toronto in six years.

Now that the thin but muscular-looking Eddie is feeling better -- did I really see him smoking a cigarette? -- and Hagar has been welcomed back into the Van Halen fold, all seems to be right within that particular rock universe.

At least for now.

"It's been three weeks on tour (so far)," Hagar said. "From the first show it felt like we never stopped!"

The group kicked off their 2-hour-and-5-minute concert at the ACC with Jump -- a Roth-era song which Hagar now feels comfortable singing live. (Sadly, Runnin' With The Devil was not one of them despite being on a set list from an earlier show.)

However, Jump set the bar high and it took almost another hour before the endlessly energetic group would reach the same soaring heights. The fact that each musician also got their turn in the spotlight with extended solos, including Hagar who strapped on an electric guitar and sang two songs from his solo career -- Eagles Fly and Deeper Kind Of Love -- didn't help matters in the pacing department.

And Hagar also went a bit overboard signing autographs of everything handed to him -- hats, shirts, and even a couple of licence plates.

Eddie's lightning fast moves, however, were a pleasure to watch as the audience erupted into chants of "Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!" after his staggering solo display and he seemed genuinely moved.

"It's so good to be back," he acknowledged.

Helping Van Halen create an intimate mood was a stage that kept the foursome close together with audience pits on either side, enabling fans to get up close and personal.

There was also what appeared to be a land mine hovering above them that housed a large video screen.

Both Hagar and a shirtless Eddie were particularly incapable of standing still with both of them constantly moving around the stage when they weren't lying down on it.

Van Halen is ostensibly touring in support of a second greatest hits collection, The Very Best of Van Halen, which is in stores on July 20.

Three new songs were recorded for the new disc and two of them -- Up For Breakfast and It's About Time -- were trotted out on Saturday night.

The fans, however, wanted to hear the hits and they shouted loudest and punched air hardest for anthems such as Unchained, Why Can't This Be Love, Best Of Both Worlds, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Right Now, You Really Got Me, Panama and When It's Love.

Courtesy of Canoe

He had o­nly two numbers, "California Girls" in the first, locally-televised part, and "Jump" in the national CBS segment, but he had the 450,000-plus members of the crowd o­n their feet, dancing. He wore black pinstripe pants and a vest and glittery shoes that he might have bought at Liberace's estate sale.

Roth's voice was rough and ready, his energy high, and if he doesn't jump and spin as high as he o­nce did, neither does Mikhail Baryshnikov. He's a showman, and he put o­n a show, even dueting briefly with Lockhart.

Believe it or not, at the end of "Jump," he grabbed a baton and twirled -- somebody has to o­n the Fourth of July. You could see the Pops playing, but there was no way to hear it over the pumped amplification of Roth's band.

VH Pulls Off Rock Reunion Revival At A Sold-Out ACC
WHO SAYS reunions don't work? Witness Van Halen's sold-out show o­n Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre which saw the '70s rock vets reunite with Sammy Hagar, who acted as the band's frontman from 1985-1996.

I won't get into all of the gory details of the band's lead singer soap opera but the short story is that Hagar, 56, took over from original frontman David Lee Roth o­nly to be replaced himself by Extreme's Gary Cherone for o­ne album -- 1998's poorly received Van Halen III and a subsequent tour.

Hagar and Roth even toured together at o­ne point in a gimmicky trek dubbed Sans Halen.

Add to the melodrama the fact that guitar god Eddie Van Halen, 49, battled tongue cancer over the past few years, and you have the makings of what could have been the end of this group.

Thus the excitement at seeing Van Halen, including original drummer Alex Van Halen, 51, and bassist Michael Anthony, 50, together again o­n Saturday night for their first stop in Toronto in six years.

Now that the thin but muscular-looking Eddie is feeling better -- did I really see him smoking a cigarette? -- and Hagar has been welcomed back into the Van Halen fold, all seems to be right within that particular rock universe.

At least for now.

"It's been three weeks o­n tour (so far)," Hagar said. "From the first show it felt like we never stopped!"

The group kicked off their 2-hour-and-5-minute concert at the ACC with Jump -- a Roth-era song which Hagar now feels comfortable singing live. (Sadly, Runnin' With The Devil was not o­ne of them despite being o­n a set list from an earlier show.)

However, Jump set the bar high and it took almost another hour before the endlessly energetic group would reach the same soaring heights. The fact that each musician also got their turn in the spotlight with extended solos, including Hagar who strapped o­n an electric guitar and sang two songs from his solo career -- Eagles Fly and Deeper Kind Of Love -- didn't help matters in the pacing department.

And Hagar also went a bit overboard signing autographs of everything handed to him -- hats, shirts, and even a couple of licence plates.

Eddie's lightning fast moves, however, were a pleasure to watch as the audience erupted into chants of "Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!" after his staggering solo display and he seemed genuinely moved.

"It's so good to be back," he acknowledged.

Helping Van Halen create an intimate mood was a stage that kept the foursome close together with audience pits o­n either side, enabling fans to get up close and personal.

There was also what appeared to be a land mine hovering above them that housed a large video screen.

Both Hagar and a shirtless Eddie were particularly incapable of standing still with both of them constantly moving around the stage when they weren't lying down o­n it.

Van Halen is ostensibly touring in support of a second greatest hits collection, The Very Best of Van Halen, which is in stores o­n July 20.

Three new songs were recorded for the new disc and two of them -- Up For Breakfast and It's About Time -- were trotted out o­n Saturday night.

The fans, however, wanted to hear the hits and they shouted loudest and punched air hardest for anthems such as Unchained, Why Can't This Be Love, Best Of Both Worlds, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Right Now, You Really Got Me, Panama and When It's Love.

VAN HALEN AIR CANADA CENTRE 'Eddie rules!'
-- JANE STEVENSON, SUN

Eddie Van Halen may have had a good time Thursday, but his playing was out of tune with his rock-god days.

Eddie Van Halen paused in the middle of his guitar solo Thursday night at Verizon Wireless Music Center to tell the audience of 13,500 that he was having a good time.

He then added candidly, "I don't have a clue what I'm doing."

These remarks reflected the highs and lows of the 15-minute solo showcase. It was less than precise and mostly offered bombast where technique and tone would have impressed.

But when he finally arrived at "Eruption" -- the most distinctive guitar composition in rock history -- there was cathartic victory.

In turn, the 15-minute solo was a microcosm of his band's two-hour concert. The Van Halen reunion show, featuring Sammy Hagar on vocals, veered between the dismal and the sublime.

This time, the pressure isn't on Hagar, whose first stint in the band ran from 1985 to 1996. He's been putting out albums and touring during the past eight years.

Eddie is the man on the spot. Following a weakly received album and tour featuring Gary Cherone on vocals in the late 1990s, the guitarist has been out of the public eye while battling oral cancer, undergoing hip-replacement surgery and splitting from wife Valerie Bertinelli.

His playing revealed too much rust to ignore on Thursday. Disjointed riffs and missed cues derailed opening number "Jump." On follow-up "Runaround," 56-year-old Hagar and 49-year-old Van Halen paid more attention to onstage pranks than to the song.

Fortunately, new tune "Up for Breakfast" soon helped the band straighten up. While it's a basic boogie, the linear and squealing guitar segment returned Van Halen to his "hero" pedestal.

For the rest of the night, Hagar pushed memories of the band's original vocalist, David Lee Roth, to the background. Van Halen always provided a sunny side to hard rock, and Hagar's renditions of "Best of Both Worlds," "Top of the World" and "Why Can't This Be Love" upheld that legacy.

In addition to Eddie's solo, the concert included showcases for Michael Anthony on bass and Alex Van Halen on drums.

The drum clinic was top-notch, as Alex moved from understated jazz percussion to a thundering blowout of call-and-response audience participation.

For Van Halen, this night had too many small-time moments. Or perhaps too much mortality when we were expecting rock gods.

Fans who paid $92.50 for pavilion seats may have felt stung by the performance. For those who grabbed discounted lawn tickets for $25 (plus $10 worth of free food), the price probably was right.

Courtesy of Indystar.com

Sammy Hagar has rejoined the group, and they are better than ever. Van Halen was on fire from start to finish. It was just like old times, except now the T-shirts cost $40 a pop.

The mix of Van Halen and Van Hagar was about 60/40 in my opinion, with Van Hagar owning the 60 percent. Sammy was in rare form. He was wearing his customary red outfits the whole night. He switched to a red-and-yellow combo later to reflect his nickname "The Red Rocker."

The opener was "Jump." I love that song. It's hard for any band to beat the one-two punch of "Jump" and "Panama," in my opinion.

The third song was also one of my all-time favorites: "Somebody Get Me A Doctor." That is a rarity for a Van Halen show anymore, that's for sure.

After about the fourth song, Alex Van Halen went into a drum solo. It wasn't that impressive. His drums were set up so they sounded more like Caribbean drums for the solo, which was strange. When the brothers started out as kids, it was Eddie on drums and Alex on guitar, but they switched at an early age. It would be interesting to see if Eddie has kept up his drum-playing ability.

Some of the other songs that were played during the show included "Right Now," "The Seventh Seal," "Top Of The World," "Best Of Both Worlds" and a Sammy original, "Eagles Fly." That last one was a bit of a ballad, and I'd say only about 20 percent of the crowd knew the song. It's a good time to take a food/beer break.

Eddie Van Halen is a guitar genius, there can be no denying that. His solo went on for about 15 to 20 minutes, and it was OUTSTANDING. I think he is to a guitar what Mozart was to the piano. The big-screen televisions showed many close-ups of his hands during the guitar work. His hands look real old and beat up, but they work the guitar like he was in his prime. He ended the solo with a fantastic rendition of his signature piece, "Eruption." I remember in junior high, every kid with a guitar tried to learn to play it.

The encore was impressive as well. One of the three encore songs was "Panama," and it rocked the house!

When I reflect on this show, it was the best concert of the year. I am thinking of going to another city to see it again.

The only songs that I was disappointed not to hear were "Hot For Teacher" and "I Can't Drive 55."

You never know how many tours Van Halen has left, but this one ranks right alongside their best.
Copyright 2004 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved.

Courtesy of The PittsburghChannel

Summer Concerts: Playing and Paying
Van Halen and back-again lead singer Sammy Hagar are selling thousands of tickets for their summer tour, and that means big-time cash for… former lead singer David Lee Roth? That's right, because as "CJ" reveals, top musicians don't have to play onstage to get well paid. It's all about doing the rights thing, and as the summer concert season heats up, so are the rights fights.

As entertainment attorney Barry Littman explains, Roth gets paid even though he's not touring with Van Halen because, legally, he is a composer of all of Van Halen's early original work.

"If you have an immensely successful concert that's focused on David Lee Roth-Van Halen tunes, he's going to see more money than if Van Halen never went on tour," Littman notes. "The composers of the song are listed and each of them will have the right to get paid for anybody else performing their song live."

According to Star 98.7 DJ Lara Scott, equal legal credit is a common practice in the music industry. "A lot of bands, like REM, U2 and Coldplay, their big thing is to make all of the band members the owners of the songs," Scott tells us. "That way, there's no confusion, no dispute over who owns the songs. They can all perform them, they all get the royalties and they all get the money."

Courtesy of Celebrity Justice

Date: 07.07.04
Band: Van Halen (Encore Presentation)

More 5 Star Packages Added to iloveallaccess.com

More iloveallaccess.com 5 star packages have been released for selected dates on the tour. Visit iloveallaccess.com for complete details! Password = itsabouttime

Basically to every show that hasn't happened yet. So if you missed it the first time, now is your chance!!

What, Grand Funk was busy? Roth joins Esplanade fun
By Larry Katz

The Boston Pops' problem: What do you do when Aerosmith, Boston's band of rock 'n' roll bad boys, backs out of performing at your nationally televised Fourth of July concert?

The wacky solution: Get Diamond Dave, the bad boy of rock 'n' roll, to do the gig instead.

Hard to believe, but raunchy David Lee Roth, the extra-extroverted ex-Van Halen frontman, will be the guest star at Sunday's Esplanade bash.

Roll over, Arthur Fiedler, and tell John Williams the news.

While Van Halen's Roth-less reunion tour with singer Sammy Hagar is one of the summer's hottest, the 48-year-old Roth's career appears on the down-slide. He did make news last week, but not for any musical reason. According to the New York Daily News, Roth has relocated to Manhattan from his estate in Pasadena, Calif., and spends several days a week training as an emergency medical technician.

``I want to be working in the outer boroughs,'' Roth told the Daily News. ``This city promises great color and insight in each and every neighborhood. On the Upper East Side, it's gonna be heart attacks and stomachaches. But in other areas, it's all trauma.''

Roth's interest in working as an EMT apparently has more to do with carrying on a family tradition than any financial desperation. Born in Indiana, Roth lived as a child in Swampscott and Brookline, where his father Nathan was a doctor.

``My father was a surgeon and uncles and my cousin were also in the medical community, so I come by it natural,'' Roth said.

But Roth's newfound desire to help mankind doesn't mean the confirmed bachelor has lost his leering interest in womankind. He confessed to the Daily News that ``My dream would be to save a Scandinavian hikerette.''

Will Roth tone down his usual lewd showmanship when he teams with the Pops? Or perhaps he was chosen because of it.

The local broadcast of the big show on the Esplanade begins Sunday at 8:30 p.m. At 10, the fireworks-filled last hour of the show goes national on CBS. Maybe, just maybe, CBS leaned on the Pops' brass to hire Diamond Dave to bring out more blue in what's been - at least until now - a G-rated celebration of the red, white and blue.

Not to worry. Roth won't get too naughty. He's scheduled to sing his 1985 hit remake of the Beach Boys ``California Girls'' and the Van Halen chestnut ``Jump.'' But it would be more fun to hear him and Keith Lockhart's band team up on ``Just a Gigolo.''

Courtesy of Boston Herald

Van Halen returns to stage in top form
BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
MUSIC REVIEW: VAN HALEN
AT: MCI Center, Friday

The houselights dropped, the first guitar squawk came from the darkened stage and the chants started.

"Ed-die! Ed-die! Ed-die!"

When you're Eddie Van Halen and you haven't been on stage in six years, people are interested.

When you're Eddie Van Halen and you've weathered a hip replacement, overcome tongue cancer and watched your marriage dissolve after 20 years, you deserve the ovation.

When you're Eddie Van Halen and can still slash, finger-tap and burn through a guitar solo at 49 with the same dexterity as 30 years ago, you deserve more than an ovation - you deserve an outpouring of affection from fans so deep it will make your eyes water.

That appeared to happen to rock's virtuoso guitarist Friday, when Eddie Van Halen, his drumming brother Alex, 54, bassist Michael Anthony, 50, and goofball frontman Sammy Hagar, 56, tore into the early notes of "Jump." Though his mop of hair hung limply over his eyebrows, Eddie Van Halen had a misty look that said what the man later vocalized.

He's one lucky son-of-a-gun.

Two weeks into a highly anticipated reunion tour with Hagar - absent from Van Halen Inc. for eight years - the band was locked in stride Friday at the MCI Center, even though its plane had landed a mere 30 minutes before show time and muddled sound marred the new "Up For Breakfast" and "Poundcake."

The Van Halen brothers are still the best living rock musicians playing what they play, guitar and drums. And bringing Hagar back to camp, rather than original ringleader David Lee Roth, proved a wise decision.

During a solid two hours of rock old and new, Van Halen appeared to have a blast on stage, particularly Eddie, whose gaping smile, relentless stage jogging and goofy dance steps made you believe that the guy was genuinely thankful for being there. And with 12 amplifiers of his own, Eddie, who preferred to play the traditional way with a cord attached to his guitar, continued to amaze the mega-faithful fans with the symphonic rumbles he pulled from his guitar.

While Eddie was in top form all night, his 12-minute guitar solo, which featured snippets of "Eruption," "Cathedral" and "Little Guitars," was head-spinning in its tone and mobility. And on this night, 13-year-old son Wolfgang joined his dad for a slow, bluesy jam, which ended with Eddie falling into a laughing heap against his son and planting a kiss on his cheek.

Even though the 15,000 fans who stood for the entire show - except Hagar's dull, momentum-killing "Eagles Fly" - would have been satisfied just having the Van Halens in their sightline, the night had its shortcomings.

While Anthony's singing of "Somebody Get Me a Doctor" and Hagar's commendable chanting on "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" were worthy of cheers, why no "Hot For Teacher" to showcase Alex's phenomenal double bass drum skills? How about "Jamie's Cryin'" or "Runnin' With the Devil" at every show, instead of in rotation? Instead, we got "Humans Being" and all three mediocre new songs. We know the band's greatest-hits album will include these new tunes, but they aren't worth boasting about.

Give Van Halen credit for a rich spin on its most insightful song, "Right Now," with a video updated to reflect current times ("Right now, a 13-year-old is downloading this song," "Right now, nothing is worse than regret," alongside pictures of President Bush). And the show-ending triple encore of "You Really Got Me," a houselights-up, free-for-all "Panama" and the silken "When It's Love" nailed three decades of the band within 10 minutes.

Is Van Halen lucky for being given yet another chance by fans? Absolutely. Maybe this time they'll keep their luck rolling without allowing life to get in the way of their collective abilities.

Courtesy of TimesDispatch.com