It so happened that I convinced a friend to go to Van Halen with me on their 2012 tour. At my age, most people would say they'd been there, done that in their youth. Not me! Checking out bands you saw in your youth, now that you're a learned adult, can be very revealing. You have strange flashbacks and finally get lyrics you always mispronounced. Plus, you appreciate the acts more as you're now more aware of mortality. You also know the songs better and notice when the band screws up or does variations.
If you read my last post about Roger Waters you'll see a similar theme emerge: second show let-down. I saw Halen on Dec 5th 2007 at GM Place and then five years later on May 7th,2012 at Rogers Arena. It was basically the same songs and stage. And of course, I saw them back in the mid-eighties on the 1984 tour. That ancient eighties show was at a time when we wore bandanas on our heads, arms and legs...and biked around the neighborhood with giant ghetto blasters.
It was all you youngsters imagined it would be: Eddie in his custom coloured jump suit doing his trademark fingertapping. Michael Anthony was partying it up, chugging a full bottle of Jack Daniels on stage before ripping into a bass solo and eventually throwing it from atop his giant speaker stack to land with a momentous clang. David Lee Roth was strutting at the height of his fame pulling off difficult stage acrobatics and sword play.
I remember Alex Van Halen more from the second time I saw them, which was after they reunited in 2007. He pulled off a drum solo that felt like an outer-body-experience. I realized he was the master behind the Van Halen drive. The seats were right up front and cost more than I'd ever paid before- $250. Two old friends pressured me in to it, saying: " come on man, If we're gonna see them - let's kick down and really see them!". We had waited to the last and the scalper would profit.
As soon as the show began, I made it my mission to rev things up. I started boogying and spurring the band on with some whistling, singing, clapping and yells of approval. They were checking the Vancouver crowd's reaction to seeing Wolfgang for the first time on bass. We were up front in his section, so I lent my support and my buddies rocked out as well. Once they realized we were on their side and ready to rock, the show began to build with excitment. They all looked happy and David Lee was criss-crossing the stage and running up the back ramps waving a huge BC flag.
I continued to party to Van Halen, content that the masses behind us were mostly standing. The Vancouver crowds will be laim if you let them be. They need encouragement sometimes and then they will party. In the worst cases, they'll sit until the very last song and then stand up and wiggle a bit.
I continued to party to Van Halen, content that the masses behind us were mostly standing. The Vancouver crowds will be laim if you let them be. They need encouragement sometimes and then they will party. In the worst cases, they'll sit until the very last song and then stand up and wiggle a bit.
Van Halen 07 turned out to be a great show to be up front at. Seeing their expressions was half the fun because they're animated characters. The lighting was color coordinated with the red and white Halen brand. At the finale, confetti blasted out with strobe lights flashing.
That was a memorable show. They played songs from throughout their career like they were just rolling them out. Hit after hit. Eddie inspired my inner guitarist to rise and practice. For a few days after, I tackled some youtube tutorials on fingertapping and learned part of "Eruption".
That was a memorable show. They played songs from throughout their career like they were just rolling them out. Hit after hit. Eddie inspired my inner guitarist to rise and practice. For a few days after, I tackled some youtube tutorials on fingertapping and learned part of "Eruption".
The sound was way better than the next time I saw them which was from the back of the arena in 2012. That show was really hurting from our perspective- sound wise. We had actually moved back from the 16th row to the midsection seats to ease the pain on our ears. The mix lacked clarity and reminded me of old muddy sounding rock shows. Something about the overall tone and excitment didn't connect with me that night.
My friend was bored and ready to leave as I pleaded for a few more. Even all washed out-sounding was fine by me. It was still a chance to see some bombastic rock and moments of drum and guitar virtuosity. I'm a die hard fan and will put up with bad sound and other things like bad weather. Somehow, this show just wasn't as fun. It seemed like they were too loud and distorted, and the show didn't have anything new.
The following night the same friend was also at a show I went to: Mickey Hart Band at the Vogue.
They put on a strong, high energy show and lots of friends came out of the woodwork to hit shakedown street. Some from pretty far away, because Dead related bands are rare in these parts!
My buddy had a backstage pass and was allowed to come onstage before the show and play with Mickey's Drums and Percussion. Only "the beast", a multi-stringed contraption used during "space", was off-limits.
My buddy had a backstage pass and was allowed to come onstage before the show and play with Mickey's Drums and Percussion. Only "the beast", a multi-stringed contraption used during "space", was off-limits.
The vocals were amazing and Mickey was really upbeat. They played a great gospel version of Brokedown Palace to close the night. I had a good time and would have to say it was the better of the two shows. Mickey Hart band connected with their audience and got the dance floor poppin'. It felt lIke an old ballroom show, there in the Vogue theatre space. Security was pretty mellow and allowed dancing in the front of the theatre and throughout and Mickey Hart was at arms-length away working his rythmic magic.
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