Shotgun Wedding Indeed...

David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen in Charlotte a couple nights back. Photo credit Todd Sumlin.

Shotgun wedding? Money talks? Three separate tour buses? Rumors of in-fighting? Lazy Susan lead singers...It goes on and on. I have read the stories, I have heard the rumors. I have spent hours reading all the hype. The continuing saga of the Van Halen family band. Me? I checked that baggage at the door and went to the show in Greensboro last night. This morning I woke with ringing ears and Van Halen songs in my head.

Rewind. I went online weeks ago when I received an e-mail stating tickets would be on sale for the Van Halen Tour. I logged on to three computers that Saturday morning and proceeded to try to get some decent seats. After 2.5 minutes I was in the upper deck. So much for that. I took my lumps and bought the tickets. Besides I am often accused of being a seat snob. My daughter is always saying "Daddd...it's about the music, you don't have to be back-stage." Maybe I should take a lesson from my 15 year old.

Last night as I turned the corner onto the road adjacent to the Greensboro Coliseum I could not believe the amount of cars in the road and in the lot. After several minutes of indexing through traffic that was actually moving very well I made it to the parking gate. I asked the attendant what was going on, as if this was an intelligent question, she said "No other events, just the concert." I went wow I have never seen this many cars in this lot and I have been to many shows here. The music was blaring everywhere and all I could hear from car to car, SUV to SUV was the Van Halen family band's greatest hits. It was a scene for sure.

My daughter Alex and I made our way to the door. Should I mention that the management of the Greensboro Coliseum put nice clean Port-o-johns in the parking lot? Can I also mention that there was only a $10 parking fee? Amplitheatres you need to pay attention.
As we made our way past multiple remote FM radio trucks blaring loud versions of Van Halen standards you could just feel the energy coming from the throngs of people going in the doors. Already the t-shirt vendors were overcome with throngs of people with fists full of cash pushing to get a $40 shirt with the Van Halen name on it. Oh yes these people are serious about this. Many were changing shirts right in front of the stand. Don't get me started with my fishnet hose count from last night. Yes hose sales must have been brisk last Friday.

We bought some refreshments and made our way to our seats. As I climbed the 75 degree steps I finally made it to my fabulous row R seats. I asked Alex at this point if she had a Kleenex as I felt a nose bleed coming on. Actually our seats weren't that bad. In this place most of the seats are rather good. We had quite the view of the "S" shaped runway below.

Around 7:45 Kymani Marley and his band came out and started playing. He pounded out one of his Dad's standards and I thought this was actually pretty good. By the time the second number started and the rapping started up I was headed back to the concession stand. Moving right along.http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=39604339

The lights went out. I could see Eddie on stage right. The sold-out crowd roared its approval. The hair on my neck went up and the notes screamed from the stage. OMG. Here we go.

The stage was now in full view as the curtain fell. There were 8 large white cabinets stacked neatly on each side behind Wolfgang and Eddie. The drum riser was full of drums. No less than four hybrid sets of drums blazen with the Van Halen logo. And there on stage for the first time since 1984 was David Lee Roth. Rain-thin, six-pack stomach blaring, short-cropped blonde hair, he looked like a rock star from a Carl Hiaasen Novel. http://www.carlhiaasen.com/books/basket.html

What an amazing night. I graduated from High School in 1977. All night the memories of riding around in cars hearing these songs on the 6 by 9 speakers back then kept coming into my head. It is amazing that this version of this band does this to me. Speaking of High School. David Lee Roth asked last night "Have you seen Wolfie's grades?" http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Van-Halen/And-The-Cradle-Will-Rock.html

Wolfie played the bass, he roamed the stage, and he sang last night. Amazing for a 16 year old. No he was not as seasoned as a rock veteran but he did his part. He is freakin' 16 man. Wow. I heard Mark Goodman http://www.sirius.com/big80s talking about how well Wolfgang might do in Michael Anthonys place. http://www.madanthonycafe.com/ "Running With the Devil" is the bass players song and they rocked it. I haven't seen that much crowd arm movement since the last time I saw Jimmy B play "Finz."

Mirror Balls and laser lights. What a night. The hits kept coming. Yes it was a greatest hits show but it was the best "rock" show I have ever seen hands down. OK so I am not counting the Stones as a rock show so don't start with me on that topic...David Lee Roth is no Mick Jagger. In fact he is moving slower and stiffer than decades ago, BUT his voice kicked some ass for his age. And I swear I saw him swing a rope across the stage when they played "Panama"...or was the MTV flashback? This is the band that should have stayed together. Eddie is looking better since rehab and maybe this tour will save his life. Everyone was all smiles last night.

It is not my place to review this show or give away all the fun but let's just say I got my monies-worth last night. I saw the Sammy Haggar version of this band some time ago and it was a fun show. I really like Sammy Haggar so don't take this the wrong way. This is the Van Halen band that should be on stage.

Last night David Lee Roth came out with an acoustic guitar and a hands-free microphone. He strolled the stage for several minutes stumming and telling the story of the early days of the band. Back when Van Halen played backyard parties. Then the band launched into "I'm Your Ice Cream Man." Very Nice.

Somebody Get Me A Doctor...
As I had just stood and watched through my binoculars the guitar legend had just made his collections of guitars scream. That is the only word to describe Edward's playing. He can make it scream. A true virtuoso. He was all over the stage slapping hands, kissing his kid, jumping off the riser, he was bouncing on the stage like he had springs on his custom red Converse shoes, sliding across the stage on his knees..on and on.

At the end of the two hour extravaganza the confetti flew, Diamond Dave waved the big red flag at the top of the stage, and the band pounded the final song. As I walked down the steps to the exit I was quietly listening to the crowd to get some hints of what the people thought about this show. One kid about 12 years old or so said to his friend "I will never forget this show as long as I live." Another man about 30 or so was telling his friend on his cell phone..."OMG what a show..they played everything for over two hours."

This band brought out many emotions in me last night. I walked to the Land Crusier in the parking lot with a skip in my step singing "Somebody Get Me a Doctor." That is what a great show should do. Charge your batteries and put a smile on your face. Rock on Van Halen. http://www.lyricsdepot.com/van-halen/somebody-get-me-a-doctor.html

Some other Van Halen story links are located here:

http://www.charlotte.com/multimedia/galleries/gallery/296298-a296252-t3.html

http://digg.com/music/Van_Halen_2007_Tour_rehearsal_photos

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=81651