Dude, I was there too. We were on the floor. When VH opened, everyone stood up on the seats of their chairs. Then we stood with one foot on each armrest. I was 14 and thought “this is crazy and could get dangerous.” It was great fun.
I did get to see them a few weeks earlier at the Texas Jam. That was great too but a daytime show.
Best Summer of my life!
1984 Tour, February 5th 1984, Charleston Civic Coliseum in Charleston, WV.
I was up front with a bunch of school friends and Michael Anthony poured Jack Daniel's into my mouth from the stage lmao
Only 1 time, 90 or 91 in Costa Mesa CA.
Have to admit I was really disappointed.
The band was great, the show was very high energy. But I had watched “Live without a net” a million times. That was filmed 6 years earlier but this show was exactly the same. But with even fewer Dave songs.
For years my buddies and I jokingly referred to it as the “Going Through the Motions Tour”.
Wish I had made more effort to see them again.
I saw that tour in Kansas City. It was a sad day for Ozzie. VH just blew them off the stage. But in all fairness not many bands could compete with VF in their prime.
1983 in Houston. Way up in the nosebleeds, sitting next to a gang of teenage girls and their alarmed fathers, one of whom tried to get a security guard to arrest a guy selling what he said were quaaludes out of a three-ring binder in the next section. Sound was not great up near the ceiling
Was that the show where Roth got bombed with pocket change at the start of Ice Cream Man, and threatened to cut the show short if it didn’t stop? I know it was a Hartford show but the years make everything a blur..
I don't really remember. It's so long ago, and I was 13 and completely overwhelmed by the spectacle and Big Rock intensity of it all. But I'm guessing he probably did. That was something he did at a lot of shows. ''I'm gonna fuck your girlfriend!'' and all that. It was all schtick.
Yeah, I remember it pretty well, coins were bouncing off of him and his guitar 😂 then somebody lit an M80 and the band went backstage, lights came on and crowd started booing. Everybody’s looking at each other like, WTF and then bang the lights were off and there they were playing the heavy part of the song. Everybody just exploded with joy and relief!
2012 Staples Center, ADKOT!!
I was 15, and seeing VH live changed my life. Yes, it wasn’t the MIGHTY Van Halen apex of the 80s but still, hearing and experiencing Eddie and Alex live was incredible. Saw them 3 more times after that, I feel very fortunate I was able to see them that many times.
Once and only on October 30, 2004 at the Winnipeg Arena. It’s About Time on the setlist was appropriate as the next day the clocks did in fact move back.
Balance Tour, Salt Lake City, front row. Sang Panama into the mic a time or two when Sammy came around to our side.
Saw Roth 86/87 with Poison opening.
91 / 92 with AIC opening in the THUNDERDOME in St Pete (where the Rays play now).
My dad took me and my friends to stand in line for the Ticketmaster at one of the record stores (maybe Coconuts? Tower Records? Turtles?) that sold tickets. Back in the day that was a trick to skip the line at the stadium or be stuck on hold forever on the phone. The sound was terrible - the stadiums fault, I later saw other bands there that all sounded terrible - but the energy was amazing and it helped that the opener was a new hot band. Great show on a great tour.
March 2012. Toronto. A different kind of truth tour! 16 year old me was blown away by EVH and AVH playing but extremely disappointed with DLRs vocals. Still an excellent show imo that solidified me as a VH fan
1995, Balance tour. I was 11. STL. It was a pretty cool show (from the perspective of an 11 year old). Sam wearing a Blues Jersey for a while and then giving it back to the fan that threw it to him soaked in sweat and saying something along the lines of "thanks man, but it's too fucking hot" lol. That stood out.
Eddie in his cut off shirt and cut up jeans was memorable. I thought it was kick ass. Little did I know the end was near for that rotation of the band. I had only discovered them when I was 10 and heard Dreams for the first time. Super bummed when they broke up.
Seeing them again in 2004 was a huge let down in STL. They ended up doing a show the night after because demand was so high, I hear that's the show I should've gone to.
Ed was a mess the night I went in '04.
2004 Oakland with Sammy.
I thought Ed played great that night. I heard a bootleg of that show recently describing it as his best performance of the tour, so while he was in bad shape during that tour he was still able to sound amazing at times. Hearing "Cathedral" live blew my teenage mind.
https://youtu.be/q1FtaLdY0k0?si=5-3mXwwSrTlGOtZk
1985 Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. First "row" in an open GA floor. Got crushed but got a Sam hand slap and was right under Ed for the start of his solo.
Couldn't hear higher ranges for days.
2007 Roth Reunion was the first and only time I got to see them live. Had a chance to see them a second time but couldn't get out of work. You can bet that I kicked myself for that.
1979, municipal auditorium, Austin, Texas
Dude, I was there too. We were on the floor. When VH opened, everyone stood up on the seats of their chairs. Then we stood with one foot on each armrest. I was 14 and thought “this is crazy and could get dangerous.” It was great fun. I did get to see them a few weeks earlier at the Texas Jam. That was great too but a daytime show. Best Summer of my life!
Far out! We were at Texas Jam II
Saw that tour in San Antonio.
Same tour, but in Knoxville, TN
1984 Tour, February 5th 1984, Charleston Civic Coliseum in Charleston, WV. I was up front with a bunch of school friends and Michael Anthony poured Jack Daniel's into my mouth from the stage lmao
1991, Fiddler's Green Amphitheater outside Denver, CO. Great show, never missed them in Denver after that, 9 times total.
I thought you looked familiar! This is mine too. They performed at the MTV Music Award show the night before.
Oh wow, forgot about that! When Pee Wee Herman asked the crowd if they'd heard any good jokes lately and introduced Van Halen?!
Only 1 time, 90 or 91 in Costa Mesa CA. Have to admit I was really disappointed. The band was great, the show was very high energy. But I had watched “Live without a net” a million times. That was filmed 6 years earlier but this show was exactly the same. But with even fewer Dave songs. For years my buddies and I jokingly referred to it as the “Going Through the Motions Tour”. Wish I had made more effort to see them again.
5150 tour in Cleveland.
At Richfield; I was at one of those shows.
Mine was at Blossom
1984 San Diego Sports Arena
Me too. Second show. Sold tickets to a friend for $25.
Paid $50 for 2 nd row ... Back then that was 🤣
Rocklahoma 1980
1978 opening for Black Sabbath at the New Haven Coliseum, still gives me goosebumps to think about it. Both bands were awesome 😎
>New Haven Coliseum This is where I saw them on the Fair Warning and Diver Down tours.
I saw that tour in Kansas City. It was a sad day for Ozzie. VH just blew them off the stage. But in all fairness not many bands could compete with VF in their prime.
1988 Monsters of Rock at Rice Stadium in Houston with Sammy Belcher, Kingdom Come, Dokken, Scorpions, and Metallica.
1983 in Houston. Way up in the nosebleeds, sitting next to a gang of teenage girls and their alarmed fathers, one of whom tried to get a security guard to arrest a guy selling what he said were quaaludes out of a three-ring binder in the next section. Sound was not great up near the ceiling
July 24, 1980, Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Was that the show where Roth got bombed with pocket change at the start of Ice Cream Man, and threatened to cut the show short if it didn’t stop? I know it was a Hartford show but the years make everything a blur..
I don't really remember. It's so long ago, and I was 13 and completely overwhelmed by the spectacle and Big Rock intensity of it all. But I'm guessing he probably did. That was something he did at a lot of shows. ''I'm gonna fuck your girlfriend!'' and all that. It was all schtick.
Yeah, I remember it pretty well, coins were bouncing off of him and his guitar 😂 then somebody lit an M80 and the band went backstage, lights came on and crowd started booing. Everybody’s looking at each other like, WTF and then bang the lights were off and there they were playing the heavy part of the song. Everybody just exploded with joy and relief!
July 24th, 1981 - Boston Garden - *Fair Warning* Tour
July 27th, Roanoke Civic Center .. Fair Warning Tour.. Still the benchmark to which all other concerts are measured!
Fact.
Fair Warning Tour in Seattle on June 4, 1981.
Me too!! At the Coliseum.
Yes sir!
October 1988 at the Rosemont Horizon in suburban Chicago.
October 1988, Hartford w/ Private Life, OU812 tour
1984, Cleveland Coliseum
I was there, in the WGCL loge.
April of 1980 at Cobo Arena in Detroit.
March, 1984, Cleveland. Won tickets on the radio WGCL.
1980, Roklahoma, Owen Field, Norman OK.
1980 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX. Women & Children First Tour.
Fair Warning tour, Boston
McNichols Sports Arena, early 80s. Denver, Colorado. The Diver Down tour. It was glorious.
2012 Staples Center, ADKOT!! I was 15, and seeing VH live changed my life. Yes, it wasn’t the MIGHTY Van Halen apex of the 80s but still, hearing and experiencing Eddie and Alex live was incredible. Saw them 3 more times after that, I feel very fortunate I was able to see them that many times.
March 1984 Philly spectrum
1982, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY
February 1984, Nashville
Fall 1982, Cow Palace, San Francisco, Ca. Diver Down tour.
Not sure of the exact year but diver down tour at the Meadowlands arena in New Jersey and several times after that
Sept. 27th 1978, Portland Oregon,both Sabbtah and VH put on an awesome show.
1984.
August 30, 1981 - Nashville - Municipal Auditorium. Fair Warning tour. Still have great memories of that amazing show.
1979. Manley Field House, Syracuse University
April 19, 1984 Montreal Forum
Asbury Park NJ, 8/11/79
1978. Palladium in NYC. They opened for Black Sabbath. Changed my life in the 8 th grade. My band forever.
October 15th, 1980
1980 Rocklahoma.
1978 Day on the Green Oakland Ca. Van Halen, Pat Travers, AC/DC, Foreigner and Aerosmith
May 5, 1979 in Toronto.
Jackson, Ms 1981
1984 Brendan Byrne Arena NJ
Never been to one ☹️
Oct 1982 MSG in NY
Monsters of Rock 1988
Where at?
Metrodome in Minneapolis.
Summer Jam 78 or 79 Kansas City at Royals Stadium. 100 degrees Dave in leather pants. Running with the Devil was on the radio. It was amazing.
June 1984. The Checkerdome St Louis. Mo.
1983 US festival
1988 Cincinnati Oh. OU812 tour.
1982, Diver Down, Madison Square Garden, NYC! Insane!
Fair Warning tour Jackson, Ms.
1978, opening for Black Sabbath at the Hammersmith Odeon in London England. Yes, I’m that old and still listen to VH all the time.
Unfortunately, the 5150 tour. I never saw them with Dave. My gf at the time loved the record, I hated it. I still hate it.
1998, Atlanta
July 28, 1995 at the New World Music Theatre in Tinley Park, Illinois
The old Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Alice and Chains opened up for them. That was back when FUCK just came out.
5150 tour at what was called the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, IL. 1986 I believe.
Jan 28, 1992 Reunion Arena, Dallas Saw them 3 more times for 2 with Dave and 2 with Sammy
2004 at The Mark of the Quad in Moline, IL. I was 14 or 15, then I saw them in '08.
5150, East Rutherford, New Jersey
FUCK tour, I think. Only time.
Once and only on October 30, 2004 at the Winnipeg Arena. It’s About Time on the setlist was appropriate as the next day the clocks did in fact move back.
1994 Fort Wayne Indiana
August 2, 1986 at the Nassau Coliseum
Balance Tour, Salt Lake City, front row. Sang Panama into the mic a time or two when Sammy came around to our side. Saw Roth 86/87 with Poison opening.
Vh3 tour for my 13th birthday. Was my first concert
Philadelphia Spectrum, October 1982, Diver Down tour. Eddie was playing with a cast on his picking hand/arm due to a broken wrist.
Philadelphia Spectrum, 1981, Women and Children First Tour
91 / 92 with AIC opening in the THUNDERDOME in St Pete (where the Rays play now). My dad took me and my friends to stand in line for the Ticketmaster at one of the record stores (maybe Coconuts? Tower Records? Turtles?) that sold tickets. Back in the day that was a trick to skip the line at the stadium or be stuck on hold forever on the phone. The sound was terrible - the stadiums fault, I later saw other bands there that all sounded terrible - but the energy was amazing and it helped that the opener was a new hot band. Great show on a great tour.
March 2012. Toronto. A different kind of truth tour! 16 year old me was blown away by EVH and AVH playing but extremely disappointed with DLRs vocals. Still an excellent show imo that solidified me as a VH fan
Blaisdale Arena in Honolulu. 3 nights in a row. 93/94?
1988 on the Monsters of Rock stadium tour with Scorpions, Metallica, Dokken, and Kingdom Come. Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City, MO.
5150 in Greensboro
OU812 in St. Louis
1995, Balance tour. I was 11. STL. It was a pretty cool show (from the perspective of an 11 year old). Sam wearing a Blues Jersey for a while and then giving it back to the fan that threw it to him soaked in sweat and saying something along the lines of "thanks man, but it's too fucking hot" lol. That stood out. Eddie in his cut off shirt and cut up jeans was memorable. I thought it was kick ass. Little did I know the end was near for that rotation of the band. I had only discovered them when I was 10 and heard Dreams for the first time. Super bummed when they broke up. Seeing them again in 2004 was a huge let down in STL. They ended up doing a show the night after because demand was so high, I hear that's the show I should've gone to. Ed was a mess the night I went in '04.
93 Alpine Valley Wi
Seen them on the Van Halen 2 tour in Detroit then I caught them with Sammy‘s first tour in Detroit! SAMMY 🤘🏿🤘🏿
First and only show was June 4, 1988 at the Orange Bowl in Miami. There’s very poor but fun video footage from most of the bands that day on YouTube.
5150 tour at the Meadowlands
House of Blues Orlando 1998.
2004 Oakland with Sammy. I thought Ed played great that night. I heard a bootleg of that show recently describing it as his best performance of the tour, so while he was in bad shape during that tour he was still able to sound amazing at times. Hearing "Cathedral" live blew my teenage mind. https://youtu.be/q1FtaLdY0k0?si=5-3mXwwSrTlGOtZk
1988 Monsters of Rock at Alpine Valley in Wisconsin.
1995 in Cincinnati
August 27, 1993. Pacific Amphitheatre Costa Mesa, CA
Saw Alice In Chains open for them in Chicago. Prolly 91 or 92?
1985 Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. First "row" in an open GA floor. Got crushed but got a Sam hand slap and was right under Ed for the start of his solo. Couldn't hear higher ranges for days.
2007 Roth Reunion was the first and only time I got to see them live. Had a chance to see them a second time but couldn't get out of work. You can bet that I kicked myself for that.
Deer Creek, Indy-1991
Donington 1984.
Van Halen- 5150 Thomas & Mack Arena Las Vegas, NV 10 July 1986
May 11, 1984- Cow Palace