VAN HALEN CONCERT - ST. LOUIS, MO

VAN HALEN CONCERT

ST. LOUIS, MO

4/29/12

Was having dinner at a restaurant in St. Louis when a couple at the table next to us mentioned they were going to a Van Halen concert at 7:30.  It was around 5:30 the night of the concert.  I got on my iPhone and logged onto Stubhub.com   seconds later I had two fifth row seats to see Van Halen at 7:30.

After printing the tickets back at the hotel we ventured to the Scottrade Center to see these 1980's rockers live.  The opening act was Kool and the Gang.  Go figure?  Had a great time.  While David Lee Roth at 57 years old has lost most of his vocal range, Eddie Van Halen and his son were incredible.  

Here is the review from the St. Louis Dispatch

By Daniel Durchholz

Midway through Van Halen's hour and 50 minute performance at Scottrade Center on a Sunday night, singer David Lee Roth posed the rhetorical question, "Is there such a thing as rock and roll without complaining?"  Of course there is.  And Van Halen Roth, plus brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen on guitar and drums, respectively, plus Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass - epitomizes hard rocks party-hearty, fund at all costs attitude, evidenced by the bands late 70's - early 80's run of classic albums and its surprisingly on-point new release, "A Different Kind of Truth".

And yet, there are complaints to be filed, most of them involving Roth.  At 57, he no longer stalks the stage like a predatory king of the jungle, coming off instead as an eager-to-please song and dance man. His determination to entertain is admirable, but there's a desperate, Norma Desmond air about him too. 

Besides, the real show is taking place to his left.  In recovery from both alcohol abuse and cancer, Eddie Van Halen remains one of rock's wonders to behold, reeling off impossibly fleet-fingered solos and chunky power chords, still cracking his trademark smile as if his six strings pyrotechnics were no big deal.  His dazzling solo spotlight was the show's musical and emotional epicenter.

The stage was sleek and uncluttered but dominated by a massive video screen that underlined Diamond Dave and Eddie to large-than-life status.  The 22 song set was filled with favorites, plus a few choice nuggets and songs from their new album.

But for every off-the-charts performance, such as the crushing "I'll Wait" and the explosive "Hot for Teacher", there was a song or two that came up lacking.  Roth seemed gassed, lagging behind the beat during "You Really Got Me." On "Dance The Night Away," he tried singing in a register no longer available to him.  And on "Beautiful Girls," he forgot the words.

Still, the singer gamely offered a few of his athletic moves of old - a scissor kick here, splits there - after which he mimed using a walker and tossing it away.  He spouted a little street - corner philosophy (" I say mistakes make people") and claimed "62 days, clean and sober,"Over applause, he cracked, "No, not in a row." If vaudeville ever makes a comeback, Diamond Dave will be there, without complaint.