VAN HALEN LIVE WITHOUT A NET-MARCH 21st @ SCOTIABANK PLACE

Van Halen

Scotiabank Place March 21, 2012

Prologue

Last time that Van Halen and I were in the same building was the Toronto stop on their 2004 tour. The night before, Chris, Tweed, Red, Jim and Sean sat in a circle around a table with guitars, emptied way too many beer bottles and played tunes far into the wee hours. The next day my head was like a football, I thought that I was going to die. Tell me, me-o-me-o-my, wasn't that a party?

The pre-concert debauchery was far more memorable than the event itself. The sound was dodgy, Eddie was off of his game and Sammy Hagar, while a pro, couldn't save the gig from being merely average.

Flash forward to March 21, 2012. No booze (for myself, Red, Doug or Eddie), Uncle "Diamond" Dave was at the mic and the mighty Van Halen stormed through one of the best live shows that I have seen in quite some time.

Kool and the Gang opened up and they put the assembled crowd in a good mood with a mix of their 70s and 80s hits. Musically, they were tight, acquitting themselves very well in every respect. Showmanship, spot on vocal harmonies, razor sharp horn section...it was clear that this was a group that (for the original members at least) paid their dues with 40 plus years of gigging. No fake vocals/pre-recorded tracks.

Closing with "Celebration", they had a predominantly "rock" crowd on their feet and cheering.

Following the stage turnover, which took some time, Van Halen stepped out in a hail of drum-fire, guitar and bass pyrotechnics, stopped dead and EVH tore into the unmistakable riff that kicks off "Unchained".

David Lee Roth then strutted to his position in the spotlight, wearing a broad smile that only widened as the crowd welcomed him with a roar that could have drowned out a passing 747.

With that began a two hour extravaganza that was louder than God.

My buddies were in the 6th row on the floor and I was seated just a few rows back from them. It was the perfect vantage point to take in all of the action. That being said, footage/pictures were captured. Header photo provided by Red Curtis. Here's "Panama" courtesy of Doug Cameron.



Dave's comment about his "union contract" was priceless. Seeing him take command of the stage was a bit of all right. He has made adjustments to how he delivers his vocals, due to age and the disappearance of his higher register, but if I could do a goddamn scissor kick at 60 then I would surely tell my critics exactly where they could shove their comments about my voice. Speaking of singing, that's where father and son spent the majority of their time during the show. Wolfie and Ed had a great vocal blend and there were some nice three-part harmonies happening. Michael Anthony's voice was missed, though Wolfgang was pretty damn stellar on the four string. He played some great lines throughout the show and has certainly earned his place alongside Uncle Alex and Papa Ed.

Alex Van Halen is a force of nature. Grinning behind ever-present shades and semi-stripped down Ludwig kit, the man was a virtual atomic clock. His solo was brief (but good) and he solidly flew through the evening, playing with the energy of someone half his age.

Brother Edward was no less impressive. Given the string of adversity that has befallen him since the late 90s, it was great to see him melodically shred through both the classics and the new songs, which held their own in the set. Smiling as he peeled off astounding solos and stunningly precise salvos that bit down hard into the collective ears of the crowd, EVH had new tricks up his sleeve that only served to solidify his genius as a musician.

Have to admit that there was nearly a tear during his solo, especially as he wound through "Cathedral". Jaw-dropping excellence...



Pound for pound, there was not one bit of wasted space in the entire show. While I missed "Mean Street" and "Outta Love Again", it was amazing to experience "Girl Gone Bad" up close and personal. Even the little mistakes were fun as hell to watch (Wolf and Dave harmonizing but singing two completely different lines of "Pretty Woman" at the same time, Alex falling out of time with the synths in "Jump" and steering the band right back in time like a pro).

Here's a tip for all of you fakers out there who mime to backing tapes: QUIT and stop cheating people out of hard-earned ticket money. Conversely, here's a word for those who pay to see such fake shows: Don't support that shit.

By the time of the encores, the entire building was euphoric and confetti rained over the stage as "Jump" brought things to a close. Rip Taylor would have been proud.

Highlights? The whole thing! Their backline wall of amps blew my head off, though I would gladly see them again on this tour if I had the chance. Rockers with walkers? No way. Brilliant band who remain impressive in 2012.

Unchained
Running With the Devil
She’s the Woman
Romeo’s Delight
Tattoo
Everybody Wants Some
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
Chinatown
Hear About it Later
Oh, Pretty Woman
You Really Got Me
The Trouble With Never
Dance the Night Away
I’ll Wait
Hot for Teacher
Women in Love
Girl Gone Bad
Beautiful Girls
Ice Cream Man
Panama
Ain’t Talkin’ About Love
Jump