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A hard rock/metal fan for nearly 40 years, raised on ‘70s staples like Kiss, AC/DC, Blue Öyster Cult and Ted Nugent, it surprises many that I've never really been into Van Halen. Sure, had the initial pair of albums, but that was as much due to the old Columbia House Record Club's 12 vinyls for a penny (and their lack of truly heavy choices). While appreciating the guitar talent, my tastes quickly went overseas and underground. Having witnessed the band live just twice before, August 27th, at Camden, NJ, was the first time I'd actually attended a concert specifically to see David Lee Roth and the family Van Halen! Unlike most in attendance, there was no blind idolatry. Parties, the virtually identical playlists of Philly's two FM affiliates and, eventually, MTV, kept me aware of each successive VH release. 

Some bands transcend the metal tag, earning devout fans who otherwise would never listen to a "metal" band. VH, Ozzy, the aforementioned acts and lately Metallica, Slipknot, 5 Finger Death Punch and Avenged Sevenfold all draw a large cross-section of concert-goers.Thus, this last gasp of summer, outdoor date at the Susquehanna Bank Center, was a multi-generational experience, like a Fast Times At Ridgemont High class reunion. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, another killer guitarist, opened. Shame they couldn't introduce a newer, up-and-coming band, but his electric piano and acoustic accompanied blues covers gave the 50-60 somethings a chance to stay in their seats, smoking/sipping whatever they were able to smuggle into the venue and save their energy for their heroes, who deliver a fan-approved, hit laden journey through the back catalog. Tonight, complete with a couple of unscripted surprises.

Prior to anyone taking the stage, talcum powder was liberally applied to the floor, then smoothed to a find mist, with a whisk broom, by one of the crew. This allowed David Lee Roth to slide/skate/swagger/swivel his hips around his portion of the stage. Without any grandiose intro, Alex Van Halen jumped behind the kit, played a fill and the rest of the band appeared, launching straight into 'Light Up The Sky'. Throughout the night, the skinsman wore dark shades and the Go-Pro cams gave everyone, even the packed house on the lawn, a close-up view. 'Running With The Devil' sees the singer continuous complain and gesture to the sound guy at the side of the stage, repeatedly saying things like "Wake Up" or "You're asleep."Ironically enough, the lyric "Can't take it anymore," in 'Romeo Delight' prodded Roth to action, first repeatedly yelling "Wait a second. Hold on!" as he waved his arms, and eventually cutting the music all together, mid-song. From the photo pit, guitarist/namesake Eddie Van Halen's eye roll was obvious. Roth explained that the situation would blow put his voice and the fans only deserved the best, so they re-started the song! 

By this time, Roth had removed the jacket inwhich he started the night and was singing in a long sleeve, neon chartreuse Under Armour, beneath a black dress vest. For 'Everybody Wants Some', he accessorized, with a white, knee length scarf. On the screen behind the drums, an electronic snowfall, as the silver hair and goateed guitarist got a moment in the limelight, grinding out notes with the guitar parallel to the floor. Smiling, in jeans and a t-shirt, Eddie didn't run around the stage, and did just one mid-air jump split (at the end of 'Eruption'), age and hip replacement surgery will do that to you. Not many in attendance could have attempted either. Regardless, he genuinely seemed to be having fun. The showcase of six-string histrionics afforded the frontman an opportunity to grab some alcohol, Dave open-mouth laughing as he produced the rectangular bottled brown liquid (Knob Creek?) from the drum riser, for all to see. He changed the lyrics to "I like the way the line runs up the back of the New Jersey stockings."



'Drop Dead Legs' kicks off with Roth saying, "Stripper music? What a surprise." Upon its conclusion, leaving the stage and extricating himself from the sweaty, form fitting Under Armour (the first of many costume changes), it's visible that Dave is heavily tatted (something you don't see onstage), a mosaic (of what appears to be Asian influenced work) completely covers his back and most of the chest, a few flowing onto his arms, above the elbow. Returning to the stage for 'Feel Your Love Tonight', he's decked out in black suede evening jacket, with silver highlight and a black dress shirt, unbuttoned to the navel, underneath. Know Wolfgang, Eddie's son, had large shoes to fill, for bassist Michael Anthony, but does he need to fill out his waistline too? The beefy youngster is practically morphing into the old bearded four-stringer before our eyes.   

'Somebody Get Me a Doctor' is our cue to vacate the photo pit and stash our gear, so only heard from afar. by 'She's A Woman', back in the amphitheater, the dual structural arches over the stage illuminated in purple. The guitarist and his son are together, for the first time, on the bassist's side of the stage, to begin 'China Town'. Later, under red light, Wolfie reciprocates, visiting Dad's side. Eddie unleashes a couple of dive bomb runs. Synth intro on a blackened stage heralds 'I'll Wait', Roth now in shiny, blue satin baseball jacket, the stage lit in approximately the same hue. That leads into Alex's drum solo, again, the mini-cams enhance the perspective, although there's all kinds of added sonic effects atop his playing. Is it just me or has he started to look like comedian-turned- Law & Order: SVU actor Richard Belzer? The time out allows old Dave to take another belt and return in pink striped suitcoat, as the stage goes red, white and blue of 'Little Guitars', which sees Wolfie step onto the drum riser. It all ends abruptly, Eddie alone, center stage.

'Dance The Night Away' is colored purple, Dave taken to parading around with a bright yellow hankie. There's something right about a non-stop threesome of 'Beautiful Girls', an otherwise static 'Women In Love' and 'Hot for Teacher'. Eddie taps the hammer-on out on the neck frets while Roth is now sleeveless and ad-libs the famous chorus to Bloodhound Gang's 'Fire Water Burn'. "Dirty Movies" prompts another unscheduled break. Stopped almost as soon as it starts, because someone lobs a beer onstage (right in the vicinity of whatever talc is left in Mr. Roth's neighborhood), as the crew towels up the moisture, the singer flips off the unknown hurler, uses the mic in a suggestive manner and chastises, "In a younger day, I would have promised to sleep with his girlfriend. At this point in my career, the roughest, most fucked insult I can probably say to this guy is that I've probably already slept with his wife." Cue laughs, including a huge grin from Eddie. "Can you control that mother fucker? I'll talk to you later, sweetheart. The next time, save the beer for me, you slut!" 

Personal favorite 'Ice Cream Man' (even though it's not really a Van Halen penned tune) was up next, always loved the raging dynamic changes within. Tonight, it features Roth, seated, with harmonica and acoustic guitar. He starts talking about sport and telling jokes. "Today, I was pretty good at Nike Kung Fu...I put on my tennis shoes and ran." Al gets my jokes. Ed gets my jokes, he just wonders why I make them." Alone onstage, he rambled about living in Japan, the profanity appreciating East Coast mentality, amongst others before playing the aforementioned in a cross between serious and Steve Martin parody, before the Van Halens rejoin him. With his now unplugged acoustic, Roth stands behind Eddie, mimicking his fleet-finger prowess.



In a torrent of strobes, 'Unchained' kicks off, Dave brandishing a half-stick mic holder for the first time, while 'Ain't Talkin' Bout Love' brings the guitarist to life. Those tell-tale introductory notes getting one of the biggest responses of the night, as a electronic burst ringed around Alex on the screen behind him. Eddie started bouncing, throwing his hands up, overhead, as Roth punctuated the notes with fist thrust skyward and playing with the mic stand. Everyone leaves, as the stage goes black, then under white spot, Eddie appears for a solo. With guitar pick in his mouth, he begins all sorts of two-handed tricks,then a one-handed control knob workout before ending with 'Eruption', which saw the entire band (Roth in banana yellow blazer) go into their version of The Kinks' 'You Really Got Me'. 

'Panama' and 'Jump', nearly pop by comparison, close the set. Sure the voice might be thin in places and they're not the svelte matinee idols that adorned countless bedroom posters, for decades, but they're in remarkably good shape for AARP members who survived the excesses of the ‘80s and they still draw big crowds. Health, family, fun... and making money at it. What more do you need? Van Halen show no signs of stopping, or being stopped.