Totally off topic...

[Brickman]

I know this doesn't belong on a dvd site, but I am a few short hours away from seeing the Van Halen reunion tour at the AAC in Dallas. I have been such a big fan of theirs since I was 11 or 12, but they broke up before I could ever see them.

I have seen David Lee Roth solo, and I have seen Van Halen with Hagar twice, but that cannot come close to what is in store tonight. 25 Roth-era songs. I can't wait. I have heard many good reviews of the shows so far.

My question is: What group would you like to see live that you haven't? Keep it to people who are actually living, not the Beatles or Hendrix.

I'll start:

1. Van Halen with Roth - check
2. Pink Floyd
3. Morrissey (preferably a Smith's reunion tour)
4. Black Label Society
5. Iron Maiden

[Guido Henkel]

Let me know how the Van Halen show turned out. I have been a Van Halen since me teenage years also but I have to admit I preferred Sammy Hagar over Roth - though of course some of the band's greatest classics are Roth-era, like Ain't talking about Love, Unchained, etc. During the Roth years, as a guitarist myself, I was actually more a fan of Eddie as opposed to the band per se.

As for concerts, I used to be a very strong and frequent concert goer so I've seen pretty much everything and everyone I've always wanted. But here's a short list of what I wanted to see and decided not to, because concert-going is just too much a drag these days and too expensive for my taste.

- Rolling Stones
- Pink Floyd
- The Police

One band I have not seen live yet and definitely want to check out is "Dream Theater," which for the past 10 years has probably been my favorite band with their amazing output during those years.

[kamikazesquid]

it think the only band i would care to see is Led Zeppelin. i'm hoping they end up doing a tour...even though tickets will be damn near impossible to get.

[Jason Briggs]

I liked Van Halen as a teen during the 1980s' too.
I never saw them live before. Never been to concert in
my life. I did look up Van Halen on youtube and found
some live video - Roth sounded horrible. Of course,
it might have been the recording device that made him
sound horrible. But Roth sounded horrible. Looking
back, what is Roth with out all those cat calls and
screams and such?

I was working with a young man who was studying
guitar in college along with music management or
something. He was going to a Van Halen concert on
the weekend and I asked - So, is Eddie Van Halen
one of the greatest guitar players ever? He laughed
at me and said - What? No way! You ever listen
to him? He makes tons of mistakes!

[Jason Briggs]

I wouldn't mind seeing Duran Duran. They were big
when I was getting into James Bond movies back in the
1980's. Also wouldnt mind seeing Lover Boy. Aren't there
any Lover Boy fans out there?

I would love to see Jerfferson Starship but I dont know if they
perform anymore.

[Brickman]

Jason,

I was a big Duran Duran fan too. Never seen them live, but their Live in London DVD from 2005 is definately worth getting. I'm also a Loverboy fan. I finally found a used CD of their Keep It Up cd to add to my collection.

As far as the concert review:

Mindblowing!!

I have seen the Roth clips on You Tube also, and it must be the recording devices, because he sounded great doing all the screams. He is such a showman and a great frontman for a group. Still doing karate kicks and spins and twirling mike stands like bo staffs. He just has the ability to make sure your having a good time. I was really surprised how well he sounded, because I always considered him to be the weakest of the bunch.

Alex is a heck of a drummer, and is going to be solid everytime. Not flashy, but you never have to worry about him behind the kit.

Wolfgang. The kid is sick!!! After reading an interview with Eddie in which he says Wolfgang had not been playing the bass that long, I was worried what the bass would sound like; I shouldn't have worried. Wolgang was amazing on the bass. The kid is like sixteen. He definately has his father's chops on the strings. He was doing two handed taps (like his pop) also.

Eddie. Today was Eddie's birthday (53. Didn't know until I got there) I have seen van Halen before when it was apparent that Eddie 1) wasn't interested in playing well, 2) too messed up to play well or 3) broke his hand and didn't tell anyone. Tonight, he played like he was on fire. I was so impressed with the clarity and feeling that he played with tonight. That was the best that I have seen him over the years.

Stage show. Nothing too fancy. Lights, Couple of lasers, Confetti at the end. Big video screen behind the band to show close ups of Eddie playing.

Crowd. People in the 30's and 40's (some with their kids). Saw virtually no teens or twentysomethings.

Overall, an amazing night. I have been waiting for 23 years for it and I was not disappointed. They might be in this for the money, but watching them, it looked like they were all 23 or 24 again. They genuinely looked like they were having a great time playing. I hope they continue as a band with a new album (like they said in the press conference for the reunion tour).

["Flicker"]

Topics like this and trivia might be reunite the spark of life this site needs.
Nothing against the moderators but we don't seem to have participation like we once had.

[Brutus]

Sounds like a great concert! I think my first Rock Concert was Pat Benatar "Get Nervous" tour when I was in college - actually a great show. Maybe they should have an 80's Ladies of Rock tour with Pat Benatar, Debbie Harry, ???

[Jason Briggs]

Crowd. People in the 30's and 40's (some with their kids). Saw virtually no teens or twentysomethings.




Glad you had a good time. I'm shocked - no or not too many
teens or twentysomethings? I thought they were naturally
attracted to that kind of music. Tick tock tick tock, times
change.

[Brickman]

Yeah, it kind of made me feel old. Part of it may have been the ticket prices too. $50 for nosebleeds. Maybe that's where the teens were. The other seats were $80 and $150.

I used to go to concerts all the time when I was in high school and college. Tickets were usually less than $20 and a t-shirt was $15. The T shirts last night were $35 - $55 each. Kids today really can't afford to go to see a lot of concerts. Shame really.

[Guido Henkel]

That's the thing. I wanted to see the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd a few years ago and tickets STARTED at $150! That's just crazy. It's still only going to be a 2-hour show. I'm not sure when they began jacking up concert prices like this, but it certainly kills the live scene for many people.

Even the Judas Priest "Angels of Retribution" tour started at $75 for the cheap seats. Ridiculous. I used to see them for $15 on the "Screaming For Vengeance" tour. Fortunately in Germany we do not have seating in rock concerts and back then we always made sure to get spots right in front of the stage. Those were the days, having some of the greatest bands at your fingertips and having people like Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson virtually jumping in your face.

[Davex]

I'd like to see Led Zeppelin but won't be able to afford it if they come. I wish I would have seen Queen and David Bowie as well. I've seen almost everyone I've ever wanted to beyond that. I never saw VH back in the day although I had many chances (We had the first record the day it came out!). My wife worked at the show when they were here a few months back and she said it was pretty good. I may go see Kraftwerk if they play here as rumored they might.

[Cos56]

I Got a LATE Ticket last week as VH play here Feb 1st - I've seen Sammy & VH Numerous x's but NEVER DLR fronting them but I will miss Michael Anthony as H IS a big part of VH's sound..

I was debating Queensryche, Billy Joel or VH, I Thought about ALL 3 & I Have the cash but I did'nt feel like cramming ALL 3 in 2 weeks time, Billy Joel & QR were back to back nights - I Feel guilty about Billy Joel as he is a Long Island - Heroe/con, - QR I've seen every year or 2 without missing a beat & I've seen them The Most of any times wise. So VH Won out...

So I Bought a VH tick after I Got My RUSH tixx for Red Rocks on June 5th :)1st row & Rumor is they may add a 2nd show june 4th but if they do I'll go but will buy the Lesser seats for that one..

Matt

[Bad Guy (Ariel)]

Pink Floyd is a group I never got too see that I wish I did.

Same with Queen, but without Freddie Mercury, it ain't Queen. :(

If I can get tix, I'd definitely go see Zeppelin. Closest I've come is seeing Robert Plant & Jimmy Page when they did that tour together back in the nineties.

Hoping that Van Halen comes back through town as I wasn't able to go the last time they came around. Never saw them with DLR.