The Palladium, 14th Street…1979, my second-ever arena concert—Van Halen—touring behind their second album. I played that LP to death and had a feeling they would open with “Light Up The Sky,” my favorite track. In those days, set lists were a big surprise; apart from radio, you didn’t hear much about a show unless your school buddies were there. And the subways, our way to reach 14th Street, were nothing like today. The aesthetic is most aptly depicted in Bruce Davidson’s classic time capsule called Subway.
Twenty-nine years later my good buddy Tom turned out tickets for the VH reunion tour appearing at Madison Square Garden with Wolfgang Van Halen-Bertinelli subbing for should-be bassist Michael Anthony. Our seats weren’t much better than the upper balcony view I had three decades ago, but the show, replete with what have become slightly cheesy but very enjoyable rock anthems and sing-a-longs, was a blast. Ironically, the three fifty-plus-year-old members of the band are in stellar shape while the seventeen-year old bassist struggles to fit in. Musically, they were tight and entertaining. It’s possible they may have piped in pre-recorded backing vocals to fill out the sound—difficult to know for sure. What a treat to hear all the David Lee Roth-era tunes which defined the classic Van Halen repertoire from 1978-84. Eddie Van Halen still plays exceptionally well and Roth holds his own sans the extreme acrobatics.
This was a rare arena concert indulgence. The songs are still fun…why not indulge? It brings me back to opening up Van Halen’s first album as a fifteen year-old kid at Christmas.
Shakin’ and bakin’ on the F train headed towards Madison Square Garden.
David Lee Roth entertains out on the stage extension during the encore.
Van Halen 2008 bids farewell to the Garden crowd.
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