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[kma371]

Date: August 13th, 2004
City: Oakland, CA
Venue: Oakland Coliseum
Setlist: N/A
Length: N/A
Format: N/A
Menu's (Authored): N/A
VIDEO Quality/Generation: N/A
For multiple angle shows, shot where?: N/A
Audio Quality/Generation: N/A
Comments: N/A

Seeing this show is a little ways off...this post may be a little pre-mature, but I can't wait!

:dance:

[kma371]

Well, only three days away now. Who's gonna be there? Any tapers?

[kma371]

Hello eveyone, just got home from the show. The show was awesome compared to some of the reviews the band got for their other shows in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Jose, Sacramento). Those shows seemed to have gotten the short end of the stick when it came to overall performance.

I bought 2 General Admission seats for $90. I got to the arena at about 5:15-5:30. They hadn't opened the doors yet so I waited in line with the rest of the General Admission folks. I was suprised to find that there was only about 100-125 people ahead of me. They opened the doors at 6:00, checked us in and I walked onto the floor expecting it to be somewhat full on the General Admission floor. Well...it wasn't. I walked right up to the stage. The only people ahead of me where the ILOVEALLACCESS people who paid $400+ to be there. Only one person was in front of me the entire concert, and in front of him was the stage. One of the ILAA people even said to me "did you guys win your tickets or something? How did you get so close?" I told him I just bought GA seats, he looked confused on how his ticket compared to my ticket got the same seats. Oh well.

Shinedown came on at about 7:25PM. They played about four or five songs. Couldn't tell you the names of them. I do know they played "45" which is one of their hit songs right now.

The ALL MIGHTY VH came on about 8:25-8:30. Eddie came out first and had a smoke behind stage. We could all see him but the show hadn't actually started yet. He played a few licks, smoked his cig and began the show with Jump.

The rest of the order I couldn't name song for song, but it was all the usual ones with exception to Sammy's solo. He played the beginning of the Bob Dylan "everybody must get stoned" song (can't remember the name of it sorry) they played Eagles Fly and then Hallelujah.

Eddies solo wasn't that great. I was kind of dissapointed. The coolest part was when Eddie says "I don't know what the fuck to play!" I shouted out "Eruption" and the guy behind me shouted out "Spanish Fly." Eddie picked "Spanish Fly" and played the entire thing. It was pretty sweet!

Anyway, the show was worth the six year wait.

-Bill

[Anonymous]

Damn...what an unbelievable night! My buddy and I purchased the 5 star package back in April and it was well worth every penny. After being fed some pretty decent food and Budweiser, we heard the Great One noodling around on his guitar in the arena. They didn't let us down there until about 5-10 minutes into his sound check. When they finally opened the curtain for us, Eddie was just standing by himself just wailing away with his sunburst Peavey. After a few minutes, Al and Mike joined him and Ed grabbed his drill and the band shot into a sans Sammy version of Poundcake. I don't remember every single sound check song, but I sure as hell remember them playing Running with the Devil and I'm the One with Michael Anthony leading everyone in the "Ba Ba Da, Shoo Be Doo Wa" part. They didn't take any requests, but who cares? At the end, Eddie handed a guy a cup full of picks to hand out. Although I didn't get a pick during the hand out, a really cool guy I met from Arizona grabbed an extra one and gave it to me. OK, a word of advice to anyone still going with a 5 star pass - Don't go on the back stage tour! As soon as the band stops their soundcheck, go get your spot on the rail and don't move for the rest of the night. That's how we wound up on Eddie's side right on the front of the rail.

Shinedown came on around 7:30. Nothing good came out of that, but the funniest part of the night came after their first song and it got real quiet until someone in the general admission yelled out "Fuck You!" to the lead singer. I'm not sure why he yelled it, but it sure was funny...

OK, when Van Halen finally came out at 8:30ish, Eddie just came out and started wailing with that huge brown sound for a minute or so. Then the rest of the band came out, Sammy yells "Hello Baby!" and the keys come on for Jump. Eddie looked a little tired, but he reallly gave it everything he had. He gave me a few thumbs up signs which, coming from my guitar idol, really meant a lot. There was no Wolfie sighting for Eddie's solo but it was nice to hear Ed play a lot of new licks and experiment a little. He did bust out with Little Guitars, Cathedral and of course Eruption.

Michael Anthony's bass solo was entertaining and how anyone can pound down that much Jack is anyone's guess. Bottoms up! By the way, I also caught one of the mini bottles of Jack he tossed in the crowd. I thought about drinking it, but it is now resting proudly on my mantle. Thanks for the love, Mike!!! :thumb:

Sammy was a great frontman that night. He really hasn't missed a beat. He was smiling a lot, very energetic, his voice sounded on target and did a great job of moving around all night. The solo was fine but it might be time to retire "Eagles Fly".

Overall, the concert was just a huge ass party! Everyone was having a good time. I met some great people standing next to me, including one guy from Martinez who turned me onto this website. I forgot your name, bro, but I'm glad you and your wife came out and hung with us. Email me, dude, if you read this. At the end, they ended with a 2 encore set that wrapped up with When It's Love and the crowd really went crazy when The Great One said "It's good to be back". We're glad to have you back Ed!!! My ears are still ringing a day after. Yes, Van Halen is back! Better save the women and children first!

[kma371]

Hey! It's the guy that was standing next to you that turned you on to this website!

He just about plowed everybody over to catch that bottle of Jack! ;) j/k nice catch!

-Bill

[Anonymous]

I was looking for you Bill, but I kinda forgot what you looked like....lol. I bought some GA floor tix for $65. We smuggled in some beef jerky, mini-bottles of Mikey's favorite and I also jammed my recorder in my jock strap (it's the best way to get er in). The blond chick patting us down slightly cought a feel with her thumb, I almost started laughing. My friend was watching and had a big smile on his face. she must have thought I was aroused... :eek:

The show was much better than San Jose. Sounded better the crowd seemed louder and it was a smaller arena, which I guess helps everything out. Edd seemed way more in sinc than a few nights earlier...but his solo still is lame compared to earlier tours (imo). It is cool that Mikey's solo is short....would rather hear Sam play Deeper kind love than Eagles ....but Hallaluya was cool.

When Sam let some guy in the front row sing (Panama??) the dude looked like a rocker and belted out this huge scream....awesome....The guys a star to be...Bill you see that?

Very rockin atmosphere great show...recording should be sweet.

[kma371]

Hey Dean! What's UP! I never did hear back from you if you were for sure going or not. Guess you made it :)

I saw that guy singin' ! I've heard he's a Sammy regular at all his shows.

I was damn close! I NEVER thought I was going to be that close with my GA tickets. Where did you sit? And how did you get your tickets cheaper than mine :irked:

A copy of the show better have my name on it Dean! :thumb: it was fucking awesome!

[Anonymous]

Hey, good hearing from ya Bill! As Sammy once stated : "What is understood need not be discussed." That was a kick ass show! Had to have been better than the San Jose gig. Let me know if you get a copy, too. As a rookie to this sweet web site, I'm still learning the ropes so any and all advice would be very appreciated. Good times...j

[guitard]

Dean wrote: I also jammed my recorder in my jock strap (it's the best way to get er in). The blond chick patting us down slightly caught a feel with her thumb, I almost started laughing. My friend was watching and had a big smile on his face. she must have thought I was aroused. The venue allowed a woman to pat down a man, to include right near the crotch?

This really surprises me.

Randy

[Anonymous]

Wow! "Spanish Fly" in the Guitar solo, cool!! Hope some sort of recording surfaces for this show. Always good to hear something new, even a small piece of Eddies solo. Lol, funny story about the female security pat search. Must have thoughtyou were bionic!

[kma371]

They only patted down my front jean pockets...guess Dean paid extra for his pat down :thumb:

[Anonymous]

Damn, I didn't want to get into details...If you guys ever wear a cup, you know it's around your stuff. And "somewhat" stable, although if you watch a baseball game they make certain adjustments every freaking play. Well try putting a medium sized recorder down there. There is "NO" cup action. The shit slids all over. And we parked on the wrong side of the arena. Had about 1/4 mile walk around the place. By the time we got to the correct line it had shifted to the left and had some edge action. Thats what the security babe "could" have questioned me about. What they do is make you raise your arms up....gently run their hads on your side. then they tap your hip area and her thumbs graised the recorder.....not my crotch. But the next show I record I will jam it in my crotch....as bad as it sounds. It's all about the music

Oh ya, and after the show we got some shirts for $10...and there was this incredible fight ....infact three fights. One guy was getting blasted by at least five guys. He must have done some bad stuff. I thought about helping (breaking it up, pulling the smallest guy off) but i didn't want to get my recorder trashed. Plus some fireman were near by.

[Anonymous]

LOL! Funny story Dean. Thanks, I needed a good laugh today! :thumb: