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Scott Roberts · Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 4:01 pm Post subject: WORST Van Halen tour ever?

What do you think was the worst VH tour ever overall? This is in regards to both concerts you've attended and bootlegs.

mfc · Joined: 2004-07-31 Posts: 1183 Location: Rochester, NY

For me it was the Balance tour. I didn't care for that album and they played a lot of stuff off it. The band just seemed flat the night I saw them, not much energy (of course Ed could barely walk anyway)

macdon22shipp · Joined: 2003-01-07 Posts: 2480 Location: Winnipeg Canada

I'll have to agree with mfc. Of course i voted for the Gary era though. :D

King Edward · Joined: 2004-05-24 Posts: 914 Location: Virginia

I have to agree with the first few posts. To me the Balance tour seemed like they never hit there stride. A few good bootlegs from that tour as well as decent DVD'S but overall that tour never was everything I wanted it to be.

I do see in the Poll results that some have voted for the current tour and its not even over yet.Oh well, to each his own.

Anonymous · Guest

Balance and 2004 are running neck and neck with me. Balance was better musicianship but poor set list and no energy. 2004 is ok set list,lot of energy, but sloppy and not very tight as a unit. Eddie should listen to a few of the bootlegs to hear what is coming out of his speakers, pre and post processing.

Quite honestly it sounded like they got together three weeks before the tour to practice. Hopefully the next tour might include better set list selection, sound management, and individual performances. My exception is Alex, the guy continues to blow me away through the years. Very solid.

mdc

Anonymous · Guest

I had to go for the "Dated Roth, Banged Cherone, Married Hagar" tour of 2004. Mostly for the play-it-safe setlist, but there were other factors for me as well (don't like the new material, sloppy performance, BOBW seems like a cash-in...).

I'm a bit surprised that Balance has so many votes, but I suppose I've only heard a few boots from that tour. It's probably my favourite of the Sam albums, so I figured the strength of the material would carry it - guess not!

Anonymous · Guest

I voted for the VH III tour. I don't think Gary was up to it. Just didn't seem to fit in. He gave his best shot though :thumb:

Plus, most of the European leg of the tour was cancelled.

Anonymous · Guest

I guess it depends on your perspective. I saw the boys in the VH III tour and I thought they were incredible only because they were playing tons of stuff from the Dave era that they hadn't played for over a decade. Ed was unbelievable, and the band was very tight. I couldn't even hear Gary's vocals and the new material from VH III was weak, but I didn't care. If you thought about the tour as a complete package of old and new material, it sucked. But I felt like I was as close as I'll ever be to seeing the Dave era VH; at least Ed's guitar work. For me that was a great show.

drumthumper · Guest Joined: 2004-08-09 Posts: 3

I would have to say the FUCK tour, only because my old man wouldn't let me go to the Billings, MT show (I was 13 at the time). :mad: :furious:

To this day, I still give him shit about that (even though I caught the Denver show of the current tour). :p

JoeMan

Anonymous · Guest

1981 tour.I saw the concert in Brasil, Eddie drunk and Dave out of tune....
By the way, Gary did a great job on the 1998 tour.And Eddie was very sharp.

scoobie · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:35 am Post subject:

1981 tour? You must be kidding,that's the first time I saw VAN HALEN.Huge "mean streets" back drop,old chicago amptheatre sound ;) This is the holy grail of bootlegs in van halen land-something pro shot from this tour.Just hearing hear about it later and unchained live :dance: The van halen 3 years were by far the worst in music and show!

Chris UK · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:00 am Post subject:

Being outside of the US, my concert experience of VH is somewhat limited, but out of the tours that I have attended, this would be my ranking....

1. 1980 (Birmingham Odeon)
2. 1993 (Shefield Arena and NEC Birmingham)
3. 1984 (Donnington MOR Fest)
4. 1995 (Sheffield Don Valley Arena)

I cant see why the 98 tour is getting so many votes :confused: I have half a dozen video boots from that tour and they are smoking! The set lists varied quite a bit from night to night and there was heaps of cool old Dave era stuff like Romeo Delight and I'm the One. I had tickets to see the Birmingham NEC 98 date and I was gutted when they cancelled!!

Chris.

Anonymous · Guest

I agree with you Chris, VH were great live in '98! It does not matter that the "3" CD sucked, the boys were able to pull it off with flying colors in concert with Gary.

evhfan · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 10:02 am Post subject:

i can't believe this topic...there is no bad VH tour...

guitar guru · Guest Joined: 2003-09-16 Posts: 138 Location: NY

Just to set the records straight (and piss some people off) VH tours with Roth were all Freaking Awesome! Anyone who says otherwise, has really missed the boat on what VH is all about. 'NUFF SAID.
Now for a breakdown of the other tours:
1. 1986 decent overall but no more
Ed on Keys while Sam solos on guitar PLEASE!!
2. ou812 good looking band with too many syruppy songs. good stage energy.
3. F.U.C.K tour was decent mix of songs tons of energy just get rid of those Sammys tacky spandex and it was excellent.
4. balance tour should have been called "tipping the scales" tour.
Everyone looks like a bloated version of themselves. Except Alex, who's now sporting an old guys neck brace. Sam reminded me of Sally Struthers from the "save the children" years. And Ed...uh was that really Ed? it looked more like a clone of Mikey with a haircut and glasses.(add 40 lbs.)
5. 1998 "3" tour. Was that a heterosexual reference, as in 3 straight guys and .....anyways lots of energy only one good new song
"year to the day" and uhm how do I say this. Dave says "reach down between my legs..", and Gary does.
ed's back to decent shape. Al's not out of the neckbrace yet. Way too many questionable moves on stage from Gary.
6. 2004 "back from my six years of silence" tour. Ed looks good but a bit aged (chemo) Otherwise everyone looks and acts much like 1993 tour.
3 new songs. "just about time" not bad, "L.T.S." is heavy and cool!...and "up for Breakfast" has to be the CHEESIEST song since "I want your sex" by Wham boy G.M.
The live show had plenty of cool elements but lacked in tightness and the sound tech and Ed's guitar tech need to be FIRED!!

So overall my vote has to be the
"pufferfish" tour in 1995. Kinda reminded me of Elvis on the comeback tour of 1977...yeah that's the year he died on his toilet.
ok let me have it.....
:cool:

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