Not sure if this is accurate, but if it is the first show with Gary, it’s pretty cool. Does anyone know the actual date and location of this show?
It’s hard to believe this was 17 years ago. As unpopular as it is, I loved this tour and, with the exception of the production quality and a couple instances of missed arrangement opportunities, I liked the album as well. I haven’t listened to or watched much of anything without Roth since he came back in ’07. Eddie was just amazing on this tour in my opinion. I know the substance abuse was still there and he was still having some issues, but he was still playing with the reckless abandon and energy for which he was always known. Chalk it up to age, sobriety or the toll the years of abuse have taken on his body, but he’s much more subdued in his live performances now. Not that it bothers me. It is what it is and I’m just happy to see him healthy and hear him playing like the beast he is. Either way, I saw many shows on this tour and I absolutely loved every one of them. This was a nice little flashback this morning.

Edit: I just watched it up to Mean Street and it sounds like Gary says “Good evening, New York City!” so that would make this May 22nd, 1998.

The first show of the tour was in NZ in Wellington 4/10/98 which is circulating 23 mins I have to check if it’s from the same angle. Albany NZ wasn’t filmed as far as I know. Then they went Auz, first show Launceston 4/14/78 which was also filmed and in circulation, same to with the next show Melbourne.

Decatone: The first show of the tour was in NZ in Wellington 4/10/78 which is circulating 23 mins I have to check if it’s from the same angle. Albany NZ wasn’t filmed as far as I know. Then they went Auz, first show Launceston 4/14/78 which was also filmed and in circulation, same to with the next show Melbourne.

?

EDIT:

sorry Decatone I see you edited your post, I got excited that there might be footage of Van Halen with Gary Cherone from 1978

guitard edit: actually I edited that “7″ and made it a “9″ because I knew that’s what Decatone meant, and that he couldn’t edit it himself.

personally I thought he played MUCH better on the 2004 tour especially the last show in Tucson………………..

ha ha sorry bad joke

Rob

Eddie was killing it in 98.. I caught them twice on that one and really enjoyed the shows. I focused on the band, who played a ton of songs that hadn’t been played since the DLR years.. it was awesome. I respect Gary for being cool with all material.

Ooops… I’ve been stuck in 78 mode for sometime now. Finding it difficult to break out

I absolutely love that tour. It was also the first time I got to go to a VH concert. Moreover, I met the band on that tour. Really great memories.

Yes great tour first time they came to Australia & I also met the band thanks so much to Scotty Ross one of the nicest guys I have ever met…I thought the very first show with Gary on this Tour was when they played at the Billboard I think in LA..Like a club show…Have seen some Pro-shot samples from the show not sure if the full show is out there some where..But yes some great songs and concerts was cool to go to a VH show and hear songs from 3 eras of VH singers..

As much as I did not like Gary’s voice for Van Halen and never really thought he fit the Roth / Hagar persona, I was amazed at how sharp Eddie’s playing was and it was awesome hearing the songs from all eras. Kudos to Gary for stepping up and being such a trooper.

Did not really dig Ed’s guitar sound that tour though. Could never understand how he went from the Balance era sound to the 98 III sound so fast. Total departure. Stopped playing wireless too.

Even though it was not my favorite tour I still saw them 3 times that tour.
Rob

vhrob: As much as I did not like Gary’s voice for Van Halen and never really thought he fit the Roth / Hagar persona, I was amazed at how sharp Eddie’s playing was and it was awesome hearing the songs from all eras.Kudos to Gary for stepping up and being such a trooper.

Did not really dig Ed’s guitar sound that tour though.Could never understand how he went from the Balance era sound to the 98 III sound so fast.Total departure.Stopped playing wireless too.

Even though it was not my favorite tour I still saw them 3 times that tour. Rob

No, Gary wasn’t a clone of anyone, which is why I knew there would be rough going at first, but I thought he would shine through in the end, because he was a fan of both versions of the band and I felt he would embrace the both back catalogs and bring a new dimension to the band. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given that chance. I always felt he wasn’t given any space to be an individual. Ed had him screaming his lungs out too much and it didn’t seem like Gary had much say in anything. Plus the vocal production on the CD was lackluster at best. Ed even admits many vocals on the CD were just rough takes sung into a 57. You can tell he’s not lying on songs like “Dirty Water Dog” where Gary’s vocals on the verses have no range, as if he’s singing with a towel over the mic.

As far as the live show, I, for one, was glad to hear the mid-90s guitar sound go away for a while. From ’91-’95 it was just getting too over processed for my taste. It sounded nice on record when it’s all mixed and mastered together, but live, I wasn’t a fan of that digitized, thin sound. I loved the raw, in your face crunch he had on the ’98 tour. It could have used a little tweaking, but it didn’t sound like a wall of harmonizers and chorus. His reliance on the sustainer that followed really got to be a bit much, but luckily, it was just a phase. I think it was his new “great escape”, since he really seemed to rely on it when he was in the “dark place” era. I saw many shows on this tour and I loved them all. I still like to watch them for the variety of songs and the fact that I would rather hear Gary sing the Sammy era over Sammy.