ION INDIE MAGAZINE September 2015, Volume 16 | Page 21
to have to write. The next 23 songs got me thinking though…did someone pull
DLR aside, grab him by the shoulders, look him directly in the eyes and say
what we’ve all been wanting to say for years? “We want more classic David Lee
Roth and less class clown, less over the top, less douchey Dave!” If that
conversation actually happened, I’d like to buy that person a beer, or six! I
don’t think I was the only one in Bangor to take notice that DLR was back! Such
a pleasant surprise indeed…
After getting the green light to photograph VH again for their next show down
in Mansfield, Massachusetts, I thought maybe that the last show was all a
dream. I anticipated that the “douchiness”-- the class clown--would be back.
Instead, what we all got was 26 songs of classic Van Halen with classic Dave.
We got plenty of Eddie’s guitar and plenty of Reverend Al’s drums. There was
no “over the top” antics and way less Vaudeville from DLR. The surprise of both
nights for me though was just how excellent of a bassist young Wolfgang Van
Halen has become…the kid’s got some major chops! But what would you
expect from the offspring of the best guitarist ever.
Eddie’s playing is as great as ever. He’s proving that he’s always at home on stage with a guitar strapped around him. The
proud papa flashes that mischievous grin when he looks to his right and sees the next generation in Wolfgang Van Halen. He’s
gone gray now and doesn’t fly around the stage like the old days. But he’s the same Eddie Van Halen that set the music world
on fire with his fret tapping and
techniques way back when, still
playing like the king worthy of his
crown. His jumps are gone along with
the crazy clothes and these days he
looks, dare I say--“normal”?
Alex Van Halen is still at it--playing
ridiculously huge drum kits with four
bass drums, and doing it better than
most. The Reverend thunders with
the opening for Hot For Teacher, then
features a Latin flavored drum solo,
proving that his awesome talent is
very underrated.
Wolfgang Van Halen is the newest
and the youngest member of Van
Halen, although he’s really an old
veteran of the music biz now, having
toured with Mark Tremonti and two
world tours with the family band. The
music world needs to take notice if
this kid’s talent--his playing is
absolutely top notch. Older fans that
can’t get over the absence of original
bassist Michael Anthony just need to
listen to this kid for one show--they’ll
then realize that Wolfie has more
than what it takes to play bass in the
mighty Van Halen.