Van Halen, Complete With Diamond Dave, Returns To Rock Oklahoma City

They Heard You Missed Them – They’re Back

Van Halen, Complete With Diamond Dave, Returns To Rock Oklahoma City
By Clinton Wieden

Remember when your high school English teacher gave the traditional “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” assignment on the first day of class?

You know the one - that horrible paper where everyone writes the same story as the year before about the same people they’ve known for years. Most times, it was just first-day filler to give you something to do.

But once in a rare while, someone would actually have a good story. Somebody in the class would have done something wonderful with their break, and everyone else would immediately be jealous.

Remember that feeling?

Now imagine being in Wolfgang Van Halen’s class next fall.

The newest member of one of rock’s most enduring acts, all of 16 years old, got more material for such a paper on January 22 as Van Halen took the stage at Oklahoma City’s Ford Center.

At most recent Van Halen shows, one would often see the “Diamond” hand signal – an expression of the desire for a certain former frontman’s return. But there were no hand signals this night – there was no need. “Diamond” David Lee Roth was back.

And from the opening number – a short burst of the classic solo “Eruption” leading into the band’s famous cover of “You Really Got Me” – it was clear that the joy of a Van Halen show was back with him.

Roth spent the evening nailing the songs he made famous during his first stint as lead singer, changing costumes, doing flying jump-kicks, twirling microphone stands like a samurai would swing a sword, and just generally reminding the favorable crowd why he was so important to the band in the first place.

The brothers Van Halen – Eddie, the quintessential guitar god, and Alex, the percussive core of the band – were clearly enjoying themselves. The energy in the building was infectious, and it even caught hold of the normally stoic duo.

As for young Wolfgang, he held his own admirably. Roth referred to the combo as “three-quarters original, one-quarter inevitable,” and as well as the junior Van Halen took over the bass parts, that didn’t seem such a bad thing. The stage presence of former bassist Michael Anthony was missed, but musically, the band didn’t miss a beat.

Make no mistake – this was not a “Van Hagar” crowd here to see what all the fuss about the Roth years was. No, this was a crowd that wanted to travel back to 1984, and the band was happy to oblige.

Classics like “Runnin’ With The Devil,” “Beautiful Girls,” “Dance The Night Away” and “Everybody Wants Some!!” shook the rafters as the crowd sang along with every word.

Even lesser-known album cuts like “I’m The One,” “So This Is Love?,” and “Mean Street” kept enthusiasm high, helped along by Eddie’s inimitable guitar playing and Roth’s irrepressible grin.

The show continued with a flurry – “Unchained,” “I’ll Wait,” “And The Cradle Will Rock…,” “Hot For Teacher” – as more of the best-known material in the Van Halen canon kept flowing from the stage.

Roth provided the most interesting moment of the night when he appeared with an acoustic guitar and told a story of the band’s early days – bicycling around Oklahoma City on their first tour, partying in a friend’s backyard in Pasadena, CA, and some “herb”-induced voyages on the Starship Enterprise – before kicking into the fan-favorite “Ice Cream Man.”

Screaming versions of “Panama” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love,” along with an extended Eddie solo break, closed out the show.

There was only one song that could possibly be the encore, and the Ford Center audience let loose a roar when the synthesizer licks came through and the band launched into “Jump.”

It was an encore to remember – the band’s biggest hit, confetti everywhere, and Roth running around a catwalk with a giant inflatable microphone while wearing a boat captain’s hat.

This was a rock concert in the best sense –high-energy fun with an appreciative crowd. In contrast to Van Halen’s last tour, a 2004 effort with Sammy Hagar, this wasn’t a straightforward concert with little audience interplay. This was a show, and underlined the differences in the band’s two eras. Roth played to the crowd at all times, helping keep the enthusiasm high and reminding people of why they loved Van Halen in the first place – they were just more fun than any other band.

Musically, of course, the show was top-notch. Everyone playing an instrument was named Van Halen – would you expect any different?

Van Halen’s tour is scheduled to end April 7 in Milwaukee. Beyond that, no one is really sure what will happen: A world tour? A new album? A quiet return home for the band members? It’s unclear.

What is clear, however, is that Van Halen is still one of rock’s strongest acts, and with Roth, one of the most joyous.

And if nothing else, they’re making sure Wolfgang will get an A on that paper.

VAN HALEN JANUARY 22, 2008 FORD CENTER OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

SET LIST

1. Eruption/You Really Got Me
2. I’m The One
3. Runnin’ With The Devil
4. Romeo Delight
5. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
6. Beautiful Girls
7. Dance The Night Away
8. Atomic Punk
9. Everybody Wants Some!!
10. So This Is Love?
11. Mean Street
12. Oh, Pretty Woman
13. Alex Van Halen Drum Solo
14. Unchained
15. I’ll Wait
16. And The Cradle Will Rock…
17. Hot For Teacher
18. Little Dreamer
19. Little Guitars
20. Jamie’s Cryin’
21. Ice Cream Man
22. Panama
23. Eddie Van Halen Guitar Solo
24. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
25. ENCORE: 1984/Jump