On July 5th, Van Halen kicked off their first North American tour since 2012 with a noteworthy show in Seattle, Washington. After opening act The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Van Halen members Eddie Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and David Lee Roth took to the stage at the White River Amphitheater and performed unlike ever before.
The concert began with “Light Up The Sky,” which was last played live in 1980, and in that moment, the crowd instantly knew this would be an unforgettable night. The setlist included mega-hits such as “Jump,” “Hot for Teacher,” “You Really Got Me,” and “Runnin’ With The Devil,” as well as perhaps some of the most underrated Van Halen songs “China Town” and “She’s the Woman.” Van Halen also performed “Dirty Movies” and “Drop Dead Legs” for the first time ever at this show.
Another noteworthy moment from this night was Eddie Van Halen’s incredible guitar solo in between “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” and “You Really Got Me.” His technique and incredible skill truly showed the crowd that he is just as talented now, at 60-years-old, as he was back in the 1970s and 1980s.
Just two weeks ago, Eddie Van Halen made shocking comments in Billboard about how he taught former bassist Michael Anthony everything he knows (which former frontman Sammy Hagar denied) and about how David Lee Roth does not want to be his friend and needs to grow up. After these remarks, many wondered if there would be tension on stage between Roth and Van Halen, but none was apparent throughout the band’s set in Seattle. Most fans speculate that, in the moment, Eddie and David are so lost in the music that they briefly toss their squabbles aside, but that once the band leaves the stage, the true fighting begins.
Van Halen are set to tour throughout the summer with the final show of their North American tour on October 4th at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. While Van Halen may be on tour for the next few months, Eddie says that a new album is not in the works and will not be coming anytime soon.