OT Van Halen

[giovanni]

Can someone please tell to the guys of Van Halen to come to Europe???
The new album is amazing!!!

[TheEqualizer]

I think it helps that about half of the new album is based on old material.

I really had though Eddie was DONE. D-O-N-E. DONE. But I guess I was wrong.

They are altering their set list a little bit each night and playing some pretty rare tracks live. They ain't Phish, but their setlists are usually as static as the setlist for Tourzilla, so this tour has been quite something for the VH fans.

[Howstupidmrbates]

I have tickets for 6/12 at the Honda Center and I'm looking forward to it. I really like the new CD - much better than I thought it was going to be. And I also really enjoyed seeing Guns N' Roses last December - they kicked butt, so I'm excited for VH.

A younger friend of mine made a comment the other day about alot of "older" groups returning. I said people are craving acts that play real instruments and these groups are coming back to school these Nicki Minaj-type clones. lol

[Police Boy]

I'm loving the new VH album. While it's an issue for some, I couldn't care less that they have used some older song ideas when the final album is this great. Can't wait to see them in Toronto in March. Love that they've put in some album cuts that they weren't playing before especially Women In Love and Girl Gone Bad. Some people also seem to be bothered by DLR wearing a headset. From the clips I've seen, the vocals for the mostpart have been decent live. The one surprise is only 4 songs live from ADKOT so far. The diehards are definitely calling for more (some want the whole album played), but again like the Police, I think 90% of the people at the shows want the older big hits.

[sockii]

I'm looking forward to seeing them in Philly in about a week - I'll definitely report back on the show! (Of course, I still have to buy tickets yet, ha! But I'm waiting for some better seats to drop.) Vespa and I really enjoyed them on the last tour go-around and I quite like the new album (vespa, being the diehard fan, is not quite so enamored with it.)

I think it took a fair amount of guts to record again like that and the results are commendable.

[TheEqualizer]

I was not optimistic at all regarding the new album when I saw who the producer was (John Shanks - the guy behind Miley Cyrus, the Backstreet Boys, Celine Dio, Jessica Simpson, Ashley Simpson) and I was underwhelmed by the first single. But overall, I think it is their strongest effort since For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge in 1991 (which is not hard, since I've pretty much HATED all their albums since, though really in fairness there have only been two in that period and one features Gary Cherone).

Here is a dumb question: when they play stuff like Jump now, who plays the keyboards? Is it pre-recorded or is there someone off stage?

[Howstupidmrbates]

I believe the keyboards are pre-recorded, but don't hold me to that. lol (King Of Pain, Synchro concert anyone?)

[Police Boy]

Looks like keyboards on Jump and I'll Wait are pre-recorded along with the opening vocal of "Tattoo, Tattoo".

[giovanni]

it seems like they have done a record with the spirit of doing what they like, without thinking that much to the charts or whatever...I guess it's plain to see (and hear) they like what they are doing.