Van Halen Reunites...but Skips Florida

Are you ready to run with the devil? Or, at the very least, how about a brisk jog?

Those aging rapscallions in Van Halen — guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, vainglorious frontman David Lee Roth plus Eddie’s 16-year-old son, Wolfgang, on bass — announced a 25-date North American reunion tour today.

This will be Eddie and Dave's first tour together in more than 20 years. They had previously hated each other's guts.

Unfortunately for eager Floridians, though, we’ll have to travel to hear such classic-rock staples as Panama, Hot for Teacher or Runnin’ With the Devil. No Sunshine State stops are on the schedule at this time, but that could very well change in the next few weeks.

The band, so potent in the ’70s and ’80s, announced the news at a 15-minute press conference Monday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. With the exception of the pubescent Wolfgang, all of the band members are firmly in their 50s. But in typical Roth fashion, he said he’s more than confident in VH’s ability to fight Father Time.

"We think we got it right this time," said Roth, according to a report by Reuters. "You come and judge the performance harshly, please. I beg you, come on down and see."

Beefy bassist Michael Anthony is the only holdout from the original lineup, perhaps because he’s good friends with singer Sammy Hagar, who alienated many a VH fan by replacing Roth in 1985. Hagar and Eddie Van Halen had feuded the last few years, leading to the reconciliation with Roth.

No word yet from Wolfgang’s mother Valerie Bertinelli, who is somehow letting her underage son tour the country with one of the most notoriously naughty rock bands of all time. Wow, some kids have all the luck.

Right now, the closest stops to Tampa Bay include the tour opener in Charlotte, N.C. on Sept. 27 and in Greensboro, N.C. on the 29th. But I have a feeling more dates will be added if this trainwreck manages to stay on the rails. If they add a local stop — and there’s a very good chance they will — it will probably happen in mid-November or late December. The bands itinerary has some available dates at those times, plus Florida is a major market for classic rock.

FAIR WARNING: I saw Roth perform solo a few years ago, and it was the concertgoing equivalent of having your gums scraped. He was lackadaisical, bored; he sounded lousy, barely bothering to finish singing the hits. When he did his famous flying-V split off the drum riser, he looked like Wilford Brimley playing hopscotch.

But with guitar whiz Eddie erupting next to him — an Eddie fresh from rehab, no less — maybe Diamond Dave will find some of that ol’ magic. He certainly seems to think so.

"Usually when a band comes back like us it’s rockers with walkers and this is everything but," said Roth. "Meet us in the future, not the past."

Comments

[Irène]

What is a Van Halen reunion with a thimbleful of Soutehrn dates? Total B.S. Pah.

***I saw DLR solo with some VH hacks in Tunica at a casino in 1999 and he kicked a**.***

[Mike]

I enjoyed DLR at Ribfest in '05, but I'll admit, it was very Vegas. I'm sure - he said he's been rehearsing for FOUR months - he won't embarrass himself. I am praying for a FL date. I mean, this is Page and Plant. Daltrey and Townshend. Richards and Jagger. I want to see this.

They said a 25 song setlist. Here's mine...

Romeo Delight
Beautiful Girls
Somebody Get Me A Doctor
Sinners Swing!
Take Your Whiskey Home
E.V.H. Solo/Eruption
You Really Got Me
Top Jimmy
Drop Dead Legs
Where Have All The Good Times Gone?
Little Dreamer
So This Is Love?
Dance The Night Away
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
D.O.A.
Me Wise Magic
A.V.H. Solo (It's inevitable)
Hot For Teacher
Hear About It Later
You're No Good
Jamie's Cryin'
Can't Get This Stuff No More
Atomic Punk

Encore
Runnin' With The Devil
Jump
Unchained

Seems I'm a little bit of a dreamer...

[Mike]

Oh, and for those who are counting...I didn't count the drum solo as a song. Eruption is a track on an album, so that counts.

[Andrew Y]

A few thoughts:

1) who cares? These guys stopped being relevant 20 years ago. This is another police style cash grab.

2) Sean, if your CD collection includes Journey, you have no realistic case for saying "its better than yours". Listening to Journey disqualifies you from commenting on quality. Period.

[Guy]

Saw DLR five years ago with Sammy Hagar; hate to admit it, but Hagar blew him out of the water. The only thing receding faster than DLR's hairline is his vocal range.

Of course, I'd take that edition of DLR over the (allegedly) drunken Eddie Van Halen that I saw more recently, where he was shown up by his then 13-year old kid.

This is a train wreck waiting to happen and I will snap up tickets to the DC show, if they make it that far.

[GREEK-BOY]

SEAN: YOU GOTTA HELP US POOR WORKING CONSTRUCTION GUYS WITH SOME COLUMNS ON INEXPENSIVE VENUES/TALENT THAT AVOID THE HIGH PRICED SPREAD OF THE FORUM,FORD-BY-THE-HIGHWAY, ECKERD, ETC..

YOUR COLUMN IS SO WHITE-BREAD, MIDDLE-CLASS,AND HIGH PRICED-HAWKING THAT MANY OF US HAVE BECOME DISENCHANTED
WITH THE HOPE OF YOU BECOMING THE SAVIOUR/SECOND-COMING GURU OF THE TAMPA BAY ENTERTAINMENT SCENE.

HELP! HELP! SAVE US SLUBS W/ NO $$$, WHO KNOWING OUR SHOE SIZE EXCEEDS SIZE 10, REFUSE TO PUT OUR BASEBALL CAPS ON BACKWARDS, WITH THE BILL OVER THE NECK.

[Mike]

I'm sure you can find something in Tarpon Springs...

[sparky]

Being a VH fan, I kind of want to go see this but I kind of don't, since it really isn't what VH fans want to see. For a true reunion you need Mike salpping the bass.

Although I do want to see Wolfie succeed.

The thing that is keeping me away is the huge potential this has to be the greatest train wreck ever to occur on stage. Seeing DLR on the Sam and Dave tour was absolutely the worst thing I have ever paid for. The one positive was the night I saw the show, Dave closed so I was able to leave early and get to bed.