INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Van Halen
photo courtesy of Getty ImagesSunday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m., $49.50-$149.50, all-ages
The latest installment of the long-running heavy metal soap opera known as Van Halen will touch down at Conseco Fieldhouse Oct. 14. Until the last note is played that night, not many people will believe that this tour is even happening. It started last winter, a quiet whispering that “Diamond Dave’s back in the band, man!” followed by a few press conferences and even an announcement of a reunion. But as soon as it sparked up, it died again.
Back in the mid ’90s, pretty much the same thing happened when David Lee Roth rejoined the band to record a couple songs for a greatest hits collection. Then, he was unceremoniously dumped for the lead singer of Extreme. So when rumors resurfaced late this summer that the cancelled tour was back on, many people doubted it. But, lo and behold, it’s really happening.
This is more than just a tired reunion, this is a return to the days when men were men and rock stars were rock stars. David Lee Roth was the man for our times, a hard-partying freak and consummate lead singer who really had no equal, save Robert Plant in his glory days. Although original bassist Michael Anthony is replaced by Eddie Van Halen’s teenage son, Wolfgang, early reports and videos show the band in primetime shape, with young Wolfie ably standing tall alongside Eddie’s fluid, hyperkinetic guitar, Uncle Alex’s thunder drums and Uncle Dave’s over the top carnival show out front.
Early set lists have featured a set that’s all killer, no filler, including the entire first album. Songs like “Running with the Devil,” “Jamie’s Cryin’” and the classic guitar-heavy “Eruption” have inspired virtually every band since to dip its toes in the darker side of rock. It’s gonna take a lot to wash the bad taste of the Sammy Hagar era out of our mouths, and nothing short of the most spectacular reunion event that has ever been will do (well, at least until Led Zeppelin’s reunion show rolls around). This will be a concert for the ages — a show for the faithful believers of rock. Diamond Dave’s back in the band, man!