Van Halen - Denver, CO 24.05.2012

Van Halen
Pepsi Center
Denver, Colorado
Thursday 24 May 2012

Taper: CaboRat
Location: Floor, Section 148, AAWC1

Lineage: SP-CMC-2 (Audio Technica AT831)> SP-SPSB-8 (195Hz bass roll off)> Tascam DR-05> WAV 24/48> CD Wave Editor> Trader's Little Helper> FLAC (Level 8)> MP3

This is a raw master; no levels, fade-ins/fade-outs, or audio tweaking were done. NO ARTWORK.
The recording is "As Is" (If you're a Van Halen fan, you'll get the pun).

Quality: A+

Total Time: 1 hr 57 min

1. Intro
2. Unchained
3. Runnin' With The Devil
4. She's the Woman
5. Romeo Delight
6. Tattoo
7. Everybody Wants Some!!
8. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
9. China Town
10. Hear About It Later
11. (Oh!) Pretty Woman
12. Drum Solo
13. You Really Got Me
14. The Trouble With Never
15. Dance The Night Away
16. I'll Wait
17. ...And The Cradle Will Rock
18. Hot For Teacher
19. Women In Love
20. Beautiful Girls
21. Dave Raps/Ice Cream Man
22. Panama
23. Guitar Solo
24. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
25. Jump


Notes:

I'm going to preface this by saying that this is my first upload, but by far not my first recording. In the past, I've recorded shows
using my Aiwa Mini-Disc I received as a gift in Japan in 1999. After years of using my Aiwa MD, I finally upgraded to my Tascam DR-05,
SPSB-8 Battery Module, and new cardioid mics. Looking back, I should have kept my original seats, which were in the middle of Section
148, but after a quick phone call to the venue, I was given seats in the ADA section, which were actually located on the floor and in
a heavily trafficked area. Luckily, the recording doesn't reflect this at all.

The band opened with “Unchained” and it was nothing but a race car in the red until Dave did his “Ice Cream Man” bit. I was crossing my
fingers, toes, and other appendages for “The Full Bug”, but we didn’t get it. I did get “Hear About It Later”, which more than made up for
it since “Fair Warning” is probably my favorite Roth era VH album. Maybe it’s just me, but Wolfie seemed a bit reserved. I think the band
pulled off “The Trouble With Never” just fine, and while new songs from a veteran band like Van Halen are usually a sign for beer or piss
break, it looked to me like everyone stayed put, and that was a good sign IMO. Ed’s solo was spectacular. He didn’t seem to struggle with
anything like I’ve seen him do in the past (2004, anyone???), but it was shorter than it’s usually been on past tours. No “316?, some quick
noodling, a dab of “Spanish Fly”, then Cathedral”, and a bit of “Eruption”, then it was over. Al’s solo was killer. These guys are getting
older, so the extended solos are likely a thing of the past. “She’s The Woman” went over BIG. One of my favorite bits happened during the
intro to “Women In Love”. Dave walked up Al's drum riser to, and Al was laughing. Dave took this time to tell Al, “”What the fuck are you
laughing at? This is as close to a ballad as we’re gonna get! Play the fuckin’ song!” It wasn’t mean-spirited, just funny as hell. You could
hear people all around me laughing their asses off, including my 18 year old son. During “Ice Cream Man”, he let out another great line: “Baby,
I only got two flavors for you tonight…strawberry and love. And we’re all out of strawberry!” The entire tour, Dave’s vocals have been an
issue with everyone, and all I have to say is this: This is 2012, not 1979, 1982, or 1984. The man is not a trained vocalist, nor has he been
gifted with pipes that we’d all kill to have. He had serious downtime where he didn’t set foot in a studio and sing for a few years, so that
obviously hurt him. He’s going to be 58 this year. But I think he’s doing just fine. If anyone is looking for Dave to hit the high notes,
banshee screams, and yelps like he used, then sit down at YouTube and indulge yourself in VH videos from that era. That’s the only place you’re
going find it. I’m happy with what I have from him now, and I think as Van Halen fans we all should feel the same way, and that’s all that
matters. Because it could be a lot worse…we could either be discussing a VH with some new, unheard singer, or not hearing and seeing any VH
at all.

If anything, it’s times like this I am really glad Dave is back. He’s made the band FUN again…and alive, which is also due in large in part
to Wolfie reinvigorating them as well. We don’t get the “stand-around-while-I-try-to-think-of-something-cool-to-say” like Hagar used to.
Nothing wrong with Hagar, so long as when he opens his mouth it’s for singing and not slamming the band as he's done lately, but I just can’t
find any other way to describe Dave’s return as “FUN”. Period. He keeps the concert momentum going non-stop, and I also love how, since he’s
back, the band launches into extended jam sessions in the middle of songs. He and Ed will bounce off one another constantly, and I can see
genuine happiness and satisfaction in Ed’s eyes when that happens. Looking at Wolf, you can see he gets off on watching his dad and Dave do
this, too. I don’t ever recall Ed and Sam doing this. Maybe with their guitars, but doing the “guitar & scat” thing Ed & Dave does, sometimes
during multiple songs? Nope. Everything I saw in Denver was 110% genuine…from the onstage camaraderie between all involved to Ed and Dave
hugging one another at the end of the show. They love working together and playing together. I really hope it lasts.

DL