Guitar hero Eddie Van Halen, who died Tuesday at age 65, was no stranger to St. 不良研究所导航网址. According to the website setlist.fm, Van Halen has had 18 tour stops and 22 shows in St. 不良研究所导航网址, the latest was in 2015 at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. The first was on April 1, 1978, at Kiel Opera House. Over four decades, Van Halen played to packed houses in St. 不良研究所导航网址, no matter the stage, even as other big acts found hard times filling big venues.
Here are excerpts from our original reviews from each of the Van Halen tours. As you can see, it took our critics a few shows to warm up to the boys.
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April 1, 1978: Kiel Opera House
Two rock bands played the Kiel Opera House Saturday night at Checkerdome volume. A third band, led by a mellowed . super guitarist, Ronnie Montrose, was the highlight of the evening.
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The two bands that blasted their way into mediocrity by sending my ears into orbit were Van Halen and Journey.
About 3,600 persons heard the show.听
Journey's new singer Steve Perry was impressive but his vocals, like everything else, came through the sound system distorted because of the excessive volume.
-John Cullinane
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Sept. 17, 1978: With Black Sabbath at the Checkerdome
A relatively new band, Van Halen, opened the show in a fury. The band did an excellent job to put across mostly boilerplate songs and showed improvement over a previous St. 不良研究所导航网址 appearance. The audience of about 14,000 loved Van Halen two-encores worth, but the band gave them but one.
- John Cullinane
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April 28, 1979: The Checkerdome
Van Halen, this country's retort to England's, Led Zeppelin. Faster than a blur and louder than it should be.
Van Halen, a hard rock band with hard-sell show, played the Checkerdome on Saturday night. The band managed to prove in front of about 10,000 fans that it is louder and worse than most other bands. As is usual with the Checkerdome, if you sit in the back of the hall, you hear a different show from what you might hear up front.
Singer David Lee Roth and guitarist Edward Van Halen created a great deal of commotion, some if it musical. They had the desire to pleas, and they probably accomplished this with anyone who hadn't seen a concert for two or three years. Concert veterans knew better.
Edward Van Halen had "lead guitarists' syndrome" and managed to play in all the cracks. He made his guitar squeak, and it wasn't even rust.
- John Cullinane
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July 31, 1980: The Checkerdome
The effect that Van Halen had Thursday on the audience at the Checkerdome was truly meteoric. The 14,000 or so who attended the show received the firestorm of roack and roll the expected.
A question asked by singer David Lee Roth set the tone for the evening. "If you can't do what听 you want at a Van Halen concert, where the ... can you do it?"
The band had a new show and some new songs including one double-time number about losing control. This song was extremely fast and the band had to stop on a dime several times. Roth's voice had a slightly maniacal edge to it, the kind that should be packaged in a spray form and labeled "Tarzan Musk."
-John Cullinane
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October 18, 1981, Checkerdome
We did not review this Van Halen stop in St. 不良研究所导航网址. But here's what our preview blurb said.
You might not know it from listening to the hard rock sound, but the two Van Halen brothers听 - drummer Alex and guitarist Edward, originally trained as concert pianists.
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August 6, 1982: The Checkerdome
Friday night. Van Halen, Checkerdome; 10,000 wild-eyed kids out for a night of lunacy. Four big kids onstage stroking their rock 'n' roll fantasies. Do you think the party ended when the band left the stage? This party never ends.
To say this band is popular would be something of an understatement. Their albums sell like Big Macs. Their concerts sell faster.
David Lee Roth, Van Halen's blond bombshell of a lead singer, turns his concerts into spectacles of Babylonian excess. He's the best sort of entertainer, a monster showman born for the spotlight.
The musical core is supplied by guitarist Eddie Van Halen. The heroes he emulates, some say surpassed, come from the pantheon of rock guitar greats Hendrix, Clapton, Free's Paul Kossoff.
No one in rock, save perhaps Carlos Santana, understands guitar harmonics as well and integrates that understanding with heavy power chording and classical Spanish influences.
-Kevin Martin
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June 26-27, 1984: The Arena
At no other time is Van Halen's popular appeal more apparent than in a live concert setting, as evidenced by its two sold-out shows at the Arena this week. At Tuesday's performance, Van Halen wasted no time in showing why it has become known as "the ultimate people's band."
First and foremost, there is the group's fun-loving, slightly outrageous personality. Led by the flamboyant and irrepressible David Lee Roth, this band is out to have a good time and doesn't care who knows it. One of his most theatrical stunts Tuesday involved a sword dance, performed with a real sword.
A flashy, high-energy performance is only one reason crowds flock to see Van Halen. Unlike some of its heavy-metal contemporaries, Van Halen has broken out of the rut of stale riffs, plodding beats and overblown solos. Much of the credit goes to Eddie Van Halen, whose nimble-fingered guitar work has earned him accolades throughout the rock community.
Eddie kept the crowd mesmerized with his unusual two-handed fretwork, especially in "Jump," when his playing took on the style of a pianist rather than a guitarist.听
A combination of solid musicianship and phenomenal stage shows has taken this group a long way from its days on the bar circuit. But it's Van Halen's special rapport with its audiences that really makes it "the ultimate people's band."
-不良研究所导航网址e King
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July 21-23, 1986: The Arena
In some other cities, the concern about the new Van Halen band involved whether singer Sammy Hagar was an adequate replacement for David Lee Roth. In St. 不良研究所导航网址, which is Hagar territory, the concern was whether the irrepressible Hagar would be stifled in his new environment.
Van Halen opened a three-night stand at The Arena Monday, and both questions were answered quickly. It is no small wonder that Van Halen has been packing colosseums across the country. Not only has Hagar adequately filled Roth's shoes, it seems unlikely that the departed singer could ever catch up to those shoes again.
The show opened in dramatic fashion. A giant cloth covered most of the stage. As the Van Halen symbol rose from behind the stage, the cloth was pulled away and the lighted drum kit came up out of the floor. Then Hagar, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony shot out on stage to dance like whirling dervishes. The crowd stood immediately and never sat down.
As enthusiastic as the people were, they could not keep up with Hagar. The man is a phenomenon. For more than two hours, he was in motion, pumping the entire time with the force of bicycle racer on an uphill run.
As far as Eddie Van Halen is concerned, he has few peers as a rock guitarist. He made his instrument sing.听
-Dick Richmond
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Nov. 8-9, 1988: The Arena
When you add in the excitement generated by the recording of the concert for an upcoming live album, you have all the ingredients for a very special performance, and Tuesday evening's Van Halen show at The Arena was one for the books.
"We're going to play just about everything we've ever written together," shouted Sammy Hagar. That turned out to be pretty much the case.
Hagar was his usual bundle of unbridled energy, bounding the length of the stage, performing dueling guitars with Edward Van Halen and coming through on song after song with his compelling vocals.
Probably the most electrifying moment for the singer's longtime fans came during Hagar's ode to reckless driving, "I Can't Drive 55."
Edward Van Halen is the most widely imitated guitarist of the last decade and has enriched the instrument's vocabulary with his wildly creative techniques. His solo spot was one of the peaks of the set.
With a lit cigarette stuck to the headstock of his guitar and his feet dangling over the-edge of the stage, this wizard of the strings made deft use of his dazzling finger-tapping techniques and other bits of flash. In between the screaming sound-effects and guitar-strangling, Van Halen quoted a few passages from his "Eruption" solo from the band's debut album.听
-David Surkamp
Aug. 25, 1991: Riverport
With 19,939 paid admission, it was the most popular concert at Riverport of the summer. Even after several tours with Van Halen (Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth about seven years ago), the Red Rocker still inspires sincere crowd enthusiasm and loyalty, which is often demonstrated by homemade banners. Sunday was no different, and Hagar cloaked himself in each banner as if to savor even more closely the positive vibes.
The concert was a mixture of all the elements that make this band what it is today. It covered a lot of ground, including several tunes from the Roth era, a few classics from Hagar's solo career, and material from Van Halen's most recent release, "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge." To Hagar's credit, he never attempted to approximate the older versions of "Jump" and "Panama." Instead, he infused each with his own personality, as when, on the latter tune, he put his vocal chords through a test of endurance against the otherworldly sounds of Eddie Van Halen's guitar at full throttle. For his own part, the virtuosic, fleet-fingered axeman created some supercharged moments during the show, including a lengthy solo in which his speed and dexterity reached dizzying proportions.听
April 15, 1992: The Arena
This is the second time the quartet has performed in St. 不良研究所导航网址 during the year-long trek, and fans packed the venue for another chance to see the rockers in action. The crowd jumped to its feet and stayed there from the moment guitarist Eddie Van Halen's amplified hand-drill signaled the introduction to "Poundcake."听
As the lyrics to one of its hits clearly states, Van Halen knows "only one way to rock," and that means delivering the goods. Consequently, although bassist Mike Anthony and drummer Alex Van Halen had only arrived in St. 不良研究所导航网址 within an hour of the start of the concert, any signs of travel weariness were not in evidence in the one-two punch of their solo features.
David Surkamp
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July 28, 1993: At Riverport
Wednesday night at Riverport, Van Halen demonstrated why the group constantly performs before capacity crowds here: There is something very special about how the group makes us feel like family. Frontman Sammy Hagar tried to pace himself, but there's something about a St. 不良研究所导航网址 crowd that gets him worked up into a frenzy from the very start, and that energy spilled out onto the other members of the band, making this a wild outing that remained at a constant peak level throughout.
Hagar draped himself in the homemade banners tossed on stage by the audience (another St. 不良研究所导航网址 tradition), tried on the T-shirts and caps similarly thrown his way, and he got as close to the crowd as he dared, all the while belting his lyrics as if this was the group's final performance.听
-不良研究所导航网址e King
July 22-23, 1995: Riverport
"This town haunts me," exclaimed singer Sammy Hagar Saturday night, the first of Van Halen's two sold-out shows at Riverport, recognizing the lengthy ties between St. 不良研究所导航网址 rock fans and the Red Rocker that date back to his years as a solo artist.
He made the remark after about an hour into the performance, when introducing his little pedigree dog, Wintchel, that he claimed came from St. 不良研究所导航网址. It was a sappy moment, but it rang true. While the focus in Van Halen's music is on both Hagar and guitarist-songwriter Eddie Van Halen, it was Hagar's genuinely affable demeanor that turned this hot summer night into a mutual admiration society of 20,000 and four.
-Brian Q. Newcombe
July 19, 1998 at Riverport
Singer Gary Cherone made fronting rock band Van Halen at Riverport Amphitheatre Sunday night look so easy. And truly, it can't be a breeze. David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar left strong impressions during their tenures with this band that neither is on good terms with today.
But he fans came out in full, even though they're no longer seen at the Van Halen bin at Blockbuster Music. And the evening did seem like old times as Cherone easily took on Van Halen classics such as opening salvo "Unchained" and others like "Dance the Night Away," "Right Now," and "Why Cant This Be Love."
The skinny Cherone was especially wily and a little cagey, more so than Roth, and was obviously not concerned that he didn't look the part of a Van Halen lead singer with his short, neat haircut and black satin jacket and bell bottoms. He was more suited for a night out at one of those Washington Avenue dance clubs than a night out with Van Halen.
-Kevin C. Johnson
July 28-29, 2004: Savvis Center
What鈥檚 makes this trek extra special is the return of former lead singer Sammy Hagar. Hagar, a longtime St. 不良研究所导航网址 favorite, said it was time to reunite with the band. 鈥淚f we鈥檇 have tried it maybe two years ago, it could鈥檝e blown up,鈥 he says. 鈥淥r maybe two years from now, it might be too late. Who knows? It just feels right.鈥
Van Halen opens its current show with 鈥淛ump鈥 and gives fans hits such as 鈥淧oundcake,鈥 鈥淩ight Now,鈥 鈥淭op of the World鈥 and 鈥淲hy Can鈥檛 This Be Love?鈥 Hagar performs a couple of his solo hits as well.听
April 24, 2008: At Scottrade Center
Van Halen鈥檚 original lineup 鈥 three- quarters of it, anyway 鈥 铿乶ally made it to its long-delayed concert at Scottrade Center Saturday night. Brothers Eddie Van Halen on guitar and drummer Alex Van Halen were joined by long-exiled vocalist David Lee Roth and Wolfgang Van Halen (Eddie鈥檚 17-year-old son) on bass.
Judging by the nonstop, two-hour barrage of rock energy generated by the quartet at Scottrade Center 鈥 and the unbridled enthusiasm of the close-to-capacity crowd for the music 鈥 Van Halen seems to be back at the top of the hard rock hierarchy among St. 不良研究所导航网址 rock fans.
The current Van Halen lineup 鈥 described by Roth Saturday evening as 鈥渢hree- quarters original and one-quarter inevitable鈥 鈥 blasted through 23 classic Van Halen tunes from the 1978鈥84 era with energy, style and undeniable talent.
-Terry Perkins
April 29, 2012: At Scottrade Center
At 57, David Lee Roth no longer stalks the stage like a predatory king of the jungle, coming off instead as an eager-to-please song-and-dance man,. His determination to entertain is admirable, but there's a desperate, Norma Desmond air about him, too. Besides, the real show is taking place to his left.
In recovery from both alcohol abuse and cancer, Eddie Van Halen remains one of rock's wonders to behold, reeling off impossibly fleet-fingered solos and chunky power chords, still cracking his trademark smile as if his six- string pyrotechnics were no big deal. His dazzling solo spotlight was the show's musical and emotional epicenter. The stage was sleek and uncluttered but dominated by a massive video screen that underlined Diamond Dave and Eddie's larger-than-life status.
-Daniel Durchholz
July 26, 2015: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
On the one hand, the concert was almost everything a longtime Van Halen fan could want, with David Lee Roth, the seeming majority favorite among the band鈥檚 frontman merry-go-round, on board once again; a generous set list of nearly two dozen songs, curated by bassist Wolfgang Van Halen and featuring a panoply of hits and well-chosen deep cuts, some of which haven鈥檛 been performed in decades; and all the guitar and drum heroics anyone could ask for from (respectively) brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen.
And yet 鈥 the concert often seemed as if it was two different shows happening in the same space and time; one by the Van Halens, who were pumping out irresistible hard rock/pop metal grooves and breathtaking, turn- on-a-dime instrumental acrobatics all night. And the other by Roth, working his own territory and admittedly, working it very hard 鈥 changing costumes, mugging, milking applause, twirling the mic stand, hoofing through some old-school dance moves and even managing a split 鈥 no mean feat at age 60.
As Roth mentioned, though, it was Eddie Van Halen who probably brought the fans out, and the guitar great didn鈥檛 disappoint, casually churning out astonishing leads and offering a solo spotlight that climaxed with his signature instrumental, 鈥淓ruption.鈥 Even as Roth鈥檚 sizzle fizzled, Eddie Van Halen still managed to deliver the steak.
-Daniel Durcholz