Sammy Hagar August 30 2024

  The Best of All Worlds Tour. I never got to see Van Halen before Eddie Van Halen passed away and Sammy was looking for a way to pay tribute to his former bandmate and friend. Sammy promised to pull out some Van Halen deep cuts on this tour so I figured this was as close as I was ever going to get to see Van Halen. The only way it could be closer was if Wolfgang Van Halen decided to do this tour, but he's doing his own thing and rightfully so! I got to see him back in November of 23 opening for Metallica and he was great. Sammy had Joe Satriani filling in for Eddie and Joe is no slouch! There might be other guitar players out there that could also do Eddie justice, but for my money, Joe Satriani is around the top of my short list of people that could do it! And Michael Anthony is here too! So we do have one half of the "Van Hagar" era here and Michael Anthony was there at the beginning. So this is it! this is the one! None of these guys are getting any younger and neither am I so this IS The Only One Way To Rock! 

 Mike was along with me again for this show. We usually argue (jokingly) about whose better with VH. Sam or Dave? Mike is firmly in the Dave camp. I take Sammy's side. I really do think the bands you listen to when you're in high school are the ones that really stick with you your entire life. You might move on from them in your older years. You might grow musically, but the nostalgia will always pull you back. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge was released when I was 16years old! So that was MY Van Halen. Now to be honest with you, I look at them as two totally different bands. It doesn't matter to me "Who's Better" The Classic line up is legendary. I love those songs too. I was 9 when 1984 came out and I'm pretty sure that the video for Hot For Teacher jump started me into puberty! I also have my own thoughts on the Dave era vs. the Sammy era. I say "If you're listening to Van Halen for the singer, You're doing it wrong!" Mike is about 11 years older than me and grew up with the Dave era, so I get his loyalty. 

 Rounding out the band was supposed to be Jason Bonham on drums and Rai Thistlethwayte on keyboards. This was also (I thought) was going to be the closest I was ever going to get to Led Zeppelin also. Unfortunately, Jason had a family emergency and had to leave the tour. So replacing him on drums was Kenny Aronoff. Kenny has toured with and played on the albums of some of the biggest names in Rock, Pop and Country music. He's been voted one of the best by different Drum magazine polls. Kenny is most known for his time with John Mellencamp. Now, during an interview with Howard Stern when announcing this tour, Sammy invited anyone he knew to come out and jam with them at any show. I think he was mainly pointing at Alex Van Halen with that, but I'm sure he would Jam with anyone that showed up. Now this show being in Indiana and now Kenny Aronoff playing drums, I thought we just might get an appearance from John Mellencamp. And he was at the venue per Sammy's facebook. We'll just have to wait and see.

 Opening up the festivities was Loverboy. Now I know a few of their songs, but I would say they hit their peak in popularity a little bit before I was really into music. Mike on the other hand was really digging their set. They played a set full of their hits and I think something off of a rather new album. They we're really good and solid Rock n Roll. I enjoyed it and Mike Loved it! Here's The Loverboy Setlist.

Notorius

Lucky Ones

Lovin' Every Minute Of It

The Kid Is Hot Tonite

Take Me To The Top

Hot Girls In Love

Turn Me Loose

Working For The Weekend

 It was a very hot day and there were storms rolling in. Loverboy's set started ten minutes early and the changeover between bands was five minuets shorter than usual. I was really hoping they would miss us. On to Sammy! I'll break down the set list a little. Three Van Halen songs to start with.

Good Enough

Poundcake

Runaround

Then the Sammy Staple

There's Only One Way To Rock 

Then back to VH! pulling heavy from the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Album. Which is fine by me!

Judgement Day

 At this point, the lightning in the area was getting strong so they had to pause the show to let it pass. They told the people in the lawn to seek shelter. We were under the pavilion so we were fine. It wasn't raining, just a lot of lightning. Sammy didn't really want to stop the show so he just stayed out and was talking to the crowd. Although since he kept talking, nobody sought shelter. The venue finally had to tell him he had to leave the stage. After about forty five minuets the show restarted. The venue has a strict eleven PM curfew. Sammy said they were given permission to finish the show and he would pay the overtime to the crew personally! 

Panama (So glad I got to hear this played live!)

5150

Summer Nights (That one will stick in your head!)

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (With Michael Anthony taking over the lead vocals)

Top Of The World

Best Of Both Worlds

Satch Boogie (basically Joe Satriani's guitar solo) Pumped to hear this one too!

The Seventh Seal

Right Now

Why Can't This Be Love

Eagles Fly

 It was at this point that another storm system was starting to move in and a stage hand came out on stage to tell Sammy that he had to cancel the rest of the show. Sammy pulled an audible though. "Give me my Guitar! We're doing this one!" As he flashed his wide open hand at the band twice. And they dove into... 

I Can't Drive 55

 No Sammy Hagar concert can be played without 55! So thankful he jammed it in. The stage crew started tearing the stage apart as soon as they finished. Sammy and Michael tried to keep the party going with an acapella version of  Cabo Wabo as the stage was being dismantled, but it was over. The rain was really coming down and the lawn was emptying out. Although the rain basically stopped ten minuets later! We'll never know if there was going to be a jam with Mellencamp. I looked up setlists from other shows to see what songs we missed. Very unfortunate we missed Mas Tequila, Heavy Metal, Space Station #5, Big Foot, Jump, and When It's Love. Still, it was an excellent show. Here are a few more crappy pics. I hate my phone.

Mike and I

                                                                        All the lightning