We went to the concert last night at the Bank Atlantic Center and were extremely disappointed.

The sound was muddy and we also had problems figuring out which song they were actually playing until about 20 seconds into it.

DLR barely sang at all and we spotted at least two occasions when we heard his voice but the mic was nowhere near his mouth.

We feel sincerely ripped off since the band obvisouly knows off the sound quality issues by now and has done nothing to fix it - leaving die-hard fans like us wondering what we spent our hard-earned money on.
:-(

I read the reviews regarding sound quality before going to the Wednesday, 2/20/08 concert and have to agree: the sound sucked. DLR was off on many songs and EVH, while still awesome, took too many liberties with songs that I was waiting to hear.

We attended the show in Orlando at the Amway Arena and the sound there was horrible also. We kept asking each other what song is it. In this day and age $300 plus for tickets is a lot to spend for a substandard show. I was happy to see the band but compared to other "older" classic bands this was a low rent showing!

I saw Van Halen in the 1980s in Michigan. It was the worst sound I have ever heard. I have a hard time explaining how bad it was, distorted, a little loud, but over all it was just bad. I thought that it was the building but I guess not. They have come a long way, NOT!

I must agree: we never heard DLR's vocals. Did anyone else ntice Eddie's tempertantums?
(1) How he yanked the guitar cord that was stuck under a speaker?
(2) During his drunken stupor he stumbled over his own microphone?
(3) It appeared that his own son didn't want to be near him (ever time Eddie walked over to him he walked away from Eddie)?
(4) As Eddie was leaving the stage, following the last song, he knocked over a stack of speakers? (ironically they toppled onto him)
The music brought back memories of my youth. The lighting and pizzazz of the show outstanding. Just very disappointed with Eddies obvious drunken tempertantrums.

Yep, I went last night and thought the instruments were way too LOUD for DLR to sing over. Any yep, that 20-second rule again -not being able to distinguish which song they were playing. We were in 104 a few rows up from the floor. I loved seeing the antics of Roth and they gave it all they have -- amazing for their age (I'm 54). I thought it was just a matter of Eddie's guitar being too loud but now that I think about it there was a muddled sound throughout. With the rare reuniting I would have rather heard more of Dave and less of Eddie's "liberties" on instrumentation though I love the way he masters the guitar.

I enjoyed the show from the standpoint that DLR is back and they played a lot of their old hits, however, the sound was horrible! You could barley hear DLR on most of the tunes, Eddie's guitar amp was turned-up way too much and it drowned-out the lead vocal on most songs. I also thought that Eddie's white guitar was having problems. On his solo, I noticed that he wasn't getting the right sound effect that he's played a million times. Also, he appeared annoyed on more than one occasion, even pushing down some speakers at the end of the show. I would think that they would have worked-out these issues being that the tour has been going on for five months!

i was club level and the band seem like they were jamming but the sound did not do them justice to what they really sound.. fire the sound guy asap...

As far as big arena shows go, VH was a well choreographed event. We picked up 4th row seats stage right at the box office just before showtime. The sound from the front was muffled, but DLRs vocals were live and clear from down front. The guitars were a bit muffled, but the bass was real muddy. Eddie did look a bit inebriated, it could have been part of the act. All and all a well paced, jukebox type show. No major surprises but solid entertainment.

I saw both S.Florida shows, and I had no problems with the sound. For the 2.12 show I was directly across from the stage, 10 rows up from the floor in sect 108 and it was fine. For 2.20, I was sect 134, row 22 - which is a little ahead of the stage on Eddie's side and the sound was great. Anyone saying that Dave wasn't great and didn't give 110% is out of their minds. And yes, Eddie doesn't play like the albums live - if you have seen him before you'd know this. This tour is a VH fan's dream - the Sammy nightmare is finally over and forgotten.

I also saw the Charlotte show from the 4th row and it was incredible - no sound issues, just the occasional feedback, which is to be expected at the first show... and LOUD, like a rock band should be.

I was at the MSG show that Rolling Stone mentioned. I was lower level, across from the stage and the sound in the building was fantastic. MSG is a great place to see a show. The building seems to breath.

Basically, if you're going to invest in a show like this, do you homework, make the effort and get good seats... Don't expect good sound if you're upper level or in a corner - it's a hockey arena!

Beyond dissappointed! Yes, being a performing musician, I know when there is a difference between a bad mix on stage and just poor performance. I sat in section 132. The first show on Feb 12 was a train wreck as far as performance! David Lee was missing all his opening vocals and only phrased the last few words in the verse, missed alot of key vocal parts. Eddie really diappointed me as he was more focused on smoking his stupid cigarette than playing his key leads. Alot of noise during parts that were staples and expected hooks that any listener is accustomed to being a Van Halen fan. I was expecting more detailed replication of the recorded performances than improv / covered up errors! I offically coined them "SCAM HALEN". I would love to get my money back for that waste of a show. Alex Van Halen was the only rock solid player. He kept the show rolling. Eddie's son Wolfgang did a decent job filling Michael Anthony's shoes. I will never go to another SCAM HALEN show! They are laughing their way to the bank on your $$.. Sad, as I have been influenced in the early 80's by Eddie into being the guitar player I am today.

Attended the Feb. 12th show -- soooo disappointed in the sound. I, too, could not figure out what they were playing until halfway thru. $300 was too much for this concert! DLR looks like Squidward.

Hahaha...

Concert tickets are increasingly more and more expensive. The more people are willing to pony up the more the artist and producers will charge for these tickets.

The fact that the sound sucked is what makes it so funny. I would have loved to have taken my son to see VH but because of limited finances at the moment and the fact that it was in the middle of the week did not help. After hearing the complaints... I am overly happy that I did not waste my time and money on the shit that this band and its team of "professionals" put out for the concert attending public.

Send a message and STOP buying these ridiculously priced tickets. Perhaps a law should be made where the dissatisfied concert goers should be refunded for a lousy experience.

Hold the appropriate parties responsible... but that will never happen. Those who attended the concert, those who financed the price of the ticket(s) are predominantly white middle class individuals. Most of which are too lazy to do something other than complain and just eat the overpriced loss.

if you pay the $46 to sit in the nose bleeds or on the side of the stage thats what you get spend the extra cash and get in front where the best sound is , it sounded fine from where I sat and I'm a professional musician

I am not surprised by the poor sound at the Van Halen show. I went to see them many years ago at the Miami Arena and it was poorly mixed and so loud it was terrible!

It would have been great to see Van Halen with David Lee but knew I would be wasting my money. I'm sorry to hear I was right. Too bad you-all got ripped off.

FOR A GUARANTEED GREAT SHOW GO TO SEE THE U2-3D MOVIE - YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED OR RIPPED OFF!

Sound was awesome, I was lower lever and I could not detect any problems.

I saw them last Tuesday and thought the sound was hideous. Did not know what song they were playing until half way through the song. DLR looks fantastic...wish I could have heard him. This was alot of money to pay for such lousy sound at BankAtlantic Center. I have seen many shows there and have NEVER been disappointed with the sound. Is it all of Eddie's speakers (his initials were on plates on every speaker)? Now that I have paid $160 for the ticket, maybe Eddie can spring for some new equipment. I came home and put on thier CD's so I could appreciate their outstanding music of the past. What a shame I spent all that money and had to come home to hear them as I remember them.

to Kevin Fretlord, feb12th show did suck as far as Roths vocals and eddie also sucked. and also saw the show feb 20th, which was a lot better, but I saw the show at the garden as was blown away, but if you could remember they were never that great live in the early eighties Roth was always drunk and always forgot lyrics but eddie was much better then, as far as his playing and keeping solos much to their original,I saw them in 79, now that was a good show all around, or maybe it was just the beer...remember that's why they never released a live album with roth,
but this tour was better than nothing, right?

I have not attended a show at the BAC since Jimmy Buffet a few years ago..Why? Muffled sound. Horrible actually. These BIG name acts have no excuse in putting terrible sound in an arena.

Perhaps the "sound guy" is to be blamed, but it actually happens alot. The "sound guy" wants to be the star...I also heard that "the sound guy" got so much crap over his work at this particular Buffet show..that during the intermission, he was threatened with bodily harm!

I try real hard to see shows at smaller venues. Whether that reallyhas any difference..I don't know. But I have yet to have sound issues at the Hard Rock, and real small venues like Coral Springs etc.

Woa - The sound was definitely off, Eddie might have been drunk (or it was an act)and ticket prices are too high. But I wouldn't have missed DLR's return to Van Halen for the world!

I was very disappointed with the sound. Definitely need to get a new sound engineer!! I could not make out what song they were playing at first. I went in with very high expectations, and left somewhat dissatisfied due to the sound. Although it was great to see the "guys" together again.

It wasn't just them, it's the building. I didn't go to the concert, but I did attend a Jimmy Buffet concert there a couple of years ago. The sound quality in the upper back was so bad that my wife wrote a letter to Jimmy's management company.

I'm sure Van Halen's sound guy has a hard enough job, but the acoustics at the BAC are downright awful if you are sitting anywhere in the upper bowl. They seriously need to look into doing something about it, because I'm going to re-consider going to shows there in the future. Last night was a friggin' joke, sound-wise, especially for the first few songs.

Was that Van Halen playing, oh it hought it was a Van Halen tribute band!! ROFL
I would have rather wiped (you know) with my $100 seat than to be punished for one and a half hours of toilet gargling! I'll stic to XM if I want to listen to them, but let's be honest.... were they ever good Live? PS Wolfgang has a cush job....thanks daddy but I look like mommy! LoL Next time they come (if they ever come again)I suggest an unplugged version in the parking lot...at least they will be heard.

We were in section 409. Basically the show was great. DLR had the audience in the palm of his hand. Eddie was ripping and Back to Back hit solid on the money. The sound was an issue. I was an invited guest of "The real Van Halen fan" my brother. He was furious. He kept noticing every "Off Point" and this was easily attributable to a shifting in and out of the sound. Places where Eddie should have been able to peel off delicate nuances in his playing were muffled. This was really annoying. You knew a certain sound was supposed to be coming off the stage and it was just not there. My brother was pissed. There is no doubt about it DLR is the fantastic showman that you really have to have to carry across a great show. A little physical warmup before the show would be a good idea. The sound could have been better but the show was still great.

I saw the show on Tuesday 2/12 from Section 133 (lower level - Eddie's side)and the sound quality was poor.

I saw the show on Thursday 2/20 from section 3 on the floor right along the catwalk and the sound was amazing. Could not have asked for a better show all around. Amazing sound quality from this seat. This tour is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the best rock and roll band of all time. The $200.00 seat that I had was worth much more. I would have paid $500.00.

OH GOD STOP ALL YOUR BITCHING!! THE SOUND WAS WHAT YOUD EXPECT FROM A VH SHOW, LOUD! VOICE WAS GREAT, JUST BE HAPPY YOU SAW THEM AT ALL IDIOTS!!!! ITS A CONCERT FOR 15K AND ITS FILLED WITH ELECTRIC GUITAR, ITS WHAT IT SHOULD SOUND LIKE. YOU WANT FAIRY MUSIC WITH PERFECT SOUND GO TO A CLUB THAT SEATS 25!!!!NOW SHUT UP ALL OF YOU, MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!FRICKEN PRIMADONNAS!IT WAS A PERFECT SHOW AND THE DOAENS I KNOW WHO WENT ALLLLLL LOVED IT!

Just another person who hated the sound at the concert last night, but I have news for you.

The sound was NOT related to the band - it was the horrible acoustics of the Bank Atlantic Center. Since seeing Celine Dion there in the arena's opening concert, I've been complaining about the sound.

By the time one note hits you, the other notes are on top of them, and when a rock band is wailing on their guitars and screaming, you have musical mass mayhem.

I took my 18 year old son who loves Classic Rock, and he wanted to leave at 9pm. This would have been a great concert for Dolphin Stadium - but STAY AWAY from Bank Atlantic when another rock band comes to town!!

Thank you for writing, everyone who's weighed in here. The comments make up a sort of constellation of feedback (the good, non-PA kind) from different seats all over the building, and from a few other shows on the tour.

The total picture is - like the sound, I guess - a little vague. VH appear to be playing all out, and really hooking into those songs from the Dave days. But sound continues to be an issue for not a few people in the seats, even last night - and even after numerous tour dates.

Granted, concert sound in 400 level seats at a major sportsplex (BAC, AA Arena in Miami, Staples in LA, etc.) is always a gamble, and some bands are more diligent than others about trying to project a clean mix to every corner of the building. (U2 has solved arena sound about as well as any band could). But people sitting well below 400-sec and closer in are also reporting sound problems. To judge from some of the commments, VH also seems to have had a history (or is it a philosophy?) of minimal control of the live sound.

Like I said in the original post, I wrote to the band's publicist, so somebody in that camp has to be aware of the concerns. What they do with the info isn't entirely out of consumers' hands either, since as a group people can choose to pay or not pay to attend a particular show, based on feedback like this.

Ideally, any concertgoer/consumer pressure that people bring to forums like this will benefit people at later tour stops, and then benefit all of us when the band comes back around.

p.s. Earplugs are a big help at shows by famously loud bands. The downside is they take away some of the 'oomph', the brunt of the sound hitting you head-first and traveling through the body. The upside is they cut way, way down on the blare, the white noise, the notes landing on top of other notes that Debbi aptly described. They clean up the mix. They also help protect the delicate machinery of the ears. Over time, having gone to a lot of shows, I've sometimes felt like concert sound today is a conspiracy to make everyone deaf or give them tinnitus. That's not the case, obviously, but earplugs are still a great defense against the noise.

Worst sound ever.

The sound abysmal at the Van Halen show. I have seen at least two other rock shows there — never such bad sound. Called Bank Atlantic to complain. Say they cannot refund. Any ideas on how to get some recompense? Really awful.

I wondered if they pre-recorded some of the background (and even DLR's vocals) and it caused some conflict. Even Alex's drum solo — with some kind of phase shifter effect — muffled and muddled. Definitely too loud. If you went drunk or high it probably did not matter to you what VH played. I went sober. I want my money. Better ... I want a good concert.

Bank Atlantic needs quality control no matter who plays there. Shame on all of them. Boo! Hiss!

This is the pissed off brother of anthony mellard and boy am I pissed off. I waited all this time to see these guys back together and my rock and roll heroes really let me down. Eddie cannot drink during the show,did anybody else notice him fall down after not being able to perform his solo.I told people this would be a great show and eddie falls over drunk,thanx but no thanks,no wonder valerie left,no t-shirt this time.

I was very very dissappointed with everything! I was expecting DLR's high hitting vocals and JUmps!! I think he did one toe touch with one leg! I was in 80dollar nose bleed seats and I felt I was watching guitar hero..But worse! I shouldnt of gone and kept my memories of VH in my head!

oh yeah and Wolfgang was the most out of shape of them all!! He needs to go on Jenny Craig!

Don't blame the Arena, blame the sound people. I went to U2 there in 2001 and was sitting in the LAST ROW and it sounded amazing!

re: Sam's note about the possibility of some vocals being pre-recorded, there was a moment last Tuesday when I could have sworn Eddie stopped singing a harmony part with Wolfgang, pulled back from the mic, but the note kept going for a few bars. If some part of a backing vocal was canned, that would be odd, not so much because of the old rock credo of playing all the music live - a lot of bands "cheat" these days - but because I thought Eddie and his son harmonized well on those occasions where I'm pretty sure they were actually singing. Last Tuesday, anyways, all of Dave's vocals seemed very much live and untreated, blemishes and all, which was mostly OK by me.

Saved my Money. But still have there Cassettes & Cds. And enjoy them because they did put out some good MUSIC.

I went to both shows. The first show we sat in section 111, directly in front of the stage but in the back, the sound was terrible. The stage amps were overpowering the PA. Plus the non existent acoutics in BAC didnt help anything. The sound just bounces around in there.
Last night we sat in 116 to the left of the stage, the sound was much better. Maybe because we were not directly in front on the stage.

I thought they put on 2 great shows. I never expected Eddie and David to put aside their giant egos to allow this to happen. Rock and Roll!

I went to the first show and was just happy to be there to Dave with Eddie again. I was sitting way up top and the sound was awful. I also went to the last show with Sammy and had much better seats the sound was also really bad. I'm starting to think it's either the sound guy or they just don't do sound checks. I am certainly goingto try and get my money back now that I'm hearing (no pun intended) that no one thought the sound was good. Eddie did rock in his solo and he didn't seem drunk at all.

Regarding the pre-recorded possibility—I noticed at one point it looked like DLR's vocals kept going while he had the mike significantly away from his mouth. As to the quality of his vocals I didn't really expect that much to begin with. What I did expect — to hear Eddie's guitar playing. Instead ... lost in the noise or mush or whatever. They undoubtedly piped in synths during a portion of Alex's solo and of course during Jump (the latter expected).

Good show, but poor Eddie was upset. DLR has always been a ham, so I didnt expect any different. His voice was better than I expected, I thought he did a great job and it was funny to hear him talk about how he was conceived on South Beach. Ironically, Wolfgang seemed to have less energy than the other 3 guys. Something happened to Eddie during Alex's drum solo offstage, not sure what. Near the end, Eddie kept going over to Wolf and yelling something at him and Wolf looked like he didnt give a damn what his Dad was saying. Then Eddie got pissed yanking his guitar cable from under his pedalboard. He started acting erratically knocking over his mike stand, dropping his cigarette and picking up again a few times before throwing it. The moment I cant get out of my head though, is after the show ended as they walked offstage. Eddie walks by his stack of EVH amps and punches the speaker cabinet as hard as he could, knocking the speaker cabinet over and it falls, sandwiching Eddie between the stage platform and the toppled cabinet for a moment until he wriggled free. It was so embarrassing and it really put a sour last note on the whole show because I felt like Eddie obviously wasn't having as good a time as he would have liked the fans to believe. I wonder if Eddie was pissed about the bad sound?

Most embarrassing show by a mayor act. DLR looked great, but sounded terrible. Eddie got boos during his horrible guitar solo, his playing was poor, definitely something was wrong with him. You cannot blame Bank Atlantic Center for poor sound. Saw Heaven & Hell, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and other bands during the last couple of years, everybody had great sound. Well, be happy you saw the reunited VH, I don't think they need any more money after this tour. As for the sampling of the choruses, everybody cheats nowadays!

I went to last nights Feb. 20 show. Seats in the upper 433 section. Sound was lound and ok for the first part of the show. DLR voice was clear and he did display great showmanship for his age. The sound was distorted at times. But Eddies playing just sucked. Time for him to hang it up and stick to guitar clinics and expos. If don't have have it together for a full live tour, then don't go on tour and rip off fans with the prices they charge these days. Tickets prices are a joke and paying $20 to park is a rip. Eddies solos are full and complete and his ego is beyond the gods. EVH screwed up on "Panama" and DLR on to sing in on cue to bring the band back to tempo. Alex is the true hero and backbone in that band. I would love to see Alex move on to other projects and work with other greats who have their shit together. EVH was the man in his time. All time best and inventor of guitar riffs. But now he his tired, worn, and a grumpy old man. DRL was a bit stiff, but still sang great and had a smile you good see all the way in the back of the BAC. Can't say the BAC has bad acoustics. Its a big place and I have seen a dozen bands play there. VH sound was off due to Eddies sloppy playing.
I would like to know when Eddie flipped out at the end. Was is because of the band or the sound techs?

My wife & I saw VH when they opened for Black Sabbath during BS's 10 year anniversary tour in Memphis, circa 1978. She was my girlfriend at that time. Anyway, our daughter gave us tickets to the 2/20 show. We were a little dissapointed in the sound but still enjoyed the dynamics of the two bands. We wondered if anyone actually did sound checks in different areas or if it was only checked at the board location? It really would have been more enjoyable had the sound quality been as everyone hoped.

Saw the show in Houston on 1/28 & THE SOUND SUCKED!
You'd think at $150 a seat they could have done a better job...

We paid over $200 for two floor seats and can't begin to tell you how disappointed we were. The sound was the worst - there were times when we could not even tell what song DLR was singing. This is the second time in the last year that I've been to a concert at the BAC and the sound was bad. I don't blame the band,the venue is at fault. When you add the exorbitant parking fees and the high cost of food and drink - we'll stay home from now on thank you very much. You can hear a concert better sitting outside Mizner Park...for free!

>>My wife & I saw VH when they opened for Black Sabbath during BS's 10 year anniversary tour in Memphis, circa 1978. She was my girlfriend at that time. Anyway, our daughter gave us tickets to the 2/20 show.>>
That's a great bit of generational handoff. I never thought the day would come when kids send their parents to rock arena shows - I mean, it's rock 'n' roll we're talkin' about here, not family gift-giving! So much for the conceits of my eternal musical youth. ;)

They have now postponed tonight's Charlottesville, VA and Monday's Duluth, GA concerts. That gives them a week before the next show Mar 3 in Dallas.

I was at the Atlanta Feb 10 show. I was thrilled to be there and the crowd stood the entire show...but...the sound mix was awful -- even the sound board went out during Erruption and we could only hear Eddie through the monitors. I have thought perhaps they've been coming down with the flu as well. I sincerely hope its nothing else... I wouldn't have missed the reunion for anything but I won't pay $170 to see it again.

I saw them in early February in Des Moines while on a business trip. I had 9th row on the floor and thought that the sound sucked. Other than EVH, who sounded slammin', Alex's drums sounded like mud in the mix and David Lee Roth had to shred what was left of his voice to be heard over the din. Eddie's great playing made the night, as well as just seeing most of the original boys back together again (even though they seem like shoegazers compared to what they were like in their heyday). I still feel a little ripped off given what tickets cost. However, compare that to spending $225 plus extortion charges to see the Police and Elvis Costello at the ratty piece of crap Coral Sky Mars Music Sound Advice Cruzan Amphitheater, and VH will seem like the deal of a lifetime. C'mon, $600-plus just to walk into a venue with a date?? Either that or get tickets on the lawn and hear nothing while sitting on a muddy embankment. What a joke!

>>They have now postponed tonight's Charlottesville, VA and Monday's Duluth, GA concerts. That gives them a week before the next show Mar 3 in Dallas.>>

A story posted yesterday afternoon at http://www.livedaily.com/news/13725.html says in part:

"No explanation was given for the postponements, and, at press time, a spokesperson for the group had not responded to a request for more details, but weather reports in Charlottesville call for freezing rain tonight, and the postponement of Monday's show in Georgia means the band now has 10 days off before returning to the stage for their next gig, which is set for March 3 in Dallas.

"Meanwhile, the group continues to add more shows to its schedule, and, since last check, has tacked a trio of April dates to the end of its itinerary (shown below), including stops in Oakland and Sacramento, CA; and an April 19 concert in Las Vegas as part of golf legend Tiger Woods' annual Tiger Jam benefit event."

Maybe they just needed a break.

The 2/20 Van Halen show was fantastic! The losers that are whining about the 'sound' have no idea of what they are talking about. Van Halen sounded GREAT!
And DAVID LEE ROTH was in top form, the vocals were loud and strong, and Dave's high kicks were effortless as he put his foot over his head about a dozen times! he also looked incredible with his 6 pack abs and his new short haircut. Dave is unbelievable, Eddie was great too and played with incredible skill and creativity. He was also more focused than I've seen him on other shows this tour, in fact, of the 7 shows I've seen, the 2/20 show was the BEST!
Anyone complaing about that show is an idiot, period.

Hey Seabisquit ... love Van Halen ... and pray that Eddie has a long productive life. Having said that ... a simple tour of the youtube videos from other shows will show the inaccuracy of your comment. I wish they would come back to South Florida and give us a show with proper sound. I have seen Eric Clapton, Lindsey Buckingham, Davey Johnstone, and Eddie himself on another tour play at BAC. Never have I heard the awful sound that we experienced on 2/20.

WELL, VA & GA SHOWS POSTPONED THAT IS BS!!!!!!

The ice wasn't too bad for all Van Halen's equipment and crew to show up on time, plus it was 50 degrees on the 22nd and i doubt Georgia has seen ice for 5 years. Anything can happen in the personal lives of a band & its members, but OUT with it already! It’s a slap in the face to loyal fans who spent good money on tickets, gas, hotel, vacation, ect to be at JPJ or Gwinnett and then not show up OR to show even less class, not apologize and at least have the courtesy to bs us with a reason why.
3 DAYS AND NOT A PEEP!?!?!?!? Do you even give a ... about anyone but yourselves?
You have a website right Eddie, post something on it even if you have to bs your way thru it, wolfgang can at least learn about responsibility and gratitude for fans!
I was 14-19 when I fell in love with your music and thought you guys where God’s gift to rock.
Now that I am 38, I and the 25 other people I know personally who bought tickets to see you
Realize that the pleasure is yours not ours and that for the same money we could all have a much
More memorial dinner with our wives.

Sadley yours
Former VH fan
Bob Moore, Richmond VA

Maybe the silence/absence has something to do with this?

"Valerie Bertinelli comes clean on drugs, infidelity"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23330068/

Quote from the above article

"Wolfgang is following in his father's footsteps, playing bass with Van Halen on the band's highly successful reunion tour with David Lee Roth. Bertinelli wasn't wild about her son joining the band at such a young age, but said that she also trusts "Wolfie."

"I don't like it," Bertinelli said. "He told me, 'You were working at this age, too.' He really gave me a good argument and I said, 'I don't want you to go, but I'm not going to stop you.'

"He's at home right now. They're having a little break. He's 17 in a couple of weeks. He's driving around. He's got a girlfriend. I'm losing him!"

Ga Peach & Sean both make valid points, I just think its totally disrespectful to the fans not to make some announcement of web site post. Thats what you pay a publisist for, and again we don't need all the gory details, just an apology for the show cancellation and some idea from the band if they will reshedule.

Saw VH at Feb 18th show in Jacksonville.Thought it was just me that thought the sound sucked.They were playing in a fairly small arena and I had great seats,but was VERY disappointed with the sound.

What can those who feel cheated by the concert sound do? Contact Ticketmaster? Bank Atlantic? Van Halen site? Live Sound?
Any suggestions?

I know the soundman on this tour. I have worked with him over the years. He is a HORRIBLE soundman, but yet he keeps getting the big gigs. Shows you how "it's who you know, not what you know" rings so true.

I know some bands want the sound loud, so the fans go home with that ears ringing concert experience. It's a bulls hit thing. Sound makes or breaks the band from a club level band all the way to the stadium shows. I have never understood that mentality. It's one reason why I refuse to pay $100.00 for a ticket to see a band anymore!

Hey Pete,

Does that mean they will keep this soundman for the whole tour? Contractual obligations? Legal issues?

thanx

I went to the Indy show and the sound was horrible there. I think it's the combo of the venue and the sound guy. You can't pump the sound up to 11 in an indoor basketball arena made out of concrete and expect the mix to sound good.

Still, it is possible to get good sound at places like this, if the band gets the speaker placement right and turns it down just a nacho.

I was disappointed too. I didn't expect much because I had nosebleed seats, but the sad thing (in more ways than one) is that I saw the American Idol tour a few years earlier and THAT sounded much better by comparison

Saw them in Jacksonville, Fl on Feb 16th and yes the sound was very muddy.
While I'm glad that I was there because my 9 yo grandson just had to go...I was very disapointed with the sound quality.
DLR looked good but hearing him was a problem.
Lot's of my friends said the same thing...all seats too.

sat in the nose bleed seats in milwaukee sounded fabulous great concert Eddie seemed sober and DLRdid a great job I was entertained for $47.00 was well worth it !

sat in the nose bleed seats in milwaukee sounded fabulous great concert Eddie seemed sober and DLRdid a great job I was entertained for $47.00 was well worth it !