The original lineup of Van Halen, together from 1974 until 1985, never released a live album during their time together. This, when you consider how powerful and energetic they were live, is a shame. With Sammy Hagar out front, they did issue the double set Live: Right Here, Right Now in 1993, but that didn’t sit well with fans who wanted to hear the “old” songs. Now that Roth’s been back in the saddle since 2007 and there’s no word on a studio follow-up to A Different Kind Of Truth, the 23-song Tokyo Dome Live In Concert, taken from a 2013 show in Tokyo, Japan, should keep the masses happy until the band takes another momentous step forward.
From the outset, it should be noted that while there are numerous bootleg recordings available that capture the original unit’s vibrancy and power on stage, Tokyo Dome Live In Concert rings loudly with a kapow and a zam. The two most obvious gripes are, of course, that Michael Anthony is not here and David Lee Roth’s never-that-great voice is barely here. The key to the whole equation are the Van Halen brothers — on fire and ready to rumble with anyone who challenges their dominance. If anything, you’ll grow to appreciate Alex as much as Eddie because the drums are booming on this recording. And there is no denying that Wolfgang Van Halen is a monster on bass, pulling and snapping low-end lines and then some on the beefy turnarounds. Fans, of course, get the whole enchilada as far as getting the best of what the band recorded from 1978 through 1984.
After the beast that is Van Halen lets off with a thunderous, ferocious roar, they fall into “Unchained.” Roth’s yelps and hollers are virtual shells of what they were 30 years ago, but he manages to tunefully slip and slide through the chunky verses and choruses thanks to the Van Halen son-and-father back-up singers. Even without Anthony’s vocals, what Roth has called “one of the greatest high tenor voices ever,” in the mix, the songs sally forth and sound pretty much like they should. On “Runnin’ With The Devil,” Roth even gives kudos to Wolfgang’s singing, which booms forth on those fist-raising choruses without reservation.
Sandwiched between the “new” songs — “She’s The Woman” and “Tattoo” — is the classic “I’m The One,” a true test of the band’s stage craft. Eddie has the riff down to a science, and Wolfgang and Alex follow along closely. Roth is wobbly, but the support and his own determination get him through it. “Everybody Wants Some!!” gives everyone a chance to breathe and explore the space, before Roth reels off the kind of fill-in raps he’s so beloved for. You know, things like “You guys gotta try these energy drinks” and a few suggestive Japanese slogans (which he spews forth throughout). It all seems to work out in the end.
“Somebody Get Me A Doctor” keeps the momentum going and “Chinatown” fits right in, as the Van Halens gallop through and Roth ably keeps up. This may be one of the tighter songs from A Different Kind Of Truth, with both Eddie and Wolfgang intertwining guitar and bass lines like birds in tandem flight. “Hear About It Later” gives the band another chance to explore their melodic side, while “(Oh) Pretty Woman” and the expanded “You Really Got Me” with a drum solo in between offers up more of what everyone loves about Van Halen — the ability to take cheeky covers and turn them into something all their own.
The second disc is strictly the classics — “Dance The Night Away,” which could have used a little more cowbell, followed by “I’ll Wait,” “Cradle Will Rock” and “Hot For Teacher.” By this time, you can deal with the vocal fallibilities of Roth because, after all, that’s always been part of the act anyway — the raspy, squelching intonations, a bit more tame but lusting with omnipotent swagger. He may not wear the chaps and have the long golden locks to toss and turn any more, but Roth is self-assured and poised to sing these songs and skip across a stage with Eddie Van Halen. That’s what everyone cares about.
Eddie winds out the harmonics before the band explodes into “Women In Love.” He pulls off a similar stunt before “Mean Streets,” but holds the squeals out a little longer. “Ice Cream Man” has Roth strumming a few chords on the acoustic, acknowledging members of the audience and singing a few random lines. Now that he calls Tokyo home, it’s obvious he’s made lots of friends. From there, it boils down to the essentials: “Panama,” “Ain’t Talkin’’Bout Love” and “Jump.” It’s likely the swinging ropes were no where in sight as “Panama” lifted off. Of course, “Eruption” is Eddie’s pièce de résistance, and still represents the classic hammer-ons, pull-offs, tapping and prowess he’s known for.
“Ain’t Talkin’’Bout Love” and “Jump,” which finish off the set, represent something else altogether. “Ain’t Talkin’’Bout Love,” from the band’s self-titled debut, has always been a raw and raunchy riff that swings and shakes. Even on Tokyo Dome Live In Concert, it typifies the party-rock righteousness of Van Halen. “Jump” was the original group’s biggest hit, overtly commercial and little more than an obligatory add-on to this live set. They could have very well left it off, but certain Van Halen fans would have spoken out. That’s the way it is with Van Halen, a band with a divided fan base and tons of speculation. Certainly some will wonder why “Poundcake” or “Dreams” isn’t on here. But if you grew up with this band and can handle imperfections courtesy of age, altered allegiances and circumstances, Tokyo Dome Live In Concert will cure your Van Halen fix just fine.
~ Shawn Perry
