Jessica Moe

Ok, so I have a bit of a confession. I have a huge….massive crush on the long-haired rockers of the 70’s & 80’s.  Yes, I know. Call me crazy. There is just something about the way these daring crusaders of style grew their (often) gorgeous locks and donned eyeliner that really makes a girl go crazy.  Alright, I know you think I am kidding at this point….but it is true! 

So, anyways…needless to say…when Issa e-mailed me and asked me if I was interested in some Van Halen tickets, well….frankly….I almost jumped through the floor. DAVID LEE ROTH!?! IN PERSON!?! Oh my gosh. Someone check my pulse.

I could hardly wait for 7:30 to roll around and before I knew it *BOOM* there he was, on stage with his funny little kicks and his karate moves….and oh my gosh was he in AMAZING shape. And when he came on stage, I found myself screaming like one of those crazy women in the Beatles or Elvis film clips….

Ok, sure…his hair is gone, well…not “gone” gone…just shorter…but he still has “it”, the “it” that he had before…and believe me when I say that I want to avoid making it sound like there is any nostalgia in my praise here, because let me tell you…these guys…they are probably BETTER than they were back in the day.

This is not to, in anyway, ignore the “Van Halens” who were equally amazing. Is there anything that an electric guitar can do that Eddie Van Halen hasn’t done?  And can you tell me how a man can rock a set of drums like Alex does, without so much as breaking a sweat??

Of course, the evening had some special highlights….one of which came in the form of a mini-Van Halen, Wolfgang (son of Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie)…who, at the tender age of 16, fills out the sound of the band on the bass.  This kid is so stinking adorable I just wanted to run up and pinch his little rock-star cheeks.  Talk about a legacy! 

Now, I will be the first to admit that the only Van Halen songs I was familiar with were the ones that were the most popular.  I never owned their album, or listened to them outside of the radio or VH1…and I will be honest, there were some songs I found myself hoping they would get through quickly so I could hear all the ones I had come to hear…which were, in no particular order: Jump, Jamie’s Cryin’, Panama, You Really Got Me, and Running With The Devil….and they didn’t disappoint.

And sure, there was the usual ruckus crowd. One guy had to be carried out for being too drunk…and the row of guys in front of us were getting high…the row of people in front of them were a bunch of older thirty something men with a bunch of younger 20 something girls and they were…let’s just say, entertaining…to watch. There were middle aged people who had clearly broken out the old-school gear to come to the concert….And there was, of course, the big biker-looking seat crasher who was arguing with the poor usher, threatening to kick his @$$ when he was asked to move.

In the end, my ears will probably never be the same and I think it is safe to say that I will never engage in such self-destructive listening again….but if I must summarize, I would have to say…that if I was going to blow out my ear drums with any group, I am sure as heck glad it was the legendary VAN HALEN!