Sammy Hagar delivered on his promise to celebrate the history of Van Halen more intensely than ever at the Akron* stop of his Best of All Worlds tour Monday night.
Together with frequent collaborators Joe Satriani and Jason Bonham, Hagar and his longtime running mate Michael Anthony faithfully recreated the high points of their time together in Van Halen with a 22-song set that focused almost exclusively on that era of the band’s touring career.
You can see dozens of photos from the group’s July 24 show in Bridgeport, Connecticut below. (Because I didn’t bring the right lens to this concert.)
Hagar only sang three songs that he hadn’t previously played live alongside Eddie and Alex Van Halen during the show: “Space Station #5,” from his time in Montrose, “Mas Tequila” from his post-Van Halen career and Chickenfoot‘s “Big Foot.” (Most stops on this tour also feature his 1982 solo track “Heavy Metal,” which Van Halen never played and which was not played at this show.)
The set even included three songs from Van Halen’s David Lee Roth era, which were performed on most Hagar-fronted tours: “Panama,” “Jump” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love,” the latter of which featured Anthony on lead vocals.
Hagar continues to defy age in terms of vocal power, although he quite wisely allowed Anthony and multi-instrumentalist Rai Thistlehwayte to share the load with him to a higher degree than on previous tours. Satriani struck a wise balance between reverence to Eddie Van Halen‘s work and slavish recreation, seemingly allowing himself a bit more room for self-expression during the solos.
The band expertly dealt with a power failure that struck the venue’s sound system during the start of “The Seventh Seal,” using their stage amps to lead an impromptu sing-along of “Cabo Wabo” (wait, why isn’t that part of the set list every night?) before power was restored, at least inside the pavilion, for “Why Can’t This Be Love.” (According to fans with lawn seats, it took much longer to get the sound restored in their section.)
The highlight of the night was the return of a pair of 5150-era gems, “Summer Nights” and the title track. The latter featured the band nailing every section of the complex instrumental middle section, and also happily recreating the song-opening group march featured on the Live Without a Net home video.
Read More: Sammy Hagar 2024 Tour Roundtable: Is This the Best of All Worlds?
The Best of All Worlds tour is currently scheduled to end its Summer 2024 North American run on Aug. 31 in St. Louis. The group will head to Japan for three dates in September. Hagar’s annual birthday bash will feature two shows each in Las Vegas and Cabo San Lucas, beginning Oct. 4 and concluding on his 77th birthday on Oct. 13.
Watch Sammy Hagar Perform ‘5150’
*Blossom Music Center is in Akron, not Cleveland. Check your map if you don’t believe me.
Sammy Hagar, Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls July 29 Set List
1. “Good Enough”
2. “Poundcake”
3. “Runaround”
4. “There’s Only One Way to Rock”
5. “Judgement Day”
6. “Panama”
7. “5150”
8. “Summer Nights”
9. “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love” (Michael Anthony sings)
10. “Top of the World”
11. “Best of Both Worlds”
12. “Satch Boogie”
13. “The Seventh Seal”
14. “Cabo Wabo” (sing-along during equipment failure)
15. “Why Can’t This Be Love”
16. “Eagles Fly”
17. “Mas Tequila”
18. “I Can’t Drive 55”
19. “Space Station #5”
20. “Big Foot”
21. “Jump”
22. “When It’s Love”
Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Jason Bonham Live in 2024
Hagar and Anthony revisit their Van Halen years with help from their friends.
Gallery Credit: Matthew Wilkening