Which concert do you attend?

[Higgy]

Alright, someone gives you front row tickets to both shows - the problem is that they're at the same time on the same night. Are you going to see "the Other Half" or reformed Van Halen sans Michael.

[vhroth]

VAN HALEN

[Trailblazer]

The Other Half

[vhroth]

Have fun.

[Trailblazer]

Plan to!

[VH101]

I've been to The Other Half's show. I haven't seen nor heard the new Van Halen.

Boils down to my opinion that if one is going to shell out money to go see and hear VH material, EVH must be the guitarist.

[vhroth]

And David Lee Roth must be the singer/frontman/showman,Alex Van Halen must be the drummer and to see Wolfgang Van Halen now is like seeing Eddie in 1978. The kid is going to be a star.

[Trailblazer]

If I were buying a ticket to see and hear old-school Van Halen, then my money would be going to the Atomic Punks. When I buy a ticket to see Sammy and Mike, I KNOW in advance that I'm in for a good time. No on-stage drama, no clashing egos - just a good time. After the 2004 debacle, I refuse to accept any more scraps Eddie and Alex toss to their fans. The success of this tour pretty much hinges on whether Eddie can stay sober and if DLR can keep his mouth shut. For sure it will make a ton of money. You gave your reasons for choosing VH - I'm simply giving you my reasons for choosing Sam and Mike.

[David]

by far....i would go see the Other Half....they wil play for 3 hours..it will be huge part...and they will particpate with the crowd.....no contest there..

[Angiekay]

No question, The Other Half. More class, less egos, better musicianship and a whole hell of a lot more fun.

[cabokami]

Not even close. Sammy and Mikey. I can still stomach them.

[Squidward24]

Hands down - The Other Half, though not for a lack of wanting to see The Eddie Van Halen band, but I have way to much fun watching Sammy.

[Món]

No question, The Other Half. [b]More class, less egos, better musicianship and a whole hell of a lot more fun.

[/b]

Yep.

[Pacfanweb]

Van Halen.

There's no way Wolfie can be compared to Eddie in 1978...can't possibly be that good at age 16, but who cares about the bass player anyway, if it's not going to be Mikey?

I'm going to see Eddie and Dave playing the old stuff together.

Plus, Sammy never comes around here anyway.

[Voyager]

Let's break it down to individual members:

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The Other Half:

Sammy Hagar - Still has 90% of the vocal abilities and range that he had in his prime during the 80's. Sammy is a very passionate performer and an energetic entertainer. Sammy is known to bring the party with him, and makes 200% sure that everyone has a great time and gets their money's worth from his shows.

Michael Anthony - Mike is a great bassist, and has enjoyed very positive reviews from many bass player magazines over the years. Mike also has the signature high-tenor backup vocals that became a staple of the Van Halen sound in both the DLR and Sammy days of the band. Mike shares Sammy's passion to perform and entertain a crowd. Mike does not like the idea of someone (specifically EVH) going onstage drunk and having a bad attitude towards the crowd and the band members.

Victor Johnson - Vic is a great guitarist. He is not as good as Eddie Van Halen was in his prime, but is currently much more predictable, consistent, and stable than EVH has been in recent years. Vic doesn't use the whammy bar, heavy tapping, or harmonics like EVH does - but Vic lays down the rhythm and the lead in a very skillful way. Vic is a great player and entertainer.

David Lauser - Dave is just a great, solid drummer who keeps the groove going for The Other Half. Dave goes back with Sammy to the pre-Montrose days, and has played on various Sammy Hagar albums such as Standing Hampton, Three Lock Box, and VOA.

-------------------------------

Van Halen 2007

Eddie Van Halen - As all of us would probably agree, Eddie has created some of the best rock music on the face of the planet. He is known as the greatest guitarist that has ever lived. However, Eddie has always had a drama side to him. He seems to get easily frustrated and angered when things don't go his way. In the 90's, Eddie had a battle with tongue cancer and alcoholism that ended in the divorce of his longtime wife Valerie Bertinelli. This sent Eddie into a downward spiral of alcohol and drug addictions, ending in a short rehab stint in the middle of 2007. Most people who have worked with Eddie from the late 90's through 2007 have admitted that he is very difficult to work with, and doesn't seem to have the passion to entertain crowds that he once embraced. He seems to be more passionate about getting his own way, regardless of what his fans and bandmates think about his unpopular decisions.

Alex Van Halen - Alex is undeniably one of the best rock drummers alive. He is very capable of laying down a tight rhythmic groove for his brother's bands. However, Alex is known to cower to his brother Eddie's tyrades and rants, and basically goes along with whatever Eddie tells him to do. He defends Eddie even when there is no justifiable defense, which I guess is a common thing for brothers to do.

David Lee Roth - Dave is known for big talk and little action. Dave could have been a very successful marketer. He knows how to pump something up bigger than life. However, when it comes time to deliver the goods, Dave is known for forgetting 50% of the lyrics, and his vocals are pretty much shot compared to what they were in the 80's. He has lost his signature scream, and most of his vocal range. However, Dave knows how to work a crowd. Dave's popularity is due in part to his flamboyant showmanship and outrageous off-stage behavior. Dave is very unpredictable. No two of his shows are the same.

Wolfgang Van Halen - This one is the wildcard of the group. No one knows jack shit about Wolfgang apart from the praise that his father Eddie generously dumps on him. During the 2004 Van Hagar tour, Wolfgang appeared onstage with a guitar to play on a few songs. Eddie poured affection and praise on Wolfgang during these appearances, often kissing and hugging Wolfgang onstage. No one aside from the band members and a few guests have any idea what to expect out of Wolfgang musically or vocally.

-------------------------------

Based on the criteria above, my vote had to go to The Other Half.

[vhroth]

Andrew should ad The Other Half in the index with the rest of the bands.

[Voyager]

Andrew should ad The Other Half in the index with the rest of the bands.

I couldn't get him to add The Police, which was the biggest selling tour of the year. Oh well, it's his forum.

[vhroth]

I wonder if The Other Half will ever put out a CD since they never have.

[Voyager]

I wonder if The Other Half will ever put out a CD since they never have.

I listened to half of it today. I'll listen to The Other Half tomorrow.

[Pacfanweb]

I'd disagree with Dave being unpredictable and no two of his shows being the same. Fact is, nearly ALL of his shows each tour are almost EXACTLY the same. Dave rehearses not only the songs, but his raps during and between them. He says the same things each show, and has for years. He's like a well-oiled machine in that respect.

Yes, his scream is gone, that's a sad fact, due to smoking and age. But he still sounds like Dave. He never had lots of range.

All that about Eddie is true, except the wild card is....he's sober now. He was sober in 1998, and played like vintage Eddie. He was sloshed in 2004 and played terribly a lot of the time. I think he can still rip if he's got his stuff together.

Who cares about how good Wolfgang is? VH's bass lines are not anywhere near as intricate as the guitar parts. Any competent bassist can handle them with ease. If Wolfie is the child prodigy that Eddie/Dave/Al say he is, we shouldn't even notice that Mikey isn't there, other than those signature backing vocals. I have nothing against Wolf, but I'd still rather see Mikey there, simply because he's one of the orignal band members.
I think that's why people are so pissed about him not being there....that's what we're used to seeing, and humans by nature do not like change.
Then again, does anyone care that Bill Wyman isn't the Stones' bassist anymore?

[Voyager]

Then again, does anyone care that Bill Wyman isn't the Stones' bassist anymore?

The Stones were always morphing. Van Halen stayed the same except for changing lead singers.

Then again, Journey never skipped a beat when Ross Valory was tossed and replaced by Randy Jackson.

I guess the proof will be in the pudding. But there are a lot of "ifs":

1. How will DLR sound? Will his vocals be shot? If so, and there are no decent high-tenor backing vocals, it won't sound like Classic Van Halen at all.

2. Will Eddie be sober? That remains to be seen. He has never been on tour without drinking, but it was obvious in 2004 that he can't handle his booze anymore. All it takes is one night of binge drinking to get him off the wagon.

3. Will Eddie and Dave get along after all of the trash talking done in the past? Can they bury the hatchet long enough to do a good tour? Or will the shit hit the fan midway through the first leg of the tour and end up dramaville for the remainder?

4. Will Alex be wearing a neck brace again? Hell, he's not getting any younger. He may end up in a full body cast before the tour is over. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA5wP7yBi08

These are just a few concerns that come to mind.