David Lee Roth‘s performance at the M3 Rock Festival on May 3rd sent shock waves around the globe, marking a truly significant and long-awaited return to the stage. That performance was his first solo outing in over five years, after opening for KISS in 2020 and then a canceled Las Vegas residency. The cancellation had left many wondering about his future due to his candid remarks in the press at the time, on his career, “The Last Tour, Unless It Isn’t,” and adding, “At my age, everything is a possible farewell tour.”
As fans held their breath in anticipation of more shows, the announcement finally came on the heels of the M3 performance that Diamond Dave was back in circulation with a 21-date solo trek starting on July 22nd in Paso Robles, California, and concluding on September 14th in Napa, California.
There was no opening act on this tour, as a sheer force of nature with the world’s most charismatic and entertaining frontmen in rock ‘n’ roll history… on and off the stage. No one can dispute that Dave is the gold standard for frontmen, a visionary who defined exactly how they should look, move, and perform.
On this hot, steamy night, Dave and his nine-piece band came to Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA, on August 17th, with a promise to rock the venue hard with 18 Dave-era Van Halen songs. No solo material, not even “Yankee Rose!” His band included Al Estrada [guitar], Ryan Wheeler [bass], Francis Valentino [drums], Danny Wagner [keyboards], and backup singers Andre Washington, Juneau Lake, Stevie Notes, and Kurt Lykes.
Just two songs in with “Panama” and an extended version of “Drop Dead Legs,” complete with tambourine gymnastics, Dave had Bethlehem in the palm of his hands. He instantly captured the fun and spirit of these reborn classics, which were written decades ago. It was an energetic and inspiring 90 minutes, featuring a no-holds-barred set of hard rock anthems, including “Hot for Teacher,” “Mean Street” with its slow and mesmerizing tapping, and “Everybody Wants Some” with its hypnotic tribal drum intro. Dave and the band drew you into the show while Al hammered out all of Eddie‘s memorable riffs and melodic solos on “Unchained,” “Runnin’ with the Devil,” and “I’m the One.”
Dave shone bright, transforming the Wind Creek stage into his playground with undeniable swagger and boundless energy as he prowled, posed, postured with his microphone stand/tambourine/bullhorn, and danced and sang the night away. He would often change the words in songs to punctuate his mood, comedic wit, and the venue’s location. It’s precisely what Van Halen fans came for and needed since Eddie‘s passing! With Dave, you never know when or if you will see him again.
He is a Rock God who can instantly captivate his audience with jokes and hilarious stories between and during songs, making each show a unique experience. One memorable story he told was how his father took him to see a Marilyn Monroe movie, “Some Like it Hot”, that instantly ignited his passion at 9 years old to be a singer and entertainer.
His performance was a powerful reassertion of his enduring legacy with Van Halen, igniting fervent passion for those amazing songs and solidifying his reputation as a larger-than-life showman who continues to defy the conventional narrative of rock at 71 years of age. It was an incredible evening reliving some of Van Halen‘s greatest songs with Dave at the helm, singing them just the way you remembered! He told the audience that he wrote all the lyrics to these songs either to, for, or about women…how can you go wrong with the set list!
I can only assume that anyone who didn’t leave the show grinning ear to ear and hoarse from singing was never a true Van Halen fan in the first place. Kudos to Dave’s band, who did a tremendous job maneuvering, navigating, and keeping up with him. They were the unsung heroes of the night, allowing Dave to soar!
Tickets for Dave‘s remaining shows can be found here. Assless chaps not included in the price of admission!
