Van Halen
Hartford Meadows
Hartford, CT
August 29, 1998

Photos by Glenn Diener ©1998 - musicpix@optonline.net
Click photos to download full-size images.

Set List - Click here!

Review by Christopher Bock - Setzer1994@aol.com

All I can say is "unbelievable"! The whole experience was great, which includes the crowd, KWS, and the mighty VH! The set list was the usual, except they played Dreams and Jamie's Cryin'- two of my favorite tunes.

The highlights of the evening for me were Mike singing Somebody Get Me A Doctor, and Panama. Being a bass player myself, Mike is my favorite Halen member, and seeing him take center stage was awesome! And what a madman Gary is, one time jumping on Mike's cabinets and pretending to ride them like a horse! He's definitely the best of both worlds - he's got a great voice like Sammy, and the action and showmanship of Roth.

Next is Alex, who I have a totally new respect for. This man's drum solo was incredible! I knew he was good, but not that good! And finally Eddie, who was on fire tonight! Not a single note was missed! And his solo was the best I've ever heard him do.

I can't wait for VH to record a new album and tour again so Hartford can get blown away again. Go see the show in your town, 'cause no one puts on a better show than the mighty Van Halen!

VH rocked CT. From the start off with a perfect rendition of Unchained to Jump. It just rocked. "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" with Mike on vocals, showing that he's more then a great bassist. Alex did a unbelievable drum solo.

Then there was Ed. From Cathedral to 316 the solo was awesome. I personally got a kick out of watching Ed jump around on stage. Gary showed his strengths by doing some classic VH from both Dave and Sammy's eras and putting them in a nice package with some of the new VH.

Side note, unlike Sammy Hagar, Gary didn't F*** up such classics as "Jump", "Panama", and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" just to name a few. He did fine even on songs like "Dreams" and "Why Can't This Be Love".

All in all it lived beyond expectations. I've been to alot of concerts and this one topped the heap. Definitely something I want to see again.

UNBELIEVABLE!! Van Halen kicked more ass tonight than the other 2 shows I saw on this tour combined. I saw VH in Boston in May, Great Woods in August, and tonight in Hartford and they have come together as a band more and more each time.

Eddie is a happy man for sure. The way he and Gary were chasing each other around all night proves the chemistry is there for the 3rd and final rendition of the Mighty Van HALEN.

The set list was pretty much the same as the previous shows, and while I wish they had re-introduced Dirty Water Dog to the mix, I can't complain. For me the high point was Mikey on Somebody Get Me A Doctor. His vocals are incredible!!!! Jamie's Cryin' was another crowd pleaser. Gary Cherone is an incredible addition to this line-up and what more can you say about the greatest guitar player ever. Edward Van Halen is God with a Guitar. Anyone that still hasn't been convinced that this band is as good or better than ever is beyond help!!!

VAN HALEN RULES THE ROCK AND ROLL WORLD!!!!

The guys put on a great show. It was just as good as the other I saw in Boston earlier in the year. Now that I'm familiar with this tour, I knew what to expect and I really felt like one of them. I saw tonight that they are just regular guys like you and me. Before the show there were radio stations raffling (sp?) back stage passes out to meet the band. I wish every Van Halen fan had the opportunity to win and do that.

I must start by saying this was my 17th Van Halen show. Van Halen shows have always a sort of religious experience for me, I refer to them as my safe place. I have been a huge VH fan since 8/9/82 when Dave, Mike and Al where on Rockline, of course I had heard them since 1979. That appearance on Rockline really saved my life and got me back on track.

Because of this history I'm very disappointed at what I saw at the Hartford show. I felt they sounded terrible. There was absolutely no interaction with the audience. All Gary did was scream. I guess I was at a different show from all the other city reviews and the shows friends in other states have told me about. Glad I didn't pay for the ticket.

I suggest doing some major sucking up to Dave and Sammy or just retire.

Van Halen music will always be in my heart.

Oh I did like Jamie's Cryin' and Right Now.