Memory Lane: Van Halen, 'Balance' Tour

I love the Van Halen album Balance and I love that I got to go to the tour back in 1995, too. That was my first really big rock show, so it holds a special place in my heart. Low and behold, someone has uploaded an entire night of the Balance tour to YouTube. Watching the footage really brings back some good memories of listening to Balance on repeat while sitting on the floor on my bedroom back in high school.

Comments

[Rita]

While I never saw VH with Sammy live, I got this CD when it first came out. Even though I was always a huge VH fan, this is one CD I never really got into, except for the first 3 or 4 songs which I always loved and still do.

Note to self - go back and listen to all of it. Maybe I will like it now.

p.s. Sammy is awesome but DLR rules.

[Mike]

Was Skid Row the opener when you saw VH in 95?

[Ace Steele]

Van Halen had a history of being afraid of competition , so you rarely saw a real rock act of a contender, as their opening act. Instead, you got dying bands long past their prime, like BTO, w/o half the original band, or new wave alt-pop like Baby Animals. Ed's ego just couldn't handle any real competition. He's been gunshy since the club days, when he had to follow Randy Rhoads & his band Quiet Riot once. ONCE. It never happened again, because Ed is scared that he won't be seen as the be-all, end all of guitarists. It must be frustrating for him when any kid w/ 6 months of practice can play his licks... Like a young Ryan Roxie, (currently in Alice Cooper's band,) who was playing his stuff note for note at 15....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n09M-O1cRpM

[Dj]

Wish I coulda gone to that tour!!! Van Halen is legendary I wish I could see them live. Cool album by the way, not my favorite, but still a cool album.

[Metalboy!]

"Balance" S*CKS! A far cry from their last great album, "1984", which wasn't as good as "Fair Warning", their last BADA*S album.

[Chris]

I saw VH on the Balance tour, and Collective Soul was the opener. I liked the Balance album, particularly Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do and Seventh Seal.

I have seen Van Halen with Sammy 3 times and DLR twice. While Hagar is good, VH with Roth is great.

Oh, and I remember seeing DLR on the Skyscraper tour with Vai. Faster Pussycat opened. Fantastic show.

[Metalboy!]

Phew! You poor soul. Collective Soul opening. Hahaha!!! Brutal.

Honestly, I only saw Van Halen 3 times -- Once off the first album, once off the second album and once off "Fair Warning".

Spoiled and therefore realized way back in '81 there was no need to see VH ever, ever again.

[Mike]

While Collective Soul and Our Lady Peace opened much of the tour; Skid Row did a handful of shows, including 2 nights in Oklahoma City (which is why I asked).

http://www.vharchives.com/vhtour1995

[Shawn]

@Ace great insight I could never figure out why they always had "diverse" opening acts. I did see them with BTO in 86 in San Diego I thought it was a great show but never got the BTO opening thing. I wonder if his insecurity fueled his alcoholism or vice versa.

[Rita]

That explains Kool and the Gang last year. Interesting.

[Bob]

When I saw Vh in '84, Autograph was the opening act. They were great. I also saw Vh in '86 with BTO as the opening act. As I remember, BTO's drummer had a broken leg or something, so one of the road crew played drums. BTO were really good, and did a great job pumping up the crowd for VH. past their prime?...Yes...Still entertaining?...Hell yes!

[Metalboy!]

Yeah, totally don't get their paranoia about opening acts. Who could hold a candle to them back in the day?

Maybe it was different by the time "Balance" rolled around, but when I saw VH open for Ted Nugent in '78, they blew him off the stage.

Who could ever do that to them all those years subsequent to that, even during the more boring Van Hagar era?

Or at least 'til the shite "Balance" release debuted.

[Ace Steele]

Autograph's opening for VH was all DLR's doing, as he & Autograph's drummer, Keni Richards were drinking buddies, & Dave was trying to help some friends from back when VH was a club band, get a leg up. (Autograph was an unsigned band at the time... Autograph's lead singer/guitarist Steve Plunkett & bassist Randy Rand were the core of WOLFGANG, the band that pretty much ruled the Starwood scene when VH were a club attraction.( EVH was not thrilled with them being on the tour, as he was uncomfortable with Autograph's lead guitarist, Steve Lynch & his virtuoso talents.) He was glad to see them leave the tour after signing w/ RCA after the Madison Square Garden gigs. Autograph are currently reforming minus Plunkett & adding former Jailhouse singer Danny Simon. Autograph's keyboard player, Steve Isham passed away a year or so, ago. =(

[Dj]

Chris I am so sorry you had to sit through Collective Soul, hahaha. Still though I really need to see Van Halen.

[Metalboy!]

ACE! As always, great to get the details most of us would never know about behind the stories that are brought out in posts and comments here. And that's because you lived AND continue to live what most of us still only dream about.

[Gary]

Cool stuff Ace. Love the "inside scoop" on this shit. Saw the guys twice,once for Women and Children First, and then for 1984, which had Autograph opening. Bob,they did a few nights in Philly for hat tour. I'm wondering if we were at the same show, as if I remember correctly, you're from my general neck of the woods here in PA? Lol

[Bob]

Gary my good sir, I live in San Diego now, but am originally from Jersey. I went to tons of shows back in those days -- mostly in Philly or at the old Meadowlands in NJ. I still have a lot of my ticket stubs, so I'll check to see if I have the one from the Vh/Autograph show.