Past Event
Past Event
Aug 7 2002
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Charlotte, North Carolina WHO
Sammy Hagar and The Wabos.
NOTES
Show 7:00PM.
This show was part of the Heavyweight Champs of Rock 'N Roll Tour with David Lee Roth.
David Lee Roth Opened
2 Redhead Comments
I was Sammy hagar bar girl..served him his tequila of stage...I was wanting a copy of this concert for august 7..2002...please contact me if u have info...myriley913@gmail.com
FAN REVIEWS
Following years of raucous debate the answer finally arrived, but not as we expected. However, we both agreed that Dave has more radio hits, and Sammy is a much better live rock n roller. Now that it is settled, let us get to the real icing of the show. Mona, you sure looked good in those leather pants, and the way you played the fret board, why it would have made Scarlet O'Hara run back crying to her momma at Tara. Next time your in Columbia, SC look us up. Bring your shinny Limo, and a sack full of money and we will have us a large time. Thanks for the great show in Charlotte.
ÂÂÂÂ
Roger & Ben
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Wow what a show! I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about seeing Diamond Dave. After reading lackluster reviews about his last few performances, I was praying to the Gods of Rock and Roll that he would be the opening act. If it was going to be a great night, Sammy would finish up the show and eradicate any thoughts of a weak DLR performance. When the local radio buffoons made the announcement that Dave was leading off and Sammy was batting clean up-- I knew my prayers had been answered.ÂÂÂÂ
David Lee Roth, for all his flaws, held the crowd beyond the "three songs and your out" limit. He hit a majority of the notes, shook his ass, kicked to the sky, and wielded his martial arts weapons. His band was solid, provided the very much needed back up vocals and "Eddie" like guitar licks. He also performed a simulated ejaculation with some alcohol on an unsuspecting female fan in the front row. Not only once but twice! Combine this with video imagery behind him on the big screen if numerous T&A shots, and you have a decent opening act. A few complaints: Dave, please move around the stage, or better yet run. It just doesn’t seem right singing "Running with the Devil" in a stationary position. Also, please don't look so amazed because the crowd is cheering for you - it could happen once in a while.ÂÂÂÂ
The last time I saw Sammy Hagar live was in 1987 during the Monsters of Rock tour with Van Halen. During that show, he climbed 40 feet up some scaffolding singing "I've been to the edge, and then I stood an looked down...". I knew he was older, but could he keep it up like the younger days. Was he going to sloth around the stage like David Lee? Would he come out in a walker? Hardly...ÂÂÂÂ
Sammy Hagar blasted on to the stage with the Waboritas in a full force Red Rocker extravaganza. It was as if I was transported to Cabo Wabo in a tequila filled dream. The set was decorated in a sea of red and yellow, and was accompanied by 50 lucky fans who were invited to rock out in small sets of bleachers on stage. He played through songs that spanned his entire career, Montrose, VH, and his solo years were all covered nicely. His interaction with the crowd was intense. While belting out lyrics, Sammy would be signing autographs, grabbing signs from the crowd, climbing up in the bleachers, and running around like a man of fire. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, Michael Anthony bounded to the stage to join Sammy in a mini VH reunion. Ahhh... just like the old days. It brought a tear to my eye to see the classic "guitar strut" during the "Best of Both Worlds". Another great moment: A giant bottle of tequila dropped from the rafters-- Sammy smashed it open to a spectacle of explosions and colored streamers, and kissed the giant green worm inside. Classic. Yeah... he missed a few lyrics on "I Can't Drive 55", but nobody’s perfect, and after that performance any flaws that may have happened were washed away with clean crisp Cabo Wabo tequila. It was a fantastic show, and I'm ready to buy my tickets for Cabo in October. See you in Mexico!
Josh Cavalier
Charlotte, NC
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Let me preface this by saying first I am a DLR Van Halen freak and I thought all the reviews on this website were screened to make Sammy look like a king and DLR a dog. Last night's show was incredible, DLR is not a dog, his set was tight and very enjoyable but Sammy kicked his ass right off the stage. His band is ten times as good as Diamond Dave's especially with the 8 songs we got from Michael Anothony. All the Van Hagar stuff was incredible especially Runaround and Dreams. Highlights of the DLR show was a perfect Little Dreamer and a smoking DOA. If you even a marginable VH fan this is a must see show. -Kyle449ers
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Last night I attended the single best Rock 'n' Roll spectacle of my life. Charlotte, NC was indeed starving for this kind of entertainment. I was going to post setlists, but I didn't bring anything to write with (but based on reported lists from this leg of the tour, I don't think there was anything drastically different).ÂÂÂÂ
Sammy was supposed to open, but for some reason (maybe due to a rumored fight with Dave in Raleigh) Dave was on first. I have read a lot of reviews about how Dave totally sucked on most of these shows, but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. And I'm glad I did. Through the first half of his set, his vocals seemed extremely uninspired, somewhere around Little Dreamer he seemed to come alive. Ice Cream Man was dead-on, Everybody Wants Some was almost perfect & Jump was absolutely incredible. His band is decent, but I think his guitar player should pay a little more attention to his play-like-Eddie videos. Dave gave me my money's worth, and proved he's still the man that gave Van Halen it's party feel(but he should tone down some of his raunch, because it does kinda come off as silly).ÂÂÂÂ
When Sammy took the stage, it was a whole different game. Opening with Shaka Doobie, Sam took hold of the audience with the first couple riffs and never let go. He is just about the epitome of Real rock music. Three Lock Box was one helluva welcome song (Sam's band, The Waborita's, are so tight. It's just incredible to watch & listen), and Heavy Metal was awesome. When Michael Anthony came out during Top Of The World, the whole place just exploded. It was so awesome to see Sam & Mike together again. Right Now, Best Of Both Worlds, Finish What Ya Started, the hits just kept coming (I really never wanted the night to end). I'm telling you, DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW. And if you're sitting real close, bring something, because Sammy is constantly more than gracious to sign autographs for people (while he's singing, it's incredible). Dreams closed the night, and I do have to say, that it's the perfect closer. This tour really is a Dream come true. Please Sam, come back rea! l soon. It's been way too long.ÂÂÂÂ
David D.
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This was one of the best shows I have seen in a while. It purely rocked. Diamond Dave put on a good show, but was no match for the Red Rocker. This tour is clearly Sammy’s. Sammy was very personable with the crowd which made it feel as though you were part of the fun and not just being entertained. I loved the video before he took stage which gave the audience a touch of Sammy’s life as well as bringing back memories from his career in the 80s. If you were a fan of his back then as I am, you must appreciate how great his voice sounds as well as his performance. It has never been better. Thanks Sammy. Chris S
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Went to Sammy's show in Charlotte Aug 7. The only thing I can say is awesome. I am still amazed 4 days later. People if you ever get the chance to see him, do anything you can to go. I was chosen to be in the stage set and thatwas unbelievable to see Sammy on stage so close.My girl friend and I drove 12 hours to get there, I would drive another 12 hour again and again to see him. That's how good it was. I don't know if Sammy ever reads these, but if you do, I would like to thank you for being you, don't ever change. I would also like to explain the Harley towel I gave to you back stage. In short, I had a doctor do something bad to me and have been paying for it the last 10 years, the song Fly Like and Eagle saved me from doing something bad. The eagle on the Harley towel was my way to Thank You for your music.ÂÂÂÂ
 Again the best concern I've seen in along time. Keep on rocking Sammy. -Debi P.
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Great show. Sammy really put one on. Seen him at House of Blues, but show in Raleigh was outstanding. Great to see him rocking with Micheal. I thought he blew Dave out of the water. Make sure he tours again w/o Dave and comes back to Raleigh. He went back to his roots; Heavy Metal and so forth. Four stars and wonderful show.....keep rocking there will always be fans looking for the Red Rocker. -Derek S.
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8/7/2002, charlotte, n.c.
i must say, this is the tour i've been waiting for for years. i was a little disappointed when i arrived to see few people here. but, the night was about to improve. david lee roth hit the stage, and i was excited until i heard his voice.it flat out sucked!!! all he did was his "jump" video kick over and over. he and his band looked and sounded like a van halen cover band.now, i am a dave fan also. but was not too impressed. sorry dave. NOW, SAMMY CAME OUT KICKING ASS!!! BOY, WAS THIS GETTING GOOD, AND TO MY AMAZEMENT, ON THE THIRD SONG WHO DO I SEE?? MICHAEL ANTHONY!!! MIKEY PLAYED WITH SAMMY ON 9 VH SONGS. SAMMY'S BAND KICKED ASS AND LOOKED TO BE HAVING FUN. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED, AND TO BE HONEST, I PAID $3.00 TO GET IN. THE BEST $3.00 I'VE EVER SPENT. SAMMY, YOU RULE, DAVE, GO HOME, EDDIE AND ALEX, OPEN YOUR EYES AND EARS GUYS, SAMMY IS THE MAN!!!!(MIKEY TOO)ÂÂÂÂ
-BRIAN C.
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Before we went to the concert at the Verizon Amphitheater in Charlotte I read a number of the reviews. Granted this is Sammys website, but it was apparent that all the reviews were slanted his way. Almost all, if not all the reviews I read made it clear that everyone was dissappointed in David Lee Roth. I told my brother that it didnt look like DLR's show would be very good. Well, sorry to dissappoint all you diehard red rocker fans, but Davids' show rocked. Sure, his voice wasnt nearly as strong as the first time I saw him over 20 years ago. He would bring it down an octave or two from time to time. But it was an awesome concert. And the band was great, the lights were great, the sound was fine, ect. His lead guitarist is not Eddie Van Halen, but hey, who is. Either way, he and his band were on last night, awesome show and the c! rowd appreciated it.
With that said, Sammy and the crew were equally awesome. I saw Sammy open up for Boston in 1978 in Charlotte. He stole the show then and last night was another incredible performance. His voice is amazing and the band was hot. We loved getting to see Michael Anthony join in for a few tunes, almost like old times. So, for everyone that is planning to attend subsequent shows, expect David to give you a great show, just dont expect DLR of 20 years ago. And Sammy, what can I say, he is a master.ÂÂÂÂ
-Itype2U
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Thought I’d take a minute to send you a review of the concert last night. OK…where to begin? Well, let me start by saying that I’ve been a huge Van Halen fan from the beginning and a Sammy Hagar fan just as long. When the 2 paths crossed in the mid eighties and “Van Hagar†(I love that somebody finally put that on a T-Shirt!) was born it was a match made in heaven for me. “Best of Both Worlds†if you will.
So when I heard of this tour I was excited to say the least. No more “Is Dave Back?†or “Who is Eddie going to get to sing on the next VH album?â€ÂÂÂ, “Coverdale?†Blah Blah Blah. Eddie and his ego can just go ahead and stay home and the rest of us can decide for ourselves who the best VH front man was. Funny, Gary Cherone wasn’t on the ticket. Hmmmm….
I read through a lot of the reviews on this website and went to the show with a ton of apprehension about seeing DLR perform. Everyone for the most part said his show was terrible and his voice was gone. He just didn’t have what he used to have. I have to give the devil his due. Keeping in mind that it’s really been almost 20 years since he was in his prime he seemed to hold his own to me. There where times I thought the band was playing louder than he was singing and maybe that was by design but his show wasn’t the disaster that I expected. He did still think he was larger than life but it was tolerable. As for his band, Awesome! They where perfect. Couple of feedback hits but nothing major. Close your eyes and it was Van Halen. The guitar licks where great. The beats where right on the money. Overall a solid show for the hour-plus he was on.
Within about 20 minutes of set change and they where rolling Sammy’s career footage and ready to go. The set is starting to look rather “Buffet-esque†to me which I think is a great. Don’t get me wrong I am not comparing him to Buffet in any way other than the fact that Sammy’s shows resemble a party. It’s not following a script, it’s not “we play, you listen, the end†It is truly a fun time. He enjoys what he’s doing and it shows. You feel like you where invited to go over to his place and hang out, drink Tequila, and listen to solid Rock & Roll. You can’t help but have a good time. From “Three Lock Box†to “Finish What’cha Started†the energy was at a constant all-time high!
I had read in the other reviews that Michael Anthony made an appearance and I hoped that that was going to happen last night and I wasn’t disappointed. It was great to see the two of them onstage together again. I’m glad they are able to still be friends now that the VH politics have settled down. I think some of the funniest onstage antics where between Mona, Michael, and Sammy. Again, one big party at Sammy’s place and everybody is having a good time.
I do have to crack on him for one boo boo though. During I can’t drive 55 Sammy flubbed the lyrics! It was hilarious!! He looked over to Mona, shook his head, laughed, and kept right on jammin’. It was one of the funniest parts of the night!
He showed everything to the audience that made it onto the stage and signed autographs for those lucky enough reach him during his set. All this while still singing. One girl’s sign said “Sammy, I want to dance with you†and he pulled her up on stage and she got to dance with him! First class all the way. These are the things that will forever separate Sammy Hagar from the rest of the crowd.
Sammy if you read this I hope you take it to heart when I say that there are tons of people just like myself who are glad you’re here and glad that you’ve been around us for so many years and look forward to so many more. Here’s a toast to The Red Rocker…We Hope the Party Never Has to End!!
P.S. Sammy, what’s the scoop on getting into the Cabo Wabo10/13 bash? Nothing would make me happier than helping you celebrate your big day with ya. (Yeah I know, me and about half-a-million other people!) Promise…I won’t tell another soul!! What’s the secret to getting in?
-Bob M.
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I can't understand why so many people get caught up in the debate over which version of Van Halen is better. I don't bother trying to compare David to Sammy because it's pretty obvious that they have no similarities - musically or otherwise. And you know what? That's really okay. There's nothing wrong with that. I happen to enjoy both versions of the band, because I try to view them as two completely different bands. So, take my advice. Enjoy the rock 'n roll that both of these guys have to offer and find something else to argue about. Okay, just wanted to get that out of my system. Now, on to the concert. As a long-time VH fan, Wednesday night's concert in Charlotte was everything I had hoped for. What a show! Both Diamond Dave and the Red Rocker brought their respective "A" games. Despite all of the reviews I've been reading, Dave's opening set was actually pretty good. He came out with some energy and seemed to be having a relatively good time. (He's definitely got an ego, but I don't think that's a big secret to anyone.) His selection of songs - all old school VH + "Yankee Rose" - were great and his band is awesome.
Sammy closed with a blistering set of his harder-edged solo stuff and a load of VH tunes - made all the more special with Michael Anthony playing bass for most of the show. What a treat to see Sam and Mike playing and singing together!!! I have to admit, I didn't miss the Van Halen brothers! Sammy is a real crowd pleaser and he still knows how to rock. Amazing to think that this guy's in his mid-50's! Hope I can get around like that when I'm that age!!!
Thumbs up for both performances - nostalgia aside. I had to drive three hours to get to the show, but I'd do it all over again.
I'm not looking for a VH reunion to come from this - with either front man. If anything, it's probably put a deeper wedge between Alex & Eddie and their two lead singers. What I would like to see is for Dave to focus on his solo career and go back to the kind of stuff that made him a rock icon. I also hope that Sammy & Mike's "Planet Us" project will take off and get them working on new music together. If not, Mike should tell the VH brothers to get bent and become a full-time Waborita (sorry Mona).
Remember your fans in the Southeast, Sammy. You schedule the dates and we'll buy the tickets!!!ÂÂÂÂ
Mike W.
Narrows, VAÂÂÂÂ
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Charlotte, N.C., Wed., August 7-- I've read a lot of reviews on this website about other shows on this tour, and all I can say is, I agree with everyone's assessment. I'm really, really happy that Sammy closed the show, for two reasons. One, within the first two notes that came out of his mouth, Sammy established why he remains relevant, while David Lee is nothing but a nostalgia act. Two, if David would have closed the show, I'd have been sitting back at my apartment by 10 p.m., because there's no way I'd have been able to sit through Dave's act after Sammy blew him away. Let me preface this by saying, I was fortunate enough to have seen VH in 1981,1982 and 1984 with Roth. I also saw Sammy solo on the VOA tour, and with VH on the 5150, OU812 and the tour they did to support their live album. I saw Dave on the Eat em and Smile, Skyscraper, A Little Ain't Enough, and Shut Your Filthy Little Mouth tours.
I'm a diehard fan of both guys, but the cold, hard truth hit me in the face in Charlotte.
Dave's voice was OK (face it, even in VH's heyday, it was never great). I thought his backup band was very good, though. The drummer, Ray Luzier, had a lot of energy and was pounding!! The guitarist did a very respectable job of covering EVH, and the bass player was good, too (James Lomenzo. Wasn't he the guy from White Lion?). The set list was incredible (how can you go wrong with classic VH?). All in all, though, it was a sad display of a guy who was a great frontman 20 years ago.ÂÂÂÂ
If it had just been a Dave show, I might have walked out of there with a higher opinion of his performance, since I've had had nothing else to
compare it to. Unfortunately for Dave, Sammy came on after him and proceeded to give an instructional lesson in how to put on a proper rock show.ÂÂÂÂ
Sammy's voice is sounding as good as ever. The high notes he hit on "Eagles Fly" and "Dreams" was all it took to convince me of that. Needless to say, Sammy's voice was so much better than Dave's, there's no comparison whatsoever.
Sammy seemed to be having a better time and had much better interaction with the audience. Even though I knew it was coming, it still gave me goosebumps when Michael Anthony came out.
Incidentally, the setlist (for both guys) was identical to the ones I've seen posted on this website.ÂÂÂÂ
What can I say? Sammy, Dave made a HUGE mistake when he agreed to do this tour. It did nothing but show me that, while Dave was the original "singer" in Van Halen, you, my friend, must be considered the BEST singer Van Halen ever had.ÂÂÂÂ
THE RED ROCKER- UNDISPUTED CHAMP
Oh, and Dave? Retire, please. You're only embarassing yourself. It's almost as bad as KISS and their never-ending "farewell tour."
-Kerry G.
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Having been fortunate (or unfortunate depending on your point of view) enough to have been born when I was and to go to high school when I did, I am (or was until last night) a died the wool DLR era Van Halen fan. The first two albums were a daily ritual for me as a teen. I remember being quite pissed off when Sammy joined VH.  I had not liked Sammy before due to my age and status as a bubble gum rock and roll fan. So, Last night, I went to the show in Charlotte (5th row seat by virtue of a dear friend who gave me the ticket) thinking I was only there to see DLR's Van Halen songs and that I would sit in the lounge the rest of the time and drink. DLR opened and I was amused.  He was entertaining and the band sounded great.  DLR himself appeared stoned but I appreciated the fact that he was having fun. The first 5 or 6 songs sounded good and I was in a flash back trance remembering high school days again. His jumps and kicks were impressive and he even did a mic twirling thing that was really cool. I couldn't help but feel old because he looked so old! Towards the end of his show his voice got weak, he missed a lot of lyrics and let the audience sing a lot (something I've always hated....if I wanted to hear myself sing, I just take a shower not go to a concert). All in all I wasn't sorry I came. After the show I headed for the lounge to wait out Sammy's Performance. When the music started my friend told me we needed to go back to the 5th row seat and see how Sammy looked upclose, so we made our way back towards the end of the first song. Our 5th! row seat was gone but the entire first row was empty. Sammy had filled two sets of bleachers with fans on STAGE! Neat trick!  Maybe this was why 1st row was empty?  Anyway we were to the far right facing the stage so it wasn't the best seat in the house, but couldn't have gotten much better. I looked for a moment and was awe struck by Sammy's voice, energy and stage setup. To my surprise I knew most of the songs and found myself saying "he did that?" to my friend often. His energy was amazing! He was truly having a good time! If someone told me he was just doing it for fun and not getting paid I would have believed it! When Michael Anthony came on stage the fun erupted! These guys and Mona too obviously enjoy what they do and they are the best at it! Between "Right Now" and "Heavy Metal" I can't say which was my favorite but both were outstanding. I can honestly say that this ranks! in the top two all time rock and roll performances I've seen.  I didn't come as a fan but I sure left as one! Today I'm on the web site, bought a T-shirt and soon headed to the store to buy CD's! This isn't a sales pitch! I am a true fan.  Rock on Sammy!ÂÂÂÂ
Karen - Winston-Salem, NCÂÂÂÂ
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Dave vs. Sammy in North Carolina Round Two David opened the show tonight to a less than capacity crowd. It was very strange to see Dave playing in the daylight on such an empty stage to such a small crowd. The set is pretty much what we've come to expect from Dave, classic Van Halen. I don't think he's taking any chances any more. An interesting note though, I've never seen Dave stand around so much on stage in my life. I've seen lots of shows, own tons of bootlegs and this is not the Dave we've come to know and love. It's like it a rountine or s schtick now. Granted, during the synth solo on Jump, he did break out the baton do his martial arts rountine which was very cool. However, when the highlight of the set for the crowd is Dave doing ONE split off of a 3 foot drum riser at the end of the set, somethings wrong. And on a personal not, unless your name is Eddie Van Halen, do not under any circumstances attempt to play Eruption. Sacrilege!
Okay, the sun is down, the lights are low and we've had our tequila. Time for Sammy and the Waboritas. Once again, Sammy and the band took the stage by storm and just TORE IT UP!! As in Raleigh, Sammy brought Mikey out to do 4 or 5 songs from the Van Hagar era and it was amazing. You just felt good seeing it, like this is how it should be done. Sammy spent every free moment signing autographs and interacting with the crowd. I've never seen an artist do as much for their fans during a performance as Sammy did tonight. I was at this show with three people that had come to see Dave and Dave only. By the time Sammy was finishing his last encore, they were headed to the nearest stand to buy a Sammy Hagar t-shirt. Enough said.ÂÂÂÂ
Thanks Sammy for two great shows.
Bob
poppadingo
             Right Now It's Nicer In Cabo
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 My friend and I drove 12 hours to see Sammy Hagar (and that other guy) at the Aug.7 concert in Charlotte. We were sitting there watching DLR perform, I was thinking how sorry I felt for the guy to have to carry around so much ego (for what I don't know). He was an okay performer, nothing like the first time I saw him with Van Halen. As a matter of fact I was afraid he pulled a muscle doing one of his kicks. His band was pretty good. Some body that cares about DLR should really sit down and have a talk with him and let him know that he is not near the man he
thinks he is. He gives off the attitude the it's our priviledge to see him perform. Some one from the event staff asked us if we wanted to go on stage for Sammy's part of the show. Naturally we were thrilled. So we are in the line to go onstage and Sammy goes thru the line and greets us. His part of the show was awesome! He is so fan friendly and cool. You could tell he was humble and happy to entertain us. No ego, just a cool guy with unbelievable talent and truly wanting his fans to have a great time.He actually gives off the attitude that it is his priviledge to entertain us. Micheal Anthony came out for a couple of songs. Those two don't need the Van Halen brothers. This was better than any Van Halen concert, I've seen two before this one. I actually got to see the concert from ONSTAGE! My brush with fame got to be with Sammy Hagar! How cool is that? Thank you Sammy for being who you are and don't ever stop.
Sammy is the total package, his personality makes him that much more wonderful. Whatever band I see next has some pretty big shoes to fill. Now I am saving my money to go to his bithday party at Cabo Wabo. By the way, I found out after the show that DLR didn't even go see his fans that had backstage passes. He left what little fan base he had just standing there. His druumer was the only one who gave a damn. How lame is that?
-Deana B.
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Sammy kicked ass at the Charlotte venue. Dave could pass for "Austin Powers" waking up out of a 1978 high in 2002 with his "getup". Thanks Sammy for proving once and forever who the better singer and performer is and hopefully again in VH! Dave needs another solo gig in Vegas! That suits him. -Doug R.
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It was obvious to me, as well as the rest of the audience in attendance that night, that as far as ex-VH lead singers go, Sammy still has “it.†Diamond Dave does not. Now “it†can mean a lot of things. In the case of David Lee Roth, “it†means the following: a voice, hair, ability to do a high kick, ability to fire up an audience, ability to play a musical instrument. Like I said, Sammy’s still got “it.†Dave doesn’t. Great show Sammy!!!! However, your show deserves a better opening act so next time, send Diamond Dave back to “Panama!â€ÂÂÂ
-Barry L.
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 I have been listening to Sammy Hagar since around 1986, so needless to say, Van Halen for me was Van Halen with Sammy, not Dave. I was forturnate enough to get to go to the concert Wednesday night (8/7/02) in Charlotte, NC and I have to say that Sammy was awesome. In addition, I was one of the "lucky ones" to be included on stage with Sammy and even got to sing with him. What an awesome and unforgettable night! Meg Drum
Rock Hill, SC
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well well well what can I say, I drove up to Charlotte from Anderson SC. with some friends which took us about 2 hrs, we partied all the way there only knowing what other reviews had stated. well ill say David did the best he could and that was good enough for our group, we caught him on his good night and he showed us he can still rock, David sang all the old songs we all wanted to here, the video behind some of his songs was a little lame but other than that he and his band put on a good show and rocked us all, Now for the RED ROCKER well lets just say there's only one way to rock and that's Sammy's way. He not only jammed but got the fan's involved and once the Party started it never stopped, he had every fan there on there toes. we sang, laughed, screamed, drank, smoked and just partied because the only thing that mattered was what was going on right then right now and Sammy's ability to make the fan's feel that and the love and the music that is in his heart, is what makes going to one of his shows so special, hope to see him live at his birthday bash in Oct 2002 at Cabo Wabo til then keep rockin .. from jeff m.
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Let me preface this by saying first I am a DLR Van Halen freak and I thought all the reviews on this website were screened to make Sammy look like a king and DLR a dog. Last night's show was incredible, DLR is not a dog, his set was tight and very enjoyable but Sammy kicked his ass right off the stage. His band is ten times as good as Diamond Dave's especially with the 8 songs we got from Michael Anothony. All the Van Hagar stuff was incredible especially Runaround and Dreams. Highlights of the DLR show was a perfect Little Dreamer and a smoking DOA. If you even a marginable VH fan this is a must see show. Kyle449ers.
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The whole concert rocked. Dave opened the night out and did a great job of entertaining everyone with his songs and stage act. It was my first time seeing Dave live and although I feel Sammy is better of the two (I'm a little bias) he was much better than I anticipated. Then act two began. It started with a video of Sammy's career from the beginning to present. It didnt have all of his highlights as that would take too long but it did give his fans a unique look into the man behind the music. Once sammy and Co. took the stage the energy didnt stop until people were leaving in their cars. The songs were played in typical sammy fashion which included power, energy and enthusiasm. He interacted with the fans which I personally feel is one of the biggest keys missing in todays big names. Anything that is thrown to sammy on stage is used in some fashion and then returned to the owner. Michael Anthony came out and assisted in rocking the night away with several songs before letting Mona get back to her job. All in all it was once again a great show and concert. Thank you sammy and the waboritas for making one night so much fun. Rock on!!
matt b.