Van Halen’s Not About Right Now, It’s About Nostalgia

Gret Kot of the Chicago Tribune reviewed Van Halen’s first of two shows at the United Center in Chicago on Monday (July 19). Kot writes, “The music didn’t swing, it slogged, and the band never quite sounded in sync, the four individual gears never meshing. Part of the problem is that Eddie Van Halen just played rings around everyone; he’s a phenomenal soloist, but an indifferent rhythm guitarist, and the songs lacked drive. Hagar screamed but sounded exhausted trying to climb after the high notes in ‘Dreams.’ Mimicking Roth’s midair splits, he looked rickety.” Chicagotribune.com has since removed the article.