My second concert, first Arena show...Van Halen,1984

Inspired by this thread: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...cond-concert-t-rex-1972.397687/#post-11457056, started by Synthfreek, I decided to join in on the fun.

These pictures are from my second concert, the first being the The Who @ Shea Stadium, with the Clash, in October, 1982.

I took these pictures at the Meadowlands Arena, in 1984, Van Halen in their full glory. Third row. I will never forget it as long as I live. #MIND BLOWING#.

 

Those pics are awesome! Great first 2 concerts you went to. I had asked my brother to get tix for this show and he wasn't able to score any so we missed out
I didn't get to see Van Halen until the following 5150 tour with Sammy. Still an awesome concert but I would have killed to see the 1984 tour. They were absolutely huge at that time.

 

I saw the 84 show in Detroit. It was my first concert. At the time, I was full of awe. I've seen VH a few more times since but none beat that first time.

 

You nailed it..they were the biggest thing at that time, with 5 videos in rotation on MTV, a #1 album, huge billboards everywhere, and 3 or 4 singles being played nonstop on the radio.

It was surreal. I was 15 and clueless..this was rock and roll university.

 

I was in Awe too..being that close.

 

I've never seen Van Halen with DLR. I saw 'em for 5150 in New Orleans and me and my buddy were literally right in front of Eddie against the railing. I could almost touch him. If I remember right the venue had several ways to enter and pretty much everyone (thousands) were all waiting at this one entrance. We walked around to the backside of the building where just a handful of people were outside of another entrance. Security opened those doors well before the main entrance so about 20 of us just walked straight to the stage in an empty arena. Got a pick but I've lost it over the years. We also were mugged at gunpoint in the Quarter that night.

 

Haha..great story. Similar thing happened to my friends and I at a bunch of shows, where we "beat the crowd". Never been mugged after a show however.

 

Ironic. I was at the Toronto (october 9 ,1982) WHO show that was just before the Shea show... in Toronot Joe Jackson opened at the Clash were committed to playing on SNL. A couple of nights before the Van Halen show, they played in Worcester, Ma... was at that show... They were both AWESOME...especially watching DLR jump off the drum riser to start the show during Unchained!

 

...And ya hit the ground runnin'.!!!!!

Yeh man, that was the period JUST before alternative, hair metal, and synth pop. Although "Jump" was certainly a bit of synth pop.

 

....saw Van Halen after that barely 18 months later for 5150... a shadow. saw them on the Unlawful Carnal Knowledge...much better. saw them for the reunion... still didn't hold a candle to the '84 show. A big part was no Michael Anthony who's vocals really make their songs/harmonies pop

 

Agree that MA is hugely under appreciated. I saw them twice more too..believe it or not once with the Extreme singer...it was a joke.

 

Great memories. Thanks for sharing. I was 14 at the time, they were GODS!

 

Yes they were. We are the same age just about!

 

Great pictures!

Never saw them until 1991 but I remember when the 1984 tour came through town the older kids talking about going.

My knowledge of Van Halen live is all in reverse. But seeing the live clips in the Panama video surely only hint at the enormity of what they were doing that year! I'm sure to have seen it in person would leave a permanent mark on someone!

To be honest though, just through bootlegs I think the band was coming off the rails at that point. They peaked in 1981. The Diver Down tour was getting a bit too off the mark and I always wonder if they'd have begun to scale things down a bit on the tour to follow up the 1984 trek.

Take Unchained and Dave's epic split jump from the drum riser. I'm sure it would have destroyed me in 1984, but could it beat the Oakland 81 jump? And Unchained itself was never the slow moving assassination hungry beast again after 1981!!

"Everybody up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

Nice pics...thanks for posting...

 

Cool Pics! Made me pull out my ticket stubs.

I was at the April 2, Meadowlands show (my 30th concert). Also, saw the March 20, Philly Spectrum show. Working for WEA had it's privileges.
My first time seeing VH was in Montreal on the Women and Children tour. That was the one I remember most. They opened with my fave tune, Romeo's Delight that night.
Not sure what they opened with in '84. Always fun checking them out.

My stubs also tell me I also saw Allan Holdsworth, Steve Morse, The Pretenders and Yes in Philly around this time (April '84). Quite a time for guitar heroes and great bands.

 

that was the tour to see...jealous

 

Unchained opened the 1984 shows. As much as I love 1984 (the album),
I'd rather have seen the Fair Warning tour. Much better setlist too:

• On Fire
• Sinner's Swing!
• Drum Solo
• Hear About It Later
• So This is Love?
• Jamie's Cryin'
• Bass Solo
• Runnin' with the Devil
• Dance The Night Away
• Sunday Afternoon in the Park
• Romeo Delight
• Everybody Wants Some!!
• Ice Cream Man
• Mean Street
• Guitar Solo
• Feel Your Love Tonight
• You Really Got Me
• Unchained [1st Encore]
• Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love [Final Encore]

 

Right, I blanked on that but when I saw sizzles post above, it came back. Another great opener.

 

one can argue about which set list was better...but the electricity during the 1984 tour...you can't match that....

i don't know... some people don't believe in such things but there is a certain charge when you're at a show and its THE show and everybody knows it!

 

Same two shows for me too, December 1982 for The Who at the Rosemont Horizon outside Chicago, then ~18 months for the 1984 VH tour same venue. Roth jumping off the riser to start Unchained vs. The Who opening with My Generation and the famous bass solo, pretty great openers. The Who had been characterized as mailing some shows in on this tour, but not that night, packed house was roaring! Eddie had some type of slip and fall accident before that night so was slightly subdued, but still amazing.

Funniest line of the 2 nights, might have been Dave's schtick but after taking a swig of Jack, someone shouted was that real, replied f#%k yeah it's real, this ain't Quiet Riot! Crowd loved it.

 

Toronto has a reputation of bringing out the best in the WHO and they delivered that night. The tour ended in Toronto 2 months later on 12/17. While I loved seeing them at the long since departed CNE stadium, would have preferred in doors at Maple Leaf Gardens for the tour closer. The WHO were my first concert.

 

In 1984, I wouldn't have been caught dead at a VH show. Now I'm jealous of those who went!

 

What i recall, also, was the massive size of the light rigging...it went from the ceiling to just over the band's heads...crazy. My ears rang for 3 days after.