As soon as the Suburu with black tape all over it to mirror EVH’s guitar pulled up I knew we were in for a good time.

I love Van Halen. The *real* Van Halen, that is. Sure, they had one or two good songs with Sammy Hagar (and maybe with Gary Cherone, who knows?) but the Diamond Dave years are where it’s at. VH with DLR was one of the first bands I ever got into. And every one of those tapes (TAPES!) I knew inside and out. Van Halen, Van Halen II, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, Diver Down and 1984 – not a bunk track in the collection.

I went to the concert on a whim – as much an excuse to hang out with two good friends I really don’t get the chance to see as much as I’d like – and, frankly, had very low expectations. Maybe it was the Miller High Life talking, but I thought it was terrific. Eddie was sharp as ever (best was the intro into Mean Streets – no, it was the Eruption–>Cathedral–>Eruption solo – no it was the licks on Hot For Teacher – who can narrow it down?) Alex was kickin’ ass even though he had a gong and never used it and Dave in his stupid hats and General coats was a load of fun. Even the pudgy kid was good.

Dave did some decent kicks, not quite what he could do in the Jump video, but pretty good for a man his age. He also took his shirt off, used some big words, saluted the slutty women of New Jersey and made some dumbass jokes that, as I had confirmed for me from someone who went to the MSG show, were the same jokes he’s been telling on the whole tour.

I can’t remember the last time I went to a hockey arena to see a concert and don’t see it happening again any time soon, but when I wore my Van Halen T-shirt the next day and total strangers in the street pointed at me and said “Awesome!” I knew, somehow, I’d been somewhere special.