Jump back, what's that sound? Here he comes, full blast and top down.
David Lee Roth celebrated the end of his "first retirement" with the 1984 Van Halen hit "Panama" Saturday night (5/3) at the M3 Rock Festival in Maryland.
It was his first proper concert since March 2020 when he opened for KISS in Texas.
The ever-smiling Diamond Dave, now 70, wore black leather - including a pair of pants that made you look where you didn't really want to - and was backed by an extremely capable band that included four Black male background singers.
Guitarist Al Estrada casually duplicated all the Eddie Van Halen riffs, solos, and screams attendees at that Merriweather Post Pavilion knew intimately.
Mysteriously there isn't much of a digital footprint for Estrada, whose only claim to fame seems to be for playing with Roth.
Diamond Dave probably likes it best that way as someone who can't get enough attention and has embraced his role as the carnival barker / point person / master of ceremonies / shaman / and life of the party since he joined forces with the Van Halen brothers in Pasadena in the 1970s.
The rest has done him well. Roth looked healthy, his voice was strong, and he's apparently knocked off the cringey soft shoe. It's all about rock n' roll now.
The 16 songs he and the band performed in the set was a display of classic Van Halen hits and deep cuts that would please any audience. No need to force feed any new tunes or crazy arrangements.
Although surprisingly Dave didn't include any selections from his solo work. There was no "California Girls," "Yankee Rose" or “Just a Gigolo / I Ain’t Got Nobody.” It was all VH songs from the good old days.
And you know what: fine.
In the audience for the comeback was Paul Stanley, speaking of KISS. Famously Gene Simmons was blown away by the band in 1976 when he saw them perform at the Starwood in West Hollywood. He paid for them to record a demo in hopes to get them signed. But KISS' management refused, saying the group had no chance of making it.
Clearly KISS and Dave have remained friends over all these decades and Stanley tweeted a positive review of the gig.
"I watched Diamond Dave’s return at M3 Festival and LOVED IT! Looks Great. Great staging. Great band. Great vibe. The whole thing was cool. Back-up posse too," the 73-year-old guitarist raved.
Stanley was correct in praising the posse, which was an unusual sight to see but a genius addition to hear.
One of the secret weapons of all the incarnations of Van Halen and some of Sammy Hagar's solo ventures was bassist Michael Anthony's harmonies and background singing. The voices you hear behind DLR on tunes like "Dance The Night Away" and "I'll Wait" are a magical mix of Eddie and Michael Anthony harmonizing.
You can try to match that majesty with a few singers, but Dave brought in four fun-lovin singers - one of whom did a spot-on Michael Jackson impersonation - to deliver some heft to the harmonies.
When Roth announced he was retiring several years ago he said he was doing so because doctors said it was unhealthy for him to rock out in his condition - which was a shocker to fans as the singer has always appeared sassy, spry, and in great shape.
"We've reached the end of my first retirement," he announced in Maryland. "How many retirements did Rocky have? Nine?"
Even Van Halen biographer Greg Renoff, who has written two books about the band was noticeably shocked by Roth's comeback.
"Last night was one for the ages," he said in a tweet. In another he wrote, "This 55-yr-old VH fan is glad he lived long enough to see this footage. Serious Elvis in Vegas energy from DLR here. Very fun to watch and he looks like he’s enjoying himself immensely."
Apparently Dave and the band passed the audition because Monday a summer tour was announced that will start in California, hop over to the East Coast and slowly make its way through the US, concluding with four dates back in the Golden State.
Curiously there's no gigs scheduled for his home in Los Angeles. Will that change?
Tickets available on Dave's website.
DAVID LEE ROTH 2025 TOUR
July 22 - Paso Robles, CA - California Mid-State Fair
July 31 - Davie, FL - Hard Rock Live
Aug. 03 - Tampa, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center
Aug. 06 - Bristol, VA - Hard Rock Live Bristol
Aug. 08 - Atlantic City, NJ - Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
Aug. 10 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
Aug. 13 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Aug. 15 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone Resort Casino
Aug. 17 - Bethlehem, PA - The Wind Creek Event Center
Aug. 18 - Gary, IN - Hard Rock Live Northern India
Aug. 21 - Cincinnati, OH - Hard Rock Outdoor Arena
Aug. 23 - Du Quoin, IL - Duquoin State Fairgrounds
Aug. 25 - St. Louis, MO - The Factory
Aug. 27 - Kansas City, MO - Grinders KC
Aug. 29 - Thackerville, OK - Lucas Oil Live At WinStar World Casino And Resort
Aug. 31 - Catoosa, OK - Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Tulsa
Sep. 04 - Chandler, AZ - Gila River Resorts & Casinos - Wild Horse Pass
Sep. 08 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay
Sep. 10 - Temecula, CA - Pechanga Resort & Casino
Sep. 12 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery
Sep. 14 - Napa, CA - Blue Note Summer Sessions
