THE EARLY YEARS
Click on images for full size

#1
Midnight Cash - Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, CA. 12/20/77 (1 CDR)
Hot Hard Raunchy Rock. Van Halen at their best just before they hit the big time. David Lee's in good form on this one. Sounds like old sound board recording
Boot CD>CDR  Faze Two - MC 078
Sound: A
Time  disc 1: 52:26
Flaws: None, Some sound waivering but pritty clean for a Van Halen boot
Kahuna's Rating:*****

1.On Fire 3:10     2.Feel Your Love Tonight 4:00     3.Running With The Devil 3:32     4.Atomic Punk 4:17     5.Little Dreamer 3:02     6.Somebody Get Me A Doctor 3:49     7.Ice Cream Man 4:25     8.Ain't Talking 'Bout Love 3:53     9.Eruption 3:32    10.D.O.A. 4:32    11.You Really Got Me 4:40    12.House of Pain 3:38    13.Runnin With the Devil 3:29

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
Tracks 1-11 are the same as "The Atomic Punks", but the sound quality is a little bit better.
     "House of Pain" and "Runnin' With the Devil" are both studio out-takes.
     "House of Pain" has different lyrics than what is on "1984".

#2
Magic Mountain 1977 - Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia CA, 10/77 (1 CDR)
Another Hard Rockin show from just before the boys hit it big.
Boot CD>CDR  The Atomic Punks label
Sound: A
Time: 57:09
Flaws: None, Sound waivers a bit. Vocals are distant. But another good one for Van Halen boots
Kahuna's Rating:****1/2

1.On Fire 4:57     2.One More Time 4:12     3.Running With The Devil 4:05     4.Atomic Punk 3:06     5.Ain't Talking 'Bout Love 4:37     6.Loss Of Control 3:47     7.No More Waiting 3:54     8.Eruption 2:44     9.Feel Your Love Tonight 4:06    10.Show Your Love (I'm The One) 4:32    11.Summertime Blues 6:00    12.Angel Eyes 3:04    13.Take Your Wiskey Home 3:55    14.In A Simple Rhyme 3:48

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
The sound is excellent for a 22 year old recording. All the instruments come through nice and clear. At times there is some slight feedback during the show, but none takes away from enjoying the show.
Track 2 is noted on the artwork as "Unreleased By VH, Only known Live Version", a very fast rocking song.
Track 6 is noted on the artwork as "Earliest Live Version Of Song From Women & Childern First".
Track 7 is noted on the artwork as "Unreleased By VH, Only Known Live Version On Soundboard". This is really "Show No Mercy" and the intro is the same as "Take Me Back(Deja Vu)" from "Balance".
Track 11 is noted on the artwork as "Rare Cover, Earliest Known Live version By VH". There is too much bass on this one song.
Track 12 "Angel Eyes" is an absolutely beautiful acoustic song by Dave. Not your typical VH, probably the reason it was never released, but Dave fans will love it! The sound is excellent...very clear. Supposedly from 1974, one of the rarest songs from the DLR era.
Tracks 13 and 14 are the same versions from "Demo Daze" but claim to be from a much lower generation tape source.
All said......this disc is a must have for every Van Halen fan if you can get your hands on one! This is one of their first shows after being signed by Warner Bros.

#3
Covers Band From Pasadena - Aeros Bogarts, San Bernarndino, CA 1976 (1 CDR)
More Great Van Halen doing mostly cover tunes. Some sound really great like "The Rover", some just OK. But Early Van Halen at their best. Burning Guitar & Daves in good form here too.
Boot CD>CDR  Ready Go! (RG CD 001)
Sound: A-
Time: 73:35
Flaws: Last song has a large digi noise area along with the disc having some splice skips.
Kahuna's Rating:****

1.Believe Me (unreleased VH) 4:44     2.Show Your Love (VH) 5:25     3.Intro 1:42     4.Last Child (Aerosmith) 2:52     5.Live From The Music (Bad Co.) 3:18     6.Running With The Devil (VH) 3:27     7.The Rover (Led Zeppelin) 4:32     8.Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith) 7:04     9.Waiting For The Bus (ZZ Top) 3:56    10.Walk This Way (Aerosmith) 3:45    11.Superstitious (Stevie Wonder) 9:23    12.Still Alive & Well (Johny Winter) 2:54    13.Firehouse (Kiss) 3:07    14.Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers (ZZ Top) 3:14    15.Keep Playing That Rock 'n Roll (Johny Winter) 3:47    16.Twist & Shout (Isley Bros.) 2:19    17.30 Days In The Hole (Humble Pie) 8:13      Francine (ZZ Top)      Goodbye to Jane (Slade)

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
THIS SHOW IS DIGITALLY RE-MASTERED !!!
Since the initial recording was done on a recorder that the batteries were getting weaker as the show went on; each song was digitally speed corrected and then the whole show put back together. No tape hiss, everything is eq'd.
The recording is a pretty good audience recording from that era. You can hear people talking at times, but mostly in between the songs. A couple pieces sounded like it needed to be spliced together but overall an excellent recording from that time.
Track 3 is not an "intro". It's just Ed & Mike fiddling around with their instruments while the others get ready.

#4
Goldenwest Ballroom 1976 - The Goldenwest Ballroom, Norwalk, CA, 5/9/76 (1 CDR)
More Great Hot Raunchy Van Halen doing their early hits. Eddie is on fire during this show, Daves really drunk.
Boot CD>CDR  Ready Go! (VHCDJPN5150, AP-1001)
Sound: A-
Time: 54:17
Flaws: Has skips and sound waivers. Some cuts betwen songs
Kahuna's Rating:***1/2

1.On Fire 2:35     2.Show Your Love 4:37     3.Last Child 4:27     4.Tush 3:05     5.The Rover 6:19     6.Let's Get Rockin' 3:11     7.Ice Cream Man 5:12     8.Last Night 3:52     9.Eruption 3:09    10.We Die Young 3:36    11.Somebody Get Me A Doctor 4:47    12.Babe Don't Leave Me Alone 4:14    13.Let Me Swim In Your Ocean 1:40    14.She's The Woman 3:23

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
Called "Listen Up Shenkar" on test pressings and came with plain, typed inserts instead of the full color ones in this release. "Shenkar" is a reference to Michael Shenkar's band, UFO, which Van Halen opened for that evening.
Track 2 is actually "I'm The One".
Track 10 is actually "We Die Bold".
Track 13 is actually "Oceanside".
"Last Night" is an early version of "Hang 'em High".
According to the back cover, Tracks 10 and 13 have never been released on any VH Bootleg.
The sound quality is excellent for this very early recording. This is a must have for any serious Van Halen fan.