IN THEIR PRIME
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#1
Live and Loud! - Serrande Arena, Fresno CA 3/25/79 (1 CDR)
Hot Hard Raunchy Rock. Van Halen's really playing great. David Lee's in good form on this one.
Boot CD>CDR  Aces High (AH CD 005)
Sound: A
Time  disc 1: 74:01
Flaws: Some click aminly between songs
Kahuna's Rating:*****

1.Light Up The Sky 3:52     2.Somebody Get Me A Doctor 3:46     3.Runnin' With The Devil 4:22     4.Dance The Night Away 3:05     5.Beautiful Girls 3:22     6.On Fire 4:37     7.Bass Solo 2:01     8.You're No Good 3:03     9.Feel Your Love Tonight 8:19    10.Outta Love Again 3:56    11.Ice Cream Man 5:59    12.Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love 6:35    13.Guitar Solo 3:16    14.D.O.A. 4:29    15.You Really Got Me 8:23    16.Bottoms Up! 4:56

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
Limited edition of 300 numbered copies. A recording of the first night of their world tour in support of VH II.
This is the complete show, where as the "On Fire In Fresno" disc was not. The audio quality is very good. A solid "A".

#2
Bright Lights, Big Largo -  The Capitol Center - Largo, MD - May 1, 1980 (1 CDR)
Another Hard Rockin show just as the boys hit it big.
Boot CD>CDR  BF 2003
Sound: A
Time: 65:02
Flaws: None, Last song cut
Kahuna's Rating:****1/2

1.Runnin' With The Devil 5:07     2.Loss of Control 3:17     3.Take Your Whiskey Home 4:46     4.Dance the Night Away 3:05     5.Women in Love 3:48     6.Jamie's Cryin' 4:12     7.Feel Your Love Tonight 5:03     8.Bright Lights, Big City 8:08     9.Atomic Punk 3:35    10....And The Cradle Will Rock 3:07    11.Light Up The Sky ~ Drum Solo 5:27    12.Spanish Fly ~ Cathedral 1980 6:29    13.Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love 5:17    14.Ice Cream Man 3:40

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
This is a soundboard performance, but has a slight hiss throughout. This is probably an artifact of the analog recording it was transferred from. Dave talks a lot through the show! One of his best comments, or rather a story, is about a girl he met the previous night who took off her bra and panties and threw them onstage and "that was all she was wearing at the time". He then goes on to say that he "woke up next to the girl the next day" and she turned and said "DAVE" (Dave says this in a high pitched voice and Eddie mocks him with his guitar) "What is it that you like about me so much?". Dave: "I looked down at her with her big red eyes and told her, BABY, I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT!". Then they start playing FYLT. On the inside cover of the artwork it says "Extra special thanks to the 'girl with the big red eyes' for helping us all toremember Maryland." This is where it comes from...
In the beginning of "Take Your Whiskey Home", Eddie seems to be playing with his guitar with the main riff and keeps going on until Dave finally stops his yapping and starts to abruptly sing. "...And The Cradle Will Rock" fades in at the beginning. "Ice Cream Man" is cut off at the VERY end.
Overall it's an excellant recording. All insturments are well balanced. Not too much bass in it like in most other recordings. The whole band gives an energetic performance.

#3
CALIFORNIA CALLING Listen To This Jimmy - US Festival - Devore, CA 5/29/83 (2 CDR)
A full fantastic Van Halen show.
Boot CD>CDR  Aurola Musikk Produksjon - AMP2 5002 A/B
Sound: A
Time: disc I: 57:47      disc II: 66:22
Flaws: None
Kahuna's Rating:****1/2

Disc 1    1.Romeo Delight 5:04     2.Unchained ~Drum Solo 7:53     3.The Full Bug 3:57     4.Runnin With The Devil 7:33     5.Jamie's Cryin 3:45     6.So This Is love 5:18     7.Little Guitars 4:44     8.Bass Solo      ~Dancing in the street 7:14     9.Somebody Get Me A Doctor      (Incl.Girl Gone Bad ~I'm So Glad)      ~Guitar Solo 8:55    10.Dance The Night Away 3:19

Disc 2    1.Cathedral 3:27     2.Secrets 3:29     3.Drum Solo 2:34     4.Everybody Wants Some 14:48     5.Ice Cream Man 5:28     6.Pretty Woman 5:49     7.Guitar Solo 11:57     8.Ain't Talkin Bout Love      ~Encore 7:41     9.Bottom's Up 4:39    10.You Really Got Me      ~Happy Trails      ~You Really Got Me 6:27

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
The audio for this 2 disc set is most likely from a video source as evidenced by several minor edits, and by the inclusion of an edited version of "You Really Got Me" at the end of the show. However, this is one of the best sounding Dave era cd's.
This 2 disc set was limited to 300 copies, worldwide! There will be no "second runs or reissues". "Everybody Wants Some" is erroneously written as Track 3 with the Drum Solo.
At the end of the last track on disc two, the following is spoken by an unknown person (male): "You know, I wanted to bring my mother down here to see Van Halen. But she was afraid that the heavy metal people are too rowdy, I mean, come on, right? She should have been here today, with the sun and the water."

#4
Diamond Dave Goes Home Again - July 6, 1984 - Indianapolis (1 CDR)
More Great Hot Raunchy Van Halen.  Daves in true form.
Boot CD>CDR  Arena Discs 001
Sound: A
Time: 67:32
Flaws: Has skips and sound waivers & channel problems. Some cuts betwen songs
Kahuna's Rating:****

1.Unchained 4:32     2.Hot For Teacher~Drum Solo 7:57     3.On Fire 3:03     4.Runnin' With The Devil 6:13     5.Little Guitars 4:43     6.Cathedral~House Of Pain 6:31     7.Girl Gone Bad 6:00     8.1984 1:00     9.Jump 4:16    10.Listen To This Jimmy 15:36    11.Pretty Woman 3:30    12.Panama 4:46

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
Despite being an audience recording, this disc has better sound than the San Diego, the Quebec and the Nuremberg shows on CD. It does have alot of audience cheering and at times, Eddie's guitar is distant in clarity.
Dave raps with the audience at the end of Track 4. He mentions that he was born in Indiana. He also tells the audience to cuss with him. "Don't that make you feel better?" Dave continues his lewd talk during Little Guitars.
Track 10, "Listen To This Jimmy" is Eddie's guitar solo
This disc is the best sound quality recording of all the 1984 tour bootleg discs, currently available. The packaging looks like computer color printouts.
Recommended for VH-Dave fans. If you can find it, get it.

#5
The Good, The Bad and Van Halen - London Rainbow Ballroom 6/23/80 (1 CDR)
Prime Van Halen doing their early hits from first two albums. Originally a (2) vinyl release that fits on a CDR.
Decent sound and great energetic show.
Boot CD>CDR  RR Records PL 47
Sound: A
Time: 70:58
Flaws: Some cuts betwen songs
Kahuna's Rating:****1/2

1.Romeo Delight     2.Bottoms Up     3.Runnin With The Devil     4.Loss Of Control     5.Take Your Whiskey Home     6.Dance The Night Away     7.Women In Love     8.Jamie's crying'     9.Take A Break    10.Big City Blues    11.Everybody Wants Some    12.And The Cradle Will Rock    13.Light Up The Sky    14.Eruption    15.Ain't Talkin' Bout Love    16.Ice Cream Man    17.You Really Got Me

Heres what the Van Halen Bootleg Discography says about this show:
This is an audience recording, sound = very good, stereo!