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Friday
Jul012011

Right Here, Right Now Tour

This marked Van Halen's first U.K. appearance with Sammy Hagar as lead singer. Prior to this tour, the last show performed here was at the Monsters of Rock gig at Castle Donington on 08/18/84.

Before an outdoor show in Boston, a Junebug managed to lodge itself in one of Eddie's ears, nearly damaging his eardrum. While staying at the Four Seasons Hotel, the guitarist awoke several times throughout the night experiencing excruciating pain. Not knowing just what may be in his ear, Eddie sprayed saline solution into the ear canal, and after whacking himself in the head several times, the one-inch insect fell out into the sink. 

Eddie's live rig consisted of three Peavey 4-by-12 cabinets: one dry and two with effects. Each effected cabinet was paired with an SDE-3000 digital delay, with the delay time on one set to one-half the delay time on the other to created a layered echo. An Evantide H3000 fed both effected cabinets along with a Lexicon PCM-70 digital reverb, which was used during his unaccompanied solo for Cathedral. All remaining effects were handled with effects pedals patched in via a Bob Bradshaw footswitching system. The Bradshaw unit featured four presets: one was a SDE-3000/H3000 combination, a second added a BOSS OC-2 octave divider, the third featured an MXR Phase 90 phaser, and the fourth added a Dunlop Crybaby Wah-Wah, which was always kept in the ON position. On stages that required extra-long cable runs, Eddie added a BOSS SD-1 Super Overdrive pedal to boost the signal to the wah (which occurred at approximately 10 shows throughout the tour). A Rockman noise gate was used with Ed's Sony wireless unit which sent a clean signal to his Peavey 5150 head. The signal was fed through a Palmer speaker simulator and an H&H power amp before hitting the speaker cabinets. The entire rig was capped off with Furman power conditioners keeping control of the AC voltage.

Mike added the Star Spangled Banner to his bass solo, now named Ultra Bass. As in past tours, he used an Electro Harmonix Micro-Bass Synthesizer and an Evantide Harmonizer. He used three Music Man Stingray basses as his workhorses, using a 5-string for Runaround and Spanked.  

Alex's live Ludwig kit consisted of one 14-inch-by-8-inch snare drum, one 10-inch-by-8-inch tom, one 12-inch-by-8-inch tom, two floor toms measuring 16-inch-by-16-inch and 18-inch-by-16-inch respectively and two 22-inch-by-20-inch bass drums. Cymbal-wise, he used Paiste: one 15-inch Sound-edge hi-hat, five 20-inch crash cymbals, one 22-inch ride cymbal, and one 20-inch china cymbal. His sticks of choice were the Alex Van Halen signature model Calato/Regal tips.

The band designated the U.S. leg of their tour as the National Hunger Relief tour for USA Harvest, the largest all-volunteer food distribution organization in the United States. Fans were asked to donate canned goods, which were collected at the doors of each show and distributed to local missions and shelters in those cities.

Extreme was considered at one time for the opening act slot.

Typical set list:

3/30/93: Olympiahalle, Munchen, GER. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio recording exists.

4/01/93: Palaghaccio, Rome, Italy. Opening act: Little Angels. Won't Get Fooled Again is added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

4/02/93: Palatrussardi, Milan, Italy. Opening act: Little Angels. We Gotta Get Out of This Place added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

4/04/93: Festhalle, Frankfurt, GER. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio and video recordings exist.

4/05/93: Frankenhalle, Nurnburg, GER. Opening act: Little Angels.

4/07/93: Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Hamburg, GER. Opening act: Little Angels. Video recording exists.

4/09/93: Globe Arena Stockholm, Sweden. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio and video recordings exists.

4/10/93: Spektrum, Oslo, Norway. Opening act: Little Angels. Norwegian Wood and Waitin' for the Bus added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

4/11/93: The Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio recording exists. Born on the Bayou and Crossroads added to the set list for this show.

4/13/93: S.P. Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio and video recordings exist.

4/14/93: Flanders Expo, Gent, Belgium. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio and video recordings exist.

4/16/93: Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio recording exists.

4/17/93: Hans-Martin-Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart, GER. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio recording exists.

4/19/93: Grugahalle, Essen, GER. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio and video recordings exist.

4/21/93: Le Zenith, Paris, France. Opening act: Little Angels. Audio recording exists.

4/22/93: Le Zenith, Paris, France. Opening act: Little Angels.

4/25/93: Birmingham N.E.C. Arena, Birmingham, UK. Opening act: Little Angels. Amnesty Is Granted and All Right Now added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

4/27/93: Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, UK. Opening act: Little Angels. Tony Jepson joins Van Halen for the encore.

4/29/93: Wembley Arena, London, UK. Opening act: Little Angels. Van Halen sets the record for the most seats sold on the day of a concert. The band performs All Right Now with Little Angels. Audio recording exists. 

6/25/93: Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI. Opening act: Vince Neil.

6/26/93: Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI. Opening act: Vince Neil.

6/28/93: Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH. Opening act: Vince Neil.

6/29/93: Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Opening act: Vince Neil.

7/01/93: Molson Park, Barrie, Ontario, Canada. This was the Canada Day Festival. The bill included the Jayhawks, Alannah Myles, Kim Mitchell and Vince Neil. During the encore, Eddie played an Ernie Ball Music Man guitar painted with the Canadian flag. Audio and video recordings exist.

7/03/93: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien, NY. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/04/93: Cayuga County Fairgrounds, Weedsport, NY. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/06/93: Orange County Speedway, Middletown, NY. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/07/93: Thames Music Center, Groton, CT. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/09/93: Great Woods Center, Mansfield, MA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Eddie meets Dr. Jim Schumacher, a neurosurgeon at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital, who offered Eddie brain surgery lessons in exchange for guitar lessons. Audio recording exists.

7/10/93: Great Woods Center, Mansfield, MA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/11/93: Jones Beach Amphitheater, Wantaugh, NY. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio and video recordings exist.

7/13/93: Jones Beach Amphitheater, Wantaugh, NY. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/14/93: Jones Beach Amphitheater, Wantaugh, NY. Opening act: Vince Neil. Amnesty Is Granted is added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

7/16/93: Starlake Amphitheater, Burgettstown, PA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Video recording exists.

7/17/93: Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/18/93: Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/19/93: Starlake Amphitheater, Burgettstown, PA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/20/93: Blockbuster Pavilion, Charlotte, NC. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/21/93: Hardee's Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/23/93: Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/24/93: Starwood Amphitheatre, Antioch, TN. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

7/25/93: Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio and video recordings exist.

7/27/93: Sandstone Amphitheatre, Bonner Springs, MO. Opening act: Vince Neil.

7/28/93: Riverport Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, MO. Opening act: Vince Neil.

7/30/93: World Music Theater, Tinley Park, IL. Opening act: Vince Neil. Mike breaks a string during his solo and throws his bass to the ground and lights it on fire. The Love is added to the set list. Audio recording exists.

7/31/93: Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

8/02/93: Buckeye Lake, Columbus, OH. Opening act: Vince Neil.

8/05/93: Starplex Amphitheater, Dallas, TX. Opening act: Vince Neil.

8/06/93: C.W. Mitchell Pavilion, Woodlands, TX. Opening act: Vince Neil. Eddie causes a traffic jam after the show while trying to wave down passing motorists. Eddie and Alex's limo broke down on the way out of the venue, so the guitarist stood roadside with his thumb out trying to stop passing motorists so he could borrow a cellular phone. The brothers were eventually rescued from a throng of after-show autograph seekers when Sammy's limo arrived on the scene. 

8/07/93: C.W. Mitchell Pavilion, Woodlands, TX. Opening act: Vince Neil.

8/10/93: Fiddler's Green Amphitheater, Englewood, CO. Opening act: Vince Neil.

8/12/93: State Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK. Opening act: Vince Neil.

8/14/93: Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

8/16/93: Park West Amphitheater, Park City, UT. Opening act: Vince Neil.

8/18/93: Portland Meadows, Portland, OR. Opening act: Vince Neil.

8/20/93: Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio and video recordings exist.

8/21/93: Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Amnesty Is Granted is added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

8/22/93: Cal Expo Amphitheatre, Sacramento, CA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Young Man's Blues is added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

8/24/93: Cal Expo Amphitheatre, Sacramento, CA. Opening act: Vince Neil. This show took place during the California State Fair. Audio recording exists.

8/27/93: Pacific Amphitheater, Costa Mesa, CA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Audio recording exists.

8/28/93: Pacific Amphitheater, Costa Mesa, CA. Opening act: Vince Neil. Towards the end of Finish What Ya Started, all of the band members' wives took to the stage dressed in Playboy Bunny outfits. Amnesty Is Granted and Young Man's Blues added to the set list for this show. Audio recording exists.

8/29/93: Pacific Amphitheater, Costa Mesa, CA. This show was cancelled.

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