However, a source with knowledge of the tour tells Rolling Stone that Van Halen's members "hate each other" and are "arguing like mad. They are fighting." The magazine notes that, officially at least, tour promoter Live Nation is also curiously mum on the reason for the sudden postponement.
In its report, RS notes that “the band yanked more than 30 long-planned dates, including shows in Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Salt Lake City and El Paso. Local promoters United Concerts and AEG issued statements regarding some postponed shows to local media, including the Salt Lake Tribune and Las Cruces Sun-News, but no details have been offered yet about rescheduled dates or refunds.”
The magazine adds that “news of the postponed tour dates surprised several arena reps, who are featuring upcoming Van Halen shows prominently on their websites. ‘You want to know the absolute f---in' truth? I have no f---in' idea," another concert-business source with knowledge of the tour tells Rolling Stone.”
So…how surprised are we by this? The relationship between Roth and brothers Edward Van Halen and Alex Van Halen is notoriously rocky which is why they split in the first place, with the former pursuing a reasonably successful solo career as an embarrassment to rock fans everywhere a singer/performer and the latter carrying on with new singers including, most successfully, Sammy Hagar.
Given that the tour – and the ancillary new album A Different Kind of Truth – is doing pretty well, you’d think they could shelve their differences and just get through it. You know… ride around in separate tour buses while nurturing wounded feelings and talking smack about each other to their personal masseuses and pedicurists, that kind of thing.
Guess we’ll wait and see. But whatever the reason, it’s something heavy. Unless you absolutely hate having money in your pocket, you don’t postpone 30 shows that have already been announced and gone on sale without facing serious financial consequences in the form of potential refunds, additional advertising, venue penalties and the like. This plot is going to thicken… count on it.
Somewhere, turfed Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony is smiling a wry smile.
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We saw Van Halen two weeks ago in Calgary and we left early. We have never left a concert early ever but the show was not very good. A lot of the time we couldn't even tell what song they were doing and then you might hear a familiar riff and be able to recognize the song. It just was not cohesive. It was like we couldn't hear the music through the noise. Some blamed accoustics but again, we have never experienced bad accoustics at the dome. We were very disappointed.
Posted by: mrsroberts | 05/21/2012 at 01:53 AM
All I can say is........ GROW UP.
Seriously can you not get it together to perform the last shows of the tour????
Posted by: Teresa | 05/21/2012 at 03:15 AM
The Van Halen bros can't get along with anybody!Just bring back Gary Cherone or Sammy Hagar! LOL
Posted by: The80s | 05/21/2012 at 08:41 AM
Kinda sad to see Eddie's career end this way. Definately one of the top hard rock players ever ! No fault but his own.
Posted by: Michael | 05/21/2012 at 09:57 AM
"arguing like made"..no freakin' kidding!! Stick a fork in them, they're DONE! Pathetic...
Posted by: Suzie Q | 05/21/2012 at 10:07 AM
Hey kim, the band is getting along fine, the guys are just tired, they've been working hard for the past 18 months on the album and tour as stated in David Lee Roth's video statement he posted on sunday. I don't know why the media is obsessed with these guys failing. I saw van halen in toronto back in march and it was one of the best shows i've ever been to. Long live Dave era van halen!
Posted by: Peter | 05/21/2012 at 10:08 AM
Why I'm I not surprised David Lee Roth always had a big ego. The Van Halens got sick of it that is why they could never stay together
Posted by: roger | 05/21/2012 at 02:01 PM
Surely one cannot be surprised by this. Really.
Posted by: tnm63 | 05/21/2012 at 02:14 PM
If David Lee Roth is anything like the total ass that showed up for the Vancouver show, I completely understand why the rest of the band can't work with him. Roth could barely make it through a single song because he was so focused on his showmanship. It was embarrassing and idiotic. BTW I was a Roth fan.
Posted by: Lee | 05/21/2012 at 03:17 PM
I seen Van Halen in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre. It was a good concert. I seen Valerie Bertinelli there cheering on her son. He looks just like her!
I am not surprised about the fighting two big EGOS!
Too bad for the fans. :(
I have to say that David Lee Roth looked more like a Las Vegas lounge lizard than a rock star. lol!
Posted by: Megam | 05/21/2012 at 08:25 PM
We saw them two weeks ago. Not a very good show, left early. Very disappointed.
Posted by: osaycanyousing | 05/21/2012 at 10:09 PM
I'm going to get set alight for this but who cares. I've never liked David Lee Roth. I always thought Hagar was a better fit and an all round better singer. Roth is just an egomaniac who always thought of Van Halen as his back-up band.
Posted by: Mike D. | 05/23/2012 at 11:57 AM