Sammy Hagar kicked off the Best of All Worlds tour last night in West Palm Beach with a 21-song set packed with Van Halen classics.
Hagar was accompanied by longtime musical partners Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Jason Bonham, plus multi-instrumentalist Rai Thistlethwayte. After an introductory video full of musical, backstage and award show moments from Hagar’s career played on the massive screen behind the stage, the band launched into “Good Enough,” the opening track from 5150, Hagar’s first album with Van Halen.
Watch Sammy Hagar Perform ‘Good Enough’
12 of the 23 songs played on opening night came from Hagar’s decade-long stint as Van Halen’s frontman. He also played five from his solo career, including “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” on which he and Satriani recreated the dueling guitar segment Hagar used to share with Eddie Van Halen. One twist: Satriani played part of his solo with his teeth.
The group also performed three David Lee Roth-era songs, with Michael Anthony taking lead vocal duties on “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love,” and the Satriani solo song “Satch Boogie.” Loverboy opened with an eight-song set that climaxed with the one-two punch of “Turn Me Loose” and “Working for the Weekend.”
Earlier this month Hagar told UCR he has no problem performing Roth-era songs. “Well, when I joined Van Halen, I was trying to make a statement. Hey, listen, this is a new band, we wrote new material — and to get rid of that comparison thing, I didn’t want to……look, it wasn’t just me. This was Ed, Al, Mike, this was a unanimous vote. Nobody wanted to continue on with the old stuff. It was like, ‘Shit, we’re tired of playing that, man. Let’s play the new songs.’ But now, it’s such a whole different thing. I’m not trying to make any kind of a statement, I’m just trying to play for the fans. This is for the people. This is the ‘thank you’ tour, for all of the fans who followed us for all of those years and have been waiting 20 years for some other kind of a reunion — my era, anyway, for sure.”
Read More: Sammy Hagar Talks 2024 Tour Plans
Watch Michael Anthony Perform ‘Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love’
Hagar Expands Birthday Bash to Include Two Cities
The North American leg of Sammy Hagar’s Best of All Worlds tour continues Sunday night in Tampa, and is currently scheduled to conclude on Aug. 31 in St. Louis. The band will perform three September shows in Japan. In October Hagar expands his annual birthday bash to a two-city event, with a pair of shows in both Cabo San Lucas and Las Vegas.
Watch Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani Duel on ‘One Way to Rock’
Watch Sammy Hagar Perform ‘Poundcake’
Sammy Hagar, 7/13, iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach Set List
1. “Good Enough”
2. “Poundcake”
3. “Runaround”
4. “There’s Only One Way to Rock”
5. “Judgement Day”
6. “Panama”
7. “5150”
8. “Summer Nights”
9. “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love” (Michael Anthony on lead vocals)
10. “Top of the World”
11. “Best of Both Worlds”
12. “Satch Boogie”
13. “The Seventh Seal”
14. “Right Now”
15. “Why Can’t This Be Love”
16. “Eagles Fly”
17. “Mas Tequila”
18. “Heavy Metal”
19. “I Can’t Drive 55”
20. “Space Station #5” / “Oh Yeah” / “Jump”
21. “When It’s Love”
Loverboy, 7/13, iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach Set List
1. “Lucky Ones”
2. “Lady of the ’80s”
3. “Take Me to the Top”
4. “The Kid is Hot Tonite”
5. “Lovin’ Every Minute of It”
6. “Hot Girls in Love”
7. “Turn Me Loose”
8. “Working for the Weekend”
Sammy Hagar Solo and Band Albums Ranked Worst to Best
Whether on his own or with Van Halen, Montrose, Chickenfoot or HSAS, he rarely takes his foot off the pedal.
Gallery Credit: Matthew Wilkening