A man appals; I slap "Panama"

Well, color me surprised. Every review we’ve read said Diamond Dave and the boys played a rocking show at the AAC on Saturday night, and based on the traffic around the area, it seems like they were a pretty popular bet, even with high ticket prices…

As someone pointed out over e-mail after we posted Thursday’s Flight Plan, I claimed spending the cash on tickets was a “waste.” Half of that is due to the fact that all the other sources for entertainment that weekend in the Flight Plan could be combined together and the tickets wouldn’t cost as much as a single ticket to Van Halen…and half because, in the past, there have been plenty of rip-off, one-off, last-chance reunion tours that didn’t deliver.

Am I eating crow now that they had a good show? Maybe. We’ll see if there are still good reviews when Van Halen returns to the AAC to take even more money in March.

Curious about the title? It’s a palindrome by Edward Wolpow.

Don’t Go See Van Halen

…unless you already have tickets.

Here’s why:

$150 is too much for a ticket for a band that just reunited to tour “one more time.” Yes, I know The Police did it, and we wrote that up favorably, because they turned out to put out a quality show. But Van Halen just won’t be able to.

They replaced band members, survived drug addictions, and had decent solo careers, but, honestly, they can’t play “Hot For Teacher” the same way they played it on the record. It’s impossible! Call me a naysayer, but paying $150 for one ticket — the going rate for the tickets that are left legally (and the bottom rate for those illegally, too) — is too much money for a show that might only get your a performance that leaves you wanting the sound of your CDs. “Diamond Dave” is too old to “Jump” into splits, leaving behind the visual aspect, no matter giant video screens what they put behind the 50 year old rockers.

We’ve read reviews that the show is often good — but ask yourself — is it worth $150 + another $150 ticket for a friend, plus $20 to park, you’re already to $320 to get in the AAC. Now add t-shirts — “Take off that t-shirt, Lynda, you’ll break up the band” — and beer, and you’re getting up to $400 for one night with the 3 Van Halens and a Roth…AT LEAST.

If you don’t already have your tickets…don’t spend the money. Don’t give in to the overpriced ticket gougers. Leave the bottom seats open and show the concert promoters we’re done paying for used rockers at premium prices.

Besides, I always like Hagar better.

Just kidding.