Van Halen Summer Tour 2004
| Tour by Van Halen | |
| Start date | June 11, 2004 |
|---|---|
| End date | November 19, 2004 |
| Legs | 3 |
| No. of shows | 80 played |
| Van Halen concert chronology | |
The Van Halen Summer Tour 2004 was a North American concert tour by hard rock band Van Halen. It was the band's first tour since 1998, and saw the return of lead singer Sammy Hagar who left the band in 1996 on bad terms.
In 2004, Van Halen reunited with Sammy Hagar, their second vocalist from 1985–1996. They decided to release a new compilation double album featuring three new songs on it as their first move. This was followed by a reunion tour, featuring these new songs among others on the set list. The new songs were "It's About Time", "Up For Breakfast", and "Learning to See". Initially 28 dates were announced, but this was extended to 80 across 5 months – all of which were performed.
The tour included many controversies, some leading to Hagar's permanent departure following the tour. Michael Anthony, longtime bassist for the band (performing with them until 2000 when they went on hiatus, but still officially a member of the band in 2004) was hired as a touring musician but not a 'real' band member, being paid a reduced commission. Initially the Van Halen brothers didn't want him on the tour at all, but Hagar flatly refused to tour without Anthony. Hagar also accused Eddie Van Halen of drinking far too much on the tour, despite Eddie's denials.
The tour grossed almost $55 million, and Pollstar listed Van Halen in the top 10 grossing tours of 2004. However, Rolling Stone revealed that promoters did not actually profit from the tour, losing money. This was largely attributed to overpriced tickets of up to $250 slowing down ticket sales. Concerts were met with (usually) positive reviews from critics and fans, though some did notice Eddie's alcohol abuse. Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie's young son, would join the band for rhythm guitar during the instrumental "316". In 2006 Wolfgang joined Van Halen permanently, replacing Anthony on bass.
Throughout the tour, reports of Eddie's alcohol abuse cropped up in reviews. In the band's first Chicago show, Eddie tripped over his guitar cable multiple times. Eighteen times it actually became unplugged, and a guitar tech had to chase Eddie around the stage keeping things together. Eddie later stopped in the middle of a guitar solo, lying down and simply saying "I'm sorry folks, I done run outta gas". Eddie did however, recover and finish the solo. The other major event occurred on the final date of the tour, in Tucson, when Eddie finished the set by smashing his guitar, sending shrapnel into the audience and running off stage.
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