David Lee Roth, the legendary frontman of Van Halen, made a triumphant return to the stage on Saturday night at the M3 festival in Columbia, Maryland. This marked Roth’s first full show in five years, and he delivered a powerful set of classics with the help of an impressive eight-piece band. The setlist was completely dominated by Van Halen songs, without any hint of Roth’s solo career.
He was joined by Al Estrada on guitar, Ryan Wheeler on bass, Francis Valentino on drums, and a keyboard player whose name was not confirmed. Roth also made great use of a new four-piece group of backing vocalists, which he played off repeatedly during song breakdowns. “Ain’t no tracks up here tonight, baby,” Roth noted at one point, emphasizing the live nature of the performance.
The singer seemed to be in top form, despite his five-year absence from the stage. Roth’s last official show was on March 10, 2020, in Lubbock, Texas, where he opened for Kiss just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
David Lee Roth’s return thrills fans
He had announced an early 2022 Las Vegas residency in October 2021 but ended up canceling due to unspecified health concerns. As the show drew to a close, Roth repeatedly congratulated his band for playing “a perfect fucking show” and hinted at bigger plans for the future. “See you on the road…
I’ll see you on the road!” he told the crowd. The setlist included classic Van Halen hits such as “Panama,” “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “Hot for Teacher,” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love.” Fans were thrilled to see Roth back on stage, with many taking to social media to share their excitement. “Not too many 70-year-old guys can pull off wearing a leather suit (or singing like they did at 35) but David Lee Roth triumphed Saturday night,” one fan remarked, posting a clip of Roth singing “Panama.”
Following his successful comeback at the M3 Festival and four years after announcing his retirement, Roth has now announced a 12-show tour beginning July 31 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida.
The tour will take him to theaters and amphitheaters across the country, concluding on September 14 at Napa, California’s Blue Note Summer Sessions. David Lee Roth looks forward to reconnecting with fans across the country and bringing his high-energy performances back to the stage. With his timeless appeal and showmanship, Roth’s return is sure to be a nostalgic and exhilarating experience for fans of all ages.
