by David Lee Roth on August 13, 2025, at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom.
On Wednesday night at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, David Lee Roth managed to get by with a little assistance from his friends.
The Van Halen vocalist delivered an electrifying 90-minute, 18-song show to a sold-out 3,200-strong audience during his lone region visit. In addition to honoring some of his former band’s greatest hits, the Roth performance unearthed some hidden gems.
Wearing black leather leggings, a jacket, and a matching vest, Roth reveled in the attention.
Hi there, I’m David Lee Roth, he joked. You can call me Dave, though.
With the help of Panama’s rumpus riffs, the 70-year-old vocalist had no trouble getting the full audience up and holding them there.
His band entered Drop Dead Legs’ devastatingly wonderful groove without missing a beat. Both songs are from Van Halen’s iconic multi-platinum hit album 1984, and they never go out of style.
Roth, a rock-and-roll ringmaster, wore stylish sunglasses reminiscent of General Douglas MacArthur. This evening, as he led his electric group through a medley of Van Halen’s extensive discography, the battle plans were evidently laid out. (As well as none of his solo work.)
He maintained a tight musical tempo while incorporating a lot of hard rock humor from the 1970s, as one woman in the front row found out.
Roth responded, grinning like a Cheshire cat, “Don’t stick your tongue out at me unless you intend to use it, baby.”
He emphasized his local connections as well. According to Roth, whose father completed an eye doctor residency in Massachusetts when he was younger, “I learned to walk in Brookline.” In Swampscott, I also learned how to ride a bike.
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Dave’s solo band, however, remained matter-of-fact. Note-for-note, guitarist Al Estrada imitated Eddie Van Halen’s licks. The guitarist seemed to have no trouble playing any of the songs, from Romeo Delight’s wild boogie and Mean Streets’ gritty swagger to Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love’s anthemic stomp.
Francis Valentino, the drummer, and Ryan Wheeler, the bassist, maintained their rhythm. Wheeler used the well-known bass opening from Runnin’ With the Devil to channel his inner Michael Anthony.
Valentino knew a lot about VH101, too. In addition to handling Alex Van Halen’s masterpiece, Hot for Teacher, with equal skill, he contributed the tribal beats of Everybody Wants Some and the Latin-tinged rumble of Jamie’s Crying.
Danny Wagner contributed sonic bombast to set closer Jump and added ambiance to the keyboard-heavy ballad I’ll Wait.
Dave, meanwhile, was just Dave.
In October 2021, rumors circulated that Roth would soon retire, but the singer has shown no signs of slowing down.
Even though he may not be leaping from drum risers or wheeling crescent kicks like he once did, the veteran rocker’s attitude and tongue-in-cheek humor haven’t altered.
Rock’s perpetual teenager is still hawking it like a carnival barker at the age of 70.
Roth’s whiskey-soaked vocals have suffered over time, like many artists his age. He has, nevertheless, surmounted these challenges by strengthening his hard rock band with a variety of supporting vocalists.
Roth is getting plenty of vocal firepower from singers Kurt Lykes, Juneau Lake, Andre Washington, Stevie Notes, and Devin Michaels. The quintet produces a wave of music that sweeps through the audience while they are playing at their peak.
The quintet did a good job of boosting Roth’s overall sound and upbeat atmosphere, from the Kinks version of You Really Got Me to the iconic Van Halen sing-alongs Beautiful Girls, Dance the Night Away, and Feel Your Love Tonight.
To make things authentically great, a few even managed some of Dave’s signature high-end screams, such as those in the constantly difficult I’m The One.
Halfway through Dance the Night Away, Roth remarked, “I had a dream last night about Eddie Van Halen.” According to him, this song is actually In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida reversed.
Ultimately, though, it was still Dave’s show. All of the cards were in the hands of the vivacious frontman, who also held the crowd in his palms. His rock-and-roll odometer still has a few more miles to go.
Damn retirement.
Setlist for David Lee Roth at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Aug. 13, 2025:
- Panama
- Drop Dead Legs
- I m the One
- I ll Wait
- Beautiful Girls
- You Really Got Me (Kinks cover)
- Runnin With the Devil
- Romeo Delight
- Dance the Night Away
- Mean Street
- Feel Your Love Tonight
- Jamie s Cryin
- Unchained
- Oh, Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison cover)
- Ain t Talkin Bout Love
- Hot for Teacher
- Everybody Wants Some
- Jump
Since 1995, award-winning sports journalist Christopher Hurley has covered local sports, the Bruins, the Stanley Cup Finals, WrestleMania, and more.
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