Van Halen - Dallas 1982 (2023)

By the early 1980s, Van Halen were at the top of their game. Featuring the classic line-up of David Lee Roth on vocals, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, brother Alex on drums, and bassist Michael Anthony, the band had cemented their reputation with a string of hit records and tours, and by 1982 they were among the best live acts on the circuit. Diver Down, Halen’s 1982 album, was their biggest success yet, spending 65 weeks on the US albums chart and selling over four million copies. It also spawned five charting singles, including ‘(Oh) Pretty Woman’, ‘Dancing In The Street’ and ‘Where Have All The Good Times Gone!’, which hit No. 1, 3 and 17 on the US Mainstream Rock chart respectively. To capitalise on all this, the band embarked on the mammoth “Hide Your Sheep” tour, playing 97 shows between June 1982 and May 1983 across North and South America. Despite its curious name, the tour remains Halen’s live pinnacle, during which, on November 18th & 19th ’82, they performed at the enormous Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. Catering for approximately 20,000 fans, the Dallas show was their biggest ever at the time, and their first concert at the arena on the 18th was recorded for live FM Radio Broadcast. This new CD now features the entire, extraordinary set that Halen performed that fateful evening, more than 40 years ago.