Legendary rock frontman David Lee Roth stopped by the Citizens House of Blues in Boston over the weekend as part of his Don’t Love Me, Rent Me World Tour. Fans of all ages made their way to Fenway, looking forward to what would be an evening completely dedicated to Van Halen classics.
Diamond Dave made his grand entrance once the band took their spots, making his presence known from backstage. With a big smile, the frontman greeted the crowd warmly, kicking the night off with the powerful “Panama.” One song in, and David Lee Roth already started telling stories about the city, taking his time before moving on to “Drop Dead Legs.”
Campy, witty and always smiling, Roth is the ultimate showman: from introducing his beloved backing band to showing off his dance moves, the singer’s stage persona demands attention. The crowd would go from chanting his name to cackling at his very self-aware jokes, growing more excited with every deep track or classic hit; the room was lit up, or as David would describe it, “a scorcher.”
In a change of pace, the frontman sat down with his acoustic guitar for “Ice Cream Man” while sharing an endearing story about his beginnings and how he would sit down with Eddie Van Halen to play “until our knees touched.” Many in the crowd were visibly emotional, as well as David: with all the antics and extravagance expected from him, the feeling in the room was that this was a celebration of what he called the Van Halen Classic Songbook.
This softer moment would be brief, as the energy picked back up with “Unchained” and “Atomic Punk.” Through the night, Roth interacted not only with fans, but with his band and backup singers, making sure every single person in the room was having the time of their lives.
“Hot For Teacher” and “Everybody Wants Some!!” were some of the evening’s most explosive moments, with David even joining in on drums for the latter. As he firmly pointed towards the keyboards, the iconic first notes of “Jump” had fans erupting in screams. From nostalgic couples to energetic teenagers, everyone was chanting every word, bringing the show to an exciting close. David Lee Roth’s unstoppable love for performance is palpable, always looking at his fans with bright eyes and a wide smile, leaving the stage with deep gratitude: a true, untouchable rockstar.
Photos and words by Maria Alejandra Mata.
