Van Halen - Amsterdam (live 1995)

[@MyKittyPercy]

Favorite version right here. I feel bad for people who limit themselves to just pre-1985 VH

[@joepipe1010]

Pre1985 was the golden years.. Watch out some videos of 1981 !

[@chrisbond6406]

@@joepipe1010 we know that! But after 1985 is still great!

[@hinney827]

The one from Toronto is my favorite version of this one. Unless you're talking about the band in general with Sammy instead of Dave.

[@kevheeley83]

They're missing out big time my friend

[@Keywizzard]

Incredible how Eddie plays rhythm and solo parts almost simultaneously

[@ronniepercak8688]

And that makes it almost unthinkable to see Eddie with another guitarist. He solves everything live very well!

[@RFXLR]

@@ronniepercak8688 and he loved doing it too!

[@stag3t-muspsa910]

He was a musical genius..I'm a player...and it amazing me he came up with these riffs...I v had alot of frustration learning vh songs.

[@billydeewilliams9104]

He's the only guitar player. He has no other options.

[@sergeantfury785]

THAT SNARE DRUM! EPIC! No one else has a snare sounding like that.

[@maximummatt73]

This song kicks so much ass. RIP Eddie

[@rcs5150]

IMO, this tour displayed Eddie's playing at its best. I loved the Axis's tone, and just the overall chemistry between the band members.

[@SamPlaysBass49]

I feel like his Balance era tone is his best since VH-1

[@MikeMortoncabomike]

what a tremendous riff that was/is!

[@MrMikerk]

Eddie-s solo has proven that he is the GOAT. So.long Eddie, RiP🎸🎶🌷🙏

[@mikekopmanis2099]

Wow, these guys were really spot on during this period. Love just as good as the recording. Ed could really do it all. Everyone sounds great.

[@mikekopmanis2099]

And Alex compliments Eddie's riff with a unique drum beat. Michael Anthony's backing vocals are spot on. This song is one of Eddie's greatest guitar songs.

[@Xcorgi]

Everyone seems to be ignoring Alex’s awesome 😎 drumming. Not a straightforward rhythm. Almost as intricate as Eddie’s guitar playing! The best brothers in rock history!

[@jason-ian-Van-Sloten]

I did not! Alex is right on the money right there!

[@Robcadams1974]

The best live performance ever! They played the hell out of that song! I'd love to hear the 4 of them play that live again one day.

[@russellcarter1872]

There’s no doubt that they were better than ever here. They sound as good live as on record. Wish they could have continue. God bless you Eddie, hope you get better.

[@oicsaywhat]

He was not from this planet , this is as good as it gets for us earthlings

[@urbanbader4113]

Pure performance perfection of friends and great music

[@carlosnavarro9376]

Big Al is a beast!

[@Speedle5150]

Saw them two nights in a row on this tour in St Louis back in '95

[@RobertBay70]

Nice love the mix.

[@hj.maryatimaryati7181]

RIP EVH...you're the greatest....😎

[@mrboston1738]

I remember going toAmsterdam listening to that song So sad now . Rip

[@drumgk]

Amazing sound quality!

[@niknarg8150]

Outro solo is 100 times better than the normal one. Van Halen lost his wildness in the 90s but his playing became flawless. Mindblowing 👊

[@raffyvalky4527]

1991-2 was still very wild though

[@cliforbragatassinari404]

Maravilhosa essa música que atmosfera fantástica tinha essa banda

[@BoogieMan568]

guitar sound is epic

[@FernandoSgarbi5150]

Light 'em up!

[@redhed5150]

hot damn amsterdam!! Eddie at his best!!

[@Pacemate5150]

There's no doubt this was Ed at his best, and quite honestly the best anyone's been. Clean, great tone, fast and creative. Van Halen was better with Roth, Ed was better with Sammy

[@nightstalker2217]

Roth helped to establish them, Sammy took them to a new level, now they're back at square 1, Roth has no voice, prances around like a drunk grandfather and is an embarrassment to Alex, Eddie and Wolfgang

[@gregghudson8872]

@Raven Reyes PTZ True, but not relevant.

[@xdude2x]

Anyone who chooses one version over the other is missing out……

[@fasteddievh2072]

I always wondered if Eddie was in pain on this tour. (Not his usual smiling self and doesn’t seem to be enjoying himself). Don’t get me wrong his playing is still incredible.

[@mikekopmanis2099]

Good observation. Might be nothing or maybe there was something going on. We'll probably never know. Have to wonder what happened that got him into the slide into the dark period after this. What a talented guy, lost too early. RIP Eddie.

[@fre4409]

What few guitarists know.....Eddie hardly ever used his bridge pick up on his Music Man. Yes on some live solos to get the screaming harmonics. But otherwise he played his early 90's stuff using the "mid position" which sounded great on this guitar. And that explains why his live tone in 1995 was so HUGE!

[@rockstar6302]

@DanielAraujoNazar You are right about the sequencer, that's how all the keyboard parts were done during the early 90's, and also Alan Fitzgerald played Keyboards off stage for some of those shows as well. As for Mike he should be part of what Van Halen is doing now, I love and respect Wolfgang and I think it's all warm and tingly that he's in Dad's band but I miss him on stage.

[@teramasz]

@cabomikee one of the TOP riffs of all time for me ! :)

[@redhead5150]

I think EVH played his best guitar with Sammy !!! They just had that chemistry and Hagar brought out the best of EVH. Too bad it didn't last because I saw the new VH with DLR and he can't hold a note. Plus, DLR dances like a girly-man on stage now.

[@kokorozz]

Sammy is/was great at guitar also. I think they influenced one another on this record.

[@apmgr251]

let's go to amsterdam. love tis band

[@daverunner3397]

He never plays it the same way twice....

[@juliolucero5592]

Han pasado.muchos anos pero siguen sonando fantástico!!!

[@Dustin_Sevin]

0 dislikes thats what i love to see

[@cbilan34]

That solo...I'm still trying to figure out what I just saw.....

[@redhead5150]

Sammy ruled the stage with his presence !!!!

[@snupcho]

There's been some heavy post production here... How can you not love the backing vocals... or the bass player is singing with 3 different pitches simultaneously lol

[@pedromarin2152]

Que lástima que Van Halen nunca hizo una gira por centroamérica , me hubiera encantado verlos ! Ya tuve el agrado de ver aquí en mi país a Iron Maiden , Roger Waters , Black Sabbath , Aerosmith , Judas Priest y Whitesnake entre otros,no entiendo porqué Van Halen nunca pensó en venir , saludos desde San José , Costa Rica.

[@Alfredo78666]

Can't you "liver" than this! Van Halen=Van Hagar

[@sosadms]

Que banda¡¡. Por Dios.

[@SS-gn1wj]

SAMMY HAGAR is SOLID. that man has a voice. Sounds as great live as in the studio. Nothing but respect and gratitude for all of the awesome years. Love you SAMMY ❤

[@stephenlutz835]

Love Eddies solo in this cut

[@funkagent]

This band was badass. Now they just a traveling oldies show.

[@youKnowWho3311]

Damn, now I am the old guy saying he was at the show.

[@Brandonchavaria5150]

Idk why the balance record gets hate it’s a pretty good record.

[@cliforbragatassinari404]

A caixa do Alex está daquele jeito um puta grave incrível

[@MattTheHack92]

@gullywoots Michael Anthony's backing vocals are really that good, he's an unbelievable singer. On the VHII tour he sang "Somebody get me a doctor" as his solo bit, the vocals where fantastic

[@DanielAraujoNazar]

@MattTheHack92 I agree! Both MA and EVH are amazing singers and could probably have done a great job on this without overdubs. But for a visual example check out 1:20 and 3:40 on... you can see Eddie's not singing, yet you can hear 2 or 3 voices going "yeah yeah yeah". Maybe it's not a studio overdub, however. They could have triggered those snippets during the actual concert, with the aid of a sequencer. I think that's how they handled keyboard parts during the 90s.

[@baybae92]

LOVE this song. Question - am I the only one who’s not a huge fan of Eddie’s tone during this era? The guitar harmonizer/flange/whatever effect he has on there makes his tone feel super muddy to my ears. I much prefer classic VH tone. BUT - absolutely love this video :)

[@michaelponce7326]

I liked his brown sound better for sure, to me his old plexi was more "eddie" than the 5150 amp

[@Murph_gaming]

RIP EVH

[@kennyleejohnson5253]

Sammy brought so much to this band. I saw an interview with the VH bro’s bitching about this song. How they wrote this great song and wanted it to have a great meaning and Sammy wrote about getting high. They forget DLR never wrote a meaningful song, ever. Sammy wrote a bunch of song for the band with deep meaning. Great musicians, terrible people!!

[@Andrés_Solo]

THIS IS ROCK !!! AWESOME!!!! What a talent Alex, always underestimated. Balance is the most mature album and achieved with Sammy. A heavy grunge sound almost. It is a real loss for good music lovers that Van Halen does not count in his ranks with Mike (another great understated musician), and Sammy. I think they could still play good music since Alex and Eddie are still in shape. Maybe the band is at its worst, Dave Lee Roth is already burned and Eddie's son does not add shit to the band. The decadence of a giant band, we hope they return, we miss them ..

[@cefiromusica]

fuckin' tight

[@michaelfisher7020]

Light em up!!!

[@nissansentraglx]

@Thrashfan21 according to sammy, it was earlier in the tour. when he began wearing a neck brace, i'm not sure. both ed and alex were in poor condition starting the balance tour. ed's hip was bad which he had repaired in december of 96. al had the bad vertebra.

[@patrickrad1735]

Dylan it makes Cindy starfall and her girlfriend happy when I do a take you down Dylan 😊

[@svogender]

King Edward !!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mattflores407]

"Don't have to worry bout the Man"

[@e.l.norton]

He just wills the fucking notes out of the guitar. Nobody weaves in and out of rhythm and lead like Edward. Nobody. It's as if he has four hands and 12 strings. It comes from beyond.

[@finscreenname]

Eddie Van Halen composing "Amsterdam" on 5150 Studios (1985) kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKuWk2WPftxlmZI

[@Murph_gaming]

@nissansentraglx Oh ok because I noticed here he isn't wearing a neck brace and in some other videos I guess later in the tour he is.So did that linger through the VH III tour or did he just re-injure it at some point?

[@SS-gn1wj]

VH was SO good with SAMMY. LOVE this tune.

[@JK-hd2zb]

0:26 sounds like he hit the wrong note but still nailed it anyway. Maybe intentional to change things up too. Who knows

[@bfb8688]

Easy note to miss

[@porknoodle7886]

Everyone makes mistakes on guitar... including the professional players.

[@Murph_gaming]

Yeah for whatever reason Ed I guess decided not to sing backing vocals here but he does in the Toronto footage.

[@brama.s.k.a3212]

EVH

[@rickhamzah]

weldone,

[@Daniel-yt5rw]

yeah what up with the 420 day /// live of Van Halen i wonder if band is going out to have fun for great reunion turnaround wolfgang band and van halen ... i miss the CIRCLE in niagra-falls canada ... i'm not broke .......

[@raisinbran84]

They dont make rock songs like this anymore. Not one power chord anywhere, just riff after riff. And Alex adding complexity to 4/4. It's like if Rush wrote a party song. Eddie was at the top of his game in the Balance era...I can only imagine what could have come next if they didn't get rid of Sammy.

[@Murph_gaming]

So when on this tour did Alex hurt his neck?

[@Ant0nioJr78]

substituir um caboclo desse,,,,, de que jeito? kkkkkkk muito top

[@billydeewilliams9104]

VH went from tough guy music to Lovey dovey soft guy/girlfriend music after DLR left...

[@luciadelara2348]

ABSOLUTAMENTE INCREIBLE VAN HAMMER ANTHONY ÚNICOS NO ESE LEE ROTH NO PARA NADA

[@deetgeluid]

The Hague over Amsterdam anytime.

[@leomonster1973]

I'm a Musician too...(not of this caliber though ;)- Van Halen was so much better with Sammy. Because He can Sing. Thats not to say DLR VH was crap, because it wasn't, It was just better with Sammy... The Brothers need to pull thier heads out of their asses and get Micheal Anthony/ Sammy back in the band, record another album and take over the world all over again!!!!

[@BBK727]

Eddie is so high but he still nails it!! lmfao

[@herewegoaround]

Who else?

[@MrPetepetepetepete]

Comments

[@patrickrad1735]

Dylan is a chicken 🐓

[@MattSmith-iq1ld]

For me, this song was a let down. Balance contained the best lyrics on any VH record ever, and then Sammy has to write this. Of course Edward later blasted him for it in constant interviews, completely ignoring the enormous lyrical complexity of The Seventh Seal, Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do and Feelin'. Also, the two love songs that Sammy wrote about his divorce, Can't Stop Lovin You (written from the perspective of his wife) and Not Enough are just unreal. As is Aftershock. Big Fat Money was a funny song but also serious. One of the tunes that Roth did for the Best of Vol. I CD, Can't Get This Stuff No More, was based on an outtake from the Balance sessions called The Backdoor Shuffle. The Backdoor Shuffle/Can't Get This Stuff No More is one of the hardest songs to play in the VH catalog. If Sammy could've penned some serious lyrics to that tune, and dumped Amsterdam, Balance would've been an all time great album. And it's already great. But Amsterdam was just too out of place with the rest of the lyrics on the record.

[@mikekopmanis2099]

You're entitled to your opinion, but I disagree. This riff and song musically is killer!

[@patrickrad1735]

My ex Cindy

[@bayesian2007]

Lyrically this is one of the dumbest songs ever written. It’s a shame because the music is rocking.

[@WinstonTexas829]

Let’s be honest. The musicianship is great and they are/were bigger stars, better musicians and richer than I’ll ever be but there’s no song here. The drum tuning is horrible, Mike’s (beautiful guy, great singer & player) mullet is 10 years out of date at this point & Eddie’s aspirations to expand VH’s music didn’t go much beyond the pentatonic despite his musical knowledge being so much deeper.

[@mikekopmanis2099]

Sorry, but I disagree. Satrini or Vai could shred scales galore around Ed, but for some reason they're still under Ed's shadow. Why? Because Ed was the master of catchy riffs, syncopation, phrasing and timing. He knows what to play when and how to put into a package that's brilliant music. Not sure where you're at on criticizing Mike and Al....they compliment Ed well.

[@WinstonTexas829]

@@mikekopmanis2099 I'm a fan too. My post had plenty of compliments & positives including the point that I'm nothing next to any of them . That doesn't preclude objective discussion. I never mentioned their playing which was perfect for the band. My main point is that despite Eddie's aspiration to expand the composition, he stayed well within standard pop chord structures. I think that progression would have meant a new learning curve & discipline that the drugs & drink wouldn't allow him to do.

[@mikekopmanis2099]

@@WinstonTexas829 I see where you're coming from. A great example of what you're speaking of is George Lynch. George branched out and is a much more diverse player beyond Dokken. I'd have been interested to see where Eddie could have branched out had he been clean and had another 20 years to play. Part of what constrained him was the group itself and family ties, expectations. One great thing about Bucket Head is that he is bound by nothing, which gives him total freedom.