This headlining gig by Sammy Hagar comes a few years after concluding his tenure in Montrose. At the end of a tour opening for Alvin Lee and Ten Years Later, the "Red Rocker" got to headline this Winterland gig, which was the Tenth Anniversary celebration of KSJO, the San Jose-based FM radio station that, at that time, had a hard rock format. A native West Coaster (he was born in Monterey), he seems genuinely excited to be playing to such a large crowd: "This is the loudest goddam audience I ever heard in my life!" he exclaims at one point.
An epic opening jam showcases the group's…entire summary
Bill Church - bass
Alan Fitzgerald - keyboards
Sammy Hagar - vocals
Jimmy Lyon - guitar (guest on 12-13)
Eddie Money - horns, vocals (guest on 12-13)
Gary Pihl - guitar
Chuck Ruff - drums
Neal Schon - guitar (guest on 11-13)
This headlining gig by Sammy Hagar comes a few years after concluding his tenure in Montrose. At the end of a tour opening for Alvin Lee and Ten Years Later, the "Red Rocker" got to headline this Winterland gig, which was the Tenth Anniversary celebration of KSJO, the San Jose-based FM radio station that, at that time, had a hard rock format. A native West Coaster (he was born in Monterey), he seems genuinely excited to be playing to such a large crowd: "This is the loudest goddam audience I ever heard in my life!" he exclaims at one point.
An epic opening jam showcases the group's live chops before launching into "Red," a signature Hagar cut, and a set of rousing, beer-fueled rockers with a couple of ballads (namely, "Free Money" and "Little Star"). "Bad Motor Scooter," a song that Hagar wrote while frontman for Montrose in the early '70s, is the 17-minute centerpiece of the show, featuring ample guitar and keyboard solos, as well as spoken words of encouragement to his audience to get excited. Excited they would be: This show featured some famous guests, one of whom had never played with Hagar before. For "Rock Candy", guitarist Neal Schon of Journey came to the stage, and laid down fiery leads for the set's final three tracks. Although this was their first show together, Hagar and Schon would later collaborate as part of the short-lived HSAS (Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve, which also featured bassist Kenny Aaronson and drummer Michael Shrieve). Then, for "Gimme Some Lovin,'" Eddie Money and his guitarist, Jimmy Lyon, joined Hagar's ensemble onstage, bringing affairs to a whole new level. This show was also the second-ever performance of "Free Money" following their show shortly prior at the Concord Pavilion.
Hagar points out in the introduction to "I've Done Everything for You" that he was releasing a live album that had recently been recorded at Winterland, All Night Long, which would come out later that year. He would become a bigger star in the years to come, scoring a major solo hit in 1984 with "I Can't Drive 55" and taking over as the singer in Van Halen following David Lee Roth's departure in 1985. Although it's doubtful that a song like "Cruisin' and Boozin'" could ever be a hit today, Hagar continues to play sold-out shows with the Waboritas, and runs a successful tequila brand and restaurant chain, Cabo Wabo.
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