Today we’re talking about David Lee Roth and his long-awaited comeback show at the M3 Rock Festival in Maryland. Yeah, Diamond Dave is back but is his voice?
Let’s set the scene. Saturday night. May 3rd. Columbia, Maryland. The M3 Rock Festival. It’s his first full solo concert in over five years. Fans were ready to party like it’s 1984.
But… here’s where things got dicey. The voice.
Clips started surfacing online almost immediately. And folks, let’s just say… it didn’t exactly sound like the Dave of old. One brutally honest fan said: “His voice is so destroyed he can’t hold a note for more than a second. Sammy’s seven years older and still sounds decent. This is embarrassing.”
Now, before we roast him over an open flame, let’s pause. This is David Lee Roth. He’s 70 years old. He’s been through the wringer. And yeah, vocally he’s been in rough shape for years. This isn’t new news to Van Halen fans.
But that doesn’t mean fans are wrong to feel conflicted. If you’re shelling out real money to hear your favorite songs live, you kind of hope the singer can, you know, sing. Is that too much to ask?
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Not everyone is piling on. Another fan commented:
“One thing for all the David Lee Roth critics: Just like with Sammy, we Van Halen fans took what we could get. My hero Ed is not with us anymore and there is no more Van Halen. But if David Lee Roth and Sammy are still making the rounds on tour… then catch them while you can.”
Well, it’s a fair point. Nostalgia plays hard. We’re not going to get a Van Halen reunion. Eddie is gone. Alex is silent. So if Dave or Sammy are out there keeping the music alive, even if it’s cracked and croaky, for some fans? That’s enough.
Also, we need to talk about Al Estrada, Roth’s guitarist. The dude’s an absolute beast. One fan said he “nails all the Eddie Van Halen stuff,” while throwing shade at Satriani by saying he still “sounds nothing like Ed.”
So what do we make of this comeback?
On one hand, yes, Roth’s voice is clearly not what it used to be. That part’s hard to deny. Even longtime fans are admitting it’s rough to hear. But on the other hand, he’s still bringing the show. He’s still trying, and maybe that’s worth something in an industry obsessed with perfection and pitch correction.
But here’s the big question we want you to answer: Should rock legends like Roth retire when the voice goes? Or do they have every right to keep going for the fans who still want to see them?
Drop your thoughts in the comments. And be honest. Make sure you like, subscribe, and hit that bell for more stories from the world of rock.
