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DAVID LEE ROTH Shares Documentary About VAN HALEN's Appearance At 1983 US FESTIVAL

June 30, 2023

VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth has shared a 24-minute documentary, "The Road To The US Festival", about the band's appearance at the second and final US Festival, which was held over Memorial Day Weekend 1983 at Glen Helen Regional Park in San Bernardino, California. Check it out below.

Sponsored by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple computer, the US Festival (US is an acronym for "Unite Us In Song"),held on Memorial Day of 1983, was a massive three-day celebration of technology and culture, with a temporary stage and open-air venue paid for by Wozniak himself just for the purposes of the festival. The event featured "Heavy Metal Day" on May 29, 1983 with the following stellar lineup: MÖTLEY CRÜE, OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT, TRIUMPH, JUDAS PRIEST, SCORPIONS and VAN HALEN. The US Festival co-headliners, David Bowie and VAN HALEN, each earned record-setting $1.5 million paydays for their sets.

The festivals included large air-conditioned tents featuring the US Festival Technology Exposition, a dazzling display of then-cutting-edge computers, software, and electronic music devices. Also making a debut were installations of "outdoor rain," perforated PVC nozzles that sprayed water to fight the fierce hundred-degree heat.

Despite the historical value of the performances, the festival was a failure, with two reported deaths at the 1983 festival and Wozniak and promoters losing some $24 million. Setbacks aside, the performances remain a worthy footnote in rock history.

The US Festival interest remains strong 40 years later in pop culture with mentions in "The Simpsons", "Malcom In The Middle", "Dharma & Greg" and other popular TV shows.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen played his final concert with VAN HALEN on October 4, 2015 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. It was the last show of the band's summer 2015 tour, which marked VAN HALEN's third time hitting the road since Roth rejoined the group in 2007.

Eddie and drummer Alex Van Halen formed VAN HALEN in 1972 in Pasadena, California, with Roth on lead vocals and Michael Anthony on bass.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Eddie died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California.

The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

Find more on Van halen
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