It was an interesting Christmas season in 1991, when we received a call to record a free concert for Van Halen in the West End Marketplace in Dallas. The resulting gig took place on December 4, 1991 and became known as “The Dallas Free Show.”
It had been scheduled to replace a 1988 Texxas Jam Van Halen concert at the Cotton Bowl. Van Halen was scheduled to perform and Sammy Hagar lost his voice. In order to appease his disappointed fans, Sammy promised Dallas fans a free concert. That promise was fulfilled some four years later on December 4, 1991.
It was a crazy beyond packed affair with some 60,000 fans crammed into an area just north of downtown, filled with specialty shops and restaurants, certainly not suited for such an event. People were hanging from light poles, trees and buildings. One quite inebriated participant jumped off a building to land on our Remote Unit, startling the crew in the middle of the recording. It was beyond crazy for sure, but we got a great recording and some interesting memories.
Steve Lowney, Omega’s Director of Remote Operations spearheaded the recording.
Here’s info containing links to songs, interviews and press coverage.
Van Halen West End Marketplace Dallas, TX December 4, 1991
Known As: Dallas Free Show
Tracklist:
00:02 Intro
00:38 Poundcake
05:59 Judgement Day
11:42 There’s Only One Way To Rock
17:11 Runaround
23:24 Why Can’t This Be Love
27:30 Panama
33:55 A Apolitical Blues
36:01 Finish What Ya Started
41:56 I Can’t Drive 55
46:31 Best Of Both Worlds
51:46 Top Of The World
Bonus: Soundcheck & Crowd 00:58:04
Interview 01:01:20
Newsclips 01:10:00
