I never skipped a show because I was drunk.  In 1984 I was getting burnt on all my old favorite bands...I could sense the writing on the wall and things were changing....the edge was gone from a lot of the 70's rock bands....clearly my feelings were right because over the next 2 or 3 years.....everyone started wearing spandex and writing pretty crappy music.

the main reason I passed on seeing DLR solo was I hated their clothes and posturing...the record was really good...but I wasn't as into all the colorful presentation everyone was doing.


so I got out early.....I really don't regret missing either show.

I saw Steve Vai about a year or two earlier with Joe Satriani...literally about 2 feet from my face (they played in a convention style meeting room albiet a fairly large one...the stage was maybe a foot off the ground and I was right in front...I could have literally stepped onto the stage if I wanted.

....so I had already seen Vai live. (and Joe)

In a perfect world I would have seen Van Halen in about 1981 or 1982....it didn't happen and I passed.

I'd rather imagine what it was like...than to have seen Dave and Eddie wasted and them not caring.

I'd already heard about the US festival show and was extremely wary of them live.