van halen tour 1990

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Van Halen Setlist at Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV, USA

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Tour: For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour Tour statistics Add setlist

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3 activities (last edit by ga5150 , 26 May 2023, 00:47 Etc/UTC )

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Thomas & mack center.

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Van Halen Gig Timeline

• Apr 28 1992 Special Events Center El Paso, TX, USA Add time Add time
• May 01 1992 San Diego Sports Arena San Diego, CA, USA Add time Add time
• May 06 1992 Thomas & Mack Center This Setlist Las Vegas, NV, USA Add time Add time
• May 08 1992 Cow Palace Daly City, CA, USA Add time Add time
• May 09 1992 Lawlor Events Center Reno, NV, USA Add time Add time

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Van Halen Rocks Cabo Wabo Cantina, 1990 (Photos & Video)

April 22, 2016 —by VHND Leave a Comment

On this day in 1990, Van Halen performed at the Grand Opening of their very own Cabo Wabo Cantina!

There’s a sleepy town, south of the border. If you go there once, you’ll be there twice.

Sammy fell in love with Cabo when he first visited there in the ’80s. In his autobiography, Sammy explains how his friend Jorge, a local, became his business partner, which led to the building of the club:

It took him nearly four years, but Jorge finally found a piece of property for the bar I’d wanted to build, but it was going to be expensive. Even though I was in Van Halen, I didn’t have the money for a million-dollar project, more like a half-million-dollar project. But still, that was a lot of money to be putting into a town with dirt roads and no telephones. The town had been building up a little bit though. None of the side streets were paved, but they’d paved the road to town and partway through town. The swinging set in Hollywood began to discover the town. The hipsters were coming down. It wasn’t just a little fishing village any longer. Boat-owners and private-plane pilots found the place. Private planes would land on this dirt strip. Walking around, you could sense the potential, it just wasn’t there yet. I knew I was going to call the cantina Cabo Wabo. I had already written the song. It was going to be a tequila bar, a small place with a stage. I told Jorge to find an architect, and he found Marco Monroy Jr., son of the developer of Terrasol, who I had met. His father had showed me a smelly, old sardine factory earlier, when I was looking for locations. His son had recently graduated college and was starting to work for his dad. He had built a couple of houses that were the coolest houses down there. I hired him. Marco did the plans. It looked fantastic. I thought the building was three thousand square feet, but Marco and Jorge were talking three thousand meters. I thought there would be plenty of room for a big parking lot. When they laid the foundation, it was three times larger than I figured. I was thinking of a nice, small room that would hold 50 or 60 people, 150 tops. With everything going on, the plans for my cantina had begun to get a lot of my enthusiasm and Eddie and Al couldn’t help but notice. Finally, Ed Leffler had told me the other guys in Van Halen were beginning to feel like they were being left out. He’d taken me aside and gently suggested that I make the other guys my partners in the cantina. “You want MTV to really support it, you want the press, you want the publicity,” he’d said. “Bring these guys in on it.” We held a meeting and all of them, including Leffler, decided to join up as equal partners. They each gave me some $70,000 to repay the money I’d put up. It worked. Van Halen played the gala grand opening weekend in April 1990. MTV spent millions of dollars on a big promotion. They filmed commercials and held contests. They flew a whole airplane full of people down there. Raquel Welch was there. Brad Delp from Boston, Steve Lukather from Toto. The whole town was excited.

The grand opening was hyped by MTV in their Cabo Wabo contest and

 Van Halen filmed two commercials for MTV to advertise a contest in which they flew 10 very lucky winners and their guests down for the occasion. Clips from the weekend were broadcast on MTV as part of their “Viva Van Halen Saturday” TV special.

The grand opening weekend went great. Besides performing their planned concert April 22nd, they had a somewhat impromptu public rehearsal/soundcheck the night before. So many rabid Van Halen fans descended on the town on the night of it that on the night of the 21st, the band had almost no choice but to open the doors, and invite the fans inside to enjoy the soundcheck.

This high-quality video covering the grand opening has some GREAT footage of the band  performing acoustically. Very impromptu!

For the soundcheck, the band casually performed some choice cuts from 5150 and OU812. They also treated the fans to “Panama” and Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused!” Watch the video, here:

Watch Van Halen perform “Dazed and Confused” during the unrehearsed soundcheck!

The band was joined on stage by several big name musicians including Steve Lukather, Boston’s Brad Delp, Lita Ford, and Dweezil Zappa. Many other famous folks were on hand including Kip Winger, Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander, and Ratt’s Robin Crosby.

Songs that were reportedly performed were: Best of Both Worlds, Summer Nights, Finish What Ya Started, Panama, Rock and Roll, Wild Thing, Born to Be Wild, and Cabo Wabo.

And as you can see in the three clips below, the April 22nd performance was a really unique show!

Boston’s Brad Delp & Toto’s Steve Lukather performing with VH on April 22, 1990

Officially licensed EVH 5150 Mini Guitar

Below are our exclusive photos from the Grand opening concert. We’ve never shown most of these before. Enjoy!

Brad Delp & Sammy Hagar

Sammy holds up the special “MTV – CABO WABO CANTINA with VAN HALEN” T-Shirt  made just for the Grand Opening weekend. Note that Van Halen Store has a very limited supply of Sammy’s official reprint of this shirt, which he released a few years ago. We have a short supply, but only in size Small, which are all that’s left. ( Order yours HERE .)

Sammy posted the following message to his social media followers (in April 2016):

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 26 years! Some of the most fun I’ve had in my life has been since the opening of the Cabo Wabo. I just spent a week down there celebrating the anniversary because I couldn’t be there today… played the Cantina three times! The most fun is when nobody knows, I just walk out there, always a great feeling makes everybody so high. You can do no wrong on stage after that ha ha. The discovery of a place like Cabo and the creation of the Cantina has created a lifestyle for me and hundreds of thousands of fans. It’s one of those dreams I never dreamt would come true. I don’t know where I would be in my life or how I would even dress if it weren’t for that lifestyle change. I thank the fans and the staff at the Cantina from the bottom my heart, Michael Anthony, Eddie and Alex, and my partners Marco, Jorge, and all the staff (some that have been there 26 years) – it’s awesome! thank you, thank you, thank you!” — Sammy

Officially licensed EVH 5150 Skateboard

Van Halen would perform at the Cabo Wabo Cantina only one other time … the club’s second anniversary. But that’s another story…

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Why Alice in Chains Initially Bombed Opening for Van Halen: Exclusive Interview

Sammy Hagar thought it could be a good move for both camps when Van Halen tapped Alice in Chains as an opener for 1991's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge tour. But to Hagar's surprise, the Seattle band initially struggled.

“Man in the Box” had found its legs at both radio and MTV earlier that same year, giving Alice in Chains a bit of notice at long last. They had been working constantly on the road, slowly building an audience following the release of their debut album, Facelift , which arrived on Aug. 21, 1990.

Their participation on the Van Halen tour was personally suggested by Hagar. "I loved that song, ‘Man in the Box,’” he says during an interview with UCR. “I said, ‘Let’s get these guys to open for us.’ I played the video for everybody, you know, to see what they look like. ‘Look at these guys; they’re cool.’ Everybody said, ‘Yeah’ and that’s how they came out.”

But then Hagar said Alice in Chains' created an early setlist that led with their “deeper tracks.” An Indiana date in August, for instance, opened with “Real Thing,” the plodding closer on Facelift . After that, they mixed in songs like the hooky “I Know Somethin’ (‘Bout You)” and the chiseled hard rock of “Put You Down,” alongside tracks including “We Die Young” (which had been released as part of a three-song EP in July 1990 to preview the full album) that were slightly better known.

Of course, none had achieved the same level of recognition as “Man in the Box,” so Alice in Chains were closing their opening slot with it. Even Hagar understood the tactic on some level, as they followed a time-honored tradition where bands finish with a big hit. “They used to save it until the end,” Hagar says now, “because it was kind of like their one-two punch, their power punch.”

Unfortunately, Van Halen fans were largely unimpressed. “Not real bad,” Hagar says, “but really not givin’ ‘em no love.” The fans “were pretty nasty folks on an opening act,” he adds.

“You’re fuckin’ crazy,” he told Alice in Chains, watching as fans “were flipping ‘em off and booing ‘em.”

Watch the Video for 'Man in the Box' by Alice in Chains

Vocalist Layne Staley gave as good as he got. “He would squat and take his leather jacket off, real calm, while Jerry [Cantrell] was soloing,” Hagar recalls. “He’d fold it up, like a butler and lay it down real slow on the drum riser and then he’d turn around. He’d squat down like he’s taking a shit and just take his middle finger and hold it up to the audience. Like, ‘Fuck. You.’

Staley stared the crowd down through the entire solo, and then would “start singing his ass off again,” Hagar adds. “I thought it was funnier than shit. He really, really had some balls and he sang great every night. That band was great.

“But the point is, I said, ‘Open with ‘Man in the Box,’ you dumb fucks! That song is a hit!’” Hagar says with laugh. “They’re going to say, ‘Oh, that’s who these guys are!’ You know, nobody knew who they really were.”

Alice in Chains took Hagar's advice to heart, and continued moving “Man in the Box” further toward the beginning of their set. “They did and it really helped,” Hagar says. “It helped immensely.”

By the time Alice in Chains' run with Van Halen drew to a close, a lifetime bond had been forged between Hagar and Cantrell. “Jerry Cantrell remains a dear friend," Hagar says now. “He's probably the No. 1 alumni Wabo Rat from the birthday bashes. I don’t think he’s missed ... one or two, maybe, in 30 years."

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• 1974-1977 – Club Days
• 1978 – Van Halen I
• 1979 – Van Halen II
• 1980 – Women and Children First
• 1981 – Fair Warning
• 1982 – Diver Down
• 1984 – 1984
• Best Bootlegs (Grade A)
• Decent Bootlegs (Grade B)
• All Bootlegs
• Tour Date Archive

1980 Tour Dates – World Invasion Tour

Start Date: Mar 19, 1980 – End Date: Nov 15, 1980 Locations: North America, Europe

The tour for Women and Children First, 1980 World Invasion Tour was dubbed “Party ’til You Die Tour” by the band. This tour would see keyboards on stage for the first time.  Michael Anthony would play the keyboard parts for “And the Cradle Will Rock…”

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1984 tour dates, 1982 tour dates – hide your sheep tour, 1981 tour dates – fair warning tour.

This is the year I became a VH fan. The very next day after hearing about their show in Vancouver April 2 1980. No idea as to how I was so late to the party. I had been a fan of KISS since I was a youngster and saw them live in 1979. I was really into Ted Nugent, Cheap Trick and numerous others at the time. How I missed the boat on VH until 1980 is beyond me. I really should of known about them sooner and saw them on this tour. One of my favorite era’s for sure.

All Hell Yeah !!! I still have very vivid crystal clear memories from most of those ’81, ’82, & ’84 shows. Something really special about seeing VH the first time. It seems to stick with me all these years. Each time I went to a show after that I always wish it was VH. Even if it was The Stones or someone really good. Nothing ever seemed to match the feeling of seeing & hearing VH live in person to this day. The volume and lighting were absolutly intense. Starting out with On Fire blew my mind. I really didnt expect that one, as of course we didnt know the setlist beforehand back then. The VH lighting rig logo at the end of the show was killer. The lights were so brightly shined into the audience during the chorus of RWTD, you could see the entire audience up on their feet fistpumping and going apeshit. At that time, I dont recall any other band that pumped the crowd up so much. ( Later on I could see from AC/DC dvd’s that they too have some enthusiastic audiences, as well as Metallica and some of the other Heavy Metal acts. ) But for me they were, and still are my #1 favorite of all time. I too, used to plaster my walls with VH posters and magazine pinups. Still have quite a few of them, and have been collecting more and replacing ones from EBay this past year. I still have the ’81 program, and tour shirt from the show. It is super thin and tattered though. I’ve only worn it twice in the past 30 years, at the VH 2007 show, and the 1994 DLR show. You’re right. It is good to look at the bright side that we got to see them in their magnificent glory. It is amazing how something as simple as a rock band can become a life long pleasure to enjoy being a fan of. I still get the same thrill from finding VH memorbilia, magazines and bootlegs as I did back then. The internet has become the new Creem, Circus, and record store. A day without VH, is like a day without sunshine. Gotta love it.

I was at that show, too. My first VH show. Saw Rush 5 days earlier. Front row for the Diver Down tour. Got EVH’s pick.

A bit too young to attend the Invasion tour unfortunately…My parents did manage to buy me the album that year though i still have it.

I was at the July 21, 1980 show in Hampton. I remember this young girl screaming “Eddie!” “David!” in my ear…I think I was deaf for a day or so after that.

My very first rock album, that I bought with my own money, was Van Halen II. The second? Van Halen I.

Does anyone know who opened for Van Halen on Nov.11, 1980 at the coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC? I was there but can’t remember who opened…

Talas (with Billy Sheehan) opened for VH the day after (Nov. 12). So it could’ve been them.

it was Talas

Saw the April 4th, 1980 Seattle show! Was 15 at the time. Never forget it, my friend and I stood in line all day and got the best seats in the place.

Saw them in KC 1980 tour ,we jumped up and down on the Kemper seats tell they broke.The band got out the video camera said they were recording the crowd went wild .I saw while back they did that all the time just to get the crowd going , they never recording any thing what a laugh!!

What does the red letters on the tour dates mean? I’m new, love V.H.

1980 best show of all ive seen probly cause it wAs my first the overall show roth was drunk in salt lake ed wore no shirt and played a once in history type guitar i had pictures of the show but gave em up for redhair marijuana i believe a little more than an8th of weed hhaaaa have not smoked weed since those times i had the program to but some older kids bullied me for it i was 12 at the time and also alexs drums were a 1lifetime cause that night he had half of the set those bad ass clear ones with the numbers and half the tube type on fair warn they had been touring so hard they used salt lake as a who cares type city roth actually was drunk they also couldnt do the skit where someone tosses the joint on stage and roth asks alex wtf is this and alex and roth hit it in part due to the lds mormon religion then there much mellower now allowing cigarettes and is for weed legal that is y im not in the church but i do party not cigs and weed now like then so when i heard what they actually said on these concerts yall were nice enuff to load i was like holy batmans cock !

i no theres gotta be more concerts from 80 i love this site but its been forever since u updated hell u guys no ed tell him we aint pressureing on get back tour etc just bust out some of the sound boards from 79 80 when i think they were at there top.. they played weber state78 when roth got decked utah state 79 and salt palace 80 and salt palace in 84 which i believe was the quickest sell out in the history of concerts at time 14,000 in 15 minutes i had a bunch of peoples money from skool i had to give money back and just say sorry man they actually had a set up procedure for people camping out 3 days before they released them we came in 2days before and they only played utah the one nite they wood sold out5 im sure in fact they threatend to shut ticket sales off cause there mass butting in line but that didnt matter if u had the camping band on wrist but then of course fake bands soon popped up and when they sold out in 15 minutes and found out only 1 show the malls and outlets were trashed bad plants etc tables even some looting was headlines on news here if any body has any stories similar i like to hear

haha ! my now brother in law hacked me 40.00 each for 2 tickets in ’84 at the salt palace – I still give him shit about it.. that was alot of cash for lower bowl. remember ‘the velcros’ opened for them?

Hey guys, something to add to your archive from this tour

I was at a show not listed above, the March 27th gig in Pocatello, Idaho. They played in the Minidome (now called the Holt Arena). No opening act, just Van Halen. That was the day after Women and Children First was released. I could write a pretty entertaining essay on the events that found me there! Memorable for so many reasons. My big take aways were that, obviously, Eddie was just a monster guitar player and that Michael Anthony’s background vocals were killer. They were, without a doubt, the tightest band I had ever seen. All for less than $10 a ticket!

I gotta call bullshit on whole Idaho thing and understand at that age making it up but I live by there and there was no secret show or whatever guaranteed and if there was how did u get tickets I no the answer

the Pocatello show wasn’t listed here until awhile back – I had wondered the same thing – it was a short notice impromptu show – we got tickets at a record store on Broadway Ave in Boise and the show was like 3 or 4 days later – we had to improvise so we hitchhiked (on the day of the show) and everything worked out as if we had planned it – even the girls 😉

Oh hell yes – I was there – ‘Rail’ opened for them – it was a sunny warm afternoon hanging out at the dome with the crowd. Me and a friend hitched down from Boise with about 20.00, tickets and weed. VH tore the place apart !

22nd June 1980 at Birmingham Odeon UK – Brilliant show, never forget it

Sooo…. If I have a ticket stud stating that VH played Municipal Coliseum in Lubbock on Sept 8 1980…

you are correct – 9/8/80 was Lubbock I’ll have to update this page! thanks.

49ermike – Solid words of wisdom.

September 19th 1980 Los Angeles Sports Arena. Was on the left side facing the stage about mid way up the side looking down. A homecoming for our Los Angeles hero’s. The “space ship” drum set, the bomb casings as key boards — the show was an ass kicker. Anthony’s bass was a Jack Daniels bottle, and Roth had an acoustic guitar in the shape of a fudgesickle for ice cream man. I got a ticket from a buddy of mine who said his girlfriend was not into that scene/music. I got the not out of the bullpen and got a freebee. They played all the big hits, and did dance the night away, but the killer one for me was light up the sky. During light up the sky, the whole arena was amassed with bic lighters “lighting up the sky.” The music was so clean sounding that it was like someone was in the back playing a record — it was that accurate sounding. One poster below said that the joint was thrown on the stage, and Roth said “what the F#$ck is this” and did the pass around. I do remember that. I forgot about it until I read the guy below, thanks for the refresher man, good memories and you pulled one out for me. Got the tee shirt and wore it proud for a few years. When I wore the tee at high school people would compliment me on the shirt. I’d like to get a replica, maybe ebay to the rescue. I was 15, just about to turn 16 and felt special to see them play. To the guy that got bullied and lost his tour album — I got sucker punched by a football player in front of all the “in crowd” at high school and cried. I dropped out of high school for being humiliated, and went to concerts and lived in my car. I had more fun going to concerts and being with rockers than the school people. Tough times, but I had some special times. Saw Ratt at UCLA Madi gras $3 and got to air guitar to Warren D’Martini as he played all the set. Even talked to the band for a brief few seconds just before the show. US Festival 83′ San Bernardino Metal Sunday too. Van Halen at the sports arena is top of the list of over 250 shows. I’m sober in AA 31 years, so yes you can go to shows and party sober if you want to.

Come on i saw them in November where is the rest of the tour dates!

They did NOT play McArthur Court on the Eugene OR show. They played the Lane County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall. I was 17 years old and was at that show!

This is the first time I’ve seen the accurate date listed for the postponed Jax, FL show. I was at that concert. A friend got me backstage. Then I ended up at the Hilton after the show. I got Edward’s autograph, met Valerie (she told me she was taking him home for Thanksgiving to meet her family), and then ended up in DLR’s suite with a bunch of other people. Pretty heady experience for a 21 year-old.

Seen this tour in Oakland on October 10th , Bought the tickets the day they were released. Was the best show i seen that year, And was allot better then the show they did in june 81 . Both shows i was 15 yrs old.

Now if you could find out who the opening acts, that would be great, July 11, 1980 in Toledo opener was Cats, but have no idea who opened for them on may 8, 1979 in Toledo

I was in charge of security for the Pueblo show. Got all my friends at shirt if they worked. I have witnesses still alive. The M n M stuff was in the student center. Connie was in charge of making sure they were happy. David was really rude and Connie said to hell with taking out the brown M n M’s. The rest is history.

My First VH Gig 11-16-80 Jax Fla.. I think they had this big ass bottle of Champane , they were spraying all over the place after the last song… Last show of the tour!? also saw them 82-84 in Jax …..AWESOME

Women and Children First

Tour date archives, 1978 – tour dates, 1979 tour dates – world vacation tour, posts from 1980, 4/27/1980 – detroit, mi @ cobo hall (photos/interview), 7/26/1980 – uniondale, ny @ nassau coliseum (photos), 1980 – women and children first demos, 4/4/1980 – seattle, wa @ seattle center coliseum, 1980 – interview eddie van halen w jas obrecht, 1980 – women and children first (album).

Best Bootlegs

1980 – Largo MD @ Capitol Centre

1980 – milwaukee, wi @ milwaukee arena, 2/3/1984 – greensboro, nc @ greensboro coliseum, 1978 – manchester, england @ manchester apollo, 10/6/1979 – san diego, ca @ san diego sports arena, 1984 – quebec city, canada @ le colisee de quebec, 6/1/1978 – london, england @ hammersmith odeon.

Tour Archive

This site is not affiliated with Van Halen, their management or record label. The only goal of this site is to share, celebrate and chronicle Van Halen's history from 1973-1985.  The resources and documents presented here are strictly for archival purposes only. This site does not condone the sale of unauthorized recordings. Photo credit has been given when known.  If there's a photo you want credited or removed, please let me know: [email protected]

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Music and Concerts | Forging his own path: Wolfgang Van Halen talks…

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Music and concerts | crash closes route 22 eastbound in whitehall township, subscriber only, music and concerts | forging his own path: wolfgang van halen talks tour, oscars performance and his legendary father.

The son of legendary guitarist Edward Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli was only 16 when he played bass and toured the world with his famous father and the legendary band that bears their name. Wolf would later go on to have a role in what would become the band’s final studio album, 2012’s A Different Kind of Truth.

Shortly after the passing of his father in 2020, Wolfgang Van Halen released his first band album, Mammoth WVH; the name a reference to both Wolf’s initials and an homage to an earlier band that featured his father and uncle, Alex, prior to forming Van Halen. The album would reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock chart and the single, “Distance,” would earn the legendary guitarist’s son his own Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song. Even more impressive is that all of the writing, vocal and instrumentation (including guitars, bass, drums) on the album was done by Wolfgang exclusively.

Wolf’s most recent album, Mammoth II, also topped the Hard Rock album chart when it was released last summer — a feat that not only speaks to the maturity of Wolf as a player but also solidifies him as a consummate artist.

On Saturday, Wolfgang Van Halen will bring his monstrous Mammoth II tour to the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem for a night of rock music and ferocious guitar playing.

I recently spoke with Van Halen about his upcoming performance in Bethlehem, music and more in this exclusive new interview.

You recently attended the Oscars where you got to perform with Slash and Ryan Gosling on “I’m Just Ken,” a song nominated for an Academy Award and one you helped record for the “Barbie The Album” soundtrack. What was that experience like?

Wolfgang Van Halen: It was very crazy but an exciting thing to be a part of. That is not my normal place to hang around in or operate from, so I felt a little like a fish out of water [laughs].

Did you know at the time how special your contributions to that film would be?

I knew at the time that it was awesome but I had no idea it was going to blow up the way that it did. After I’d seen the clips and [producer] Mark Ronson explained the whole story to me I knew it would be great. To have a small part in something like that was a really cool thing. I loved playing on it and being a part of the movie.

What can fans expect from your upcoming performance at Wind Creek Event Center?

It’s the top of the tour back in the States. It’s our first show with the wonderful band, Intervals, opening for us. So if you feel like hanging out and listening to some cool rock and  awesome guitar playing it’s going to be a good time.

What inspired the name of your band, Mammoth?

Mammoth was a band name my dad [Eddie Van Halen] had used when he was younger for a three-piece band he was in where he sung. I’ve always felt really close to that name. I even told my dad when I was growing up that if I ever had a band I would call it that, and here we are.

Can you talk a bit about your latest album, Mammoth II, and its evolution?

The first album I recorded in 2018 so there had been a lot of time in between. With the first album I was trying to figure out who I was as an artist. By the time the second album came around I had established everything I wanted to, so it was more about experimenting and being a bit more confident in what the project was. I had a lot of fun exploring what the band was capable of.

Your dad inspired thousands of people to want to play guitar, so here’s a two-part question: How did you get the gig in Van Halen and more importantly, what was it like for you to perform live with your dad (and uncle)?

It was wonderful. A time in my life I was very happy to have experienced. Being able to bond with my family in that was very special to me. When I joined they were at a point in time where they didn’t know what was going on. We just started jamming for fun and before you knew it, it felt like something really special and important was happening. That’s how it began.

I’m going to put you on the spot now — what’s your favorite Van Halen song? 

Wow, it’s difficult to pick favorite songs because I really love all of it. The closest I could narrow it down to would be two albums from each era. I think the Fair Warning and 1984 albums are two of my favorites. “Hear About it Later” off of Fair Warning is a really great song I don’t think gets enough praise.

What was the biggest thing your dad taught you about playing guitar?

He actually never taught me how to play guitar so we never really did any lessons. I actually taught myself. The funny thing I always like to remember is something his dad told him, which was if you ever make a mistake, play it twice so that people think you meant to play it [laughs].

How about his advice on music or the business in general?

He always said be careful and aware of everything and only work with people you trust. Luckily things have been going well so far. We’ve built a very wonderful group of people around Mammoth I’m very proud to be working with.

Musically speaking, what excites you the most about the future?

I’m excited to keep working Mammoth. It’s my passion and the one thing I want to do in life. We’re having all of these opportunities to open for amazing bands. We’ve been opening for Metallica and recently opened for Slash in Europe. Now we’re playing with one of my favorite bands, Intervals. We also have some dates opening for Foo Fighters. It’s crazy to have your whole year planned out for you but now it’s fun to be able to execute and play all of these exciting shows. I feel very lucky and grateful to be doing what I’m doing right now.

James Wood is a freelance writer. You can reach him at [email protected].

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