DAVID LEE ROTH In Fort Hall, ID With Photos!

Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at 11:57 AM

By Breezy Bird

Bringing The Music Of VAN HALEN To Life At Shoshone-Bannock Casino On July 18th

All Live Photos By Breezy Bird Photography

There are some rock legends you assume you'll never get the chance to see live let alone review, and for me, DAVID LEE ROTH was one of them. Having never seen Roth, or any version of VAN HALEN perform before, I wasn't sure what to expect. While I've always preferred the Sammy Hagar era of VAN HALEN, there was no denying the opportunity to finally see the original frontman was something special.

Playing to an enthusiastic crowd at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino in Fort Hall, Idaho, Roth delivered an evening dedicated entirely to VAN HALEN classics. Although the setlist was good, I was a little disappointed that he skipped his fantastic solo material. Songs like "Just Like Paradise" or "Yankee Rose" would have been welcome additions to the show, but Roth clearly wanted the spotlight to remain on the songs that made him famous, the VAN HALEN catalog.

At 71 years old, Roth remains every bit the consummate entertainer. He danced across the stage in a black and red sequin outfit with the energy of a man half his age. The neon red mic stand curiously doubled as a spear, limbo stick, and grinding pole among other things. His unmistakable million-dollar smile beamed as he kept the audience engaged with stories, playful banter, and plenty of his trademark stream-of-consciousness commentary. Sometimes it made perfect sense, and sometimes it didn't, but I guess that's all just a part of the David Lee Roth experience.

Leading up to the show, I'd heard plenty of comments suggesting his voice wasn't what it used to be. While time has naturally diminished his vocals, I still came away impressed. For a performer of his age, Roth honestly exceeded my expectations both on an acoustic and entertainment level. His charisma and stage presence more than compensated for any vocal imperfections, and he genuinely looked like he was having the time of his life. His love of the stage and his fans was more than evident.

Backing him was a tight, talented band that faithfully recreated VAN HALEN ‘s iconic sound. A quartet of backing vocalists deserves special mention, helping fill out the harmonies and keeping the songs going while Roth focused on entertaining the crowd. Together, they delivered a performance that celebrated the music rather than trying to recreate the past note for note.

If you're looking for David Lee Roth from 1984, you're about 3 decades too late. But if you're looking to spend an evening celebrating some of rock's greatest songs with one of its most charismatic frontmen you’ll ever see, this tour absolutely delivers. Due to my age, I still lean toward the Sammy Hagar era of VAN HALEN, however I'm grateful I finally had the chance to experience the legend that is David Lee Roth live. It's one of those rock-and-roll bucket list moments I'll never forget.

Setlist:

•   “Panama”
•   “Everybody Wants Some”
•   “Hot for Teacher”
•   “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love”
•   “Atomic Punk”
•   “Mean Street”
•   “Unchained”
•   “Jamie’s Cryin’”
•   “You Really Got Me”
•   “Ice Cream Man” (John Brim cover)
•   “Dance the Night Away”
•   “D.O.A”
•   “I’m the One”
•   “Little Dreamer”
•   “Romeo Delight”
•   “Drop Dead Legs”
•   “Jump”

DAVID LEE ROTH