1,500 partygoers showed up in support of the Red Rocker.

"You think we can get any more people in here? I don't think so!" he shouted, staring in disbelief at the sea of faces and beer cans.

Looking all kinds of rock-starry in a pair of blue crushed velvet pants and a '96 Cabo Wabo Birthday Bash shirt, Sammy offered up a mixed bag of goodies from the early Montrose days as well as healthy slices of Van Halen and plenty of solo work. Victor Johnson, formerly of The Busboys, stepped eagerly into Eddie's shoes while slamming through VH tunes like "Why Can't This Be Love?" and proves himself a dazzling axe-grinder when it's time to step forward. At one point, Sammy broke out a lap steel guitar and began a soul-searing rending of "Crossroads" that blew the crowd away. Chants of "Sammy-Sammy-Sammy" broke out around the crowded dance floor. That rowdy howl of his was in fine shape, bouncing back after a cold that he suffered while doing the Red Rocks show. On "Returning Home", a certain purity pulsed in each note--perhaps a mellowing of age. Overall, the bands harmonies were sweet as pie and twice as nice. Changing guitars often, Sammy never stopped moving, working the edge of the stage and mugging it up with the other band members. Certainly, along with the rockers were quite a few new songs that spoke to serious issues, such as the painfully rendered "Who Has The Right?".

Yin and Yang. He gets to be the sensitive rocker and the hard-drinking, choke-tokin' bad-boy too. As proved by what was called the official "middle of the show" transition.

Aided by a huge backdrop depicting a sunny villa in Cabo Wabo, Sammy cracked "House Of What? We're in Cabo!" A table set up with drink fixings was brought out and with great enthusiasm, the Samster demonstrated how to make a perfect Wabo Rita, shouting the recipe to the HOB bartenders and then, being a good party host--began pouring drinks for everybody up front. "Now don't be bogardin' that--pass it around, share with your neighbor," he admonished the crowd that reached up for the plastic cups--and he continued to make more. I'll tell you, he mixes a stiff drink.

Mona, the bass player, joined him on-stage. It was explained that Sammy didn't want a girl bass player, but after seeing her pull up on a chopper--the decision was made. Having been on tour with Tommy Tu-Tone in the 80's, Mona was no stranger to the stage, and her rumbling, shark attack on the bass notes were slippery-slidey affairs, grace notes and pops for emphasis. Here, along with Victor and Jesse Harms on keyboards, they did a new song for the group, "Both Sides Now", before electrifying the audience with a sparsely arranged version of "Right Now" that brought Sammy to his knees, breathless from the effort. Unfuckingbelievable.

VH fans got the totally unplugged versions of "Finish What You Started" and "Cabo Wabo" that played like a huge sing-along, fists pumping in the air and beers held aloft to the Red Rocker, who would hoist one with a smile and say, "I'll drink to that!"

No one seemed to notice that the rest of Hagar's old cronies weren't there. One banner thrown on stage read "Van Who? Sammy's Free--Long Live The Red Rocker!" Sammy, attempting to be nice about the subject, simply said--"it wasn't my idea but it got good to me fast!"

Longtime friend and drummer David Lauser threw himself into the obligatory drum solo like a kamikaze pilot, slamming and jamming at a rapid speed, rippling rhythms along and doubling beats with appendages that had to number more than mortal folk. The light show was dazzling as well, almost blinding--in fact. The break took on an almost surreal tone before Sammy walked out and proclaimed it officially "part two of the show," and launched into a high-octane rendition of "I Can't Drive 55" and traded licks with Victor during the viscious middle segment of "Little White Lies". "Bad Motor Scooter" reached into the Montrose bag and pulled out some wild steel playing from Victor. A tender moment came with the singing of "Kama", written for the new baby girl that had taught him, "about love, unconditional love".

When the slow four kicked in, a surge of energy went through the crowd as realization struck--the tempo quickened and suddenly, with "Heavy Metal" unleashed, a small mosh pit opened up--but security would have none of that. I had forgotten how much this song rocks--and it got the extra-heavy dusting of crunch and wail this time around as Mona, Victor and the Red Rocker all lined up to beat the hell out of the last note. With a goodnight to the crowd, the band went off-stage for a bit before returning to do a sparkling "Eagle's Fly", which turned the entire hall into Woodstock for just a moment. The final number was a balls-out, intensely smokin' scamper through "Dreams", which he saved for the end because, "it's the hardest song to sing that I've ever written". Didn't seem to have a problem with it though. He's still nailing those notes like he did back in the 80's.

And probably will for some time to come. Hail, Hail the Red Rocker.