Hear Eddie Van Halen shred for five minutes at 1984 soundcheck
A rare glimpse of Eddie Van Halen warming up
Awhile back, the Van Halen Vault uploaded this rare audio clip of Van Halen performing a soundcheck at San Francisco’s Cow Palace in 1984.
The five-minute clip opens with the band finishing up “Jump” and continues with some wild shredding from Eddie Van Halen, along with a soundcheck of “Panama” and plenty more noodling from Ed.
You can check it out above.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Christopher Scapelliti is editor-in-chief of Guitar Player magazine, the world’s longest-running guitar magazine, founded in 1967. In his extensive career, he has authored in-depth interviews with such guitarists as Pete Townshend, Slash, Billy Corgan, Jack White, Elvis Costello and Todd Rundgren, and audio professionals including Beatles engineers Geoff Emerick and Ken Scott. He is the co-author of Guitar Aficionado: The Collections: The Most Famous, Rare, and Valuable Guitars in the World, a founding editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine, and a former editor with Guitar World, Guitar for the Practicing Musician and Maximum Guitar. Apart from guitars, he maintains a collection of more than 30 vintage analog synthesizers.

“This guy comes in, plugs in, and starts playing while we’re talking to another guy. I said, ‘Buddy, you better sit down before I knock you out’”: Ace Frehley interrupted the band when he auditioned for Kiss – and Gene Simmons was ready to throw fists

“I view the instrument I play not as an object to be mastered, but as a partner with which to share with the listener a meaning”: Pioneering pedal steel guitar virtuoso Susan Alcorn has died aged 71