Diamond Dave got back onstage! Ex-Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth played his first concert in more than five years on Saturday, May 3, a solo headlining set at the M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, Maryland, at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
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According to Setlist.fm, the 70-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer played a 16-song set made up almost entirely of songs by his famous former band. Fan-shot video of the entire show has been posted on YouTube.
Ultimate Classic Rock reported that Roth was accompanied by a five-piece band that featured Al Estrada on guitar, Ryan Wheeler on bass, Francis Valentino on drums and an as-yet-unidentified keyboardist. Augmenting Roth and the group were four male backing singers.
Diamond Dave was in great form at the show, clad head to toe in what appeared to be black leather. The concert kicked off with blazing version of Van Halen’s 1984 smash “Panama.” During the breakdown section of the song, Roth inappropriately quipped, “In the name of world peace, reach over and reach down between the legs of the person next to you.” He then added, with a chuckle, “Well, we’re off to our usual flying start. Are we having fun yet here?”
[RELATED: One Ain’t Enough: David Lee Roth Schedules Second Concert of 2025]
Later in the concert, Roth joked about the fact that in 2021 he’d announced that he was planning to retire soon. “I’m coming to the end of my first retirement,” he told the crowd. “How many retirements did Rocky have, like f—ing nine?”
More About Roth’s Set at the M3 Rock Festival
Besides “Panama,” Roth’s concert featured such other Van Halen classic as “Unchained,” “Dance the Night Away,” “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “And the Cradle Will Rock…,” “Jamie’s Cryin’,” “Everybody Wants Some!!,” “Hot for Teacher,” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love.”
Dave and his solo group also dug deeper into the VH catalog, playing such gems as “Drop Dead Legs,” “Mean Street,” “Atomic Punk,” “I’m the One,” and “Romeo Delight.” The one non-original Van Halen song in the set was The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” which VH covered on its self-titled 1978 debut album and with which the band had its first Billboard Hot 100 hit.
Roth closed out the show with a version of Van Halen’s 1984 chart-topping 1984 signature tune, “Jump.” During the performance, Dave thanks his band and backing singers for putting on a “perfect show.” He also told the audience that he’d be seeing them “on the road.”
Roth’s Most Recent and Upcoming Performance Plans
Roth’s last concert before the M3 Rock Festival performance was on March 10, 2020, while touring as KISS’ opening act.
The singer recently lined up a second 2025 show, a September 12 performance at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California. The event is part of the venue’s 2025 Concert Series.
More About the M3 Rock Festival
The 2025 M3 Rock Festival, which showcases hard-rock and heavy metal acts, is scheduled from May 2 through May 4.
The May 3 bill also featured Accept, Winger, Slaughter, former Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler, and Red Voodoo. The May 4 lineup is headlined by Ratt members Stephen Pearcy and Warren DeMartini. It includes Ace Frehley, Lita Ford, Warrant, Great White, and Vixen.
David Lee Roth Set List, Merriwether Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD, 5/3/25:
- “Panama”
- “Drop Dead Legs”
- “You Really Got Me” (The Kinks cover)
- “Unchained”
- “Dance the Night Away”
- “Runnin’ with the Devil”
- “Mean Street”
- “Atomic Punk”
- “And the Cradle Will Rock…”
- “Jamie’s Cryin’”
- “I’m the One”
- “Everybody Wants Some!!”
- “Romeo Delight”
- “Hot for Teacher”
- “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love”
- “Jump”
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