Big Rocker’s Las Vegas Residency Called off Due to COVID-19

After canceling the first two gigs of his farewell Las Vegas residency, David Lee Roth is calling off the whole thing. The former Van Halen rocker canceled the entire run of shows at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, apparently due to COVID. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that a venue representative confirmed the cancellation, although there has been no formal announcement from Roth, his camp or concert promoter Live Nation. He did share a vague graphic on Instagram that read “A funny thing happened on the way to Las Vegas.”

The sold-out series was set to run Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and again Jan. 14-15, Jan. 21-22 and Feb. 11-12. The initial cancelations for the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day show said the decision was “due to unforeseen circumstances related to COVID and out of an abundance of caution for those working and attending the shows.” That announcement said refunds would be automatically processed and ticket holders would be notified directly.

Roth mentioned his own health concerns when announcing that the Las Vegas residency would be the final live performances of his career. “I’m throwing in the shoes,” he told the Review-Journal on Oct. 1. “I’m retiring.” The 67-year-old said he was experiencing unspecified health challenges. “My doctors, my handlers, compelled me to really address that every time I go on stage, I endanger (my) future.”

“This is the first, and only, official announcement. You’ve got the news. Share it with the world,” he said at the time of the Vegas residency news. “I’m not going to explain the statement. The explanation is in a safe. These are my last five shows.”

It appeared that the death of his former Van Halen bandmate, Eddie Van Halen – who passed away in October 2020 at age 65 after a lengthy battle with cancer – had an impact on his reasoning. “I am encouraged and compelled to really come to grips with how short time is, and my time is probably even shorter,” he said.

Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony were members of the classic lineup, serving as vocalist, guitarist, drummer and bassist, respectively. Roth’s first stint with the group lasted from 1974 to 1985 until he returned in 1996 and again in 2006 up until the band’s dissolution following Eddie Van Halen’s death. In 2007, the four were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Away from Van Halen, Roth’s glittering solo career boasts a 1986 critically acclaimed debut solo album, Eat ‘Em and Smile, which reached the top five of the Billboard Top 200 and sold over 200 million copies in the United States alone. His final album, Diamond Dave, came out in 2003.