Legendary Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth made a spectacular return to the live concert stage after more than five years, delivering a high-energy performance at the 2025 edition of the M3 Rock Festival on Saturday, May 3rd, in Columbia, Maryland. The comeback was met with widespread excitement, including high praise from KISS icon Paul Stanley.
The 70-year-old “Diamond Dave” performed a 75-minute set packed with Van Halen classics, backed by a band that featured guitarist Al Estrada and four backing vocalists. His electrifying show included iconic tracks such as “Panama,” “You Really Got Me,” “Dance The Night Away,” “Runnin’ With The Devil,” “Jamie’s Cryin’,” “Hot For Teacher,” and a closing rendition of “Jump.”
The following day, Paul Stanley took to social media platform X to share his enthusiasm for Roth‘s performance: “I watched Diamond Dave‘s return at M3 Festival and LOVED IT! Looks Great. Great staging. Great band. Great vibe. The whole thing was cool. Back-up posse too. Check it all out on YouTube. Welcome Back Dave!! @DavidLeeRoth”.
This M3 Festival appearance signals a renewed live presence for Roth. Earlier this week, he announced nearly two dozen solo tour dates for the summer of 2025. The 21-date trek is scheduled to kick off on July 22 in Paso Robles, California, and will run through September 14 in Napa, California.
Roth‘s return to extensive solo touring follows a period where he has been revisiting Van Halen‘s classic catalog. In recent months, he released solo versions of several beloved anthems, which were recorded live in the studio on May 3, 2022, at Henson Recording Studio in Hollywood. That session featured Al Estrada on guitar, Ryan Wheeler on bass, and Francis Valentino on drums, with a reported 14 songs tracked in just two hours, emphasizing a raw, live feel with “no samples” and no Auto-Tune.
David Lee Roth originally left Van Halen after their massively successful album 1984 to pursue a solo career. He had a brief reunion with the band in 1996 and then fully rejoined as their frontman from 2007 until 2020, though their last tour was in 2015. He also served as the opening act for KISS on their End Of The Road farewell tour for its North American leg in February/March 2020.
David Lee Roth – Summer 2025 Solo Tour Dates:
July 2025
- July 22 – Paso Robles, CA – California Mid-State Fair
- July 31 – Davie, FL – Hard Rock Live
August 2025
- Aug 03 – Tampa, FL – Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center
- Aug 06 – Bristol, VA – Hard Rock Live Bristol
- Aug 08 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
- Aug 10 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
- Aug 13 – Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
- Aug 15 – Verona, NY – Turning Stone Resort Casino
- Aug 17 – Bethlehem, PA – The Wind Creek Event Center
- Aug 18 – Gary, IN – Hard Rock Live Northern India
- Aug 21 – Cincinnati, OH – Hard Rock Outdoor Arena
- Aug 23 – Du Quoin, IL – Duquoin State Fairgrounds
- Aug 25 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory
- Aug 27 – Kansas City, MO – Grinders KC
- Aug 29 – Thackerville, OK – Lucas Oil Live At WinStar World Casino And Resort
- Aug 31 – Catoosa, OK – Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Tulsa
September 2025
- Sep 04 – Chandler, AZ – Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass
- Sep 08 – San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay
- Sep 10 – Temecula, CA – Pechanga Resort & Casino
- Sep 12 – Saratoga, CA – Mountain Winery
- Sep 14 – Napa, CA – Blue Note Summer Sessions
I watched Diamond Dave’s return at M3 Festival and LOVED IT! Looks Great. Great staging. Great band. Great vibe. The whole thing was cool. Back-up posse too. Check it all out on YouTube. Welcome Back Dave!! @DavidLeeRoth pic.twitter.com/74mK1KV4jc
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) May 4, 2025
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