The singer’s new tour began in Spokane, featuring a setlist dominated by classics from his former band.
David Lee Roth started his 2026 North American tour in Spokane, Washington on Thursday. The setlist leaned heavily on his past, with fifteen of the seventeen songs performed coming from the Van Halen catalog.
Footage from the show reveals Roth’s current approach to the material. On opener “Panama,” the 71-year-old singer employed a spoken, theatrical delivery while backing vocalists handled the song’s familiar melodic hooks. The performance highlighted a shift in style rather than a attempt to recreate past vocal feats.
The two non-Van Halen songs included an original acoustic blues piece and a cover of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.” His touring band provided the musical foundation for the night’s set of rock anthems.
The tour frames Roth’s legacy squarely within the Van Halen songbook, presenting the songs through the lens of his enduring, charismatic stage persona.
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