Michael Anthony Shines in Van Halen’s Newly Uploaded 1981 Oakland Footage

This is prime Van Halen.

The Headliners channel on Youtube has combined the three professionally filmed performances from the band’s legendary 1981 run at the Oakland Coliseum: “Hear About It Later,” “So This Is Love?” and “Unchained.” All three songs come from Fair Warning, which had been released only weeks earlier.

The setting is as classic as the lineup. David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and Alex Van Halen tear through the songs in front of a massive wall of speakers. The footage was captured in June 1981, the same year MTV launched and Van Halen already looked built for the video era.  The rhythm section is locked in from the start, with Anthony’s bass sitting right alongside Alex’s drums. His powerful backing vocals add another layer that is pure classic Van Halen. Bass fans will also spot him moving from a Fender Precision Bass to a Yamaha BB series bass.

This is not a complete concert, but these three songs capture Van Halen at full force, with the original lineup and one of rock’s greatest rhythm sections driving the whole thing.