Overview

• While performing “Dance the Night Away” in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, Roth said Van Halen’s spirit appeared in his hotel room, laughing and sharing a “ghost Marlboro.”
• Roth prefaced his joke by praising Hagar’s voice and catalog before referencing Hagar’s 2022 claim that Van Halen inspired “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” in a dream.
• In the anecdote, Van Halen’s ghost teased that the riff given to Hagar was actually Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” played backward.
• Sammy Hagar’s dream-inspired track, released in April with Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Kenny Aronoff, remains part of his Las Vegas residency set list.
• Roth’s playful banter underscores a rock-era tradition of onstage storytelling and highlights the enduring fan fascination with Van Halen’s legacy.