At Home in Hespeler

Sammy Hagar and the Circle, featuring Hagar, his old pal Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, Led Zeppelin’s Jason Bonham, and guitarist Vic Johnson take a roll through Hagar’s career, with some Led Zeppelin added in for good measure, in the new live album At Your Service. Recorded at various shows during last years fall tour, At Your Service covers Hagar’s solo material, his Montrose years as well as 80’s era Van Halen (in a nod to both Hagar and Anthony).

The Circle is a band of solid professionals who all know their business. There is nothing here that’s not very well done. Whatever era of Hagar – or Led Zeppelin – you are a fan of, you will be pleased by the performances of those songs. There is no weak points or performances here.

The album features four Led Zeppelin songs, and aside from Good Times Bad Times having a bit of an 80’s feel to it, they are performed excellently. Hagar is, perhaps a bit surprisingly, a good singer of Led Zeppelin.

The highlight of the album however is the final track, when Hagar and Johnson take a seat for an acoustic arrangement of Van Halen’s Dreams, from 5150. Stripped of Eddie Van Halen’s keyboards and pyrotechnic guitar licks, it’s an extremely pretty song.

Sammy Hagar and the Circle’s At Your Service is a very enjoyable live recording that is both worth having and makes you hope this particular lineup continues to tour, and that they come to a town near me soon.

Tracklist

CD 1

1. There’s Only One Way to Rock
2. Rock Candy
3. Good Times Bad Times
4. Poundcake
5. I Can’t Drive ’55
6. Mikey Bass Solo
7. When It’s Love
8. Whole Lotta Love
9. Little White Lie
10. When the Levee Breaks

CD 2

11. Jason Drum Solo/Moby Dick
12. Why Can’t This Be Love
13. Finish What You Started
14. Heavy Metal
15. Vic Guitar Solo
16. Best of Both Worlds
17. Right Now
18. Rock and Roll
19. Dreams (acoustic)

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Review, The Mighty Zep At Your Service, Dreams, Good Times Bad Times, Jason Bonham, Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar, The Circle