Michael Anthony skipped Sammy Hagar’s annual birthday concerts at his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Mexico for the first time in over two decades, a decision he explained in comments shared via Instagram. Hagar also addressed Anthony’s absence with a message of his own.
The bassist has been a regular at Hagar’s birthday celebrations for years. This year, Anthony chose to stay home for a different reason than usual.
Michael Anthony said, “Had to forgo Sammy’s birthday bash this year, my wife Sue is turning 70 tomorrow, and after 25+ years of her, spending her birthday in Cabo while I play for Sammy’s bash, she wanted to do something different so here we are. Hope everybody has a great weekend, if you’re in Cabo for the bash have a great time. I know Sam, Mona, Vic, Kenny, and whoever else shows up will be rocking it out!!”
Sammy Hagar then offered his own take on the situation. “Mikey and I talked about this months ago and he and Sue of course have my blessings,” Hagar said. “Mikey knew my long time wobble Rita Bass player. Mona was happy to once again joined the festivities. We’re having a blast, but of course we miss Mikey. Nobody’s more fun than Michael Anthony the other half.”
The comments came from this year’s celebration at Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina, the annual gathering where Anthony has performed for the past two and a half decades.
Anthony’s long history with Hagar extends back to their time in Van Halen, where Anthony was a member from 1974 to 2006. After leaving Van Halen, Anthony deepened his musical partnership with Hagar by forming the supergroup Chickenfoot with Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and later becoming a member of Sammy Hagar and the Circle. The bond between the two musicians has remained strong across multiple decades and musical projects.
The Cabo Wabo Cantina holds special meaning for both men as a shared venture. The venue was founded in 1990 by Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony alongside business partner Jorge Viaña. Hagar bought out the rest of the Van Halen members in 1996 after the cantina had struggled under previous management and faced financial difficulties.
Under new management, the bar grew popular with both locals and tourists as Cabo San Lucas developed into a major resort destination. The annual birthday celebrations at the cantina have become a tradition that Anthony had maintained consistently for more than two decades before this year’s absence.
