Sammy Hagar has reached out publicly to David Lee Roth following news of the latter’s canceled solo tour dates. He shared a heartfelt video message on Instagram and extended a personal invitation to Roth to join him and Michael Anthony for their upcoming Las Vegas residency in September.
Hagar opened his message with words of sympathy and support for his former Van Halen bandmate.
“Hey, Dave. Sammy here. I just got a call from Michael Anthony as I’m sitting down having my favorite cocktail. And I don’t have to tell you what that is, about your tour getting canceled,” Hagar said. “And I want to say from the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry. I hope you’re well. I hope there’s not a physical problem. Honestly, Mike and I love the fact that you’ve been out there doing it, supporting the greatest band in the world that we were both part of. And yeah, I’m really sorry. That’s f*cked up.”
Hagar then spoke to the irreplaceable nature of the original Van Halen lineup and urged Roth to keep the music alive.
“Supporting what we did in this band to keep this music alive. You and I, Mikey, Al, Ed, cannot be replaced. So, when you’re ready to carry on, you go, brother. Mike and I support you,” he continued. “Come to Vegas for the residency in September. Come on, join us. Sing a couple songs, MC the damn show. Come out and just do what the fuck you do, which is pretty damn entertaining. Anyway, hope you’re well. I really do. God bless, brother.”
In a written follow-up, Hagar addressed the possibility that the news about Roth may have been AI-generated. He reaffirmed the sincerity of his message and stressed the importance of keeping real rock music alive.
“I hope the news about Dave is not AI! If it is, my post is still coming from my heart and soul. It is so important that this music carry on especially with the AI music out there. Those of us that can still go out and play should do it as long as they can physically and emotionally carry that torch. Van Halen was, should be, and hopefully always will be real live music, not just for our fans, but for the future fans of real rock music,” Hagar wrote.
He closed by confirming his intention to follow up directly with Roth’s team and extending the invitation beyond Vegas.
“And I will check with Dave’s representative team in the morning and make it a more personal invite for Vegas, Sturgis, Colorado Springs or whatever — I’m fucking serious about all this. And that’s all I have to say — it’s about time Dave, Mikey, Alex (if he’s up for it) step into the arena together, hand and hand, heart to heart, soul to soul and keep this thing alive forever,” he added.
Hagar’s public outreach marks a significant gesture toward reuniting key members of the Van Halen legacy. Further developments are expected as he reaches out to Roth’s team directly.
The cancellations that prompted Hagar’s message are part of a broader and troubling pattern for Roth’s solo tour. Multiple dates have been quietly pulled from the schedule in recent weeks, raising serious questions about the tour’s viability and Roth’s current standing as a live draw.
Several shows were dropped from the tour, with the affected cities including Salt Lake City, Louisville, Dillon, and Clear Lake. Low ticket sales were cited as the primary reason behind the cancellations.
The July 23 performance at Dillon Amphitheater in Colorado was among the confirmed cancellations, with the venue officially listing the show as canceled. No rescheduled date was announced for any of the pulled performances. Neither Roth nor his team issued a public statement addressing the situation.
A June 11 show in Fort Wayne, Indiana was also pulled at the last minute, again without any explanation from Roth’s camp. That cancellation drew a strong reaction from Van Halen fans and set the tone for what has since become a recurring issue throughout the tour.
The contrast between Roth’s struggles and Hagar’s current momentum is hard to ignore. While Roth’s dates have been quietly disappearing from the calendar, Hagar has been selling out shows and maintaining an active touring schedule. That backdrop makes Hagar’s invitation all the more pointed — and, for many fans, all the more meaningful.
