Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar discussed his touring frustrations during a recent interview with 98 Rock Baltimore.
He shared his career preferences in a candid discussion. The singer expressed his growing dislike for touring while highlighting his enthusiasm for residency performances.
“I’m making a true confession. I don’t like touring,” Hagar admitted. “I love playing music, but I can’t stand packing my suitcase and moving and moving and moving. And bad hotel rooms, bad food, and not being able to do the show as good as I wanna do it every night.”
He elaborated on his recent residency shows: “And boy, the residency, man, you can’t beat it for doing great shows and being able to… We changed the set every single night — nine shows and we didn’t do the same show twice. A lot of the songs got played more than once, but we changed at least four or five songs every single night. Oh, it was fantastic.”
These comments emerged during his successful Las Vegas residency venture. This represents a significant shift in his performance approach.
Ultimate Classic Rock revealed details of Hagar’s Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The shows ran from April 30 to May 17, 2025. The schedule featured nine carefully curated performances on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
The residency format enabled Hagar to explore his extensive musical catalog thoroughly. American Songwriter noted his performances included material from Van Halen, Montrose, Chickenfoot, and his solo work.
The Vegas stint extended his Best of All Worlds Tour. This demonstrated Hagar’s strategic move toward more stationary performances. The arrangement allowed him to focus on sound quality and production values without constant travel demands.
Hagar sees a promising future in this format. He believes residencies could extend his performing career. The singer estimates he could deliver 75 shows instead of 50 by choosing residencies over traditional touring schedules.
