Jason Bonham was recently forced to step away from Sammy Hagar’s “The Best Of All Worlds” tour due to a family issue. The drummer’s unexpected departure led to a notable change in the lineup for Hagar’s concert on August 27 at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. In Bonham’s absence, Kenny Aronoff, a veteran drummer who has previously worked with Hagar, bassist Michael Anthony, and guitarist Joe Satriani in the supergroup Chickenfoot, stepped in to fill the role.
During the concert, Hagar made a heartfelt dedication to Bonham and his family. Introducing the song “Eagles Fly,” Hagar said, “Tonight I’m going to dedicate this to the Bonham family in England. Hope everything works out okay over there, and to our brother Jason.” The gesture was a touching acknowledgment of Bonham’s situation and a tribute to his contribution to the tour.
At the end of the show, Hagar gave a special shout-out to Aronoff, expressing his gratitude for stepping in at short notice. “The man who saved the day, Kenny f*cking Aronoff,” Hagar proclaimed, highlighting Aronoff’s role in ensuring the concert went smoothly despite the change in personnel.
Aronoff, who replaced Chad Smith in Chickenfoot’s touring lineup from 2011 to 2012, has a history with Hagar and his bandmates. Smith had stepped away from Chickenfoot’s touring activities due to his commitments with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Chickenfoot, which also included Hagar, Anthony, and guitarist Joe Satriani, released two albums between 2009 and 2011 and toured across America, though they never performed any Van Halen material.
More recently, Hagar and Anthony have revisited some of the Van Halen catalog with guitarist Vic Johnson and Bonham in their current project, Sammy Hagar and The Circle. Despite the unexpected change in the tour lineup, Hagar’s concert in Cincinnati was a success, thanks in part to Aronoff’s expertise and the band’s ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
