Van Halen to tour with Roth for first time in 22 years

Van Halen announced today (August 13) that they will tour North America this autumn with singer David Lee Roth for the first time in 22 years.

Original band members Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen as well as Roth and David's 16-year-old son Wolfgang, who joins the line-up on bass, made the announcement at a Los Angeles press conference this morning.

"This is the press conference you never thought you'd see - especially while we were still young, skinny and good-looking," Roth quipped after the band took the stage to the tune of their hit song 'Jump'.

"It's a new band with a new sound and new energy from Wolfgang, but we'll play songs you know as well as the roof of your mouth," Roth said.

Van Halen were originally set to tour earlier this year, but postponed the tour when Eddie Van Halen announced he was entering rehab.

When asked whether he was feeling up to the task freshly out of rehab, Eddie responded, "I'm at my best now. We are a band and we're gonna continue."

The band also revealed that they intend to record a new album. "We're already plotting and planning," Roth said. "This is not like The Police. The idea is that it will continue on and on."

The tour is set to kick off on September 27 in Charlotte, North Carolina and hit several major US cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York before concluding in Calgary, Alberta on December 11.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday (August 18) via LiveNation.com.

The tour dates are:

Charlotte, NC Bobcats Arena (September 27)
Greensboro, NC Coliseum (29)
Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center (October 1)
Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre (7)
Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena (10)
Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse (14)
Chicago, IL Allstate Arena (16)
Chicago, IL United Center (18)
Auburn Hills, MI Palace of Auburn Hills (22)
Minneapolis, MN Target Center (24)
Kansas City, MO Sprint Center (26)
St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center (28)
Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden (30)
East Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena (November 3)
New York, NY Madison Square Garden (13)
Los Angeles, CA Staples Center (20)
Glendale, Ariz. Jobing.com Arena (23)
San Diego, CA Arena (25)
Sacramento, CA Arco Arena (27)
San Jose, CA HP Pavilion (29)
Portland, OR Rose Garden (December 1)
Seattle, WA Key Arena (3)
Vancouver, BC Place (5)
Edmonton, AB Rexall Palace (9)
Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome (11)

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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