Van Halen: Tourin' with the Diamond!

"Diamond" David Lee Roth, that is - and to (cleanly) quote the T-shirt that Stella McCartney wore to her Dad's solo induction into the Roll & Roll Hall of Fame: About F---ing Time!

Yes, the big Van Halen tour was announced just a few hours ago. Of course, to paraphrase The Honeymooners' Ralph Kramden (who once told a baffled Ed Norton, "I'm goin' bowlin', but I'm not goin' bowlin' "): The band finally gets it right, but they still can't get it right.

In other words, who's that young guy in the photo? Why, it's none other than Van Halen: The Next Generation - Wolfgang Van Halen, son of Eddie (and Valerie Bertinelli), who's replacing the deposed Michael Anthony on bass. Ah well, no matter, cuz: Everybody Wants Roth!

For some great quotes from today's press conference, click here. For the official press release, continue reading below. -Ken Richardson

VAN HALEN AND DAVID LEE ROTH ANNOUNCE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

HISTORIC CONCERT TOUR MARKS FIRST OF ITS KIND
FOR VAN HALEN IN 22 YEARS

Van_halen_04l_3 LOS ANGELES, CA --  August 13, 2007: Beginning this September, in what promises to be the most exciting live tour this year, Van Halen will embark on a national concert tour throughout the U.S. and Canada with its original lead singer David Lee Roth for the first time in 22 years.

Considered by fans and media alike as one of the most highly anticipated tours in rock & roll history, Roth, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, and drummer Alex Van Halen will perform with Eddie's son, Wolfgang, who joins the lineup as the band's bass player. Van Halen and Roth have not performed or recorded together since 1984's classic multiplatinum album "1984" and subsequent tour, making this tour truly a historic event.

25 dates in all were announced today for the tour, which is slated for a September 27th kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for select dates on the tour go on sale beginning on Saturday, August 18th, and are available on www.LiveNation.com. A complete list of confirmed dates is attached (below). The Van Halen tour is being produced by Live Nation. Individuals who have the Citi® / AAdvantage® card, the official credit card of the tour, will be offered access to purchase preferred seats to all U.S. shows.

Fans can enjoy the ultimate Van Halen experience, including concert preshow parties, backstage access, premium seating, and more. For additional details go to www.iloveallaccess.com.

Fans are encouraged to also check in at www.van-halen.com or www.davidleeroth.com for additional information.

Van Halen remains one of the most important and influential bands of all time. Formed in Los Angeles in 1974, the band quickly won a loyal hometown fan base with their electrifying live shows. From the moment they released their self-titled 1978 debut album, Van Halen shook the foundations of rock, thanks largely to Roth's peerless showmanship, Eddie Van Halen's revolutionary guitar virtuosity, and their songwriting abilities. It changed rock music forever.

The band's first album proved one of the biggest-selling rock debuts, with key tracks like "Eruption," "Runnin' with the Devil," "Jamie's Cryin'," "You Really Got Me," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" leading the way. The next year, the band followed up with "Van Halen II," which included the hit "Dance the Night Away."

Subsequent albums like "Women and Children First" (1980), "Fair Warning" (1981), and "Diver Down" (1982), along with worldwide touring, solidified the band's reputation for innovative and unparalleled live performances. Classic Van Halen tracks from the early '80s include "Everybody Wants Some," "Unchained," "And the Cradle Will Rock," "Beautiful Girls," "Mean Street," and "Somebody Get Me A Doctor," just to name a few.

With their sixth album, released in and titled "1984," Van Halen rose to stratospheric heights. Recorded at Eddie Van Halen's 5150 Studios, the multiplatinum smash yielded one of Van Halen's signature hits, "Jump," which remained #1 on the Billboard charts for an astounding five weeks straight. Other hits from the album include "Panama," "Hot for Teacher," and "I'll Wait."

The band's record of achievement is hard to top. Presented with two RIAA-certified Diamond Awards for their albums "Van Halen" and "1984," Van Halen joins an elite short list of two-time Diamond Award honorees in the history of the music industry. The Diamond Award is presented to an artist for album sales of 10 million or more units.  They are also in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most #1 hits on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart than any other band in history.

Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March of this year, Van Halen has produced a treasured body of work that fans will admire for decades to come.

VAN HALEN TOUR
North American Dates

Sep. 27 Charlotte, NC  Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Sep. 29  Greensboro, NC  Greensboro Coliseum
Oct. 01  Philadelphia, PA  Wachovia Center
Oct. 07  Toronto, ON  Air Canada Centre
Oct. 10  Cleveland, OH  Quicken Loans Arena
Oct. 14  Indianapolis, IN  Conseco Field House
Oct. 16  Chicago, IL  Allstate Arena
Oct. 18  Chicago, IL  United Center
Oct. 22  Auburn Hills, MI  Palace of Auburn Hills
Oct. 24  Minneapolis, MN  Target Center
Oct. 26  Kansas City, MO  Sprint Center
Oct. 28  St. Louis, MO  Scottrade Center
Oct. 30  Boston, MA  TD Banknorth Garden
Nov. 03  E. Rutherford, NJ  Continental Airlines Arena
Nov. 13  New York, NY  Madison Square Garden
Nov. 20  Los Angeles, CA  Staples Center
Nov. 23  Glendale, AZ  Jobing.Com Arena
Nov. 25  San Diego, CA  Cox Arena
Nov. 27  Sacramento, CA  Arco Arena
Nov. 29  San Jose, CA  HP Pavilion at San Jose
Dec. 01  Portland, OR  Rose Garden
Dec. 03  Seattle, WA  Key Arena
Dec. 05  Vancouver, BC  General Motors Place
Dec. 09  Edmonton, AB  Rexall Place
Dec. 11  Calgary, AB  Pengrowth Saddledome

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