Van Halen Announces Official Album and Tour Details

Steve Granitz/WireImage(NEW YORK) — Van Halen has confirmed details about their hotly anticipated new studio effort and plans for a major North American tour to support the recording. The album will be titled A Different Kind of Truth and, as expected, will hit stores on February 7. The first single will be called “Tattoo” and will be released on Tuesday, the same day a video for the tune will premiere.

The tour will kick off February 18 in Louisville, Kentucky, and is scheduled to wind its way around the U.S. and Canada through a June 26 show in New Orleans. So far, 46 dates have been confirmed.  In a bit of a curveball, funk veterans Kool & the Gang will serve as the opening act on select stops on the tour. Tickets for the trek will go on sale starting January 14.

Van Halen celebrated their new album and tour with an intimate show at New York City’s Café Wha? on Thursday night.  In front of an estimated 250 people, mostly member of the media, the quartet — David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen — delivered a blistering 11-song set made up almost entirely of the rock legends’ classic early material. They only performed one new song, titled “She’s the Woman.”  Upon hitting the stage Roth — clad in brown overalls and a flat cap — quipped, “Welcome to Occupy Van Halen, ladies and gentlemen.”

Roth interrupted the show throughout to offer up witticisms and reminiscences, at one point remarking, “The last time I stood on a stage this low, I had to have the car back by midnight.”  The entire band seemed to be having a great time, especially the frontman, who commented more than once that he thought the concert was one of his best ever.  Roth also took time to introduce his 92-year-old uncle, Manny Roth, who used to own the venue during the 1960s.

The singer recalled carving his name in the basement club’s banister when he was seven years old.  “This is a temple, he said. “This is a very special place.”

Here’s the set list from Van Halen’s Café Wha? show:

“You Really Got Me”
“Runnin’ with the Devil”
“Somebody Get Me a Doctor”
“Everybody Wants Some”
“She’s the Woman”
“Dance the Night Away”
“Panama”
“Hot for Teacher”
“Ice Cream Man”
“Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love”
“Jump”

Here are all of Van Halen’s confirmed North American tour dates:

2/18 — Louisville, KY, KFC Yum! Center
2/20 — Auburn Hills, MI, The Palace of Auburn Hills
2/22 — Indianapolis, IN, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
2/24 — Chicago, IL, United Center
2/28 — New York, NY,Madison Square Garden
3/1 — New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
3/3 — Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun Arena
3/5 — Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center
3/9 — Buffalo, NY, First Niagara Center
3/11 — Boston, MA, TD Garden
3/15 — Montreal, QC, Bell Centre
3/17 — Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre
3/21 — Ottawa, ON, Scotiabank Place
3/24 — Atlantic City, NJ, Boardwalk Hall
3/28 — Washington, DC, Verizon Center
3/30 — Pittsburgh, PA, Consol Energy Center
4/1 — Rosemont, IL, Allstate Arena
4/10 — Fort Lauderdale, FL, BankAtlantic Center
4/12 — Tampa, FL, St. Pete Times Forum
4/14 — Orlando, FL, Amway Arena
4/16 — Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Arena
4/19 — Atlanta, GA, Philips Arena
4/21 — Greensboro, NC, Greensboro Coliseum
4/25 — Charlotte, NC, Time Warner Cable Arena
4/27 — Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
5/1 —  Tulsa, OK, BOK Center
5/5 — Tacoma, WA, Tacoma Dome
5/7 — Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena
5/9 — Calgary, AB, Scotiabank Saddledome
5/11 — Edmonton, AB, Rexall Place
5/17 — Winnipeg, MB, MTS Centre
5/19 — St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
5/22 — Kansas City, MO, Sprint Center
5/24 — Denver, CO, Pepsi Center
5/27 — Las Vegas, NV,MGM Grand Garden Arena
6/1 — Los Angeles, CA, STAPLES Center
6/3 — Oakland, CA, Oracle Arena
6/5 — San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion
6/12 — Anaheim, CA, Honda Center
6/14 — San Diego, CA, Viejas Arena
6/16 — Phoenix, AZ, US Airways Center
6/20 — Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center
6/22 — San Antonio, TX, AT&T Center
6/24 — Houston, TX, Toyota Center
6/26 — New Orleans, LA, New Orleans Arena

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