Van Halen Tour Dates 2012: Band to Play NYC Thursday Night

Van Halen will play their first performance since 2008 Thursday night, Jan. 5, at Café Wha? in Greenwich Village in New York City.

Café Wha? is an intimate setting for the kick-off of Van Halen's 2012 debut, with seats for just 250 guests. According to fansite Van Halen News Desk, the event will not be a press conference and there will not be a Q&A session. The band will perform a 45-minute set for the crowd, comprised of members of the press.

Fans are eager to know if Van Halen will play any songs from their new album, reportedly due out on Feb. 7. VHND reported that their first single, TATTOO, will premiere next Tuesday, Jan. 10 - the same day tickets for the tour go on sale. Rumor has it that the album title will be A Different Kind of Truth, via the rock music forum Melodic Rock.

Although no concrete tour schedule has been released, VHND reports that the band's first stop will be Louisville, Kentucky. The tour will kick-off as early as next month and word has it Madison Square Garden and Montreal are scheduled on the first leg, according to Melodic Rock.

Thursday night will surely be a spectacle, as fans eagerly await the return of one of the most popular bands in rock history.

Café Wha? is located at 115 Macdougal, between Bleecker and West 3rd, in Greenwich Village. Despite the fact that this may seem like a random choice, the venue holds significance. David Lee Roth's uncle Manny Roth owned and operated Café Wha? and booked legendary acts like Jimi Hendrix, Bill Cosby, Bob Dylan, Richard Pryor and others.

Take a 3D tour of Café Wha? by clicking here.

As Van Halen-enthusiasts await the release of concert tickets, VHND has exclusive video clips to hold over even the most anxious of fans. The newest video from the site is footage of David Lee Roth reminiscing about the old days, entitled Al Yells Out The Chords. View the video here.

Expect an announcement of tour dates within the next few days as tickets go on sale Jan. 10.