[WolfeMacleod]

Van Halen postpones more shows, but tour not canceled


March 3, 2008 02:03 PM
By Jon Zahlaway
LiveDaily Senior Writer
Contrary to widespread rumors and various unconfirmed reports, Van Halen [ tickets ] has not canceled its in-progress tour, but the group has announced plans to postpone several more shows due to an undisclosed medical issue with guitarist Eddie Van Halen. The classic rockers--who late last month postponed shows in Charlottesville, VA; and Duluth, GA--have now pushed back tonight's show in Dallas, as well as subsequent dates in Cincinnati, Baltimore and Raleigh, NC. All four newly postponed shows have already been rescheduled for April.

"According to Eddie Van Halen's physician, he is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures," the group's publicist said in a press release, but did not provide any information about what prompted the medical attention.

Barring any additional postponements, the group's tour will resume with a March 11 makeup date in Charlottesville, which pushes back to April 9 the group's originally scheduled March 11 performance in Manchester, NH. The band also has rescheduled the postponed Duluth show for March 19, which bumps a previously scheduled March 19 show in Hershey, PA, back until April 11. Details for all of the postponements and upcoming shows are included below.

Van Halen hit the road last fall with frontman David Lee Roth at the helm for the first time in more than two decades. The outing ended up being one of 2007's Top 5 highest-grossing tours, prompting the group to book a new leg of shows that kicked off in late January.

Plans for the Roth-fronted outing originally surfaced last February, at which time the group announced its intention to mount a summer tour. Those plans were waylaid last March when Eddie Van Halen headed into rehab.

The legendary guitarist resurfaced last April looking more fit than he had during the months leading up to his stint in rehab, and a subsequent press conference was held last summer to unveil plans for the late-2007 tour, which marked the debut of the band's new bassist, Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie's 16-year-old son.

In April of 2001, Eddie Van Halen announced that he was battling some form of oral cancer, which he later said he had beaten and was cancer free.

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]

March 2008
3 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center (RESCHEDULED FOR 4/24)
5 - Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena (RESCHEDULED FOR 4/22)
7 - Raleigh, NC - RBC Center (RESCHEDULED FOR 4/13)
9 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena (RESCHEDULED FOR 4/15)
11 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena (RESCHEDULED FOR 4/9)
11 - Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena (MAKEUP DATE FOR 2/22)
13 - East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Arena
17 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
19 - Hershey, PA - Giant Center (RESCHEDULED FOR 4/11)
19 - Duluth, GA - Gwinnett Arena (MAKEUP DATE FOR 2/25)
21 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
24 - Providence, RI - Dunkin Donuts Center
26 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
28 - Atlantic City, NJ - Boardwalk Hall
30 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center

April 2008
1 - Columbus, OH - Value City Arena
3 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena
5 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena
7 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center
9 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena (MAKEUP DATE FOR 3/11)
11 - Hershey, PA - Giant Center (MAKEUP DATE FOR 3/19)
13 - Raleigh, NC - RBC Center (MAKEUP DATE FOR 3/7)
15 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena (MAKEUP DATE FOR 3/9)
19 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay Events Center
22 - Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena (MAKEUP DATE FOR 3/5)
23 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena (on sale 3/3)
24 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center (MAKEUP DATE FOR 3/3)
25 - Sacramento, CA - Arco Arena (on sale 3/1)