Van Halen fans may or may not get a new album in 2012, but one thing’s for sure: the band will return to the road for the first time in four years.

They made the announcement this morning (December 26) on their official site, giving the VH faithful a late Christmas gift with the announcement that tickets for the 2012 trek will go on sale Jan. 10 — plus new video of the band’s current lineup performing on a West Hollywood soundstage.

Although details and dates have yet to be revealed, it seems reasonable to assume that this will be a full-length tour; the last time Van Halen hit the road, they stayed out for nearly a year, from fall 2007 through summer 2008 — and that was without any new music to promote.

This time around, the long-brewing rumors of a new VH record have reached full boil, and it seems likely that when they pack for this latest round of dates, they’ll be bringing along their first new album since 1998′s ‘Van Halen III.’ Adding to the speculation is this cryptic graphic, which features the front end of a train, the classic Van Halen logo, and the date 2.7.12 (see graphic at the bottom of this page.)

Is it the new Van Halen album cover? The date when the new record’s coming out? The first stop on the 2012 tour? The band isn’t saying yet, but we’re sure we’ll know the answers soon. In the meantime, you can content yourself with these quick clips of Alex, Ed, David Lee, and Wolfgang performing over audio of some of the band’s classic hits. Will you be in the audience if VH comes to your town next year?

Watch the Van Halen 2012 Tour Teaser

Van Halen 2012 Teaser Graphic

Van Halen 2012
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