Van Halen’s reunion tour has been extended into 2008, with new concert dates scheduled for January, February and March.

The reunited band kicked off their much-anticipated tour on Sept. 27 in Charlotte, N.C. with 40 scheduled dates.

More fans from more places will be able to enjoy the rockers’ music, as five new dates have been added, according to the band’s official site: Oklahoma City (January 22); Houston (January 28); Omaha, Neb. (February 4); Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (February 12); and St. Louis (March 30), as reported by Billboard.com.

The get-together with original lead singer David Lee Roth was announced with great pride in August, by Roth himself, who could hardly contain his excitement.

Roth joined Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen, the elder Van Halen’s 16-year-old son, for his first tour with the band’s founders in more than 20 years. Van Halen last toured in 2004 with vocalist Sammy Hagar, grossing nearly $40 million, according to Billboard Boxscore.

During a news conference in August, Roth oozed self-confidence: “It's not like the Police - we're not going to do one tour,” he said. “The idea is that it will continue on and on.”

He added, “This is not a reunion - this is a new band.”

Reviews for their performances have so far been favorable, with plenty of grateful references to Roth’s return. He was the band’s first official lead singer, when Van Halen was formed in the early 1970s. Roth recorded six albums with Van Halen before leaving in 1985.

He was replaced with Sammy Hagar, who in turn left in 1996. There had been talk of a reunion for some time, but it took the guys a while to get together and start practicing.

Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2007.

Image credit: www.van-halen.com