Having just finished up tours with the Strokes and the Moldy Peaches' Adam Green, Ben Kweller will kick off his own twenty-city tour on February 2nd in Indianapolis. The dates come in support of Sha Sha, the twenty-year-old Kweller's first full-length solo release since his alt-rock outfit Radish disbanded.

"I'm all about juxtaposition -- skulls and strawberries," Kweller says of the album. "I wanted to make a classic sounding album but at the same time put my modern perspective on it."

Kweller, whose new video "Wasted and Ready" is receiving generous play from MTV, will also appear on an upcoming episode of Austin City Limits. He will share the bill with Texas indie rockers Spoon. The episode will air on January 11th.

Ben Kweller tour dates:

2/2: Indianapolis, Emerson Theater
2/5: Minneapolis, Ascot Room at the Quest
2/6: Lawrence, KS, The Bottleneck
2/7: Denver, Bluebird Theater
2/8: Salt Lake City, Club X-Scape
2/12: Spokane, WA, Fat Tuesday's Concert Hall
2/13: Vancouver, BC, Croatian Cultural Center
2/14: Seattle, Graceland
2/15: Portland, OR, B. Complex
2/19: San Francisco, Great American Music Hall
2/20: San Francisco, Bottom of the Hill
2/21-22: Los Angeles, Roxy Theater
2/24: Tempe, AZ, Bash on Ash
2/27: Dallas, Tree's
2/28: Austin, Emo's
3/1: Houston, Engine Room
3/5: Nashville, Exit/In
3/6: Cincinnati, 20th Century Theater
3/7: Chicago, Metro
3/8: Detroit, St. Andrews Hall
4/26: Indio, CA, Empire Polo Club

CHRISTINA SARACENO
(December 18, 2002)