Old 97's frontman, Rhett Miller will kick off his first major solo tour on October 19th in Chicago. From the opening date through November 2nd, Miller will open for Dashboard Confessional.

"I'm hiring a band," he says. "There's a guitar player, bass player and drummer. I'm totally excited. I think the guys I've got totally rock, and I like Dashboard Confessional. That will be fun and I'm looking forward to headlining. I'll pull out some Old 97's songs and make it a long set."

Miller is supporting his debut solo album, The Instigator, which was released last month. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Jon Brion, who has worked with Fiona Apple and Aimee Mann, and features guests Robyn Hitchcock, John Doe and Jim Keltner.

"Half the songs illustrate why I needed to make a solo record, songs I've written that wouldn't work within Old 97's," Miller told Rolling Stone before The Instigator's release. "And then the other half of the songs are total balls-out rock & roll, just to prove the point that a) rock isn't dead, boring and stupid and moot and b) I'm not turning into some cheeseball lounge singer because I split off with my band for a record."

Rhett Miller tour dates:

10/19: Chicago, Congress Theater
10/20: St. Louis, Mississippi Nights
10/21: Lawrence, KS, Liberty Hall
10/22: Green Bay, WI, Riverside Ballroom
10/24: Denver, Ogden Theater
10/25-26: Salt Lake City, Bricks
10/28: Seattle, Northgate Theater
10/29: Portland, OR, Crystal Ballroom
10/30: San Francisco, The Galleria
10/31: Los Angeles, Hollywood Palladium
11/1: Las Vegas, House of Blues
11/2: Tempe, AZ, Bash on Ash
11/5: Dallas, Gypsy Tea Room
11/6: Austin, Mercury Lounge
11/7: Houston, Fabulous Satellite Lounge
11/8: New Orleans, The Parish
11/9: Atlanta, The Roxy
11/11: Carrboro NC, Cat's Cradle
11/12: Washington, D.C., Black Cat
11/14: New York, Bowery Ballroom
11/15: Boston, Paradise Rock Club
11/16: Philadelphia, Theater of Living Arts
11/18: Toronto, Lee's Palace
11/19: Pittsburgh, PA, Rosebud
11/21: Chicago, Abbey Pub
11/23: Minneapolis, First Avenue

CHRISTINA SARACENO and COLIN DEVENISH
(October 17, 2002)