Eclectic pop-rockers Cracker embark on a 10-date club tour Saturday in support

of their fourth LP, the critically heralded Gentleman's Blues.

"I enjoy touring. I enjoy playing shows. One of the great things about Cracker

that we've discovered is that we can just play shows all the time,"

singer/guitarist David Lowery said.

Beginning in their home state of Virginia with Saturday's show at the NRV

Speedway in Roanoke, the five-piece band -- fronted by Lowery -- will cycle

through the Midwest before shutting down with a Nov. 30 gig in Kingston, N.Y.

Consisting of Lowery, guitarist Johnny Hickman, drummer Frank Funaro, bassist

Bob Rupe and keyboardist Kenny Margolis, Cracker teamed with such guests

as guitarist Mike Campbell (Tom Petty), keyboardist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty)

and bassist Tommy Stinson (Perfect, Replacements) for the recording of

Gentleman's Blues, which features the moody single

HREF="http://media.addict.com/atn-bin/get-

music/Cracker/The_Good_Life.ram">"The Good Life" (RealAudio

excerpt).

Lowery formed Cracker after the 1989 breakup of the art-rock outfit Camper Van

Beethoven and quickly filled the airwaves with songs such as the modern-rock

radio hit

music/Cracker/Low.ram">"Low" (RealAudio excerpt), from the band's

second LP, 1993's Kerosene Hat.

Lowery, who recently served as co-producer of the folk-rock band Counting

Crows' upcoming third LP, said the Cracker road show is one of his favorite

parts of the rock 'n' roll game.

"We can play six or eight shows a month. It doesn't matter whether we have a

record out or not. And that becomes really fun," he said. "I really enjoy those

times."

Cracker Tour Dates:

Nov. 7; Roanoke, Va., NRV Speedway

Nov. 14; Denver, Colo., Ogden Theatre

Nov. 15; Lincoln, Neb., Guitars & Cadillacs

Nov. 17; Minneapolis, Minn., First Avenue

Nov. 18; Des Moines, Iowa, Super Toad

Nov. 19; Milwaukee, Wis., The Rave

Nov. 20; Chicago, Ill., Metro

Nov. 21; Columbus, Ohio, Mekka

Nov. 22; Pontiac, Mich., Clutch Cargo

Nov. 30; Kingston, N.Y., UPAC