With his latest “solo album” (god knows what all those Bright Eyes records were, then) Conor Oberst perpetuating the myth of the gas-guzzling, trouble-ditching, ramblin’ man in search for meaning and purpose on the open desert road; our 28-year-old folk rock hero can’t stop rambin’ now! With a whole mess of bold statements to make good on (“There’s nothin’ that the road cannot heal,” he sings on one of his latest Dylan-channelers), Oberst has no choice but to press-on down the line. With any luck, he’ll be touring on a motorcycle.

Currently in Europe with his Mystic Valley Band in tow (that’s an awful lot of sidecars), the famously troubled troubadour has just announced an additional run of U.S. dates this fall that will kick off in Honolulu in October and take him all the way through to late November in New Orleans, which should be more than enough time for him to heal his achin’ soul . . . uh . . . from, from you know . . . all that money and fame and rock n’ roll fun he’s been saddled with all these years. Oh, and he’d better not be stopping at any bed n’ breakfasts along the way, damn it! Cuz his cred is really on the line here, don’t you think?

Let’s go to the map:

09.20.08 - Omaha, NE - Anchor Inn* 09.21.08 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium* 09.22.08 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre* 09.23.08 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge* 09.24.08 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric* 09.25.08 - Tulsa, TX - Cain’s Ballroom* 09.27.08 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits 09.28.08 - Austin, TX La Zona Rosa.ACL After Show*% 10.02.08 - Melbourne, AUS - The Palace 10.03.08 - Brisbane, AUS - Tivoli 10.04.08 - Sydney, AUS - Enmore 10.07.08 - Honolulu, Hawaii - Pipeline Café 10.16.08 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre 10.17.08 - Taos, NM - KTAO Solar Center 10.18.08 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre 10.19.08 - San Diego, CA - SOMA 10.21.08 - Los Angeles, CA Music Box - Fonda 10.21.08 - Los Angeles, CA Music Box - Fonda 10.23.08 - Visalia, CA - Fox Theatre 10.24.08 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield 10.25.08 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom* 10.26.08 - Seattle, WA - Showbox - Market* 10.29.08 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue 10.30.08 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall 10.31.08 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre 11.01.08 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre 11.02.08 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre 11.05.08 - Boston, MA - The Roxy 11.06.08 - Northampton, MA - Academy of Music 11.07.08 - Grantham, PA - Messiah College 11.08.08 - New York, NY - Terminal 5 11.09.08 - New York, NY Terminal 5 11.10.08 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club 11.12.08 - Richmond, VA - The National 11.13.08 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel 11.14.08 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse 11.15.08 - Hilton Head Island, SC - Shoreline Ballroom 11.16.08 - Orlando, FL - Anti*Pop Music Festival 08 11.18.08 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room 11.19.08 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Landing 11.20.08 - New Orleans, LA - The Republic

* Jenny Lewis
% M. Ward