Fresh off a nine-week stint opening for The Black Crowes, Drive-By Truckers [ tickets ] have unveiled plans for a late-summer/early fall headlining run on the North American club and theater circuit.

The group kicks off the trip at the end of August, and is scheduled to hit 30 cities by the end of October. Details are included below.

Bobby Bare Jr. will hold down the opening slot during September, and The Drams will take over in October, according to a tour announcement from New West Records.

"[Guitarist] John Neff has been out with us for most of our shows this past year playing pedal steel, and he is confirmed for all of our fall dates," frontman Patterson Hood said in a statement. "The shows, which change every night (no set list) usually include songs from all seven of our albums and don't be too surprised if some new unreleased stuff gets played too. This should be our biggest and best tour ever."

Hood is looking forward to the transition from show-opener to headliner, according to a message he posted last week at his group's website.

"On the road, I’m generally grumpy and homesick except for the time spent on stage (the rest is 'hurry up and wait') and as opener that is only about 40 minutes a night (barely three hours a week actually Rocking)," he wrote, "whereas on our tour we will spend at least two and a half hours a night playing Rock Show which is why we're out here in the first place."

Drive-By Truckers are working the road behind their latest album, "A Blessing and a Curse," which surfaced in April. The set debuted at No. 50 on The Billboard 200 chart, and is the band's fastest-selling record to date, according to New West.

In addition to their imminent tour plans, Drive-By Truckers have also confirmed an early 2007 engagement aboard Jam Cruise 5, a five-day excursion that sets sail on Jan. 2 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. More information is available at the cruise's website.