Sting [ tickets ] will mount a minimalist tour of North America next spring, during which he'll take the stage as part of a stripped-down, four-piece band.

Dubbed the Broken Music Tour, the outing is scheduled to begin on April 1 in San Jose, CA, and dates so far are scattered through the end of that month. More shows will be announced in the coming weeks; organizers say that the tour will hit dozens of college campuses, as well as cities and venues that Sting did not hit in 2004.

Joining singer/bassist Sting on stage during the run will be guitarist and longtime bandmate Dominic Miller, guitarist Shane Fontayne (Lone Justice, Bruce Springsteen) and drummer Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle).

Los Angeles-based rock group Phantom Planet [ tickets ] will hold down the tour's opening slot.

Tickets for a number of shows will hit the box office this weekend (12/4-5). Details are shown below.

Members of Sting's official fan club will be able to purchase tickets to "most shows" during a pre-sale that begins on Thursday (12/2), according to Sting's website. More information is available at the site.

Students will have access to special ticket pre-sales for all college-campus shows, with prices starting at $30.50 for general-admission seating on the floor, according to a press release.

Earlier this year, Sting toured the North American theater circuit behind his latest album, 2003's "Sacred Love." A co-headlining run with fellow singer Annie Lennox [ tickets ] followed, which touched down at amphitheaters and arenas in more than 40 North American cities between late June and mid-October.

"Sacred Love," Sting's 10th album, arrived in stores last September. The collection, which is the follow-up to 1999's "Brand New Day," features guest appearances from Vincente Amigo, Anoushaka Shankar and Mary J. Blige.