Dave Matthews Band sets December tour dates

Dave Matthews Band will cap a new round of studio work with a quick tour scheduled to hit the road during the month of December, according to the band's official website.

The eleven-date itinerary, focused primarily on the northeastern U.S., will launch in Minneapolis and wind down in Philadelphia. Two-night stands are booked for Chicago's Allstate Arena and New York's Madison Square Garden.

Public ticket sales for all shows will begin on Oct. 28th, hours before the band plays the first of two nights as part of this year's Bridge School Benefit lineup. Advance ticketing through the band's fan club, subject to a lottery system, is already in effect.

Formal work on the band's next studio release began Oct. 9th, with Glen Ballard taking over the producer slot from longtime Matthews producer Steve Lillywhite. Ballard, whose resumé includes co-writing and production credits on Alanis Morissette's 16-times-platinum "Jagged Little Pill," will play a similar role on the new Matthews album.

According to MTV.com, Ballard and Matthews spent time writing together in Los Angeles prior to heading into the studio. Work on the album should wrap in November with plans for a January release, according to the report.