Ever mindful of the current economic crisis, political punk rockers Against Me! are helping out their cash-strapped fans by charging $10 a ticket on their upcoming tour. "We wanted to play small places and keep it low key," frontman Tom Gabel tells Spinner. "With the economy and bailouts and the news scaring the s--- out of you, we wanted people to come out and be able to afford it, no matter what."

The reasons for the 16-date tour of the Southeast go beyond that, however. "We've been home for four or five months, practicing and working on the new record," Gabel says. "We need a break from that routine to get out on the road, try out some new songs and blow off some steam." The band previewed the tour a few weeks ago in Gainesville, performing under the name Gift Certificate, mixing five new songs with tracks from their earlier albums. "The first time we played under that name, we only did new songs," Gabel says. "If it was up to me, I would play nothing but new stuff every night, but I think some people wouldn't be so happy."

Gabel says the band has over 15 songs that are ready to be road tested and he promises a different sound than their previous albums. "It's actually a rap record. If Lil Wayne can do rock, we can do hip hop," he jokes. "Really, we've tried to come at it from a different angle sonically, melodically and lyrically. I've been taking piano lessons for three months, so I'm trying to work that in." Adding that he thinks the record has "a lot of Florida in it," Gabel cites the state's collapsing real estate market as inspiration. "My mother lives in Naples, where I grew up, and the amount of housing growth you'd see in a month was astonishing," he says. "Knowing now that it wasn't good and seeing how the area is affected has been eye-opening."

The band has also been directly affected by the economy in recent years. "On the Warped Tour last summer, we spent over $20,000 on gas, which is just f---ing insane," Gabel says. "I feel like most fans don't realize how much you have to spend."

The band hopes to hit the studio in June with producer Butch Vig, who helmed 2007's 'New Wave.' The tour kicks off Saturday night in Gainesville.