Kevin Costner to play Starland

Kevin Costner -- yes, that Kevin Costner -- is ready to rock New Jersey! The actor and his band, Modern West, will be swinging by the Starland Ballroom on Friday, May 8, placing him alongside his "J.F.K." co-star Kevin Bacon and Juliette Lewis on the list of actors who have brought their musical side projects to the Sayreville club.

Tickets for the show, which was announced today on the Starland Ballroom's Web site, are $25, and for $65 you can get a VIP ticket which includes platform seating and a meet-and-greet session.

Costner, who won the best director and best picture honors at the 1992 Academy Awards for "Dances with Wolves," explained on the Modern West MySpace page why he decided to throw his hat into the musical ring.

"For a long time now I have felt the need to connect with people in a more meaningful way than just the autograph," Costner said. "I have found myself here and around the world in different situations where the only exchange has been just that ... a quick signature on the run usually followed by a ‘Gee, he's taller than I thought.'"

Costner showed off his writing and playing skills on "Untold Truths," his and Modern West's debut album, which was released last November. While disc probably won't set the world on fire, the five tracks on the band's MySpace page should make a pleasant listen for twang-minded folks whose favorite Bon Jovi track is "Who Says You Can't Go Home." In fact, one of the album's three singles, the fiddle-fueled "Superman 14," treads on the same stylistic ground as Bon Jovi's foray into country, even if it isn't packed with the same stadium-ready anthemic quality.

While Costner's voice isn't the strongest, it maintains that same affable everyman quality that made him a hit with audiences in films such as 1989's "Field of Dreams." In fact, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to picture some of the songs off of "Untold Truths" blaring from P.A. speakers at Ray Kinsella's backyard ball field in Iowa.