This year's Badger Blowout Concert will feature Ben Kweller performing live at the Orpheum tonight in the main event of UW's weeklong All-Campus Party.

I must say that I am completely stoked. I clearly remember my first encounter with Ben Kweller: I was at a friend's house, prank calling boys, or whatever it is groups of 15-year-old girls do, when I noticed a new poster my friend had on her wall. It depicted a goofy-looking kid wearing an Elmer Fudd hat and brushing his teeth.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"That's Ben Kweller," she said. "Duh."

Duh, indeed. To avoid further embarrassment, I went right out and bought Sha Sha, Kweller's 2002 breakout album. Sha Sha is an upbeat, witty album that features Kweller's endearing, almost-on-pitch vocals as he sings about the life and loves of an earnest slacker. Kweller writes offbeat lyrics about offbeat girls, a perfect example being the impossibly catchy chorus of "Wasted & Ready": "Sex reminds her of eating spaghetti/ I am wasted, but I'm ready." All 11 tracks of Sha Sha come together to create a bright, happy, soundtrack-to-your-life feel that has become Kweller's signature sound.

Kweller's sophomore album, On My Way, follows suit, laying on the goofball charm as he croons over piano ballads and folksy guitar riffs. In 2006, Kweller's self-titled third album was released, showcasing a sound that was more or less the sum of what his last two albums had contributed to the music world. However, one significant difference is that Ben Kweller is the ultimate solo album; Kweller plays every instrument on the album himself.

Concertgoers can expect an adorable Kweller doing all his own stunts: At past shows, he has played piano, guitar, harmonica — you name it. Anyone who enjoys Ben Folds' music will most likely appreciate Kweller's performance, even if he doesn't stand up and physically freak out on his piano the way Folds often does. The geeky party anthem and most well-known single "Wasted & Ready" will probably draw hoots of recognition from the crowd, while diehard Kwellerheads will revel in the live sounds of lesser known songs like the heartfelt "Lizzy," which was written for Kweller's wife.

While last year's All-Campus Party featured rapper Common performing at the Field House, this year's concert has been moved to the Orpheum Theatre on State Street.

"The Orpheum hosts shows featuring artists comparable to Ben Kweller all the time, so it really was a perfect fit," said Cole Stockheimer, Badger Blowout Concert co-chair. "The thing we're really looking forward to is using the Orpheum's tighter quarters to create a party atmosphere versus the more spacious Field House, where it sometimes looked a bit empty."

The All-Campus Party is a campus-wide celebration featuring free and alcohol-alternative events that runs from April 21-28.

"This year we hope to make our end-of-the-year celebration bigger and more memorable than years past," Stockheimer said. "We want everyone to be able to kick back and appreciate Madison and the campus community for a little while, before the end of the semester sneaks up on us."

And why feature Ben Kweller? "Each year we want to switch up the genres of artists that we bring in, so as to be as inclusive as possible," said Becky Zaccard, ACP co-director. "Last year we brought in Common, a popular hip-hop artist, but we switched it up this year to hopefully reach a different part of campus."

The show starts at 7 p.m., so don't miss your chance to rock out to Ben Kweller for free Thursday night at the Orpheum. Duh!