PHOTOS BY ALEX CRICK

A crowd of no more than 300 gathered within the cozy confines of Seattle's Neumo's venue last night (Nov. 28) to catch indie rock troubadour Ben Kweller offer a light-hearted spin on songwriting for Miller Genuine Draft's final installment of the Craft. Donning a white Bermuda-style fedora, Kweller, with drummer Mark Stepro and bassist Chris Morrissey in tow, kicked the evening off with a very honest and playful performance of "The Rules." The NYC singer/songwriter also described his time with first band Radish ("I knew I didn't want to be in the limelight at 17. No one takes you seriously."), dished about his passion as a musician ("The Beatles got me into writing music …Nirvana really made me want to have a band."), and life on the road with 18-month-old son Dorian ("He's been on the road since he's been like a month old. We're a gypsy family. But he's just turning out to be such a strong little character.").

The evening climaxed when Kweller delivered a special solo performance of "On My Way," demonstrating the love of his craft as a songwriter. For Kweller, the necessity to write a song can come at anytime, from sitting at a piano in the Four Seasons hotel in Austin, TX during SXSW, to driving around the parking lot of a TJ Maxx after dropping off his wife Liz for some shopping, to writing several songs for his new album in his hotel room while touring Australia.

"It's so important to not over think it and just let it flow," he shared. "If I make something real, that's better. I thought it would be cool to treat it like a job, but that just doesn't work for me."

And family life isn't holding this musician down at all. "There's a lot I want to do," Kweller mused. "I want to produce other artists more. I want to write with other people more." And his ambitions extended beyond music; be sure to keep an eye out for Kweller's bass fishing success as well. He is even sponsored by Quantum Fishing. 

We asked: Before Ben Kweller started a solo career, he was the frontman of a band called Radish. Other musicians have also been involved with projects that didn't make it as big as they might've deserved -- what is your favorite project that should have made it big?

Name: Jordan Dobson
Age: 28
Hometown: Tacoma, WA
Occupation: Media designer
"The Rentals, but in reverse."

Name: Jessica White
Age: 29
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Nurse
"Ben Folds Five."

Name: Amanda Michelle
Age: 32
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Server
"Every band I've liked has taken off."

Name: Amber Dunlap
Age: 25
Hometown: Silverdale, WA
Occupation: Receptionist at a college
"Far and Jonah Matranga."

Name: Jonathon Dunlap
Age: 26
Hometown: Silverdale, WA
Occupation: Naval nuclear mechanic
"Radish. Ben Kweller is one of the artists I listened to during my time in the Navy."

Name: Erin Dekker
Age: 26
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Graphic designer
"The Blakes. They're at the cusp."

Name: Merrilee Curalli
Age: 26
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Marketing coordinator
"Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin."

Name: Farhad Tyabji
Age: 32
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Music promoter
"You don't usually hear about them. It is always one name and the band doesn't matter."

Ben Kweller shows off his 'Craft' / Photo by Alex Crick

Rockin' a fedora in style / Photo by Alex Crick

Kweller with moderator Warren Zanes / Photo by Alex Crick

The former Radish frontman sets the 'Rules' at Neumo's / Photo by Alex Crick