James Blackshaw: CANCELLED

On the Young Gods Record website, Swans frontman Michael Gira – hardly what you'd call the soppiest of types – reveals that he was moved to tears while listening to the music of James Blackshaw on his car stereo. Such is the power of this still-youthful acoustic guitarist, a 12-string virtuoso who takes his cue from earlier fingerstyle maestros such as Robbie Basho and John Fahey. After playing the support slot for Swans in Tokyo, Blackshaw is getting his own headlining date here, joined by bedsit singer-songwriter Kenichi Fumoto.