Kurt Vile & The Violators

Formerly best known for collaborating with Philadelphia noise-rockers The War On Drugs, American Kurt Vile's brilliant 2013 album Wakin on a Pretty Daze made him a major live draw in his own right. His lo-fi psychedelia and sunny, echo-sodden, eccentric folk-rock is something quite special, with a habit of hypnotically working over chord sequences over and over again while Vile lazily spools out his touching, down-home lyrics in a Dylanesque drawl. It's all cool as hell – and that's even before you find out that 'Kurt Vile' isn't even a stage name. Having raised his profile further with the b’lieve i'm goin down album, released a year ago in September, Vile now steps out with his long-standing backing band The Violators for a much-anticipated Tokyo show.