Since his initial solo release, Constant Hitmaker, in 2008, Kurt Vile has spent the last decade on an upward ascent as one of rock’s most captivating frontmen, guitarists, and songwriters. Growing up as one of ten children in Philadelphia, Vile taught himself how to play guitar on a banjo given to him by his bluegrass-loving father. After years of creating and releasing lo-fi self-recordings, Vile signed to Matador Records in 2009, and has found a triumphant home within the label’s storied roster. Backed by The Violators, Vile’s subsequent releases (Childish Prodigy, Smoke Ring For My Halo, Wakin on a Pretty Daze, and b’lieve I’m goin down….) establish a formidable catalog made up of songs vivid and ecstatic, sun-dappled and reflective, strung-out and barnstorming, with gorgeous finger-picking, heavy guitar workouts, and dreamy, expansive compositions that would have sounded great 30 years ago, sound great today, and will sound great 30 years from now.

Kurt Vile has been seen and heard on television sets across the country on the late night circuit (Colbert, Letterman, Conan, etc), as an animated singing squirrel on HBO’s ‘Animals,’ on IFC’s Christmas special, covering the ‘Squidbillies’ theme song, and as an answer on ‘Jeopardy.’ He has collaborated with artists including Courtney Barnett, Cyndi Lauper, J Mascis, Kim Gordon, Hope Sandoval, John Prine, John Cale, and Warpaint (not to mention the Philadelphia Eagles’ Connor Barwin!), and has toured the world several times over. With hundreds of thousands of records sold and a day named in his honor in Philadelphia, Kurt Vile’s 2018 promises a boundless ascendancy in the next leg of his beloved and storied career.

19:00 doors
20:00 Jorge Elbrecht
21:10 Kurt Vile & The Violators