I hear the midwest is about to get Apollo Creed-ed with snow (yes, I just used a Rocky character in the future perfect tense. So what?). So rather than curling up by a soft focus fireplace with your brand new his and her Sunggies, why not take your Valentine to a free Kurt Vile instore?

Sunday February 14 @ 4pm
Landlocked Music
202 N. Walnut St.
Bloomington, IN
812 339 2574

And if your sweetie’s idea of romance isn’t spending the afternoon in a record store, then break up with them immediately and check out Kurt (with Fucked Up) that night at The Bluebird.

Though you’d be inclined to say we’re biased, we certainly cannot argue with J. Mascis’ listing Kurt Vile’s Childish Prodigy in his top picks for 2009. Following the kind plug, Dinosaur Jr. will be taking Kurt Vile & The Violators on tour this month:

• Fri-Jan-15 Milford, CT Daniel Street
• Sat-Jan-16 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
• Sun-Jan-17 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
• Tue-Jan-19 Ithaca, NY Castaways

And don’t forget that Kurt is poised to hit the road with Fucked Up in February:

• Fri-Feb-12 Oberlin, OH The ‘Sco (Dionysus Disco) / Oberlin College
• Sat-Feb-13 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
• Sun-Feb-14 Bloomington, IN The Video Saloon
• Mon-Feb-15 Cincinnati, OH Southgate House
• Tue-Feb-16 Baltimore, MD Otto Bar
• Wed-Feb-17 Philadelphia, PA The Barbary
• Thu-Feb-18 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
• Fri-Feb-19 Brooklyn, NY Europa
• Sat-Feb-20 Boston, MA Middle East
• Sun-Feb-21 Montreal, QUE La Sala Rossa
• Fri-Feb-26 Toronto, ONT Opera House

Finally, Kurt will be appearing in Philadelphia tomorrow, with the awesomely-returned Strapping Fieldhands

• Fri-Jan-08 Philadelphia, PA  Johnny Brenda’s

**photo culled from michael allen goldberg’s flickr

Friends, Romans, Chicagoans… forget what these guys say, there is no better way to nurse your New Years hangover than with a free instore.

Stop by Permanent Records at 2pm on the first day of the new decade for a very special solo instore by Kurt Vile.

Your friends at Permanent will be providing free pizza, dark beers, big bowls of Excedrin, Bloody Marys, Mimosas and sunglasses… everything you need to beat that throbbing hangover.

Permanent Records
1914 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, Il
773.278.1744

And don’t forget, Kurt is opening for The Black Keys at the Riviera on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (night).

Kurt’s on at 11pm, you lucky, lucky people.

There’s only one professional sports team that I dislike more than the Anaheim Promise-Keepers and that’s the hometown crew in pinstripes.

So as a Philly ex-pat living in New York, I’m more siked than most for the Fung Wa Bus series.

And like many in Philly, I’m on the Chooch Train.

While we’re pretty sure Kurt has not endorsed the following clip, I’m sure the kids over in Fishtown, out the Main Line and straight up Broad Street do.

I was fortunate enough to catch a white hot Kurt Vile & The Violators set in Portland Sunday evening (supported by the always impressive Eat Skull) and while KV&V’s expansive take on things is a full-fledged sensory experience, there’s something to be said for the subtle approach of Kurt solo, too.  And with that, we’ve got a couple of clips from The Fader, a version of “He’s Alright”, and the above performance of “Slow Talkers”, featuring a bit of crucial family history (thanks to Nils for the links)

(‘Childish Prodigy’, LP/CD or digital album available from The Matador Store)

Yes!

So today sees the Pitchfork TV premiere of the psychseizure video for KV’s “Freak Train” from the just-released “Childish Prodigy” (buy it here).

Also, by all means watch a bunch of old people rip on “Hunchback”. Almost as insightful as this review.

Not trick-or-treating at the end of the month? No worries. Along his current route, Kurt Vile is making a stop in Dallas for a very special Halloween extravaganza. Dress up for KV & The Violators, The Aquaholics, and Giggle Party– All Ages (but more fun if you’re 21+) @ The Lounge on Elm Street. He will be playing plenty of tracks off his new record, Childish Prodigy, which will be available to purchase!