Castlemaine State Festival, one of Australia’s most important regional arts festivals, will return to the creative capital of central Victoria from 24 March to 9 April 2023.
Kurt Vile & the Violators have just been announced as headliners for Castlemaine State Festival 2023 on April 7, along with a Melbourne headline show at Northcote Theatre on April 5. These new shows add to his already announced full-band Australian tour.
The full 2023 Castlemaine State Festival program will be announced on Saturday, 28 January, 2023.
Kurt Vile and the Violators
- March 28 – Fremantle, Fremantle Arts Centre
- March 30 – Canberra, Kambri @ ANU
- March 31 -Sydney, Sydney Opera House
- April 1 – Bambra, Meadow Festival Victoria
- April 3 -Brisbane, The Princess Theatre
- April 5 – Melbourne, Northcote Theatre (new show)
- April 7 – Castlemaine, Castlemaine State Festival (new show)
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Over a couple of decades, Kurt Vile has perfected his own strand of blissed-out guitar rock, balancing catchiness with being “fried,” as he likes to put it. Fresh from an acclaimed new album (watch my moves) via Verve Records / Virgin Music Australia, and a whirlwind Australian trip which saw him share the stage with long-time pal and collaborator Courtney Barnett, opening for Nick Cave and Warren Ellis at Hanging Rock, Kurt Vile brings his slow-burnin’, free-wheelin’ jams back to Australia for a full band tour.
Kurt recorded (watch my moves) in his home studio in Philly’s Mount Airy neighbourhood of Philadelphia, with help from longtime collaborator Rob Schnapf (Richard Thompson, Elliott Smith). Across the record, which includes 14 originals as well as a version of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Wages of Sin’, Vile pulls his talents in unexpected directions, resulting in a vibrant, yet meditative album propelled by his trademark laid-back charm and curious spirit. The album’s artwork features Kurt’s daughters Delphine and Awilda, who recently joined their dad for a festive version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Must Be Santa’.
Reflecting on the record, Vile shared: “When Waylon Jennings became an outlaw country artist, he liked to record at Hillbilly Central, which was Tompall Glaser’s studio. OKV Central is my version of that in Mount Airy. I’ve come into my own here, and at the same time I’m getting back to my home-recording roots,” and continues, “It’s about songwriting. It’s about lyrics. It’s about being the master of all domains in the music. I’m always thinking about catchy music, even though it’s fried, or sizzled, out. It’s my own version of a classic thing—it’s moving forward and backward at the same time.”
In addition to Schnapf, Vile’s longtime band, The Violators and James Stewart, the album features special guests Chastity Belt, Cate Le Bon and percussionists Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint, Courtney Barnett) and Sarah Jones (Hot Chip, Harry Styles). (watch my moves) is Vile’s ninth solo full-length studio album and first since 2018’s Bottle It In.
In addition to his solo work, Vile has collaborated with numerous artists including John Prine, Courtney Barnett, The War on Drugs, The Sadies and more, and is featured on 2021 compilation I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Vile lives in the Mount Airy neighbourhood with his wife and two daughters.
Castlemaine State Festival runs from 24 March to 9 April 2023 in Castlemaine, Victoria. Find out more here.
