Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile team up for tour, collaborative album

After images of Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile in the studio together emerged, tongues were a-wagging. Speculate no more, as the pair have confirmed they’ve recorded a collaborative album together - set for release later this year - and they’ll be touring the US and Canada this autumn. They’ll come backed with the all-star band ‘The Sea Lice’, members of which include Janet Weiss, Stella Mozgawa, and Katie Harkin. “In 2014 I scored a support slot opening for Kurt at the Abbotsford Convent [outside Melbourne],” says Courtney. “We met briefly after the show but I was a bit nervous and didn’t wanna bother him, just grateful for the gig. Years later we started bumping into each other on the festival circuit all around the wide world and we became friends. He hit me up when he was coming to Melbourne next and said he thought we could work together.” Kurt adds: “I just love her voice in general… great lyrics of course… I love all her music but the song that really hit me was ‘Depreston’ — I know it’s popular but her voice is so good in that song and it’s so pretty and sincere… I’m a sucker for that kinda song: instant classic. It started out as, maybe we’ll do a split 7” together but then I figured let’s make it a 12” so it doesn’t get lost in the world, shoot for 5 songs. It wasn’t until I had another KV tour booked for the following summer in Oz that we thought we should record as much as we can, just see what happens, no major goal to make it a full length, but it came together that way ‘cause the vibe was so strong with everyone.” The US tour features Jen Cloher in support, and $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to support the ACLU. The dates are: OCTOBER 11 San Diego House of Blues 14 Los Angeles Cathedral 15 Los Angeles Orpheum 18 Oakland Fox Theatre 20 Portland Arlene Schnitzer 21 Seattle The Moore 22 Seattle Showbox 25 St. Paul Palace Theatre 26 Chicago Rockefeller Chapel 27 Chicago Thalia Hall 28 Chicago Empty Bottle 30 Detroit Royal Oak Theatre 31 Toronto Massey Hall NOVEMBER 1 New York Beacon Theatre 3 Philadelphia Tower Theatre 4 Boston Orpheum 9 Nashville The Ryman 10 Dallas McFarlin Memorial 11 Austin Moody Theatre