Kurt Vile to play shows

AMERICAN singer-songwriter Kurt Vile has announced that he will be performing his first solo shows in New Zealand.

The former member of indie rock band The War on Drugs will perform at Wellington’s San Fran on Wednesday, January 13.

He will also play at the Sherwood Hotel in Queenstown on January 14 and the Chicks Hotel in Dunedin on January 15.

Vile has previously appeared at the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, and was due to perform at the McLaren Valley Festival near Tauranga.

That festival has now been moved to a central Auckland location on January 11 and 12.

American Grantland magazine has compared Vile to Neil Young.

‘‘The most authentic link between Vile and Young is the way in which they freely commingle pathos and goofiness in their songs, resulting in a tonal messiness that feels like real life,’’ the magazine said.

In its best new music review, Pitchfork said: ‘‘Like Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan, Vile’s singing voice has acquired an unstable accent of indeterminate origin that shifts to suit his musical decisions, rather than connecting to genre or region or even his own upbringing.’’

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday October 27 via Dash Tickets and Under The Radar.