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VulgarGrad, that mysterious band of Russian criminals, are on tour in July – launching their long-awaited new album, King of Crooks. Fronted by Polish-born gravelly-voiced strongman and rough diamond of stage and screen, Jacek Koman (he belted out "Roxanne" in Baz Luhrmann’s film Moulin Rouge), VulgarGrad are the only band in the country that play music by, for, and about Russian thieves: raucous drinking songs, melancholy waltzes, manic oompah and hot swing from the Cold War.

Be prepared for a night of gun-slinging, vodka-swilling, foul-mouthed disorder, and watch out for the biggest, most triangular instrument around, the contrabass balalaika. Wear a stripy top, learn to swear in Russian, and you will dance or the trumpeter will shoot you.