Portishead to perform live on TV October 5th, 2011 for the first time in 14 years

Though many have tried, still nobody sounds like Portishead.

Portishead play ATP followed by a U.S. tour which is the first time they’ve played live in the U.S. since 1998. While in New York City, playing 2 sold out nights at Hammerstein Ballroom, the band will perform live in the most unlikely of settings – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. This is the band’s first U.S. television appearance since performing on Saturday Night Live in January of 1998.

The trek kicks off at this year’s All Tomorrow’s Parties presentation, I’ll Be Your Mirror, Saturday October 1st and Sunday October 2nd, taking place in Asbury Park, N.J. Portishead co-curated these two days of the three-day fest.





According to Adrian Utley: “We’ve always thought that we must come back to tour in the states, something we wanted to do with the release of Third, but our schedule just wouldn’t allow it. Being that we were asked to curate I’ll be your Mirror, this just seemed like a good start to touring the states – it set’s it off in absolutely the right way. We are absolutely delighted to come back.”

After an eleven year hiatus, Portishead’s album Third, the long-awaited follow up to their 1997 self-titled release, debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart, received rave reviews. “‘Third’ is more polymorphous, more extreme, more propulsive and often harsher than previous Portishead albums” claimed New York Times. “…anyone can make abrasive music, but few can do something new and compelling with apocalyptic heaviness” wrote Spin Magazine.

And we agree; machine gun rhythms and blistered vocals co-mingle to create something both melancholic and utterly ignited, an incredible melodrama clawing through the haze of smoke, reaching for your solar plexus.

Joining Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley on stage are Jim Barr (bass), Clive Deamer(drums), and John Baggott (keyboards).

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