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Portishead @ Hammerstein Ballroom (night 1 pics & setlist)

photos by Erez Avissar

“Seriously that was one off the bucket list right there.” – Ben Ha-Meen

“portishead stands as the best show ive ever seen ” – bryce segall

“Best show I’ve been to in a very long time.” – Chris Denman

“Oh man, Portishead was freaking ridiculous tonight. Holy shit. That is some baby making, ecstacy popping shit right there.” – Notorious K.I.M.

“Portishead was a religious experience #portishead” – Chelse D

“Portishead killed me. I cried like an idiot. An unforgettable performance…” – Marine

Portishead

“On our last tour it collapsed because of personal things, not between the band, but relationships, divorces,” Geoff Barrow told BBC 6 Music news.

“We hadn’t stopped since [debut album] Dummy,” he said, “but it’s fine now.”

However, producer and instrumentalist Barrow admitted the band’s complex, claustrophobic sound often proved a headache to recreate live.

“We have to take out lots of old gear and it’s like a jigsaw puzzle, trying to get the right sound,” he said.

“It’s not like we are pushing ‘go’ on a computer and singing along to it. It’s something a bit more interesting than just straight up rock bands or dance acts.”

Portishead achieved overnight success with Dummy, which won the Mercury Music Prize in 1995 with its eerie electronic soundscapes, haunted by Beth Gibbons tremulous vocals.

They followed it up with a grainier, self-titled album in 1997, featuring the top 10 hit All Mine – later covered by Tom Jones.

But the band appeared to split up in the wake of their 1998 US tour, releasing several side projects and producing music for other bands.

However, after making a return to the Portishead name in 2008, they recently confirmed they would start work on a fourth album in January 2012.[BBC]

After two shows at ATP in Asbury Park, Portishead finally made their official return to NYC at Hammerstein Ballroom last night (10/4). Here are some pictures from the amazing show which was their first of two in Manhattan.

The setlists so far have varied by like one song each night. Their 90-minute, 15-song Hammerstein performance began at 9:30pm after a set by their tour-mate Thought Forms. They do it again tonight which is also when they appear on Fallon. Here are some pictures from the first night.

More pictures and the setlist from last night below…

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Portishead Concert Setlist at Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, NY, USA on October 4, 2011

Silence
Hunter
Mysterons
The Rip
Sour Times
Magic Doors
Wandering Star
Machine Gun
Over
Glory Box
Chase The Tear
Cowboys
Threads

Encore:
Roads
We Carry On