Portishead (Hammersmith Apollo) 10/04/08

Reclusive Bristol-band Portishead returned after a 10 year hiatus with an absolutely ripping (but thoroughly uncompromising) new album, which they gave a note perfect airing at this single London gig. It was a great peformance, but pretty unusual. Frontwoman Beth Gibbons barely moved the whole time (her silhouette, pictured below, was more interesting to look at), and there were unfortunate technical hitches that saw the band leave the stage for several minutes. Still, it was a rare opportunity to catch one of the truly great bands of my generation.

Setlist:
Silence
Hunter
Mysterons
The Rip
Glory Box
Numb
Magic Doors
Wandering Star
Machine Gun
Over
Sour Times
Nylon Smile
Cowboys

Encore:
Threads
Roads
We Carry On