Portishead finish 2008

There will be no more shows this year

10 June 2008 - Fans of Portishead who have already missed out on their run of shows in 2008 will be disappointed to hear that the band are not planning any more gigs in the next 6 months.

Adrian Utley said: "I don't think we are going to be doing any more gigs this year no, but we'll possibly do some next year."

The Bristol band's ever-growing popularity was highlighted by the extensive queues outside a recent gig at The Forum in Barcelona, where they also encountered a stage invasion during the gig.

Utley told 6 Music:  "I have to take responsibility slightly for instigating it, because there were no barriers or anything and Beth had run out into the audience and there were people everywhere and I just thought 'let's just make it into mayhem and it will be brilliant', and it was."

"Thom sounds beautiful singing it, it was amazing, such a buzz."
Adrian Utley

Radiohead cover Portishead

Their new album Third has been well-received.  Even Radiohead have been covering the new single The Rip in their sound checks and Utley told us how he heard the news.

He said: "I know because Colin from the band emailed me to say they had been playing it and that they'd put it up on their site of them playing it in the dressing room - Thom and Johnny.

"Thom sounds beautiful singing it, it was amazing, such a buzz."

Watch the video of Radiohead's version of The Rip here

The Portishead guitarist also told 6 Music how flattered and relieved he was at the reception of their new material.

"It was very affirming and after four years of being in the darkness it's really cool to actually make a record and let it go really," he said, "it's like making a paper boat and just letting it go and seeing where it ends up."

Even though Portishead will not be gracing any stages for the remainder of 2008, Utley assured us that fans won't have to wait as long as their ten year hiatus, for the next record:

"I'll be sixty if you have to wait that long and we can't have that."

Georgie Rogers