April 27, 2008 11:58

Portishead deliver stunning Coachella set

They give their first US show in a decade

Portishead put on a stunning performance at the Coachella Festival tonight (April 26) at their first official US show in nearly a decade.

The band adeptly blended new and old material during their set, illustrating how their groundbreaking sound has evolved over the years. They kicked off with 'Silence', the first track off their forthcoming album 'Third', and segued into 'Mysterons', the opening track from their 1994 debut album 'Dummy'.

The massive main stage crowd raised their cameras into the air to capture set highlights including 'Sour Times', and a heart-wrenching rendition of 'Wandering Star' that saw singer Beth Gibbons pouring her heart out into her vocals while hunched over the microphone.

Mastermind Geoff Barrow alternated between drums, electronic equipment and turntables, with a four-piece band rounding out their sound.

A grainy black-and-white video display contributed to the moody atmosphere of their hour-long set.

Earlier in the day, Barrow told NME.COM that he was disappointed the band had to cut five songs from their set to make way for headliner Prince, who performed immediately after Portishead.

Barrow also said that Coachella will be Portishead's only US performance this year.

Portishead played:

'Silence'
'Mysterons'
'The Rip'
'Glory Box'
'Wandering Star'
'Machine Gun'
'Over'
'Sour Times'
'Cowboys'
'Threads'
'Roads'
'We Carry On'

Stay tuned to NME.COM for complete coverage of the Coachella Festival with news, blogs and photos throughout the weekend.