The Decemberists announce handful of US dates

The Decemberists have announced that they will play a handful of US dates next year.

These will be the band's first shows since they were forced to cancel several dates on their 'Long And Short of It' tour earlier this year due to illness.

Colin Meloy and company are set to play two shows in their hometown of Portland, as well as two shows in Seattle in January.

In a posting on the band's website, they wrote: "We know this may be a small consolation to those of you outside of Portland and Seattle that had tickets to the fall tour, but the band has rested up, and was excited to play some dates close to home. These shows will be neither Longs nor Shorts, just good ol' fashioned Decemberists shows."

The tour dates are:

Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom (January 22, 23)
Seattle, WA Moore Theatre (30, 31)

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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