Pitchfork

Photo by James Cadden

My Bloody Valentine won't be the only 1990s icons fully reborn as an active live act in 2008: Portishead, fresh off a successful stint last month at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas festival they curated, have also put the touring cogs in motion.

The Bristol trio today announced nine gigs lined up for spring (plus their previously announced Primavera Sound appearance), with the promise of more to come. For now folks in the UK, Portugal, France, Spain, and Italy should consider themselves fortunate; the last time Portishead embarked on anything resembling a tour, my favorite bands were Third Eye Blind and Collective Soul.

One can only assume Beth, Geoff, and Adrian will use these shows to unveil more new material set to appear on the follow-up to 1997's Portishead, due in April on Island. What we've heard thus far has been promising, so color us stoked.

Portishead:

03-26 Porto, Portugal - Coliseum
03-27 Lisbon, Portugal - Coliseum
03-30 Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
03-31 Florence, Italy - Sashall
04-09 Manchester, England - Apollo
04-10 London, England - Hammersmith Apollo
04-11 Edinburgh, Scotland - Corn Exchange
04-13 Wolverhampton, England - Civic
05-05 Paris, France - Zenith
05-29-31 Barcelona, Spain - Parc del Fòrum (Primavera Sound)