The Return Of Neutral Milk Hotel – Long-Lost Band To Reunite

Well today was the day that indie-rock fans had been hoping for ever since the reclusive Jeff Mangum returned to performing live and touring back in 2011, as it was announced that Neutral Milk Hotel will be reuniting for a series of shows later this year. The influential Athens, Georgia-based band, who only released two full-length studio albums, including the much revered In the Aeroplane over the Sea, have been on “hiatus” since 1998. The group, which will feature Mangum, Scott Spillane, Julian Koster and Jeremy Barnes, currently have five scheduled shows, with additional gigs being strongly hinted at according to the following message on their website, “More to come and love and respect to all who were there to see Jeff play over the last year!”

The current tour, as it stands, will feature a pair of hometown shows at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, as well as a gig at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville, North Carolina, and a pair of shows in Taiwan  and Japan. Daniel Johnston, Elf Power and Half Japanese will serve as opening acts, with a portion of the concert proceeds donated to the charity Children of the Blue Sky as well as others “in need.”

Here is the current full slate of tour dates…

Oct. 22: 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA
Oct. 23: 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA
Oct. 25: Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – Asheville, NC
Nov. 28: Hostess Club Festival – Taipei, TW
Dec. 1: Hostess Club Festival – Tokyo, JP