Underworld Bring Sculptures, 'Monty Python' Stateside

Months away from releasing 'Oblivion With Bells,' the latest album from British electronic stalwarts Underworld, the dance duo have hit the road in Europe for a string of dates. While the combo are known for their intense tour extras, which often incorporate films, don't ask frontman Karl Hyde to tell you about the new live set up. The descriptions, he sighs, defy words.

"You've got to go on YouTube," he laughs to Spinner. "We've improvised as always. We're trying to do more than the 90 minutes festivals usually allow us to do because there's so much material people want to hear."

Beyond the songs, Hyde said the two have re-teamed with Tomato, who are used to making multi-media presentations for Underworld's live set. They've also got some "improvised sculptural things going on," Hyde notes, leaving Spinner, super-perplexed.

"You sit in a room and go, 'How do you fill this space with three-dimensional stuff you can take around the world?'" he continues. "You start looking at ideas with inflatable structures and how you can improve those inflatable structures so it's not the same thing every night."

U.S. fans who don't want to bother with cell phone camera Internet videos of current Underworld shows, can figure out exactly what "improvised sculptural" things are, when the duo bring their new set and new songs, stateside, this fall.

Among the places their tour will stop? The world famous, Hollywood Bowl, the band's first visit. "It was funny 'cos as a kid in the '60s I had a Fender instrument catalog and there was a happy couple [in it] running up the steps of the Hollywood Bowl," Hyde happily recalls.

The historic venue, which has hosted the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, John Williams and dozens of other musical legends, hasn't lost its affect on Underworld, who are still enthralled to visit such places. "You can't help but be excited when you play there," he said.

And at that L.A. stop, the band may add an extra bit to their live routine -- one slightly less electronic and borrowed from Eric Idle and company. "'Monty Python!'" he laughs. "We've gotta do the ['Python'] sketch. Gotta get that in there."