U.S. fans who've waited more than a decade to see Portishead live -- and don't wish to wait any longer -- might want to consider going to Southern California for the band's Coachella show this Saturday. The Bristol trip-hop group will do a small rehearsal gig in L.A. Thursday night, but band members Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley tell Spinner the band won't be back to play the States this year.

"The touring thing is stressful and I understand why we were so thrashed by the end of '98," Utley says. "It's a relentless world, really. Also, it's that kind of thing Charlie Watts was saying about being with the Stones -- what is it,' 50 years of touring, 30 years hanging about and 20 years playing.' It's just a f---ing waste of time, staying in hotels and kicking around bored. I don't like that. We might play some dates next year. But to get back and make some music in the studio is what we want to do."

Given that it might be a while before the group returns Stateside, Utley is glad it worked out for the group to finally play in the desert. "I seem to remember that every year for the last five years, we've been approached by the guys at Coachella to come and play," he says. "But as much as we've wanted to, it would be pointless. We'd have no band, we haven't rehearsed, our equipment is scattered, we're in studio making a record -- it would just be wrong. But this year it was right and it coincides with the release of our record. We're slightly nervous because if you don't have the sound right, then it's really difficult. [But we're] looking forward to it."