Neutral Milk Hotel visionary Jeff Mangum is currently in the midst of his first tour in over ten years. The elusive songwriter started to retreat from the spotlight after the release of 1998’s seminal indie rock album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and only played Neutral Milk Hotel songs live a handful of times until last year. In early 2010, Mangum played a five-song set at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge at a Chris Knox benefit and this past December he played a stealth set in a Brooklyn loft. Mangum returned to the stage earlier this fall for a series of solo shows, including sets at Asbury Park, NJ’s All Tomorrow’s Parties and New York’s Town Hall.

This past weekend, Mangum headlined shows at Jersey City, NJ’s Lowes Jersey Theater and invited some additional collaborators to the stage. On both nights, Neutral Milk Hotel’s Scott Spillane and Elf Power’s Laura Carter emerged near the end of Mangum’s set to play horns on “April 8th.” Carter returned at the end of the set for “Ghost.” Last night, Mangum also hinted at a more formal Neutral Milk Hotel reunion by says that he hoped to return to the venue “with the band” so they could make use of the venue’s historic organ.

Mangum has added a slew of 2012 dates. Those dates can be found below. Mangum’s show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music will be his last New York area tour date for the foreseeable future.

January 18 New Haven, CT—Shubert Theater
January 20 Brooklyn, NY—Gilman Opera House at Brooklyn Academy of Music
January 25 Philadelphia, PA—Irvine Auditorium at University of Pennsylvania
January 27 Washington, DC—Lincoln Theatre
January 30 Chapel Hill, NC—Memorial Hall at University of North Carolina
February 01 Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse
February 04 Minneapolis, MN—Pantages Theatre
February 06 Chicago, IL—Athenaeum Theater
February 07 Chicago, IL—Athenaeum Theater
February 08 Milwaukee, WI—Pabst Theater
February 10 Athens, GA—40 Watt Club
February 11 Athens, GA—40 Watt Club
March 07 Dublin, IRE—Vicar Street
March 09 – Mar 11 Minehead, UK—All Tomorrow’s Parties Curated By Jeff Mangum
March 13 London, UK—Union Chapel (Rescheduled Date)
March 14 London, UK—Union Chapel (Rescheduled Date)