Jeff Mangum appears onstage with E6 friends, press flips

When it comes to Jeff Mangum, nothing gets by the eagle eyes of the indie-music media. As reported by Pitchfork, Stereogum, Idolator, your mother's dog (and assuredly many others), the Neutral Milk Hotel leader, who has been (with a couple exceptions) reclusive since the release of opus In The Aeroplane Over the Sea 10 years ago, appeared onstage with some old Elephant 6 pals this weekend in New York.

The Holiday Surprise tour features various members of that Athens, Ga. collective, including Julian Koster (Music Tapes, Chocolate USA), who has an all-saw Christmas album coming soon, Will Hart and Eric Harris (Olivia Tremor Control), Laura Carter (Elf Power) and Scott Spillane (E6 brassman). Mangum didn't play any NMH songs, but Koster and Spillane did perform "Fool" from Aeroplane. Check out videos below.

The tour continues tomorrow in Portland, Maine.

October
14 - Portland, Maine @ Space Gallery
15 - New Haven, Conn. @ The Space
16 - Purchase, N.Y. @ SUNY Purchase
17 - Rochester, N.Y. @ The Bug Jar
18 - Pittsburgh, Penn. @ Brillobox
19 - Columbus, Ohio @ Wexner Center
20 - Pontiac, Mich. @ Crofoot Pike Room
21 - Chicago, Ill. @ Bottom Lounge
22 - Bloomington, Ind. - Cinemat
23 - Lexington, Ky. @ University of Kentucky
25 - New York, N.Y. @ Mercury Lounge (only Music Tapes)

Mangum playing with Olivia Tremor Control on "The Arrow Flies Close":