Decemberists set to kick off long summer tour

Quirky indie popsters The Decemberists will hit the stage July 17 at the Intonation Festival in Chicago, marking the start of a busy summer of dates for the Portland, OR-based group.

The tour comes on the heels of the band's third full-length album, 2005's "Picaresque," which was recorded inside an old church in Portland last year.

"On the surface it could be seen as somewhat ambitious," relates singer, guitarist and lyricist Colin Meloy in a press release, "I mean, in rock mythology you have Led Zeppelin recording in castles and other such tales… but there is a really nice simplicity to just setting up in the chapel of a church. It's just one wide-open space. It feels less clinical and time-constrained than a formal studio."

The group will be participating in several festivals during the course of their summer tour, including Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival and the Austin City Limits Festival in Austin, TX, both in September.

The Decemberists finish up their tour schedule with an appearance Oct. 30 at the New Orleans Voodoo Festival.