Tag Archives: Portugal. The Man

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Just Passing Through

January 18th, 2012

Portugal. The Man – The Bowery Ballroom – January 17, 2012

(Photo: Gregg Greenwood)

On top of all the other things that make New York City a AAA-rated live-music town is that it’s a place you often have to go through on your way to somewhere else. So, as the guys in Portland, Ore.-based Portugal. The Man ready to cross the ocean to support the Black Keys in Europe and play some festivals and dates in Australia, they found themselves in town, and what better way to spend time here than with a couple warm-up shows? Tuesday night’s gig at The Bowery Ballroom was a free event put on by Pandora for lucky die-hards, the second event of what the Internet radio station hopes will be many to link fans with the bands they “click through” on Pandora.

As the show launched with a short spasm of instrumental jamming, it appeared that the sponsor of the night was a perfect one. The set proceeded like a Pandora station with stream-of-consciousness linking of genres and influences. The band bubbled up some straight rock, punk, reggae and plenty of are-we-on-acid psychedelia, dropping in covers of the Beatles, Oasis and Mott the Hoople’s “All the Young Dudes” while always maintaining their unique Portugal. The Man-ness. The first thirty minutes were a continuous in-your-face block of interlaced songs, tight jams, flashing lights and smoke machines. And when it seemed the energy couldn’t get any higher, the show settled into a nice groove, as the band highlighted songs from its entire catalog, with particular emphasis on the The Satanic Satanist and In the Mountain, in the Cloud albums.

Frontman John Gourley complained of rustiness: his hands ached after “not playing guitar all winter” (has winter even started yet?), and there were a few forgotten lyrics and bumpy finishes along the way. But the lucky attendees in the crowd barely noticed or seemed to care as they matched the band’s energy for a nonstop 90-minute show that felt like three hours and still plenty short. If this was just the warm-up, Portugal. The Man is undoubtedly ready to take on the world. —A. Stein

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Portugal. The Man Slays Terminal 5

October 21st, 2011

Portugal. The Man – Terminal 5 – October 20, 2011


Lots of bands play New York City. Probably a zillion of them this week for CMJ alone. But not all of them do New York City the way Portugal. The Man does, with extra shows and secret sets that you’re likely to miss if you’re not paying attention. Already this week has seen two intimate acoustic sets in the same afternoon around town. So when playing their biggest headlining show to date at Terminal 5 last night, there was little doubt that it would be more than just another show.

Taking the stage in a cloud of smoke, the band opened with “So American” off their newest album, In the Mountain in the Cloud. Instead of continuing with new material, the band ripped through 30 minutes of older stuff (like “AKA M80 the Wolf”), strobe-light-induced jams and an in-your-face cover of the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” before even touching another new track. From there, the band zigzagged through their catalog, barely pausing for breath.

Portugal. The Man was a dichotomy in action, the Young Lady or an Old Hag? illusion. Is this a band that plays irresistible pop songs that had the entire room singing along to every chorus or is it one that turns its back on the audience, letting itself get lost in the smoke and lights with dragon-slaying guitar? Were those psychedelic orbs populating the stage oversize ping-pong balls succumbing to gravity’s will or were they bubbles escaping to the sky? After a 100-minute set of Portugal. The Man doing New York City like few do, including a five-song encore (that included the clever coupling of their “People Say” into a cover of its musical cousin Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger”), the answer of course is: either. Or both. Depends on how you look at it. —A. Stein

Photos courtesy of Greg Aiello | www.ga-photos.com

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Portugal. The Man Plays Biggest Show to Date

June 6th, 2011

Portugal. The Man – Webster Hall – June 3, 2011


Portugal. The Man’s sold-out show at Webster Hall, in anticipation of their new album, In the Mountain in the Cloud, certainly didn’t disappoint the fans. In fact, everyone in the audience looked like they were worshipping the band. People sang along so loud that I’m sure their voices will be shot for three days. The show opened with a video montage that showcased frontman John Baldwin Gurley roughing it in the great outdoors and closed with him tripping and shooting himself in the face. And nothing really spells anticipation like a good old shot in the face.

PTM brought it, playing both older and newer songs, displaying their range and growth. For instance, “The Woods,” off 2009’s The Satanic Satanist, highlighted the band’s tendency to go with psychedelic ballads while “Bellies Are Full,” from 2007’s Church Mouth, leaned more toward a catchy rock song. Gurley’s soothing voice is forceful with many delicate layers to it. But this band isn’t just about the singer. Ryan Neighbors held it down on keys, creating a sweet presence against the rhythm of Jason Sechrist’s awesomely furious drumming and Zachary Scott’s depth on bass. The encore, “And I,” off 2008’s Censored Colors, was completely ablaze and a great example of how Portugal. The Man can be chill and melodic at one moment and then launch into a full-out jam frenzy the next.

Going to a Portugal. The Man show is like getting lost in an awesome foggy haze. They come at you with a calm confidence, but like with a ticking bomb, you just never know when these guys are going to explode. The group easily drifts from a quiet serenade into straight-up explosive rock. Unlike some artists who get onstage and just expect their presence to be enough, these guys make their presence known. You know dudes are rocking it when there is legit sweat dripping through their shirts. —Kristen Ferreira

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Scenes from the IFC Crossroads House

March 17th, 2011

Portugal. The Man - IFC Crossroads House - March 16, 2011


Photos Courtesy of Chris Reddish

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The House List Is Heading Back to SXSW

March 8th, 2011


March has begun, which means a few things: We change the clocks soon, the NCAA Tournament is fast approaching and The House List is headed back to SXSW next week. We’ll be setting up camp again at IFC’s Crossroads House on Sixth and Brazos, and we’ll be keeping you up to date with everything happening 3/16-18. We’ve got a great lineup of interviews and performances, including Brett Dennen, Portugal. The Man, Lupe Fiasco, Young the Giant, City and Colour, Little Dragon, Emmylou Harris, Fitz and the Tantrums, Liz Phair, Sharon Van Etten, the Rural Alberta Advantage and Wild Flag. And we’ll have links to live streams, interviews and plenty of photos. So make sure you tune in! In the meantime, check out Broken Social Scene, above, playing “Texico Bitches” at last year’s SXSW.

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Two Great Bands for the Price of None

July 6th, 2010

Portugal. The Man – The Beach at Governors Island – July 3, 2010

Portugal. The Man - The Beach at Governors Island - July 2, 2010

On a perfect preholiday Saturday night, The Beach at Governors Island was an urban oasis with Portugal. The Man—and show-opener Alberta Cross’s blazing fireworks display of crackling rock and roll—serving up the soundtrack. With the sun recently departed over the horizon, a light breeze blowing, sand from the Water Taxi Beach sticking to our toes, tap beer in hand and July 4th just a couple of hours away, it would seem like a radio-friendly red, white and blue set was in order for the headliner. But Portugal. The Man doesn’t paint in those shades, sticking instead to their Day-Glo, funked-out psychedelia.

From where I was standing, the tone of John Gourley’s guitar was a bit thin and under amplified, leaving Zachary Carothers’ bass and Ryan Neighbors’ keyboards to carry the music. This brought an extra-groovy underbelly to early-set versions of “How the Leopard Got Its Spots” and “The Sun.” Gourley’s voice, though, was the dominant element in the mix, crisply carrying across the crowd, over the river to Manhattan and back.

The band didn’t shy away from any open-ended rocking out, turning their backs to the audience and ripping through a fuzzy jam on nearly every song. The show ended with the pairing of the near-perfect “People Say” segueing into “AKA M80 the Wolf,” both of which had the ready-for-the-long-weekend crowd belting out the chorus rock-anthem style. The vocals took center stage for the encore, with the quartet singing moving versions of “Created” and “1989” before sending us back across the water to the real world again. —A. Stein

Photos courtesy of Sean O’Kane | seanokanephoto.com

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Free Music in the Sand This Weekend

July 2nd, 2010

With sunny skies ahead all weekend long, you’ll want to spend some quality time outdoors beneath the sun and stars, which works out perfectly since we’ve got two great FREE shows for you—one during the day and one at night—at The Beach at Governors Island this weekend.

SATURDAY

Tomorrow, the very cool experimental-rock band Portugal. The Man (above, performing “People Say” for Fuel TV) and badass Brooklyn blues-rockers Alberta Cross hit the stage as the first part of the Gone to Governors one-two Fourth of July weekend punch.

Governors Island Ferry Information Update

We encourage everyone to come early and enjoy The Beach. If you are on the island before the show tomorrow, get to The Beach venue by 5:30 p.m., at which time concert wristbands will be distributed. Governors Island ferries will run from the Battery Maritime Building until 5:30 p.m. There will be no boats to the concert departing from the Battery Maritime Building after 5:30 p.m. Dedicated concert ferries will depart after 5:30 p.m. from Pier 11, located at the corner of South Street and Wall Street in lower Manhattan. Wristbands will be distributed at the ferry departure point on a first-come, first-served basis, starting at 5:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

Before you head out to see the fireworks on Sunday night, start Fourth of July with your feet in the sand while checking out Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward’s She & Him (above, playing “In the Sun” on Late Show with David Letterman)—with Brooklyn’s Oakley Hall opening. This is a day show and The Beach opens at 10 a.m.—so come out and get your holiday started early. Please check here on Sunday for this show’s ferry information.

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Portugal. The Man: Strange Name, Great Sound

October 26th, 2009

Portugal. The Man – The Bowery Ballroom – October 23, 2009

(Photo: Emily Ibarra)

(Photo: Emily Ibarra)

Following a set of ebullient guitar rock by the Temper Trap, the oddly punctuated Portugal. The Man took the stage as Friday’s headliner at The Bowery Ballroom. The band is led by perhaps the second most well known denizen of Wasilla, Alaska, John Gourley, who plays a big-bodied guitar and sings in a high-pitched voice that could be the love child of Neil Young’s pipes and those of Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay.

Sometimes Miles Davis would perform with his back to the audience. And like a lazy Miles Davis, frontman Gourley oddly spent most of the show with his side to the crowd. Fortunately, like with Davis, it didn’t affect his performance in the slightest. Portugal. The Man’s albums all have different sounds, but their fourth studio effort, The Satanic Satanist, out last July, has earned the band plenty of well-deserved attention. So it was no surprise that much of their set highlighted songs from that disc, including “People Say” (with the crowd singing along), “The Sun,” “Do You” and “Mornings.”

Portugal. The Man—at times accompanied by Judy the fiddler— played plenty of upbeat songs, but they can just as easily go darker. Backed by trippy lights, the band turned jammy and ethereal, with their instrumentals delving into the wide psychedelic swath between the Doors’ moodiness and the liveliness of Santana. They seem like the kind of band you could see two nights in a row and it wouldn’t feel like the same show. And that’s a good thing. —R. Zizmor

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CMJ Music Marathon Starts Today!

October 20th, 2009

cmj-nyc-2009-wide
The CMJ Music Marathon starts today, and The Bowery Presents has plenty of choices for you with multiple shows all week long at The Bowery Ballroom, Mercury Lounge and Music Hall of Williamsburg. Check out what some of the people at The House List are most excited to see:

Having had “Crystalised” playing on repeat for at least two straight weeks, it’s an understatement to say that I am looking forward to watching the xx perform at CMJ (Music Hall of Williamsburg, Friday). I have also heard there is some great hair I should try to catch on camera. ZAZA is on the wish list because I have yet to witness the atmospheric magic spun by my enchanting friend Jennie. I’ll also try to make the Screaming Females show (Mercury Lounge, Wednesday). I saw them last on Valentine’s Day, when that itty-bitty girl shredded her guitar into itty-bitty heart-shaped pieces. Her vocals hark back to the Dead Kennedys, which wins my deepest reverence. —Mina Kim, Photographer

I’ve got a list of bands I will try to see, among them Bang Bang Eche, an energetic electro-rock group from New Zealand. Check out their new single, “Fistful of Dollars,” and you can catch them around town on Wednesday. (Plus they’ve got shows next week at Music Hall, October 26th, and Mercury Lounge, October 27th.) Fanfarlo’s dreamy melodies and aching lyrics should be a big hit this year. They’re playing Music Hall tonight and The Bowery Ballroom tomorrow. The other group I am desperate to see is School of Seven Bells—playing Music Hall on Friday—who will blow your mind live. This band put out one of my favorite albums last year and is definitely worth checking out if you can make it. —Anna Loosli, Writer

I’m most excited for two Bowery Ballroom shows—Deer Tick on Thursday and then Portugal. The Man on Friday. I must admit that I love Deer Tick. With their tight songwriting and loose live performances, they’re a must-see band every time they play NYC. I’ve only had the chance to see Portugal. The Man twice, at Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, but each time I’ve found them eminently listenable and intriguing, and not just because of their strangely punctuated band name. —R. Zizmor, Editor

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Hot Band for a Hot Night

August 6th, 2009

Portugal. The Man – Mercury Lounge – August 5, 2009

Portugal. The Man
In a summer that’s been uncharacteristically cool, yesterday stood out as particularly warm and humid—air that’s thick in the lungs and practically moist to the touch. The sensation lasted well into the evening when Portugal. The Man played at Mercury Lounge. Their music was deep, dark, dreamy and dense with a humidity that filled the room, condensing directly onto the bodies of the sold-out crowd.

With dark purple and red lights behind them, the band ripped through an 80-plus minute set that barely ebbed enough to let us wipe our brows. The audience required no respite, happily sweating up a storm while the onslaught of guitar, drums, bass, keys and psychedelic falsetto harmonies generated its own oppressive heat. The songs were twisted and organic, some winding through multiple passages and extended instrumental interludes while others just came as short, intense blasts of volume.  There was little separation between songs or instruments: To pick out and highlight one tune from another or one player from the band would be like calling out the color yellow as most instrumental to the success of a rainbow when it takes all of them to reach the pot of gold. (Although, damn, that was some intense drumming.)

Watching the crowd, I must admit I was jealous, wishing I were already deep enough in the cult to sing along to every song, call out for my favorite selections from the back catalog, and anticipate every tangential change three clicks in advance. All in good time, I suppose. For the first bit I found myself thinking “this sounds like [fill in the blank]!” but very quickly, things ran together, the energy became fully amorphous, sweat and dew became indistinguishable and I realized that it sounds like nothing else but Portugal. The Man. This may very well be my new favorite band. —A. Stein

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