Portugal. The Man first started as frontman John Gorley’s side project while living in Alaska. But then, out of nowhere, Gorley had a full band. So they packed up and moved to Portland to start recording and get going with a tour, and it’s also where their first album Waiter: “You Vultures!” was released in 2006–an alternative-rock introduction that showcases the band’s experimental edge and at times AFI-esque vocals, as you can hear on tracks like “Marching With 6” and “Chicago.”
After the band’s first release on Fearless Records they’ve been cranking out albums ever since (basically one a year) that’s led them to great popularity, a world tour, and playing festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Coachella (just to name a few). And they just keep getting stronger. You can hear it in the band’s songs, especially on later albums that seem to bear a more cohesive, psychedelic-indie sound, like on The Satanic Satanist released in 2009.
But it’s still a very unique energy that comes from Portugal. The Man. Try to make major comparisons and you just can’t, really. Play it loud. Have no expectations to what might drive your mood. And let yourself be surprised–all the way back to their very first album, to their latest from 2013 called Evil Friends, and continuing onward to their upcoming release called Gloomin + Doomin.
Terminal 5
6/6
8 p.m.c
$37.50
axs.com
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