Do the best with what you got, is a good motto for bands to follow. However in the case of Portugal. The Man, not only did they do the best with what they had, they took it 15 levels higher. Their recent show in Kansas City resided at the Record Bar. And to say I was impressed would be an understatement. To say I was grabbed by the ears and taken on a mind-numbing, intergalactic journey would be more accurate.
With their seventh studio album set to release in July, their energy was high. But something tells me every show is performed at that level. Their sound felt as though it hooked onto each laser beam and leapt off the stage to pierce its way into the crowd. Surrounded by colors and notes the show began.
The fact that a new album was a couple months away didn’t really have much bearing on the set list. Selections were mixed from nearly every record they have written. A slighter heavier emphasis was placed on what could be considered their most successful album to date: The Satanic Satanist.
Songs like “The Home” and “The Woods” with their sexy beats and infectious (and even harmonious) vocals, meshed perfectly with a stage lit by entrancing green beams of light. The bass did a bit of a blues sashay, causing the audience to uncontrollably sway in time. Talk about a multi-sensory aesthetic experience.
The hint of machine smoke coated the aforementioned laser lights and created an environment of light blankets and perfect for a number like “Mornings.” A song that’s core is undeniably blues and soul. Take the intro guitar solo, it’s sultry, while nearly bringing a tear to your eye. The harmonies are soft and inviting. Set at an alto octave makes them comforting without losing any power.
One of the few new songs that made it into the night was “Got It All.” This time the tempo was set a bit faster and the vocals were a tad higher. The sound leaned closer to the Rock of a Beatles era, than the Prog Rock of a Mars Volta time. Fancy backing vocals “prettied up” the tone, while a lead guitar found a plethora of melodies to showcase. It came complete with under tones of politics in the chorus.
Nothing about Portugal fit into the average “band mold” and this I like about them. But to push that even more, they stuck the single, [that undoubtedly would appeal to every person in that sold out show] at the second to the last spot. “People Say” easily contains the catchiest lyrics of any of their songs. Even though it’s on the less-complex level, when it comes to song structure, it was still quite enjoyable. This is one of those songs that is guaranteed to induce audience participation.
The show was unexpectedly fun, engaging, mind-blowing and all together awesome. And that’s just the live stuff; their albums are in a completely different galaxy.
