Let’s not deny it, I was in a frenzy. A complete frenzy, simple as that. I did find solace, however, in the fact that this sold out crowd seemed to be as equally frantic. There was no doubt that I was about to see a fantastic show, since even Portugal. The Man bassist Zach Carothers admits that “out of all the things we have to do being in a band, just getting up there and being on stage is probably our favorite.” With new lights and more production then ever before, Portugal was about to prove just how much they love being on that stage.
A teaser to what we were about to see was the stellar performance put on by Alberta Cross. Powerful through the entire venue, no spot at the Paradise could have lacked the full experience of this up and coming band. Pounding keys, deep floor tom, and bass strokesrocked through the speakers as all instruments blended effortlessly together, meeting with the vocals to produce a strong set. With reverb and arena fullness akin to Muse combined with bluesy classic rock progressions a la Led Zeppelin, the rock was invincible, and soon enough the crowds energy matched the bands. On multiple occasions I heard murmurs of “so f****** good” in reaction from my fellow attendees.
As soon as I left the Paradise after Portugal. The Man’s set I knew it was going to be near impossible to write about what I had just experienced. It was simply more than my body was prepared to handle.
The house lights had dimmed and a blue glow remained on stage, large orbs hovered above, and for the audience it was still unclear how these Dr. Seuss like objects would play into the show. Lyrics, “if pain was a color to paint on you, your heart would be the color blue” lead the band onto the stage and as the tunes picked up, so did the light show. ‘So American’ stuck with the blue theme, the hanging decorations flickering with color. As the band moved into ‘Work All Day’ the lights continued to add to the show, changing colors and flashing to the beat of the music. Putting a new spin on nearly all their albums but mainly focusing on In the Mountain, In the Cloud and The Satanic Satanist, Portugal. The Man truly makes their live experience something new. Their energy and enthusiasm was a huge force coming off the stage, and the crowd was so deeply involved with each movement that they were practically intoxicated off it. With each tune melting right into another, the performance turned out to be one cohesive movement rather than a selection of songs. Portugal’s stage show, usually consisting of “fog like a wizards cave” was instead a clear one for Boston. I was glad to have the clear sight of Zach Carothers back bending, pounding bass playing combined with the strobes reflecting off the drums and seeing John Gurley’s, the lead singer, eyes ablaze and passionate across from the mic. That night, the full intensity of each band member was fully visible even in dim lighting.
Fully hypnotized by the performance, the crowd was in an uproar as they called for an encore. Never before had I heard such a heavy demand from a Paradise crowd. Coming back to the stage, Carothers bass lines ripped right into ‘People Say’, my personal favorite, followed by ‘The Sun’, ‘Sleep Forever’ and ‘Senseless’ without even a slight pause, closing out an incredible, unforgettable performance. “Playing live is where bands prove it” says Carothers, and Portugal. The Man are earnestly proving that they will rock you more than you could ever expect.
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