For most bands, it's nearly impossible to get away from the one-genre label. However, there are a select number of bands that refuse to stick to the safe road. They manage to add a new page to music's history and mystify their audience with an intriguing sound that touches in the many flavors of music, including rock and roll.
After seeing the nationally rising band Portugal. The Man electrify the audience at Turner Hall Ballroom last night, I definitely would add them to that list.
With a name that fits perfectly, the four-member band -- hailing from Wasilla, Alaska and based in Portland, Oregon -- radiated waves of energy the whole night with a moody, atmospheric set of their multi-album catalog. This included their newest album, "The Satanic Satanist," which was released to rave reviews.
The band's varied sound is hard to define, but some have suggested that it includes elements of rock and roll, soul, blues and folk. The multitude of jaw-dropping moments of these sonic explosions proved to be less unclear and every song kept things turning and far from dull.
The members of Portugal. The Man performed without hesitation and gelled fluidly throughout the show. In the course of many of the songs, the band totally let loose and created majestic, fast-paced jams that occasionally felt like they were headed to a high zenith before they returning to the main song. Guitars rapidly swung this way and that as their movements picked up with the tempo. I'm a sucker for rock and roll jams, and the two guitarists/singers certainly impressed me with their playing.
The band definitely showed that Milwaukee didn't just simply mark another date on their tour. Toward the end of the show, the band told everyone that they were astonished at the massive turnout and were very gracious to be able to play for Milwaukee. The surplus of energy and deep passion of music they brought dripped into the large throng of concert-goers that had assembled and a large consensus of clapping followed each song.
Before the, encore a unanimous "One more song!" chant rang out- to which the band responded and cranked out three more songs to the crowd's delight.
For me, seeing the band live went beyond just hearing them; they definitely are a band that leaves it all on stage ranks towards the top of the many shows I've seen this year.
Opening act, Drug Rug, certainly shouldn't be forgotten after providing a quality set of its own. The Massachusetts band featured a cast of similarly sublime musicians, who while not as proficient on stage, let their playing work its magic. Drug Rug got the psychedelic vibes going last night with a set of their music that dived into psychedelic folk rock with ‘60s and ‘70s overtones. The atmosphere certainly echoed those two decades and came complete with juicy guitar riffs and jamming while strongly blending vocal parts of the band's male and female singers.