Portugal. The Man Manchester Roadhouse 8th April 2011 10/10

Portugal. The Man

It's a tough to play support for Portugal. The Man, and I feel that emerging band Born Blonde are work in progress despite the fact they already have a record deal. There were some promising moments from this London Band, but lead singer Arthur Delaney struggled to get the room engaged, pleading in vain before playing the last song of their set for people to dance.

I'm a huge fan of Portugal. The Man's music so there was a risk that their much anticipated European tour wouldn't live up my the exalted expectations. I needn't have worried though, as the moment they came on stage I was electrified by their sheer energy. I wasn't then only one, as immediately the entire audience started moving, dancing, and singing. Manchester Roadhouse is an intimate venue, and I was lucky enough to be a few feet from the stage for a memorable, almost life changing evening.

John Gourley, lead vocalist, pictured above, and the other three musicians said relatively little, but showed such remarkable commitment to the music. One song led seamlessly into the next, and time passed so quickly it was heartbreaking when the set came to an end after an hour (followed by one encore). To my delight, a large proportion was from The Satanic Satanist, their best work to date in my opinion, and the light show was staggeringly imaginative, with the fog machine working overdrive along with lasers and prisms producing technicolour effects. Opera composer Wagner talked about Gesamptkunstwerk (total work of art), which in my previous life I experienced at great (5 hour) length, but this is a far more intense experience of all the senses which I found totally absorbing.

The defining characteristic for me was the physical movement of the musicians: they were totally absorbed in the music, and there were some epic guitar riffs lasting minutes. In fact, there was a more improvisatory feel than their studio recordings, and if I was to hazard a guess at the direction their upcoming 2011 album (slated to be relased in May) will take, I'd predict that it will have a freer, almost blues like feel. They are confident, relaxed, and prepared to let the music take them in the direction their emotions lead them.

Ryan neighbours, on keyboards and backing vocals is an essential element of Portugal. The Man's sound: he is in large part responsible for the way in which they transcend the classic rock genre and verge into more dreamy, experimental territory. He pushed the boundaries of grungy sound, whilst funk bass emanated from Zachary Carothers, and Jason Sechrist pounded furiously on the drums. There's something of the spirit of the wide open spaces of Alaska from which much of the band originate, which encompasses a sense of well being and contentment, but these guys rock as well. The perfect combination of sensitivity and imagination with drive and energy. This is a long way from folk music, but I can still sense how it has been inspired by a connection with nature.

Above all though, there was a sense of sheer exuberance and joy which will remain with me for a long time: I'm not exaggerating when I say that I can't remember ever being so utterly transported and entranced in such an all absorbing manner. Even the most conservative, British, self conscious person's reserve would have been overcome by this amazing performance, and not a single person in the venue stayed still. I was physically exhausted afterwards.

 There was just one encore, and the main set was over in an all too short hour, but we saw true virtuosity. When the music stopped, I saw couples embracing each other, and as I walked out into the Manchester night, I could hear strains of the anthemic 'People Say' as the departing audience relived the joy. As I write this review two days afterwards, I'm still on a high, and scouring the Internet for their next performance in the UK, so desperate am I to relive it.

 The Roadhouse was packed, and John Gourley mentioned before the encore that there had only been a 'couple of people' here last time they visited Manchester. The word is spreading, and they're currently embarking on a European tour. If life can get any better than this, please let me know since, as I Tweeted whilst there, I was in heaven. This is an all absorbing experience, which will change you for the better, and however mundane your everyday life, will remind you there is a higher purpose. Art puts life into perspective and Portugal. The Man connects on a very deep, fundamental level.

As a footnote, it's well worth following @portugaltheman on Twitter, not least for some great photography. And rest assured, that despite sharing a home town (Wasilla) with Sarah Palin, they don't have any political sympathy for her.

10/10

Peter Bjorn and John Manchester Academy 3, 31st March 2011 7.5/10

Sarah Blasko (Support Act)

Sarah Blasko is a singer-song writer from Sydney, who’s pursued a solo career since 2002, but is only just establishing herself in Europe. She normally performs with a five or six piece band, but tonight  there was a real sense of intimacy with just an electric guitarist, plus keyboard played by Blasko herself, and that beautiful voice. Her manner on stage was a little shy and self-depreciating, yet utterly charming.

Some listeners might mistakenly describe Blasko  as inoffensive, but this isn’t background music: her delicate voice captured the imagination and cast a spell over the audience. There’s a lightness of touch, but also real intensity: situated a few feet from her in a small venue, I could see she was completely absorbed in her performance.

Blasko performed largely from her third album As Day Follows Night, which was a departure from the 2006 What the Sea Wants, The Sea will Have, with a more laid back vibe, and a hint of the jazz club (an example of this being the song Bird on a Wire). Despite the differences in musical style, the album was produced in Stockholm by Bjorn Yttling, hence her supporting PB&J. Blasko has said that Bjorn encouraged her to strip back the songs so the voice alone could carry the mood and expression, and this gave an alluring, introspective, understated feel, enhanced by the direct lyrics.

Blasko ended with a subtle and haunting new song, ‘Night and Day’ which will form part of a forthcoming new album. This is an exciting prospect, and my only sadness was the shortness of the set: she really deserves to headline a show in the UK.

Peter Bjorn and John

PB&J’s previous album Living Thing was experimental, electronic, and somewhat downbeat, but the just released Gimme Some showcased in here in Manchester has a wider appeal, with an uplifting sense of optimism and joy which immediately affected every one present. 

I’m not going to attempt to analyse the music in detail because this (memorable) experience was all about fun. Multiple senses were engaged: feel, from the bass (thanks to John Eriksson’s drumming) moving palpably through the body; sight, with an imaginative use of lighting (the best I’ve seen so far); and their guitar led sound, which transported us to altogether more joyful plane.

This happy, catchy music came alive in an all-absorbing performance. PB&J have a great sense of theatre and showmanship. They didn’t talk much between songs, but involved the audience by putting all of their soul into the music itself with unbelievable energy. The audience was dancing, waving their arms, singing along (a microphone was passed around at one stage), and we played host to Peter Moren when he jumped into the middle of the (capacity) crowd. Before I discovered live rock music, I’d never experienced this feeling of being in a group of people with a common bond, who are there to experience shared joy, togetherness, and collectively come closer to an appreciation of the truly important things in life (such as music and love).

However, the set was not comprised exclusively of songs from their new album: for example my video below of Let’s Call it Off, featuring Peter jumping off the stage, is from the 2004 Writer’s Block. Like Gimme Some, this album has a positive feel, despite Let's Call it Off being about a relationship that hasn’t worked out. (The poor sound is a reflection of my camera's proximity to a speakers, not the venue, which was excellent, but hopefully still gives a sense of PB&J’s flamboyance). They played for around 75 minutes, without an encore.

This show was breezy, joyous and confident, and the catchy melodies permeated my consciousness for long afterwards, as did PB&J’s philosophy of seizing every opportunity to enjoy life. I certainly don’t regret taking advantage of this opportunity, and neither would you if they come near to your town.
 

7.5/10