Concert Review: Portugal. The Man w/ La Luz at Terminal 5, Manhattan, NY

The winter has begun to descend upon the east coast, with earlier sunsets and cooler temperatures bringing a slightly higher level of difficulty with traversing in a mainly walkable city. However, the stark contrast between the freezing temperatures outside and the warmth inside of packed out rooms always make the trek worth it, and Portugal. The Man certainly brought the heat with their show at Terminal 5.

Portugal. The Man are currently underway on their Denali tour, a live showcase that fully comes to life in the colder atmosphere. The group’s latest record Shish is a tour-de-force of heavier strains of punk and rock alongside community oriented lyricism, all while paying homage to the natural climate of Alaska. Their priority of community shines through within their tour dates as well, sprinkling intimate shows focused on deep cuts and special guests throughout their list of massive club shows. On December 2nd, the group played the 650-cap Music Hall of Williamsburg, bringing out guests like Weird Al’ Yankovic to perform a Rage Against The Machine cover. The very next day, the group ventured into Manhattan to play the 3000-cap Terminal 5, where I witnessed a group unafraid to have fun without compromising on their ambitious discography.

The group took the stage and kicked off with the rapturous “Denali” before moving into the harder hitting punk-inspired track “Pittman Railers.” The first act was dedicated to tracks from Denali, playing the entire album with the exception of the closing track “Father Gun”, opting to put that as the concluding song on the setlist. The packed out audeince was having a fantastic time screaming and singing alongside the ever changing band, as the number of artists ranged from the core members of the group to a staggering nine musicians populating the stage at any given moment. Their wardrobe coordination was another highlight with each band member wearing a blue suit, and it goes to show how detail oriented Portugal. The Man is with their stage presence. The group rarely even took a break, with the only tangible moment of calm in the storm coming from the transition from Denali into older material, where tracks like “What? Me Worry” and the seminal “Feel It Still” sprang into full gear.

Portugal. The Man imbues social activism and humanistic qualities within their work, whether it’s through their fight to preserve our environment or their admirable emphasis on their touring crew. Before the show began, a member of Artists Against Apartheid came onstage to introduce the band, explaining the group’s mission and instilling a rallying for concertgoers to get out to the streets and fight for those in Gaza before concluding with a call-and-response of “FREE PALESTINE.” It was the perfect way to reiterate the uncompromising morals behind the band and potentially inspire others to go and make a difference in the world.

The Seattle-based quartet La Luz kicked off the night with a very rocking yet relaxed energy. The band’s ability to blend cosmic synthesizers and psychedelic guitars with these throttling drums brought two very disparate worlds into a logical unity. The group even pulled off the instrumental “Strange World” with such ease that it was just as impactful as the rest of the group’s lyric driven work. It was a great way to kick off the night at Terminal 5, and they are certainly a band to keep an eye on in the future.