Portugal. The Man
ACL Live // Austin, TX // April 14th, 2017
Photos by Clark Terrell
ACL Live Moody Theater and all those attending Friday night were graced to Portugal. The Man, the five piece haling from Wasilla, Alaska. The band has been labeled with so many genres that it is safe to say their music appeals to many types of music lovers. I arrived shortly before the opening act HDBeenDope performed and ran into my friend, Maggie. A fellow music photographer from Austin, TX. We caught up before receiving our credentials to be allowed into the venue.
Curiosity was on everyone’s mind when hip-hop act HDBeenDope took the stage. His set was welcomed by core fans of the Portugal. The Man. which I was happy to see. A diverse music style in one night doesn’t always give the same results. In-between acts I examined the stage production with excitement. Portugal had a massive projector smack in the middle of the stage towards the edge. It pointed towards a giant white fabric backdrop placed behind the band. An indicator their performance would be heavily visual based. As the house lights dimmed the particles in the air electrified from the strobe lights firing. The band lead us into “Creep in a T-Shirt” with chords echoing from the piano, catchy beats from the drums, and soothing voice from John Gourley. They followed up with “Head is a Flame” and “Got It All.” The crowed loved every minute of “Modern Jesus” and my favorite moment was towards the end of the night. Just before the encore they performed a cover of Another Bring in the Wall Part 2 from Pink Floyd. I remembered being introduced to the song when I watched part of The Wall at a friend’s house. What an incredible night with good music and great energy. You don’t want to miss out on this tour!
