Portugal. The Man at The Anthem
BY LIZ BAUMMER (SHE/HER)On Saturday, February 24th fans packed inside The Anthem for Portugal. The Man’s DC stop on their The Knik Country Tour. The night began with their opener SNACKTIME taking the stage. SNACKTIME is a 7 piece band hailing from Philadelphia. The seven piece band portion is particularly exciting to me because I don’t often get to capture tubas and trombones on stage! Their performance radiates positivity and featured good vibes conveyed through a beautiful mix of soul, jazz, funk, and R&B sounds. Their performance was the type of experience that had everyone dancing in the pit. To add to their already infectious energy, they incorporated portions of their songs that were easy for the fans to yell along to, encouraging the audience to join in on the performance. While they were an opener at this show, I would 100% go see them as a headliner. If you have the opportunity, they are performing at SXSW this year and are looking to do some additional touring this year. I could not recommend their performance enough!
Portugal. The Man is a special band for a number of reasons. And one of those main reasons is their commitment to activism and using their platform to elevate indigenous voices. They began their show (and have been beginning all their shows on tour) with Lakota Harden (Minnecoujou/Yankton Lakota and HoChunk) addressing the audience to talk about indigenous rights and her passion for music. Portugal. The Man also invited indigenous individuals from the indigenous tribes that make up the land that Washington, D.C. was built on to speak to the audience before the performance. Lastly, they brought onstage indigenous people from the community that would be affected by the development of Ambler Road (a 211 mile highway meant to provide access from Dalton Highway to Ambler Mining District). The group spoke about the ways this development would harm the people, the land, the animals, and the ecosystem of the land around the proposed development. They then directed fans to resources to help oppose the development of Ambler Road and stand with the indigenous communities that are already working hard to oppose the construction. More information and ways to support can be found at https://www.instagram.com/noamblerroad/
After a beautiful start to their set, Portugal. The Man took that stage, beginning with a mashup of Dopesmoker/Heart of the Sunrise/Heavy Games/Bellies Are Full. Their full set consisted of 22 songs along with a three song encore. Included in this list were many hit songs such as Modern Jesus, So American, and Feel It Still. SNACKTIME also joined Portugal. The Man on stage for several songs resulting in a beautiful collaborative performance. I’m a massive fan of Portugal. The Man’s stage design choices. They utilized both atmospheric haze and darker, moody lighting to set the tone in the venue. The fans pressed up against the barricade, some of whom had camped outside for hours before doors had opened, were clearly enjoying themselves while dancing and singing along. The energy in the venue as a whole was definitely high the entire night. The pit was packed with people having a good time! Overall, Portugal. The Man is an A+ show. From their commitment to elevating indigenous voices to their impeccable vocals and stage presence, it’s not surprising that Portugal. The Man has such a devoted fan base. They are on tour through mid-July, and I highly recommend seeing their show if you have the opportunity!
