Don't Wake the Scarecrow

The Mercury Lounge was packed in so tight that trying to move around surely would have gotten dirty looks from your neighbors. The max occupancy is supposed to be 196 people but who knows how many people were there for the Portugal. The Man show on August 5th, 2009. People began filtering in more and more after an energetic opening set by Hesta Prynn in Civil Shepherd which is an act that has a power trio of guys fronted by two females, one a lead singer, the other a backup who worked on soundscapes and tambourine. As we could feel the room filling up, we made our way to the front of the crowd for The Love Language. Knowing nothing about them before heading in, we were surprised to see the stage filled to the brim with players. 3 guitarists, 2 keyboardists, a Bass guitar and a drum set were the makings of the Love Language, and although seeing it at first gave the impression of overkill, the band members each played their role well and led the audience on a sing along journey. A lot of fans of this band attended the show, so the mood was just perfect. By the time they left the stage the back room of the Mercury Lounge was crammed. Portugal. The Man’s guitar tech begin setting up their equipment as the band would slowly take the stage to fine-tune their gear, to a chorus of cheers and name yells.
The headliners of the night were ready to go. The lights were dimmed and the only way to see was from the slight glow of a couple of redspotlights. The Approaching AIRballoons started the night off with a massive medley that included Church Mouth and One is the Loneliest Number that then segued right into Lay Me Back Down. The ability of this band to seamlessly go from song to song while also adding a special twist to their tunes in the live setting is one reason why they should be on the top of your “Must See” concert list.
The members who make up the band are all stellar at what they do. Jason Sechrist on drums sets the tone and plays off of Zach Carothers on bass so perfectly. Zach is in another world of his own in terms of bass playing, using effects to their full potential at points, slapping the instrument and invoking a fascinating and chaotic sound. Ryan Neighbors sits behind the stockpile of keyboards and bounces from one to the other with ease, adding an eerie vibe to the darker songs, but also complimenting John Gourely’s voice on the softer parts of songs like “Lay Me Back Down”. The talent found in the group is unmistakeable. I felt like I could listen to the singing from Zoe Manville and John Gourely all night.
Speaking of Gourley, this guy can make a guitar speak like no other. As the front man for the group he has captivated the audience all over the place, and along with Zach Carothers (who are the original founding members of the band) he has crafted some of the most original and alluring rock anthems of the past few years. Throughout the show at the Mercury Lounge the group played through a good amount of songs from their newest release “The Satanic Satanist” including People Say, The Sun, Everyone is Golden, and Do You. These performances had the audience eating out of the palm of their hands, following whatever they would play and loving every minute of it.
I had my first taste of Portugal. The Man’s stage show at this year’s Bonnaroo Music festival and they did not disappoint. They exceeded expectations and won over many fans that night. Seeing them again at the Mercury Lounge was a different type of show, a smaller and more intimate setting with a lot more people who were already fans and knew the songs they were in store for that night. It was great to see the crowd at both concerts having the same type of positive energy and the same kind of experience that can only occur through live music. Portugal. The Man are a band that have no genre. I want to call them a Jam band but they are so much heavier than that. They are just pure rock and soul. Lots of playing straight from the heart and just doing their best to put on a top-quality show.

To see my photos from the show, click here.

Watch videos from the show by clicking here

For Portugal. The Man tour dates click here.